Monday, April 14, 2008

Rootbound in the Hills #44:
26 July 1988

by Rocky Macy

(Note: This column has been edited for clarity and contains some new information that was not available at the time of its original publication.)

Several weeks ago some friends and I traveled to Jay, OK, to hear Chief Wilma MANKILLER speak at a regional meeting of the Cherokee Nation. One of our group was Maggie POLSON WILSON CLINE, a card-carrying Cherokee. That meeting inspired me to write something on Maggie's family history and Cherokee genealogy. Maggie's daughter loaned me a copy of Cherokee Cavaliers by Edward Everett DALE and Gaston LITTON. Most of the following information comes from that book.

The story begins with OGANOTOTA. He had two sons: Major RIDGE who married Sue WICKETT, and David OO-WA-TEE, the husband of Susannah REESE. David and Susannah had several children including Stand WATIE (12 Dec 1806 - 9 Sep 1871) who went on to become the last Confederate general to surrender his sword at the close of the Civil War. Brigadier General Stand WATIE was the husband of Sarah Caroline BELL. Another son of David and Susannah was Gallegina "Buck" WATIE (a.k.a. Elias BOUDINOT). It is the collected and annotated correspondence of the RIDGE-WATIE-BOUDINOT families that comprises the text of Cherokee Cavaliers.

Maggie is a descendant of Major RIDGE and Susie WICKETT. The RIDGEs had three sons and a daughter: Walter, Sarah (wife of Charles PIX), George Washington Paschal, and John RIDGE who married Sarah Bird NORTHRUP. The children of John and Sarah were John Rollin (1827-1867) who married Elizabeth WILSON, Clarinda, Herman, Aenas who married Mava SAUNDERS, Susan Catherine (wife of Joshiah Woodward WASHBOURNE), Andrew Jackson (ca. 1835 - 1900) who married Helen C. DOOM (ca. 1840-1921), and Flora Chamberlin (wife of David POLSON).

David and Flora POLSON were the parents of John Henry POLSON who married Mary Ada "Mamie" SHIELDS. John Henry and Mamie Polson were Maggies's parents.

Many members of this interesting family are buried at Polson Cemetery, including Stand WATIE. The cemetery lies a couple of miles west of Southwest City on Cherokee Street.

Catherine IVES, secretary of the Pushmataha County Historical Society (P.O. Box 285, Antlers, OK 74523) has forwarded information regarding her group's new publication, Pushmataha County Cemeteries Old and New which canvasses 124 known cemeteries and grave sites. Pushmtaha County is in the heart of the old Choctaw Nation, mainly in Apukshunnubbe District and partly in Pushmataha District. It was formed from the Choctaw Nation counties of Cedar and parts of Jack Fork, Wade, Kiamichi, and Nashoba. The book has a full name index and county map. The 318-page volume may be purchased from the society for $25.00 plus $2.50 postage and handling.

John K. ACHILLE (Box 3557 Boles R.S., Alamogordo, NM 88311) is looking for information on Charles H. McALLISTER and his brother, Joseph S. McALLISTER. They were born in the 1830's in Parke County, IN. The family moved to Monroe and Wapello, IA, in 1851. Charles and Joseph and their families were somewhere in Oklahoma in the late 1880's to around 1915. Mr. ACHILLE will refund postage and share information with anyone having knowledge of these brothers.

Rootbound Tip: I've mentioned before the importance of sending an SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) any time that you write to someone requesting assistance. Refunding postage for those who answer your queries is also a nice touch.

Until next week...happy trails!

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