Choctaw Riddle Family

The purpose of this page is share some research on the family of Joseph Riddle, a Choctaw Native American, who married Phoebe Womack; also, to definitively identify Phoebe Womack in the larger Womack family. I think Phoebe Womack, wife of Joseph Riddle, was a granddaughter of Jesse Womack and his wife Phoebe (maiden name unknown) of Washington Co, AL.

The Womack link is proved by the death certificate of Jesse Riddle, who sometimes appears in records with middle initial W, possibly for Womack. His death certificate lists him as just Jesse Riddle. He died in Le Flore Co, OK on 19 Aug 1925. Parents listed as Joe Riddle born in MS and Phoebe Womack, place of birth blank. The informant was Mrs Besa McClure of Poteau, OK (Jesse Riddle's niece). He was listed as Male, Indian, Widowed, retired farmer. Date of birth given as Oct 18 (day crossed out) 1844 or 1846 (last digit looks like 4 overwritten with 6). Burial: Green Hill - Cameron [Cemetery], 20 Aug 1925.

The Choctaw tribe lived in the southeast US. They were in Mississippi and western Alabama. Mushulatubbee was a primary chief. The research of Jennifer Mieirs (her blog) indicates Mushulatubbee had a sister Caty, a full-blood Choctaw woman, who married first William Riddle (a white man) and second John Jones; they lived in the area of present Sumter Co, AL. William Riddle and Caty were the parents of Joseph Riddle who married Phoebe Womack.

Riddle family links:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20080513134610/http://jenniferhsrn2.homestead.com/riddle.html

• http://www.redeaglejw.net/ged2www/p00000e7.htm#I43816

Early Federal Censuses related to Riddle

1830 FC Simpson Co, MS - pages 189 and 190 "Indian Nation attached to Simpson County"

Notes: This was not actually in Simpson County. It was in the Choctaw Nation area of Mississippi, part of which was attached to Simpson County for administrative purposes. Matthew Labrouse (various spellings) was associated with the Riddle family in Sumter Co, AL. "General Musaltubby" was Chief Mushulatubbee, brother of Caty Riddle Jones. Benjamin LeFlore was part of the famous Choctaw LeFlore family. The 1830 Federal Census had no categories for Native Americans, so only whites and slaves were enumerated. Native American households without whites or slaves were not listed.

• • p.189, line 7 - Mathew Labrouse - 1 WM 20-30, 1 WM 3-40

  • p.189, line 13 - Gen'l Musaltubby [Mushulatubbee] - 4 slaves

  • p.190, line 7 - Benjamin Laflore - 1 WM 20-30, 10 slaves

1840 FC Sumter Co, AL

• • p.136, line 4 - Mathew Labrous - 1 WM 30-40, 1 WM 40-50, 1 WF 40-50, 6 slaves

  • p.136, line 5 - John Jones - 1 WM 40-50, 1 WM 70-80, 1 slave

John Womack on p.84. Jesse Womack on p.95.

1850 FC Greene Co, AL

• • p.327 B - family 1313, Matthew LeBruce, 53, M farmer born in France, with family.

Womack presence in Sumter Co, AL

Brothers Daniel Womack, Jesse Womack and John Womack all lived in Sumter Co, AL in the 1830s and 1840s. There were the sons of John Womack Sr and Frances Coleman. John Womack Sr was born in 1776, the son of Jesse Womack who settled in Washington Co, AL, and there is debate about the identity of his mother. However, a Womack Bible record lists Phoebe (maiden name unknown) as the mother of Jesse's son William Womack (born 1779), and tax records of Washington Co, AL (then part of Mississippi Territory) show Phoebe Womack after Jesse Womack's death, so she is presumed to be the mother of Jesse's other sons, Jesse Womack Jr, Richard Womack and Frances Womack.

Daniel Womack was the first clerk of Sumter Co, AL until his death, and his brother Jesse Womack was one of the first sheriffs. Their names appear frequently in the early records of Sumter Co. These Womack brothers were likely the first cousins of the Phoebe Womack who married Joseph Riddle.

Daniel Womack was in the Choctaw Nation area which became Sumter Co, AL before the county was created on 18 Dec 1832. The Choctaw Nation area was attached to Marengo Co, AL for administrative purposes. Daniel Womack appears in the following deed:

Marengo Co, AL DB B:420 (Film # 008151617, image 859/926) - Daniel Wommack of the Choctaw Nation in the charted limits of the state of AL, to John C McGrue, for $375, half a parcel of land on the Tombigbee River in the Choctaw Nation called Brashirs Bluff, 480 acres including improvements of Turner Brashears, which said Brashears is entitled to by the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. Granted by said Brashears to said John C McGrue and Daniel Wommack on 27 Mar 1832. Signed 12 Oct 1832, Daniel Womack. Wit: J L Philps, Wm Fluker. Proved by William Fluker 12 Nov 1832.

Choctaw Trading House, St Stephens, Washington County, Mississippi Territory

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/276330?availability=Family%20History%20Library

William Riddle appears in the records of the "Chaktaw Trading House" from at least 1 Jan 1808 until his death around Apr 1818. The Choctaw Trading House ledger has no page numbers, so I refer to the image number on the digitized LDS microfilm.

• • LDS Film # 008132456, Image 270 - mentions "William Riddle Dec'd [deceased]" on 20 Apr 1818. He was mentioned a few pages earlier on 16 Apr 1818, but not deceased.

• LDS Film # 008132456, Image 301- "Estate of Wm Riddle", 3 June 1818.

• LDS Film # 008132456, Image 348 -"Estate of Wm Riddle". "For the following articles sold by his son viz: 1 doz buttons $1.00". 12 Oct 1818.

• LDS Film # 008132456, Image 404 -"Estate of Wm Riddle". "To Merchandize Jos R [is this Joseph Riddle?] Drs [debits] $1.25. For the following articles sold him viz: 1 wool hat $1.25". 18 Dec 1818.

Sumter Co, AL Deeds

A:35 (Film # 008193639, image 91) - State of AL, Choctaw Nation, Eve Pychlyn as known at time of treaty and her husband John Riddle of the Choctaw Nation to John C Whitsett of Green Co, AL, by treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, 27 Sep 1830, Eve entitled to 3/4 section. Mentions Colonel David Fulsom, J Garland, Col Robert Cole, Sappronalom [?], John Pylchlan, Charles Juzan, Tokokebetubbee, Upchohbia [?]. Mentions James Parker and George S Gaines, attorneys. Situated 3/4 miles NE of Sookenolchy [?, Sucarnoochee River?] and about 12 miles from the Tombigbee River. Where Eve resides as time of treaty and since and some years before. Signed 13 Oct 1831, Eve (her x mark) Pylychlynn, John Riddle, Jno C Whitsett. Wit: William Anderson, Isaac N Mitchell, Henry Smith, Israel Folsom. State of AL, Sumter Co, proved by Isaac N Mitchell 11 Mar 1834 before Daniel Womack, clerk of county. [This was in Section 11 Township 19 N, Range 3 W of the St Stephens Meridian. See image of plat. Eve Pitchlynn written in Section 11.] [Note on p.48 and p.52, John C Whitsett bought land of Choctaws Nathaniel Fulsom and George Fulsom, in deeds with very similar wording to this deed.]

B:439 (Film # 008193639, image 576) John Jones Sr to William Riddle , Recv'd and Recorded 5 June 1837. 24 Apr 1836, $100 and love and affection for my step-son William Riddle, following tracts of land in Sumter Co, 260.95 acres eastern side part of Fractional Section 26 in Fractional T 20 Range 1 W reserving to myself 145 acres on the western side. Also Fractional Section 25 containing 23.25 acres and Fractional Section 24 containing 30 acres all in Fractional Township 20 R 1 W. By treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek 1830, as the head of a Chaktaw family and on account of two children living with him at date of treaty over 10 years of age being said William Riddle and his brother Jack Riddle the step-sons of John Jones. Signed John (his x mark) Jones Senr. Wit: M Labroose, J W Foster. Proved 5 June 1837 by Mathew Labroose and J W Foster. [Plat map.]

C:93 (Film # 008193640, image 77) John Jones to Mathew Labrouse, received and recorded 26 Feb 1838, 4 Feb 1838, John Jones to Mathew Labrouse both of Sumter Co, AL, for $4000, Section 26 & 27 in T 20 R 1 W, containing all land reserved said Jones as head of a Choctaw family by treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. Signed John (his x mark) Jones. Wit: John A Cowan, Wm U McDade, B F Bullock. Proved by John A Cowan 26 Feb 1838.

C:94 (Film # 008193640, image 78) Jones Bluff, 24 Feb 1838, John Jones to Mathew Labrouse for $350, horses and all my kitchen and household furniture. Signed John (his x mark) Jones. Wit: John A Cowan. Proved by John A Cowan 24 Feb 1838. [Map of Jones Bluff, near town of Epes, Sumter Co, AL.]

C:94 (Film # 008193640, image 78) Jones Bluff, 24 Feb 1838, John Jones to Mathew Labrouse for $800, negro woman Easter about 35 and her son John about 2. Signed John (his x mark) Jones. Wit: John A Cowan. Proved by John A Cowan 24 Feb 1838.

D:44 (Film # 008193640, image 307) Obadiah Hand to John Jones & Jones Jones to Caty Jones. received and recorded 17 Sep 1838. Obadiah Hand of Sumter Co, AL to John Jones and Caty Jones for $500, negro woman Easter. Signed 30 Sep 1834, O Hand. Wit: Jas A Bates, John Riddle. Followed by: John Jones "for the purpose of providing for the support and maintenance of my wife Caty Jones" and for $1 the negro woman Easter. Signed 31 Sep 1834, John (his x mark) Jones. Wit: Jas A Bates, John Riddle. Proved by James A Bates, 17 Sep 1838.

E:223 (Film # 008193640, image 755) John Jones affidavit Rec'd & recorded 20 Apr 1839. The State of Alabama, Sumter County. Before me John A Cowan an acting justice of the peace for said county personally appeared John Jones who being duly sworn according to law deposeth and sayeth that he was acquainted with Simon Favre [?] in his life time that said Simon Favre between forty and fifty years ago married an indian woman named Marion daughter of Franci [?] Musstubee as I understood from common report and by her had several children said Favre married in the choctaw tribe of Indians and resided on the Tombigby River this deponent saith that he is satisfied and confident the above named parties were married although he was not there from the fact he was invited to the marriage and from what people who were there told him and also from the fact that he was not more than two miles and a half from that place at the time of the wedding. John (his x mark) Jones. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 18th day of April 1839. John A Cowan justice of the peace (seal).

F:404 (Film # 007856992, image 395) 6 Sep 1841, William Riddle of state of AR to James A Bates of Sumter Co, AL, land in Sumter Co [see deed for description], part of reservation to John Jones by Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, as the head of a Choctaw family and on account of two children living with him at date of treaty being William Riddle (first party of this deed) and his brother Jack Riddle. Signed William Riddle. Wit: Robert Desha Jr, F C Bates. Proved by F C Bates 5 Oct 1841.

F:616 (Film # 007856992, image 506) William Riddle of the Choctaw Nation of Arkansas to Mattew Labrouse of Sumter Co, AL, for $1000, 15 Sep 1841, negro girl Isabel about 6 and boy Jim about 2 and a half. Signed Wm Riddle. Wit: J G McDade JP. Proved 31 May 1842 by James G McDade,

There are also several deeds in Sumter Co, AL for John Walker and wife Mary, and William Hall and wife Susan. Mary Riddle Walker and Susan Riddle Hall were the sisters of Joseph Riddle.

• • B:63 (Film # 008193639, image 379) - William Hall & wife Susan Hall, to David Raney, 1836, S 23 T 18 R 1 E.

  • B:64 (Film # 008193639, image 380) - William Hall & wife Susan Hall, to Patrick B May, 1836, S 13 T 18 R 1 E.

  • B:65 (Film # 008193639, image 380) - John Walker to Alexander Keaton, 1836, T 19 R 1 E, 640 acres, Mary Walker his wife.

  • B:66 (image 381) John Walker to Obadiah & John V Meadors

  • B:67 (image 381) John Walker to Roby Grady

  • B:68 (image 383) John Walker to Mordecai Meador

TODO