CATHERINE
WIFE OF JOHN
Feb. 8, 1802
Dec. 15, 1882
 

 

Catherine was born in Weissenhasel, Hessen, Germany, the daughter of George Kube and Elizabeth Diegell.  The Kube surname was anglicized over the years, becoming Kuba and later, Cuba. Likewise, Catherine's name may have been Catherina or another derivative.

The tale of John and Catherine Kube George begins with their marriage in Germany in the late 1820s.  In 1839 they left Germany for America with their three daughters and a "young" son, together with Catherine's invalid father and younger sister, Anna Catherine Kube.  The son died during the voyage and was buried at sea.  (Follow the link, below, to Anna Catherine Kube Sibert for a possible explanation for the similarity in the Kube sisters' names.)

The family is said to have landed in Virginia and lived there in Augusta County for some years.  Our efforts to locate them in Augusta County have been fruitless.

By 1850, they were living in Concord Township, Ross County, Ohio, in proximity to Anna Catherine and her husband, John Sibert, who had married in Virginia.   There is evidence suggesting that two of the George daughters, Elizabeth D. and Maria E., lived in Fayette County, Ohio, located immediately northwest of Ross County.  Around 1855 the Georges pushed further west and settled in Hire Township, McDonough County, Illinois, where they farmed, prospered, raised their children and lived out the rest of their lives.  (The obituary of Sebastian Kirchenschlager, husband of the third George daughter, Maria, stated that Sebastian and Maria came to Illinois from Ohio in 1856.  We don't know if they all traveled as a group.)

Anna Catherine and John Sibert also came to Illinois, circa 1854-55.  They established their final home in Fountain Green Township in adjacent Hancock County.

About the time the Georges and Siberts left Ohio, another Kube sibling, Philip, brought his wife and children to the United States.  They are said to have lived in Ohio for two years and then followed Philip's sisters' families to Illinois, living first in Hire Township and subsequently in Tennessee Township, McDonough County.

Catherine died on December 15, 1882, and John died just six days later.  They were buried in Friendship Cemetery.

They were the parents of eight children:

i.	Christina George (perhaps Catharina Christina), born October 9, 1828, in Germany.  She died July 21, 1898, burial at Friendship Cenetery.
ii.	Elizabeth Dorothey George, born April 27, 1831, in Germany.  She died April 14, 1903, interment at Friendship Cemetery.
iii.	Maria Elizabeth George, also found as Mariah and Mary, born May 18, 1834 in Germany.  She died January 12, 1922, in Smith Center, Center Township, Smith County, Kansas.  Burial at Fairview Cemetery, Center Township, a mile north of Smith Center.
iv.	Male child George, the son who died during the trip to the United States and was buried at sea.  This placement of his birth order is a guess.
v.	Catherine George, born in Virginia in 1840.  She died June 28, 1916, in Hire Township and was buried at Friendship Cemetery.
vi.	Mary George, born in Virginia in 1842, died in 1913, probably in or near McDonough County, Illinois.  Interment at Friendship Cemetery.
vii.	Barbara George, born November 3, 1845*, in Virginia.  She died December 17, 1860, probably in or near Hire Township, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
viii.	Fannie George, born July 21, 1848*, in Virginia.  She died June 2, 1877, probably in or near Hire Township, and was buried at Friendship Cemetery.
* Birth date calculated from tombstone inscription.

John George, 46, male, farmer, born Germany
Catharine, 45, female, born Germany
Cristena, 22, female, born Germany, married within the year
Elizabeth, 19, female, born Germany
Maria, 16, female, born Germany
Catharine, 12, female, born VA
Mary, 9, female, born VA
Barbara, 6, female, born VA
Fanney, 2, female, born VA
(School attendance was indicated for one child on this census page and for other children on previous and following pages, none for the George girls.)

John George, 55, male, farmer, value of real estate 1626, value of personal estate 440, born Hesse Cassel, Germany
Catharine, 54, female, born Hesse Cassel, Germany
Mary, 17, female, born VA
Barbra, 14, female, born VA
Fanny, 11, female, born VA, attended school within the year

George, John, 65, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 6500, value of personal estate 1000, born Hesse Cassel, Germany, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Catharine, 64, female, white, keep house, born Hesse Cassel, Germany, both parents foreign born

Berges, Henry, white, male, 47, married, farmer, born Waldec, both parents born Waldec
Mary, white, female, 45, wife, married, keeps house, born VA, both parents born Germany
Emma, white, female, 14 [poor handwriting, could easily be interpreted as 12 or 21], daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Waldec, mother
born VA
William, white, male, 10, son, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Waldec, mother born VA
Ann, white, female, 7, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Waldec, mother born VA
Carrie, white, female, 5, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Waldec, mother born VA
John, white, male, 3, son, born IL, father born Waldec, mother born VA
George, John, white, male, 75, father-in-law, married, farmer, born Germany, both parents born Germany
Katrina, white, female, 74, mother-in-law, married, keeps house, born Germany, both parents born Germany