Cato, an African American man residing in Bladen County, North Carolina, was enslaved by Isaac Jones. In March 1753, a local court found Cato guilty of attempting to murder a white woman named Margaret Thomson with a knife. The motive for the assault was not recorded. As punishment for the crime, the court ordered Cato's execution. Jones was later compensated for Cato's death. Any further records regarding this individual have not been located.