Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Rootbound in the Hills #6:
27 Oct 1987

by Rocky Macy

ROOTBOUND's friend, Leonard L. DAMRON (Rt. 1, Box 118, Sulphur Springs, AR 72768) has supplied two more interesting letters. I'll print the shorter one verbatim this week, and excerpt from the other over the next few issues.
Dear Rocky,

The Cherokee that are of interest to me are those who voluntarily removed into what is now southwest Missouri. This was in 1795 and with the permission of the Spanish who held this land at the time. These Cherokee later removed within the confines of the White and Arkansas rivers. I have been able to establish that there was a group of these who took up residence in the vicinity of what is now Goshen, Arkansas. There were several marriages among these Cherokee and some Whites.

Some of the Cherokee in this general grouping removed to Texas, this under the good auspices of Sam HOUSTON, whose wife was incidentally a Cherokee. It was while Sam HOUSTON was in Washington, this on business of Texas, that AUSTIN, who hated Indians, took advantage of the situation and put LAMAR onto these Cherokee. LAMAR chased them into the western part of what is now Oklahoma, where he killed many, including "THE BOWL" who was their War Chief. This War Chief is not to be confused with the Scot who was names BOWLES. As these Cherokee resided outside of Oklahoma, they do not appear on the DAWES rolls. If fact, there appears to be little known about them outside of the fact that they existed and did make the movements that I have shown here. I have at least been unable to find more than this regarding them.

I would appreciate any information, other than appears here, regarding these particular Cherokee.

Sincerely,
Lenonard L. DAMRON

Do we have readers who are actively researching Cherokee lines? Leonard and I would both like to hear from you.

Here are some more surnames from the 1860 McDonald County Census. There were listed in the Elk River (Noel) Township. Let me know if you would like the complete census entry on any of the names.
BROWN, BOOTH, PRICE, SMITH, WITT, GREEN, WILKERSON, RADY, THURMAN, BELL, ADAMS, DUENSBERRY, McBRIDE, McMILLEN, DEGRAFENREED, SHERMAN, SEABOURN, CAMPBELL, LANE, MITCHEL, PALMER, ANDERSON, BOLIN, BLYTHE, RODGERS, POUNDS, BARNES, SUTHERLAND, SKINNER, GRACE, CORK, WHEELER, HOPKINS, CUMMING, PERSON, WALKER, CRAWFORD, HOWENTEN, LOVE, KINCANNON, JINKINS, CULP, BEAVER, SISCO, HICKSFIELDS, DOBBS, MORRIS, OWEN, and CRABTREE.

Common surnames can be very hard to trace. These are some of those "tough guys" that reside in my file: ELLIS and COOK (northwest Arkansas); and MARTIN and GRIFFITH (southwest Missouri). Is anyone out there shaking one of those trees?

ROOTBOUND SHORTCUT: (Courtesy of Leonard DAMRON)
Social security numbers are an excellent way to get started in genealogy. As this program started in 1935, you will find that in many cases social security file information can take you back into the mid-1800's. Those who applied for a social security card listed, among other things, their parents and where they were born. Address inquires to: Social Security Administration, Box 57, Baltimore, MD 21203.

No comments: