Benjamin Alonzo Cathey

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census: Multnomah Co, OR - 1860 Federal Census, 3 Aug 1860, Multnomah Co, OR. ³ Multnomah, Page 104, Stamped Pg none

• Census: Multnomah Co, OR - 1870 Federal Census, 1870, Multnomah Co, OR. ⁴ Sandy Pct, Page 14. No date is given on this census, nor is there a stamped page.

• Census: Douglas Co, OR - 1880 Federal Census, 19 Jun 1880, Douglas Co, OR. ⁵ Not Stated, Dist 45, Page 17, Stamped Pg 536

• Census: Multnomah Co, OR - 1880 Federal Census, 25 Jun 1880, Multnomah Co, OR. ⁶ Multnomah, Dist 90, Page 35, Stamped Pg 195. The name is spelled "Cattey".

• Census: Benton Co, OR - 1910 Federal Census, 19 Apr 1910, Benton Co, OR. ⁷ Corvallis Ward 1, Dist 4, Sheet 2B, Stamped Pg 55

• Fact 1. Benjamin Alonzo Cathey was my great gandfather. His son George Andrew Cathey was my Dad's dad. Benjamin had three sons and two daughters: Cecil, Collin, George,Marie and Evelyn. Both Collin (Collie) and George followed their father into medicine. Benjamin, Collie and George Cathey's photos can still be found on the walls of McKenzie Hall at OHSU. Dr. George got his degree for neurosurgery in New York around 1905. All three studied pharmacy before attaining the degree of general practice for medicine. In those days 'pre-med' was in Corvalis, Oregon at what is now called 'Oregan State', but then called an A & M. Benjamin, according to my understanding began as a student of a pharmacist somewhere in Oregon and during an epidemic of typhoid took over for the pharmacists/doctor and was given rights to practice. Later he earned every right of practice and was given his doctorate. This shows on the photo-plates at OHSU, but his photo is duplicated by Collin's picture, which appears twice in the roles. Collin's son William also graduated with a medical degree form the same . . . conglomerated medical licensing system I guess . . . extant up until about the 40s. Benjamin was at one time president of the Oregon Medical Society. Papers by Dr. George can still be read in the Medical Record. The Medical Record preceded the JAMA or Journal of the American Medical Association. There are details about which my knowledge is sketchy, I'm only reeling out data to the best of my recollection. For example: I'm not sure if the 'epidemic' whereby Dr. Ben became interested in medicine was 'typhoid' or 'yellow fever' or what. I believe, too, this happened during a period when his family lived in Roseburg, Oregon. Not sure. Dr. George and Dr. Collie had medical offices in downtown Portland for many years in a building now called "Morgan's Alley" off of Broadway. Dr. George and Noyes Tyrrell (sp?) together helped establish the archery field in Washington Park. Dr. George used to go hunting with Erle Stanley Gardner with bow and arrow and they were fast friends. My dad went on several hunting trips in which Gardner was involved, and Dad said Gardner told him once Dad had 'more of a writer's soul than a doctor's'. I have several letters between Dr. George and Gardner and between Gardner and Dad. Grand-uncle Collie was once given a Stradivarius violin by a Mrs. Seldon for some reason. Evidently Collie didn't comprehend what the gift meant, didn't properly secure it and while at school, it was stolen. I recently was perusing my Dad's hand-written diary of the period when he was at the University of Oregon and he and his girlfriend visited Portland during a break and went to see Dr. George at his office. Dad's girlfriend was an accomplished violinist and this lead to Dr. George recounting this event to them.

There is such a great wealth of information amongst family, isn't there? I could go on and on . . . yet it would always be, practically, incomplete. Yet we have to say something and cross check and adumbrate the issues of memory with every extant record exterior to familial prejudices. What Family may polish, strangers may demolish. Somewhere, somehow, best truths must out. 's about the best form of detective work and joy of mystery. Or the resolution of it.

E-mail from Steve Price dated 31 Jan 2013

Benjamin married Lucinda Elizabeth McFeron on 8 Aug 1876 in Linn Co, OR.¹ (Lucinda Elizabeth McFeron was born on 26 Aug 1856 in Adair Co., MO ⁸ and died on 5 Jul 1947 in Multnomah Co, OR ⁸.)