1860 U.S. Federal Census, District 13, Franklin Co., Tennessee, p. 179, PO Winchester; dwelling 1763 / family 1734; Roll M653_1249, image 365 (Ancestry coll. 7667, image 4296189_00365). IMAGE READ 31 Jul 2026.

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1860 U.S. Federal Census — Schedule 1, Free Inhabitants in District No. 13, County of Franklin, State of Tennessee, enumerated 18 July 1860; Post Office Winchester; page 179. Roll M653_1249, image 365; FHL film 805249. Ancestry collection 7667, image 4296189_00365. READ FROM THE IMAGE 31 Jul 2026. DWELLING 1763 / FAMILY 1734 — the surname is written once and carried down by ditto marks: Malissa Catchings 38 F [no occupation] personal estate $370, NO real estate James H " 18 M Farmhand Nancy J " 17 F John " 15 M Farmhand Andrew " 13 M Geo W " 11 M Meredith " 9 M Mary E " 7 F B F " 5 M Next household, dwelling 1764 / family 1735: George West, 47, M, Farmer, real $2150 / personal $635. ⛔ NO ADULT MALE IS PRESENT. Malissa, 38, heads the household. This is consistent with her husband [296] Benjamin Franklin Catchings Sr having died 1858-1860 — and it is precisely why this record is NOT evidence about him. It does not name him. ⚠️ THE 1860 CENSUS HAS NO RELATIONSHIP-TO-HEAD COLUMN. That these eight are her children is an inference from household order, ditto-marked surname and ages — a strong one, but an inference. The record states co-residence, not parentage. ⚠️⚠️ ANCESTRY'S INDEX IS WRONG ABOUT HER: its record panel gives 'INFERRED SPOUSE: James H Catchings' — who is her EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON, merely the eldest male in the household. DO NOT ACCEPT THAT HINT; it would marry a mother to her son. The index also reads 'Nancy I' where the page reads 'Nancy J'. ⭐ Ages give: Malissa b. ~1822 (tree has 'abt 1825' — not changed on a census age); James H ~1842, Nancy J ~1843, John ~1845, Andrew ~1847, Geo W ~1849, Meredith ~1851, Mary E ~1853, B F ~1855 (= [246] Benjamin Franklin Catchings Jr). ⭐ NOTE FOR THE CATCHINGS-WEST QUESTION: a WEST household (George West, farmer) is the very next dwelling. The two surnames marry 89 years later ([122] Chloye Ann West x [47] Eugene Lloyd Catchings, 1949). Neighbours in 1860 Franklin Co. — suggestive, proves nothing alone.

Research notes

Working notes from the research, kept verbatim — what was read, what it proved, what stays open.

Research note · 25 Jul 2026

Audited 25 Jul 2026 - Junction #4: 1850/1860/1880 censuses read; TX migration mapped (Travis/Williamson, near Rose kin). See ancestry/catchings-branch-research.md §4. ── ADDENDUM 31 Jul 2026: SHE HAS HER FIRST CITATION. Until today she carried ZERO across all three OwnerTypes. The 1860 census of District 13, Franklin Co., Tennessee (p. 179, dwelling 1763/family 1734, PO Winchester) was READ FROM THE IMAGE and shows her at 38, heading a household of eight children, with $370 personal estate and NO real estate. ⛔ THERE IS NO ADULT MALE PRESENT — consistent with [296] Benjamin Franklin Catchings Sr's death in 1858-1860, and the reason this record is attached to HER ONLY. The 27 Jul queue entry said it would 'evidence both parents at once'; it cannot — it does not name him. ⚠️ The 1860 census has no relationship column, so her children are inferred from household order and ditto marks, not stated. ⚠️⚠️ Ancestry's index gives 'INFERRED SPOUSE: James H Catchings', who is her 18-year-old SON — do not accept that hint. ⭐ Her age implies b. ~1822 against the tree's 'abt 1825'; NOT changed, because a census age is not a birth record and the existing value is already approximate.

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