GRAYSON COUNTY, Va. – Patchwork 250 is a new initiative from WSLS 10 that tells Virginia’s story, one piece at a time. Like a quilt made of many patches, every person, story, and tradition adds something special to our history. Join us as we celebrate 250 years by sharing the stories that make our region unique, one patch at a time.
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Caty Sage was a 5-year-old girl who vanished from Grayson County in 1792, only to be found more than 50 years later living among Native Americans.
At the time, Caty was with her mother near their home in Elk Creek when she disappeared. Polly Vaughan, office manager and researcher for the Grayson Historical Society, explained the moment Caty went missing.
“She went down to the creek to get water and told Caty to stay nearby and of course like any typical little girl, she sees butterflies and chases the butterflies, the mother turns around and Caty cannot be found,” Vaughan said.
No one knew where Caty had gone, but her family never stopped searching for her.
It was later discovered that a man who held a personal vendetta against Caty’s father had taken her and sold her to Native Americans.
Caty first lived with the Cherokee tribe before being traded to the Wyandot chief, who fell in love with her. She later married him and took a new name.
“She was a blonde hair blue eyed little girl, and he adopted her and took her into the tribe,” Vaughan said.
More than five decades after Caty was taken, her brother received a surprising tip.
“A gentleman comes up to him and starts telling him a story about a woman who lived with the Wyandot Indians, and he says she has a remarkable resemblance to you,” Vaughan said.
Both brothers, Charles and Samuel, investigated further and found Caty living in Kansas.
“He told them the story about how his sister disappeared. He goes to meet her, and he instantly recognizes how much he looks like her mother,” Vaughan said.
The brothers also knew of a birthmark on Caty’s back. When they asked to see it, they confirmed it was her.
Caty had become a respected member of the tribe and was initially reluctant to leave.
“Eventually she was convinced to come but before they could go get her to bring her home, she died of pneumonia, so she never got to return home,” Vaughan said.
Want to discover more stories that make Virginia unique? Visit the Patchwork 250 page to explore the full quilt of our region’s history, one patch at a time.