Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2023

Catherine Stevens was born Aug. 7, 1792, in Chester, New York. Her parents were Elisha Stevens (1759-1814) and Rachel DeMott Stevens (1772-1847). Catherine’s grandparents were Jonathan Stevens (1721-1795) and Jemima Blackman Stevens (1718-1800); and James DeMott (1745-1791) and Catherine Westlake DeMott (1752-1810). And Catherine’s great-grandparents were Ephraim Stevens (1680-1729) and Hannah Clark Stevens (1686-1729); John Blackman (1677-1732) and Jemima Harlbut Blacksmith (1680-1757); Michael DeMott III (1715-1790) and Sarah Collier DeMott (1719-1766); and George Westlake (1725-1803) and Elizabeth Wiggins Westlake (1727-1810).

When Catherine was 16 years old, she married Jacob Frederick, Jr., on Jan. 11, 1809, in Chester, New York. Jacob was 18. Within a year, they had their first of eleven children, about one every two years. Their children included Sarah (1809), Albert (1812), Rachel (1814), Sally (1816), William (1817), Polly Ann (1820), Benjamin (1922), Francis (1824), a baby who died at three months in 1827, Jacob (1829) and Harriet (1831), who was born when Catherine was 39 years old.

Catherine’s husband, Jacob Frederick, Jr., was born in Orange County, New York on Jan. 3, 1791, son of Jacob Frederick, Sr. (1758-1844) and Marytje Polly Tours Frederick (1759-1810). Jacob Frederick, Jr., was a private in the New York Militia for three months during the War of 1812. He was a cook and stationed on Staten Island. This entitled him to Bounty Land under the law of 1850. Jacob legally disposed of the warrant of forty acres granted, so in other words, he sold the scrip.

When Catherine was 67 years old, she moved, along with her husband and five of her children to Scott County, Minnesota around 1856, according to Arlene Gable, probably by covered wagon. Arlene sent the information to the Shakopee Heritage Society.

Why would Catherine and Jacob, in their later lives, set out on such a rigorous adventure? Probably because of the availability of Bounty Land. Or maybe because five of their grown children and their families left New York to the wilds of Minnesota. Probably the hype praising the Eden of the West, though the Dakota and other Indigenous people had been here for years. Or maybe they didn’t realize that the pioneer conditions in the wilderness weren’t as bad as the settler-colonists thought. And maybe they were hale and hearty enough to handle whatever lay ahead. And so, in the mid-1850s, they headed to Scott County where, in September 1858 Jacob received 144.65 acres of land.

Jacob was entitled to 160 acres under the Bounty Land Act of 1855, according to Arlene Gable, a descendant of Jacob. She intensely researched the family. So, Jacob applied for the 120 acres. On the Scott County, Minnesota Deeds, Book M, pp. 411-412, Warrant #19552, “Whereas, in pursuance of the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1855 entitled “An Act on addition to certain Acts granting Bounty Land to certain Officers and Soldiers who have been engaged in the Military Service of the United States” there has been deposited in the General Land Office Warrant N. 19552 for 120 acres in favor of “Jacob Frederick, Private, Captain Horton’s Company, New York Militia, War of 1812, with evidence that the same has been duly located upon the East half of the South West quarter and to Number Three of Section Three in Township One hundred and fifteen North of Range Twenty two West in the District of Lands formerly subject to sale at Red Wing now Henderson, Minnesota containing One hundred and forty four acres and Sixty five hundredth of an acre….”

The 144 plus acres was because the Minnesota River cut into the north end of the claim. The location of the land is now where Valleyfair is located.

In 1866, their son and son-in-law, Josiah Cooper and Jacob S. Frederick, picked out homestead sites in Stearns County. Later called Ashley Township, the two families plus Jacob and Catherine sold their land and moved again. Catherine and Jacob, Jr. homesteaded on land in Pope County, just west of the claims of Josiah and Jacob.

Jacob Frederick, Jr., died in January 1870 of palsy, which the family called a stroke. He was 79 years old. He was buried in Lake Amelia Cemetery, near Villard, in Pope County.

Catherine received a Widow Pension from the War of 1812. According to Stearns County on Nov. 22, 1875, “she is the widow of Jacob Frederick, who served the full period of 60 days in the military service in the United States in the War of 1812…who was the identical Jacob Frederick who enlisted in Captain Benjamin Horten’s Company, New York Militia…that was stationed on Staten Island, New York and time in Frederick’s was cook of his company… (Catherine) claim and obtain the pension certificate…..” Her mark was documenting, showing that she did not write her name.

Catherine became blind, and she lived with various children in her very old age. She died at age 91 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota on Aug. 9, 1883. Catherine was buried at Lake Amelia Cemetery.