Individual Details

Katy did not leave Jefferson Co, TN with her husband James; she instead made her home near her son Eli. She maintained that she had her first child, Eli, when she was only thirteen years old. She claimed to have come from Scotland as a child, but this has not been confirmed. The censuses give her birthplace as North Carolina.

1850 Census, District 13, Jefferson Co., TN, pg 403B, line 30
Catherine Rainwater, 54, b. NC, illiterate
William Rainwater, 18, WM, Laborer, TN

1860 Census, Jefferson Co., TN, pg 494, line 15
Catherine Rainwater, 63, b. NC, illiterate


She had a family Bible, given to her by her son John Sanford.

The family Bible of Catherine McCall Rainwater, wife of James:
This Bible was given as a gift to Catherine McCall Rainwater, the estranged wife of James Rainwater, by her son, John Sanford Rainwater. Based on the clues he provides in the flyleaf inscription correlated with other known data, the gift was sent between 1851 and 1870. At Catherine's death in 1875, the Bible must have passed into the hands of one of the children still living in Tennessee, probably the family of William Inman and Mary Blackwell Rainwater. Whether the Bible still exists and who presently owns it, is not known. Photocopies of the original were contributed by Glidie Rainwater Mobley.
FLYLEAF
Dear Mother,
It would afford me much pleasure to see you once more. Twenty-five years has elapsed since I have seen your face, but mother I have not forgotten you yet. I did calculate to see you this winter but owing to my cotton crop I have on hand. It would be out of my power to come there this winter without losing part of my cotton. And mother, if I never see you on this earth I hope I will see you again in a better world than this. My family are all tolerable well at this time. Father is in tolerable health for a man his age but still remains blind. I have another little girl near three months old. The children are going to school at this time. I will write again soon I think.
Farewell, mother.
John S. Rainwater to Mrs. Catherine Rainwater
Page 1: FAMILY RECORD
Catherine Rainwater was bornd July 20 1795
Catherine Rainwater departed this life Nov -- 1875 [unreadable]
This is Catherine McCall, born in Scotland. Married James Rainwater [unreadable]
Page 2: BIRTHS
Heirs of James Rainwater
Eli D. Rainwater was bornd Nov 4th day in the year 1811
Mileas W. Rainwater was bornd March the 7th, 1816
John S. Rainwater was bornd May the 21st, 1819
Maston C. Rainwater was bornd June the 18, 1822
Louisa C. Rainwater was bornd Sept. the 23, 1828
William I. Rainwater was bornd February the 17 day of 1832
--End of All--
Mary C. Rainwater was bornd November 4th day A. D. 1833
Page 3: BIRTHS
Heirs of Maston C. Rainwater
Melvina Rainwater was bornd Sept. the 21st day in the year 1844
Catharine Rainwater was bornd March the 19 in the year of our Lord 1846
Andrew J. Rainwater was born August the 5th in the year of our Lord 1848
Heirs of William I. Rainwater
Juley C. Rainwater was bornd October the 29th day in the year of our Lord 1853
Jonathan Nelson Rainwater was born January 12th day in the year of our Lord 1855
Sarah E. Rainwater was bornd November the 9th day A. D. 1956
James Monroe Rainwater was bornd Sept. the 11th A. D. 1858
Samuel M. Rainwater bornd November 9th 1860
Page 4: DEATHS
Daughter of Mastin C. Rainwater, Melvina Rainwater died 12 day of July 1845
Heirs of William I. Rainwater
Sarah Elizabeth Rainwater departed this life October the 31 ar 8 o'clock A. M. 1857
William I. Rainwater died December the 19 A. D. 1862
Juley C. Rainwater died November the 11 A. D. 1868
Samuel M. Rainwater died December the 20 A. D. 1865
J. N. Rainwater died November the 20 A. D. 1877
Page 5: MARRIAGES
Eli D. Rainwater was married to Catherine Slover July the 26 1838
William I. Rainwater was married to Miss Mary Catherine Blackwell December the 19th day in the year of our Lord 1852
Mary C. Rainwater was born November the 4th day in the year of our Lord 1833

Birth	20 Jul 1796
Marriage	1 May 1809	Richmond County, North Carolina - James Rainwater
Death	4 Nov 1875	Jefferson County, Tennessee

Spouse	James Rainwater (1790 - 1880)
Child	Eli D. Rainwater (1811 - )
Child	Milas W. Rainwater (1816 - )
Child	Rev. John Sanford Rainwater (1819 - 1898)
Child	Maston Crawford Rainwater (1822 - 1863)
Child	Louisa C Rainwater (1828 - )
Child	William Inman Rainwater (1832 - )