Education
He attended the University of Mississippi at Oxford in 1859, where he was a member of Saint Anthony Hall, and Oakland College in 1861. He studied law.
United States representative politician
He attended the University of Mississippi at Oxford in 1859, where he was a member of Saint Anthony Hall, and Oakland College in 1861. He studied law.
Born near Brownsville, Mississippi, Catchings was tutored at home. He entered the Confederate States Army in 1861 and served as a private in Company A, Eighteenth Mississippi Infantry, and subsequently in Company C, Eleventh Mississippi Cavalry. He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and commenced practice in Vicksburg.
Catchings was elected to the Mississippi State Senate in 1875 but resigned in 1877.
Catchings was elected Mississippi Attorney General in 1877. He was reelected in 1881 and served until February 16, 1885.
Catchings was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-ninth and to the seven succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1885–March 3, 1901). He served as chairman of the Committee on Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River (Fiftieth Congress), Committee on Railways and Canals (Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses), Committee on Rivers and Harbors (Fifty-third Congress).
He resumed the practice of law.
He also served as division counsel for the Southern Railway Company He died in Vicksburg, Mississippi, December 24, 1927. He was interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
He served as member of the Mississippi Code Commission by appointment of Governor Vardaman.