The many Catharine's of Niagara

In expanding the finding aid for the 19th Century Tombstone Project (Brock University Archives, RG 456), the sheer number of Catharine vs. Catherine spellings was pronounced.    The Project's goal was to record the tombstones of Niagara inhabitants buried in the 19th century in various Niagara region cemeteries.  Many of the women buried in area cemeteries used the local spelling of Catharine on their tombstones at an almost 2:1 ratio based on the recorded details.    

Perhaps the tombstones' inscriptions could be the error of the tombstone carver and/or of the instructions provided by the deceased families at a time when spelling was not as specific as it is today.  Or perhaps the family members commissioning the making of these tombstones decided to use a localized spelling.   

Some Catharine's were well known, and others were more obscure.   Their ethnic origins included English, Irish, and German.  Eighteen such Catharine's are highlighted in this digital display.   All 18 were deceased by 1867 and bear the spelling Catharine on their tombstone markers.  These are their stories. 

The table below illustrated the many Catharine and Catherine's that make up part of the 19th Century Tombstone Project in the Brock University Archives.