I have been meaning to do a post on Acra Archie Cathey for a while because his death is somewhat of a mystery, or has just been hush-hushed by family, but I haven’t gotten around to it until now. It was emails from two of his great-granddaughters that finally pushed me to write the post, and hopefully someone who has information about him will come forward with what really happened.
Acra Archie Cathey was born July 24, 1893 in Danville, Stewart County, Tennessee (though his death record says Danville, Hickman County, Tennessee…but Danville is in Stewart County) to parents William Glenn Cathey (1861-1906) and Margaret Elizabeth “Lizzie” Summers (1870-1952). He was their second born.
The first census that Acra appears on is in 1900 with his family in Indian Bayou, Lonoke County, Arkansas, age 6 years. The others listed on the census are his father Will G Cathey (tipping blocks, age 36 years), his mother Elizabeth (age 30 years), older brother Riley (play only, age 10 years), younger brother Georgie (age 4 years) and younger sister Katie (age 2 years).
By 1910 the family had returned to Tennessee and Acra’s father had passed away. The family is found living in the Eighth District of Humphreys County, Tennessee. Acra is listed as Acry (as his name is pronounced), a farm laborer, age 16 years. His brother Riley is no longer living with the family (another mystery). The others in the household were his mother Elizabeth Cathey (age 36 years-wrong), his younger brother Arlee (George, farm laborer, age 13 years), younger sister Katie (age 12 years), younger sister Ludie (listed as Larine?, age 7 years), younger brother William (age 4 years) and younger sister Maggie (age 2 months-note: I had previously thought it said she was 2 1/2 years, but I was wrong on that. It still doesn’t answer why she was listed as a Cathey if she was actually a Smith, but this suggests that she was born out of wedlock).
I’m not sure why, but Acra’s WWI Draft Registration card has his birth year as 1894, which is a year later than his actual birth. The card lists his occupation as a Teamster for Evan’s & (?). He was short and stout, with blue eyes, light hair, had all of his hair and had all arms and legs.
In 1920 Acra shows up in Cross Keys, DeKalb County, Georgia at Camp Gordon United States Military Reservation. He is listed on the census as Acra A Cathey, a soldier, age 26 years. He is shown as a Corporal for the United States Army.
In 1923 Acra was back in Tennessee. He married Annie Lou Pickard on November 18, 1923 in Dyer County, Tennessee.
The 1930 census shows Acra and his family living in Third Civil District, Madison County, Tennessee. He is listed as Acra Cathey, a farmer, age 36 years. Also in the household were is wife Annie (age 24 years), son Arthur D (age 4 years 8 months) and daughter Dorothy E (age 7 months).
I am eagerly awaiting the release of the 1940 census in April 2012! Acra and Annie Lou had three other children after 1930: Annie Katherine, Francis and Clifford. I look forward to doing posts on them soon when I get stories about them!
Acra Archie Cathey passed away on December 31, 1944 in Humboldt, Madison County, Tennessee. And here is where it gets interesting. According to his death certificate he died from a fractured skull and vertebra (neck?) when he was struck by either a truck or other vehicle out on the highway. There are other theories surrounding his death, however. The one that the family has most often heard was that he was struck over the head with a hammer over either a livestock thief or by someone close to the family due to a feud. My grandmother always said that her Uncle Acra was murdered, as his nephew says, too. Though no one seems to be able to say how. If my grandmother knew then she never told my mom, and I wonder if she told anyone else, or if she even knew how it happened. I’m hoping to get to the bottom of this mystery, though. We are going to ask around to relatives and see if they know.
UPDATE: After making some phone calls my mom discovered that Acra Archie Cathey did indeed die due to being hit on the head with a hammer. It seems to have happened near some railroad tracks. Which makes me question as to why Madison County, Tennessee appears to have covered up the cause of death. The way I figure, a coroner should have (and still) know the difference between a head being hit with a hammer and a head being hit with a car. Perhaps it was a rookie coroner?
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