Individual Details

Thomas J. Catchings eventually became the Administrator of the estates of both Robert H. & Emily Higginbotham. Daughter Sophia is usually listed as the wife of Catchings.

History of Pike County, Mississippi, by Luke W. Conerly
p.52 States that Joseph Catching and wife Mary Holiday moved from Georgia and settled on the Bogue Chitto, two miles below Holmesville in 1812. They had five children:
Thomas, who married Miss Clendenon, lived in Hinds County and were the parents of T. C. Catching, Congressman, Mrs. Mary Baird and Mrs. Nanie Torry.
Benjamin who married Miss Hickenbottom and resided in Copiah County (this would be Letitia Higginbotham)
Silas who married Miss Ann Drake and lived in Pike County
Sally who married Robert Love
Seamore who married Sarah Smith who came from North Carolina, 1812

Databases on WorldConnect indicate that Thomas J. Catchings was first married to Sophia Higginbotham and (2) to Nancy McNees Clendinen. His brother Benjamin was married to Letitia Higginbotham.
Thomas Jefferson Catching was born 17 Sep 1806 in Georgia, died 13 May 1883 in Vicksburg, Warren Co MS. He was defeated in the 1851 election for the State Legislature.

28 Dec 1840
Petition of Thomas J. Catchings. Yazoo Couty
Robt. H. Higginbotham died 18 Sep 1831. Emily became guardian of minor heirs:
Madison Green, 18, etc. She has since been supporting them. Requests an order to enter on the promissory note: pd in full for support & eduction of the minor heirs.

1830 Census. Copiah Co MS
Thomas J. Catchings: 2m age 20-30. 1f age 20-30

1840 Census. Thos. J. Catchings was in Madison Co MS. Age 40-50 with spouse, age 30-40. Thomas is said to have married Nancy Clendinen about 1845 in Warren Co. I believe it was probably a few years earlier.

1850 Census. Hinds Co, MS, p.196, Hh 1196
Thomas J. Catchings, age 44, b. MS
Nancy M. age 30, b. SC
Mary C. age 7, Nannie C. age 5, Thomas C. age 3.

1860 Census. Hinds Co MS, p.120, Hh 769
Thos. J. Catchings, age 53, b. MS, profession: M.D.
N. M., female, age 40, b. SC
Children all born in Mississippi: M. C., female, 16. N. C., female, 14. T. C., male, age 13. [these match the children from 1850] M. C. age 19, female. S. M., age 17, female. [were these daughters of Sophia? and if so, where were they in 1850?]

1870 Census. Brandon, Rankin Co MS, Hh 43
Thos. J. Catchings, age 63, listed as "Mayor", b. MS
Nancy M. age 49, b. SC
Mary E. age 23, b. MS [getting younger each census....]

I didn't find Thomas in 1880.

Birth	Abt 1811
Death	Abt 1841

Father	Robert H. Higginbotham (1777 - 1831)
Mother	Emily "Milly" Strickland (1784 - 1840)
Sibling	Judge Solomon Higginbotham (1800 - 1843)
Sibling	Henry Higginbotham (1803 - )
Sibling	Letitia Higginbotham (1804 - 1860)
Sibling	Lurena Higginbotham (1809 - 1880)
Sibling	Louisa Higginbotham (1812 - 1848)
Sibling	Madison Green Higginbotham (1813 - )
Sibling	Mary Higginbotham (1817 - )
Sibling	Caroline Higginbotham (1819 - )
Sibling	Thomas Taliaferro Higginbotham (1823 - 1859)
Sibling	Dr. Robert Jasper Higginbotham (1824 - 1849)