December 2007
Argie Mae (Taber) Beavers, born Jan. 3, 1927 in Bristow, OK, and Quinton Roosevelt Beavers, born Sept. 14, 1919 in Adair County, OK. They had four children—Carolyn, James Quinton, Lanny Charles and Johnny Jack. Quinton died April 3, 1992. Argie died Aug. 29, 2000. They are both buried in the Old Baptist Mission Cemetery near Westville, OK.
Sarah “Sadie” (Morris) Beavers (Cherokee Dawes Roll # 880),* born June 10, 1901, in Goingsnake District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, died 1980, Adair Co., Okla.
Henry Monford (or Munford) “Jack” Beavers, born April 19, 1899, died July 1, 1973, Adair Co. Married Oct. 5, 1918, they had two children, Quinton R. and Loreen, but they never raised either one. Sadie was sick and couldn’t take care of the kids. Quinton was raised by his grandparents, Glove and Gatsey Morris. Loreen was raised by a family with the last name of Ward.
(Beyond this point, any dates or roll numbers and other specific information come from others’ research, so I can’t personally say that it’s accurate.)
_________________
Gatsey (or Gatsy) Anne (Bright) Morris (born Feb. 5, 1868—died 1945, Adair, Co., OK--Dawes #875, Miller #19417) and Glove (either Charles Glover or Glover Charles) Morris (born 1866 in Gilmer Co, Georgia, died 1948, Adair Co., OK --Dawes# 874, Miller 19416.) I have heard that Gatsey’s nickname was Catty. Gatsey was previously married to George McLaughlin, a full-blood Cherokee. She had a daughter, Mary Ellen (Eller), with him. Glove had been married to Nannie Sixkiller. Nannie and three of their small children died of TB. One child, Nick, survived and went on to become a professional baseball player. Gatsey and Glove had three daughters, Artie, Roxie and Sarah (Sadie).
Sarah “Sallie” Ann (Morton—sometimes it’s Moton in records--Dawes Roll # 1154, Miller Roll #5803, born Feb. 28,1842 or 1847, in Washington Co., Ark., died 1914). and William Bright (Dawes 1153, born around 1844 in Washington County, Ark.) He was the son of Hiram Bright and Lethe Downing. He was ½ Cherokee (1851 Old Settler roll: Going Snake, 30,1896, page 12). Sallie was the daughter of Henry Morton & Rebecca Langley.
Added from a website:
Starr lists this family with the surname of Bright; however, the 1851 Old Settler Rolls and the 1896 Old Settler Payroll has this family with the surname of Wright; however, in the notes for Marion, Lydia, and Nancy there is a comment that they should be Bright. Perhaps, there are two husbands, one Wright and the other Bright? They all seem to end up as Bright in the end so I'm using that surname here.”
_____________________
Henry Morton (or Martin), who died Oct., 1861, and Rebecca Langley, born 1815 in GA., and died March 18, 1879. They were married March 13, 1839.
Eleanor “Nelly” Morton Martin. There is some question as to who his father was. The info below explains some of the confusion.
The following quoted material is from “Unstrung Beads: Nelly Morton’s Necklace: A Family History,” compiled by a cousin, J.L. Morton Weber.
“Henry Morton Martin was born in Pendleton Dist., S. Carolina in 1821. He died in 1862 in Going Snake Dist., at 41 years of age. Henry was killed during the civil war, as per a statement from son Newton on his Cherokee Guion Miller application. Son Clem lists date of death as 1862 on his Miller Application # 10689.
“He married Rebecca Langley, Forsyth Co., GA, March 13, 1839. (Rebecca Langley reference Cherokee ¼ blood). Rebecca was born in Georgia in 1820. She was the daughter of John ‘Jack’ Langley and Sarah “Sallie” Parris. Rebecca died March 18, 1879 in Watts, Adair Co., Okla., Morris Cemetery.
“Henry (Moreton) was listed as the head of a family on the 1840 Census 885th Militia Dist., Forsyth Co., Georgia, First Federal Census for Forsyth Co., GA…
“Henry and his family moved from Georgia after 1845 to Illinois Twp., Washington Co., Ark…
“Nelly’s son Henry (Henry was the son of Eleanor ‘Nelly’ Morton Martin) was the son of a mixed blood Cherokee named Samuel Martin. He (Henry) has been found recorded with his name having been spelled Mourton, Moreton, Morton and Morten. He married using his mother’s married name Martin…
“Henry married Rebecca Langley on March 13, 1839, his name at that time being Henry Martin. Rebecca’s sister, Cynthia Ann, married Henry’s brother Joel Jackson Martin on Dec. 22, 1842. Both marriages took place in Forsyth Co., Ga.
“The question as to whether or not Rebecca was removed from Georgia to the Cherokee Indian Territory on the ‘Trail of Tears’ is answered in part by her father’s listing on the Cherokee Emigration Roll of 1817. And, by Rebecca and her sister Cynthia’s appearance on the 1852 Drennen Roll for the Disputed District. Listing on this roll indicates that these persons left the old Cherokee Nation East for the west and returned before the forced removal on the ‘Trail of Tears.’
“Rebecca ‘Morten,’ group 90 with children: William, Locke, George, Sally Ann, Gatsey Ann, Barsheba.
“Rebecca’s son Clem lists her Indian name as Wa-chi on his Miller Application. Another interesting fact was that Rebecca’s great-grandfather George Parris/Pearis was given land grants in the Ennoree, Reedy and Saluda River areas adjacent to the Tiger River. Henry Morton’s mother was raised in that same northwestern part of South Carolina in the Twelvemile River area.
“The Mortons lived in Washington Co., Ark. in 1850, and Cynthia Morton, Rebecca’s sister, was listed as living in the household though her husband Joel was not with the family.
“Henry’s mother Nelly’s application to the Siler Roll for her children was rejected in 1851 probably due to the fact that Siler’s agents were not aware that they had received inaccurate information on the identity of Henry’s father. However, Henry’s sister, Mary Ann, was paid for improvements in 1836, and her children were enrolled by Swetland as an eighth Cherokee.
“Henry has not been found on any Cherokee Rolls and was listed as a white man on the 1860 Federal First Census for whites living in the Indian Territory. Thus his degree of blood cannot be used by his descendants for enrollment with the tribe.
“Two years prior to his death, his postal address was listed as Baptist Mission on the Going Snake District Census for Indian lands, Arkansas County. His son Clem declared him as having died in 1862. Newton reported his father was killed in the Civil War. It is unknown if Henry’s death was a direct result of the Civil War. Henry’s sons were enlisted in the Home Guard during the Civil War. Rebecca was buried at Morris Cemetery, located not far from the Old Baptist Mission area. The Morris Cemetery was disrupted when the railroad went through, and no tombstones remain. Henry’s burial place is unknown to date. Many local cemeteries were destroyed in the Civil War or desecrated by the railroad’s path.”
“The Morton ancestors of Eleanor ‘Nelly’ probably immigrated to the Colonies in the early 1600s. They were predominately Methodist and many owned large land grants in Virginia and later Kentucky.
“Nelly’s parents, Marshal Morton and ‘Winnie” Ashcroft were found on the census for the Newberry, Ninety-six District of South Carolina, 1790, and in Pendleton District in 1800 and 1810 before moving to Blount County, Alabama prior to 1820. Nelly was not living in her father’s household in 1800 as indicated on the census for that year.
“In 1851 Nelly claimed to be the mother of Samuel Martin’s children. It appears that Siler’s agents had confused the identity of Samuel, as was also the case for the three women who applied to the Cherokee Siler Roll with Nelly.
“Samuel B. Martin (perhaps “Nelly’s father-in-law) and David Martin were enumerated on the 1790 census for Newberry, 96th District, South Carolina, and there was a ‘Saml’ Martin along with several other Martins listed on the 1810 and 1820 Pendleton District, South Carolina Census living in the same area that Nelly’s father, Marshall Morton, was found.
“Nelly and Samuel were not living together by 1830. She and the children had moved to Georgia. Nelly was listed as the head of household for that year on the Hall County, GA census as Nelly ‘Mourton.’ Samuel was not enumerated on that census. Nelly was likely living in Forsyth County with her son Joel ‘Moreton’ in 1840. John Jolly, the enumerator for the 885th District, spelled son Henry’s name ‘Moreton’ as well for the same year. In 1860, Nelly was found living with son, Jackson, in Milton County, GA. Their name was spelled ‘Moten’ on that census. She was 77 years old. Mary Ann, her daughter, was also living in that county. Nelly was reported to have died in Georgia (possibly Milton Co.)…
“Nelly married Samuel Martin, Jr. in Pendleton Dist., S. Carolina before 1800. The Mortons and Martins were living in the Pendleton District according to census records of 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1820. Samuel was born before 1774. Samuel may have been the son of Samuel B. Martin, Sr. It was possible that Samuel Jr. died prior to 1830.”
Another cousin, Steve Hames, compiled a book called, “Morton-Moten, Seratt Families.” He says Nelly never married Samuel Martin, who may have been the son of Brig. Gen. Joseph L. Martin, Jr. and Mary Emory, but Nelly and Samuel had eight children. There is the question here as to whether this line leads back to Nancy Ward, famous Beloved Woman of the Cherokees.???????
J.L. Morton Weber notes that oral tradition says that at one time, an old Morton family Bible existed, and Nelly’s name was marked through and written by it—“disowned.”
According to other information in that book, the Siler census people didn’t believe that Nelly was married to Samuel Martin, whom they took to be a Samuel Martin of Tennessee, who was married to another woman. Some descendants think they made a mistake in identifying the Samuel Martin who was the father of Nelly’s children.
Hames states that Nelly’s father Marshall Morton and perhaps his siblings settled in what would become the 96th District of South Carolina before 1790. He goes on to point out that a member of the Morton family married a Mary Boon/Boone, and that there is evidence that the Morton family was allied with the Daniel Boone family.
___________________
John F. Langley (died in GA in 1869 at 76), and Sarah (Sallie) Parris/Parrish (died ca 1837). There is a major conflict here between my sources. The previous info is from cousins’ research. The James Hicks website says Sallie Parris married a Tyner and not a Langley. He also says that Moses Parris (below) was married to Mary Langley, and there is no mention of Anne Wickett. Mary Langley was born about 1802 to Noah Langley and Annie Self. Some say Mary’s father was a white man employed by George Parris.
Moses Parris (1851 Old Settler Roll: Illinois, 1, 1896, page 371) and Anne Wickett.
Moses was born ca 1794 and died in Tahlequah in 1868.
George Parris, Sr. (born ca 1758 in Cherokee Nation East, died ca 1810—Wild potato clan) and Caty Baldridge.
Richard Pearis (born in 1725 in Orange Co., N.C.; died in Abaco, Bahama Islands, Nov. 7, 1794) and Prachey, daughter of Unknown & Ah-nee-wa-kee, born ca 1734 in the Cherokee Nation East.
The following is from Richard Pearis’ will as reprinted in “Unstrung Beads.”
“Deed 1757 Scots-Irish in Virginia, Vol. 3 Chronicals of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia Extracted from the original court records of Augusta County 1745-1800.
“Deed Book No., 7 Additional Members of the Executive Committee. Page 347. Page 450—Cap. Richard Pearis to Sarah Paris and Margaret Pearis, Love and goodwill; his daughters, slaves and other personalty; to Sarah in case she marries without her father’s consent; to Margaret, same condition (conveys one Indian wench named Pratchey).”
Col. George Pearis (born ca 1697 in Craven, N.C., died in Frederick Co., VA Sept. 1, 1752; buried in Frederick Parish Colony in VA) and Sarah (maybe Pharis), who was born in Craven, NC ca 1715. Sarah died in 1753 in VA.
_____________________
John Langley, born 1775, and Sallie (maiden name unknown)
Lock Langley (born in 1750; died in Anson Co., N.C.) and unknown mother.
William Langley (born 1720 in Virginia; died in Anson Co., N.C.) and unknown mother.
_____________________
Alexander Downing (maybe called Okutie) and U-go-yo-s-ti (maybe called Mary Auskinnie). Info from Miller ap#2468.
George Downing, born about 1760. He was a trader from Pine Log, GA and a member of the Wolf Clan. His wife is unknown.
Major John Downing, major in the British Army (some say born about 1720 and others say 1696; died about 1762, tortured, mutilated and burned at the stake by Indians (I’d like to know more about this!) His second wife, Hanna Fawling, was Alexander’s mother. She was born about 1730. She was a full-blood Cherokee and member of the Wolf Clan. She is said to be the daughter of Charles Fallin II and Hannah Harcum.
Maj. John Downing II, born 1696 in England; died 1762 in Georgia. He was the son of Maj. John B. Downing and Elizabeth (Downing). He married Hanna Beehunter "Cherokee" Fawling in 1736.
Hanna Beehunter "Cherokee" Fawling was born in 1720. She was the daughter of Charles Fallin II and Hannah Harcum.
More about Maj. John Downing II: Blood: Non-Cherokee; Major in the British Army, Tortured, mutilated and burned at the stake!
More About Hanna Beehunter "Cherokee" Fawling: Blood: Full Blood Cherokee; Wolf Clan.
Children of John Downing and Hanna Fawling are:
Charles "Cherokee" Downing, born February 04, 1737/38; Wolf Clan.
George "Cherokee" Downing, born 1740 in Georgia; Wolf Clan.
“I this day sat out from General Pickens’s, to the Ocunna station, after having been fitted out with whatever was necessary by the most friendly hospitality of the General and his lady. I crossed the Theowee near his house and travelled W. N. W. up the river and through an uneven broken country 11 miles to Cane Creek. Here I met with George Downing a trader from Pine Log, and Notetsenchansaie with his brothers, halfbreeds; they have uniformly supported a fair character. He [George Downing] sent his nephew, Tom Pettit, a decent, orderly young man with me to Ocunna to provide a pilot and interpreter for me...”
_________________
Gabriel Washburn Morris, Jr. and Frances (or Francis) Ellen “Frankie” (Dougherty) Morris. Gabriel (Gabe), born July 29, 1836, is not listed as Cherokee, but as an adopted white. Francis, born Dec. 17, 1837 in Lumpkin Co., GA, died after 1906 (1851 Siler Roll: Lumpkin Co., GA, fam#7, roll# 1873—Chapman roll: Lumpkin Co., GA, fam # 7, 2014
Dawes roll#769 Blood: 1/16 Cherokee. Emigration: 1872, LR-OIA, file# 196-1873 as Francis E. Morris.) Gabe and Frankie had 10 children.
Gabriel W. Morris, Sr. (born July 29, 1836 in GA) and Mary (maiden name unknown). Gabe, Sr.’s occupation is listed as a miner on the 1850 census.
He is believed to be the son of Jordan Morris and Elizabeth Washburn.
___________________
Benjamin Dougherty (born Jan. 16, 1818 in Lumpkin Co. GA; died 1888) and Julia Ann Talley (born about 1820 in S. Carolina; died in 1868). Julia Ann Talley was non-Cherokee. Her parents were Henry and Hannah (Sanford) Talley
James Dougherty (Daugharty), Jr. and Mary (Dean) Dougherty (1851 Siler Roll: Lumpkin Co., GA, fam#5, roll#1869; 1852 Chapman Roll: Lumpkin Co, fam#5, roll#2010). She was born in 1783 in Wilkes Co., GA, and died about 1860. James Dougherty, Jr. was born about 1780 in Hightower, Cherokee Nation East (CNE), Forsyth Co., GA. (1817 Reservations: May 14, 1818, #72, Hightower, nine in family. Blood: ¼ Cherokee).
James Dougherty, Sr. and unknown mother (1817-19 Reservations: May 14, 1818, #75, Hightower, 5 in family. Blood: ½ Cherokee. Clan: Kituah or Wild Potato).
Cornelius Dougherty (born about 1700, died about 1779 in Seneca Old Town on the Keowee) and maybe A-NU-WA-GI Moytoy, daughter of one of the Chiefs Moytoy.
This is unclear, because the listing the on James R. Hicks Family Web Page has a daughter Jennie as the child of Cornelius and the Moytoy daughter. Then he lists James and John Dougherty as children of Cornelius alone. If he married someone else or had children by someone else, she must have been a full-blood Cherokee, too, since the children were one-half. Cornelius is mentioned in several references as a trader who did business in the Cherokee Nation East. He is said to have been Irish, which makes sense because Dougherty (and it various spellings) are Irish.
_______________________
George Price Beavers and Mary Ellen (Jordan) Beavers, who lived around Ballard in Adair County, were married around 1884. George was born Feb. 23, 1862, possibly in Arkansas, and he died before 1930, in Oklahoma. Mary Ellen was born Aug. 8, 1867 in PA, and died May 7, 1927. They had 11 children. I don’t know of this side of the family being Cherokee, but Mary Ellen was said to have been Black Dutch, and that seemed to be a cover-up for being Indian back in the day, so they may have undocumented Indian blood. However, she could have just been PA Dutch who had darker features. Some say Black Dutch is what Spanish people who settled in Holland were called.
Lewis L. Beavers and Martha Jane Ware (or Wear) were married Oct. 27, 1857. Lewis was born Aug. 13, 1835 in TN, and died April 10, 1912 in Bella Vista, Ark. Martha was born Nov. 13, 1844 in McMinn, TN, daughter of Jessie (born about 1823 in TN) and Margaret (maiden name unknown—born about 1824 in TN) Ware. Lewis moved through Missouri, Texas and back to Northwest Arkansas where he was awarded an Arkansas Land Grant Oct. 23, 1901. Lewis was a school teacher, a Mason and a Baptist missionary. He and Martha had either 12 or 13 children. I’ve been unable to identify who Lewis’ parents were.
_________________________
John Byrd Taber (born 1885) and Etta Lorena Blanton (Roundtree or Rountree) Taber, born March 12, either 1886 or 1888, probably in Missouri. She died March 2, 1973 in Siloam Springs, Ark. She is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Siloam. John is buried in the Bell Cemetery, near Siloam. John and Etta had six children.
John A. Taber (born 1843 or 1845 in Taney Co., MO) and Matilda (Tilda) Byrd. They never married, but they had four children, John, Charlie, Margaret and Bessie. (This info about John B.’s siblings comes from Argie Taber Beavers’ family Bible). Tilda went on to marry a man by the last name of Welch. John A. is reported to have been a wonderful father and grandfather. He fought for the Union in the Civil War. John is buried in the Rhodes Cemetery, near Protem in South Central Missouri, near the Arkansas border and Bull Shoals Lake.
Archibald Taber (or Tabor) (probably born 1808 in Kentucky, died in Taney Co., Mo. In 1871) and Elizabeth Morris, born in 1810 in GA. She died before 1880.
Archibald is said to have been born in 1808 in Warren Co., KY. On several Internet sites, the genealogy for Archibald Taber goes back to a Sir John Taber in England in the 1500s. I also found an Archibald Taber and a John A. Taber in the Rhodes Cemetery in Missouri. These would seem to be my great, great grandfather and great grandfather if the Internet information is correct and these are the ones descended from English settlers in Virginia. The genealogy seems to lead logically down to my grandfather, but, there is some conflicting family information. Cousin Marcella says her dad said that his great grandfather, Archibald, claimed to come from County Kerry, Ireland. He is also said to have had long curly red hair and a long beard and to have been a very tall man. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a record of any Tabers coming over from Ireland or of having lived in SW Missouri. Maybe our Archibald is a different one from the one on the Internet. Hopefully, “the truth is out there,” and I’ll find it one day. I do know for sure that someone on the Taber side passed down curly hair and height. Maybe the other part of the story is true, also.
______________________
Thomas Morris (born in GA in 1786 and died in Taney Co., Mo in 1858) and Dora/Dollie/Dorothy Brown Morris (born in GA and died before 1880). This Morris family is also from GA, so I don’t know if they’re related in some way to the Morris family on the other side of my family tree.
______________________
Jack A. Blanton (who was her step-father) and Elizabeth Morris Blanton. Her parents were John and Susan Morris. (This info comes from Bonnie Taber Stevens.) Marcella said Jack Blanton was a Baptist preacher who owned 500 acres of land along the White River. He sold it to the government when Lake Bull Shoals was built.
The Blantons lived in the same area of Missouri as the Tabers. Etta said she was French and Blackfoot. The Blackfoot blood is said to have come from her biological father, a man named Roundtree. Perhaps, her French blood came from the father as well. Argie thought Etta’s mother may have had Indian blood, too, but she didn’t know what tribe, if any. Marcella and Bonnie don’t think Elizabeth was Indian. Grandma Etta told people that she wasn’t really a Blanton, but a Roundtree. I have found some Roundtrees in that area of Missouri in some of my Internet searching. I’m wondering if Etta’s father might have been adopted or taken in by a white family in some sort of arrangement. Marcella says Elizabeth had some children before she married Jack Blanton. Etta was probably one of them. I haven’t been able to find out anything about the mysterious the great grandfather Roundtree.