Family Histories: Cathemer

Sept. 18, 1995

How did the Cathemer family come to Florence; how many were there, and were they involved in the Catholic Church? My mother made sure we were will informed as to how the Catholic Church was central to the family. She was raised a Catholic and we were made aware of its importance in all our lives. Her father, Thomas R. McClellan, was very active in the building of the church and the Catholic School. My grandfather came from Scotland, met and married my grandmother in San Diego, Calif. And he brought my grandmother and her mother to Florence following the advice to all pioneers to "go west, young man." He had quite a bit of land and proceeded to farm and raise children. They had eleven children. My grandfather was very involved in helping to build and maintain the church and all its activities. Unfortunately he had cancer of the lip. There was no cure but he decided to see if he could find a cure. He began selling land and travelling to find a cure. Every time he came back very disappointed, he would hear of another place. He became a well travelled man. His ranches and property did not last as long as he planned. He had lost most of his land by the time the cancer took him. His wife died quite a while before him. After her mother died, I'm sure with eleven children she never ran out of things to do. My mother was in her young age when her mother died. Nana (Mercedes) took over helping the family. She also was a very devout Catholic.

My dad was born to Frances Perkins. She had been adopted by Rosario and Edward Cathemer and was named Louis Cathemer. He and my mother Margaret Mercedes McClellan were married in their early age (21 yrs old). They had six children - Thomas Robert, Margaret Mercedes, Cecilia Evangeline, Louis Robert, Edward Henry, and Rosemary. We were raised knowing who our Godparents were and learned our prayers first thing. All of us were baptized and confirmed in the Church of the Assumption. My Dad in his years of driving us all over always would tip his hat and cross himself when he drove past the church. He never said anything but we would always cross ourselves also. I know he never went to sleep at night without his nightly prayers. I tried to make this as short as possible.

Sincerely,

Margaret Cathemer Hamilton

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