Brown, Part 1; #7
Updated: Nov 8, 2021
CHAPTER 5 THE BROWN’S
A. Lawrence County, Alabama
We know less about our Brown’s than any other surname. Part of the reason for this is that there are so many John Brown’s. Which John Brown belongs with which family? We still have much work to do. A mixed-race Joiner married into our family and they seem to be related to the Joiner’s mentioned below. As I said, we still have much work to do on our Brown’s.
Here is what we have on our Brown’s in Alabama. John Brown married Polly Black Dec 23, 1820 in Lawrence County, Alabama.
This marriage is found in early Lawrence County, Alabama marriage records. John Brown’s family is still in Lawrence County in 1830.
1830 census Lawrence County, Alabama
John Brown 100001, 010001; John Brown, 30-40, Mary 30-40, 1 daughter 5-10, 1 son 0-5. They live near the Emanuel McNutt household where John’s son, David’s future wife lived. There is also a William McNutt nearby. Is he Emanue’s father? There is also the head of a household named “David Black” living nearby as well, perhaps his wife’s relations.
By 1840 they are on Walker County, Alabama’s census. On 1847 tax records John Brown is still alive. A second John Brown is already deceased and his wife Hannah is mentioned. David Brown on the same tax records. So after marrying Harriet in Shelby County, Tn (the Memphis area), he has returned to the place of his birth. Marriage problems? Did she go with him? They had no children during those years. Perhaps we will never know. By 1850 census, my John’s widow Mary, is head of household in Walker County, Alabama, so he seems to have died between 1847 and 1850. Nothing is known of him before his marriage to “Polly” [Mary] Black. There was a “Brown’s Ferry” on the Lawrence/Limestone county lines across the Tennessee River. Melton’s Bluff is nearby. We have Gist relations who knew Jason Cloud, who knew the John Brown of the other Brown’s Ferry near what is today Chattanooga, Tennessee. But he have hit dead ends at this point. Maybe one day we will find more. Once we thought it was impossible to discover our branch of the Gist’s, but we have with the help of others. Maybe what is needed is for all the Brown’s to get together and compare notes. Perhaps something else. Maybe we’ll never know.
There are two other Brown’s on the 1840 census of Walker County within three houses of our John. They are Coleman Brown 10001, 10001 and William Brown 00010001, 0000001. There was also an elderly John Brown in 1830 census, between 60-70 years old, of Walker County, Alabama. Perhaps he was John’s father, and when he passed on, John took over his property. Unfortunately I understand old records have been lost for that county. I already have provided the census records for 1850 in an earlier section, for Mary and the family.
David Brown married Harriet Guess in 1841 in Shelby County, Tennessee per Shelby County records. Why Shelby County? David Brown’s Tax Records show him in 1847 Walker County, Alabama where his family lived, and where Harriet’s family had lived previously. In 1848 he is on tax records of Lawrence County, Arkansas. David and Harriet [Guess/Gist] Brown have NO children until after they appear in Arkansas. They were married in 1841 in Shelby County, Tennessee, but he apparently went back to Alabama. We may never know what happened. After he goes to Arkansas she is with him and they have 4 children after that.
In “Warrior Mountain Folklore” by Ricky Butch Walker, on page 10, we have:
. . . the Cherokee people began a massive movement into North Alabama . . . the Cherokee . . . moved into present day Lawrence County during the 1770s. . . .
The Cherokees established towns in Lawrence County at Brown’s Ferry, (Moneetown), Melton’s Bluff, Courtland,, and the mouth of Town Creek. Doublehead established a village near the mouth of Blue Water Creek in Lauderdale County.
His whole book is about the Indian families of Lawrence, Winston, and Walker Counties in Alabama. Some of the surnames however, are Eastern Siouan (Riddle, Minor), so I wonder. There is a state recognized Cherokee Tribe called “Echota Cherokee” found in these three counties. Apparently some mixed-race families were not removed from the region in the 1830s. And my family lived right there, as well – my Gist’s, Brown’s, McNutt’s, Havens’, Smith’s – all were right there.
A Little More about the Brown’s of Walker County, Alabama
1830 Walker County, Alabama
Richard Guest 21001, 200001 ó 2 males and 2 females under 5, 1 male 20-30, 1 female 30-40.
(new page)
Nancy Guest 01,001001 ó 1 male 5-10, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 30-40. (divorced wife of Thomas Gist. He disappears while she goes on to northwestern Tennessee, after marrying a Rickley male).
1830 census, Walker Co, Alabama
(2nd name on the page)
William Brown 002100001,000000001 ó 2 males 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 60-70; 1 female 60-70
(4th name on the page)
Christopher Guest 10001, 11001 ó 1 male and 1 female under 5, 1 female 5-10. 1 male and 1 female 20-30.
(7th name on the page)
John Brown 111000001, 2112001 ó1 male under 5, 5-10, and 1 male 60-70; and 10-15, 2 females under 5, 1 female 5-10, 10-15, 2 females 15-20, 1 female 40-50
1840 Walker County, Alabama
Christopher Gist 111001, 00001 ó 1 son under 5, 5-10, 10-15, 1 male 30-40; 1 female 20-30
1840 Walker County, Alabama
William Brown 00010001, 0000001; 1 male 15-20, 1 male 50-60; 1 female 40-50
Coleman Brown 10001,100011; male and female under 5, 1 male and 1 female 20-30.
(2 names later)
John Brown 10120001, 0110101; 1 male under 5, 1 female 5-10, 1 male and female, 10-15, 2 males 15-20. mine
The elder John and William Brown’s on the 1830 census are gone by 1840, and there is a younger William and John Brown in their place, and they are still living near Christopher Gist, making it appear that a younger generation has moved into their parent’s old place.
1840's Walker County Tax Record, Cerca 1847
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alwalker/1840TaxRecord.htm
William Robins, Collector. circa 1847.
(Contributed by Peter J. Gossett, Winston County ALGENWEB and Barbara Dunn)
Beat 3; Thomas Brown, William Brown, David Brown ó [my g-g-grandpa]
Beat 4; Isaac Brown, Isaac Brown, Agt. for William Looney
Beat 5; Jarret Brown, James Brown, William Brown - 1 slave
Beat 7; Russel Brown, Hannah Brown [her husband was said to be Cherokee, and was also named John Brown], Hugh Brown, Agt. for David Wolf & Gibson Wolf [There is a grave saying Hugh Brown was the father of John Brown]
Beat 9; N.M. Brown
Beat 11; Allen Brown, Est. of J.M. Brown [Is this John Brown, husband of Hannah?]
Beat 12; William Brown
Beat 13; John Brown; [MINE, David’s father], William Brown
Other Brown’s
I can’t stop without mentioning another bunch of Brown’s living in the same general area. There was another John Brown living in the area. Mine arrived about 1820 at least, but other Brown’s showed up a little later. My family left Alabama for Arkansas and Oklahoma, but it is my understanding that these other Brown’s remain in North Central Alabama to this day.
In my research, at first when I came upon them I heard they were claiming Cherokee heritage. At first I was elated. The more I read about them, the more I realized they were not talking about my Brown’s. Their John Brown had married Hannah Rice, mine had married Polly/Mary Black. Then for a time I started to thinking this other family was claiming the heritage of my family! Who were these usurpers! They are descendants of John Brown and his wife, Hannah Rice. Hannah is mentioned in that 1847 tax list as though her husband had just passed on. My John is still alive and is listed in those 1847 tax records, but his wife, Mary is head of household in the 1850 census, making me think he died between 1847 and 1850. The fact that the 2 John Brown’s died only a few years apart also makes researching them a difficult task.
These other Brown’s also seem to have Indian blood. They have a lineage that goes back to the Guion Miller rejected rolls. Mine don’t go back to the rolls as I know my great-grandparents never applied. Family story says they thought about it, but “something” happened, they got discouraged or angry, I don’t know. But they changed their mind and never applied. We don’t know why.
There is an old grave in Winston County, Alabama and it says that John Brown was the son of Hugh Brown. Their Brown’s do have a lot of “Hugh Brown’s” in their line, so I don’t think that John who was son of Hugh, is mine. I was so hoping it was mine! But he is their’s, and a clue for them.
I have also thought of the Catawba. There were Catawba Brown’s, also. There is a record the Catawba have that several hundred of them were adopted into the Cherokee Nation. I have never seen a Cherokee record of these adoptions. Maybe that is the real reason why so many are on the rejected rolls – not because they are not Indian, but rather because they are not Cherokee. Are the descendants of the other Brown’s actually Catawba? Are mine? See Appendix 2 at the end of this report. It speaks of a Catawba saying many Catawba moved in with the Cherokee just before or after removal of the late 1830s. Maybe these Catawba “thought” they were being adapted into the tribe when in reality they just moved near them as neighbors.
I don’t hold any animosity towards those other Brown’s. I’m over it. Those families are just trying to do the same thing I am – discover their roots. Maybe the two John Browns are related. I think we go back to one or perhaps both Brown’s Ferry’s. We have evidence but not proof. I want to be a good researcher and not just make claims I can’t back up emperically. That’s my burden. I wish the other Brown’s my best and hope one day maybe we can untangle this mess. Maybe if my Brown’s had signed up for Dawes we would know the connection (if there was one) to those other Brown’s. There are just too many John Brown’s, too many unanswered questions.
B. Hartwell H. Houston and the Joi(y)ners
Please denote in the following, the surname “Joiner/Joyner” and the relationship to Cherokee John Brown of Hamilton County, Tennessee. I copied and pasted this from the internet. Someone calling themselves “Bright Star” had placed it online – yeah, I know . . . but the material seemed of interest to my family. I have explained it near the end of this report.
Freedmen Project--Miller app # 17703-- Hartwell Houston, Joynar, Brown, Allison, Thompson, Turtina, Davies, Russian, Joiner
PLEASE NOTE ALL RESPONSES TO QUESTION ARE IN CAPS.
Below are the questions asked on the Miller Applications I have sent you info on in the Freedmen Project work. I hope to get at least one a week submitted. For those of you who cannot afford these NARA applications, I would advise that after you confirm it is your line, that you send for the packet, for source proof. Remember genealogy is nothing without documentation.
Application #--17703
Action Taken--REJECT
Name of applicant-- HARTWELL H. HOUSTON
No. of children--
Residence--ROLAND, OKLA.
Reason---APPLICANT BORN IN 1834 BUT DOES NOT APPEAR ON EITHER 35 OR 57 ROLL. NOT AN ANCESTOR THROUGH WHOM APPLICANT CLAIMS APPEARS ON ANY ROLL. THE ANCESTERS IT APPEARS WERE NOT PARTIES TO THE MONIES ON 35-36. APPLICANT WAS A SLAVE. MISC.LIST,P,2883
Second Note: OKLA.-FIELD
HARWELL HOUSTON
with #-SALLISAW
Remarks-- 28725-6,31299
FIELDS, OKLA.
UNABLE TO LOCATE ANCESTERS OF APPLICANT ON ROLL WITH ANY DEGREE OF CERTAINTY.
ROLAND SPECIAL COMMISSIONER of the COURT of CLAIMS,601 Ouray Building, Washington D.C.
Sir, I hereby make application for such share as may be due me of the fund appropriated by the ACT of CONGRESS, approved June 30, 1906, in accordance with the decrees of the COURT of CLAIMS of May 18,1905, and May28, 1906, in favor of the Eastern Cherokees. The evidence of identity is herewith subjoined. Note: Answers to all questions should be short, but complete. If you cannot answer, so state.
Question # 1) State full name:
English name-HARTWELL H. HOUSTON
Indian name-
#2) Residence --ROLAND, INDIAN TERRITORY
#3) Town and Post Office--ROLAND, INDIAN TERRITORY
#4) County -- DISTRICT NUMBER ELEVEN
#5) State--INDIAN TERRITORY
#6) Date and place of birth?--ASHVILLA, NC-JUNE 23 ,1834
#7) By what right do you claim to share? If you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each separately: JOHN BROWN OF HAMILTON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
#8) Are you married?--YES
#9) Name and age of wife or husband----NARCISSUS HOUSTON, AGE 63
#10) Give names of your father and mother, and your mother’s maiden name before marriage.
Father- English name---
Indian name--ALMON JOYNAR
Mother- English name--ANNA BROWN MARRIED ALMON JOYNAR
Indian name---
Maiden name--ANNA BROWN
#11) Where were they born?
Father- NORTH CAROLINA
Mother--NORTH CAROLINA
#12) Where did they reside in 1851, if living at this time?
Father--TENNESSEE
Mother--TENNESSEE
#13) Date of death of your father and mother:
Father--JULY 11,1880
Mother--NOV.21,1880
Page 3-
#14) Were they ever enrolled for money, annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where.
I DO NOT KNOW, CANT ASCARTAIN
#15) Name all your brothers and sisters, giving ages, and residence if possible.
Name: ELLAN ALLISON
dob: DON'T KNOW
dod; DEC.24,1894
Name: PHILLIP JOYNAR
dob: DON'T KNOW
dod; DON'T KNOW
Name: ISAAC THOMPSON
dob: DON'T KNOW
dod; DON'T KNOW
Name: ELIZABETH TURNTINA
dob: DON'T KNOW
dod; DON'T KNOW
Name: WINNIE DAVIS
dob: DON'T KNOW
dod; DON'T KNOW
Name: RUTHIE RUSSIAN
dob: DON'T KNOW
dod; DON'T KNOW
#16) State English name and Indian names of your grandparents on both father's and mother's side, if possible.
Father’s side:--BILLY JOYNAR, BATTIA JOYNAR
Mother’s side:--JOHN BROWN, WINNIE BROWN
#17) Where were they born?
Father’s side:-- DON'T KNOW
Mother's side;-- DON'T KNOW
#18) Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time?--GRANDPARENTS ON MOTHER'S SIDE RESIDED AT LOOKOUT VALLEY,HAMILTON COUNTY, TENN.
#19) Give names of all their children, and residence, if possible:
English Name:-- ANNA BROWN, MY MOTHER & JAMIMA BROWN
Indian Name:--
Residence:--DIED NOV. 21,1880
English Name :-- JAMIMA BROWN
Indian Name:--
Residence:--DIED IN TENNESSEE, ABOUT 1846
English Name :-- ALFRED BROWN
Indian Name:--
Residence: -- DIED IN TENNESSEE ABOUT 1842--TO1846
English Name:--ABRAHAM JOYNAR
Indian Name:--
Residence: -- DONT KNOW ANYTING ABOUT HIS DEATH
English Name:--ALMOND JOYNAR
Indian Name:--
Residence: -- DIED IN BEDFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE
#20) Have you ever been enrolled for money, annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where ,and with what tribe of Indians.---NO
#21) To expedite identification, claimant should give the full English and Indian names, if possible, of their paternal and maternal ancestors back to 1835.-----DON'T KNOW
Remarks- Section)
Under this head the applicant may give any additional facts which will assist in providing his claim.---I SAW JOHN BROWN TWICE. BOTH TIMES HE OWNED ME AS BEING HIS GRANDCHILD. MY FATHER OFTEN WENT TO SEE HIM. THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM .HE WAS ON HIS WAY BACK FROM GETTING A PAYMENT IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY AT FT.GIBSON AND HE GAVE MY MOTHER MONEY.
Legal Section
Note: Answers should be brief but explicit; the words "yes", "no", "unknown" etc., may be used in cases where applicable. Read the questions carefully. I solemnly swear that the forgoing statements made by me are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signature---HARTWELL H. HOUSTON
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 28TH day of FEBRUARY, 1917.
Notary Public- signature-- W.H. DUUBLAJIES
My commission expires: JULY 6, 1908
Affidavit) (The following affidavit must be sworn to by two or more witnesses, who are well acquainted with the applicant.) Personally appeared before me W.H.JACOBS and J.M.WOOD, who being duly sworn, on oath depose and say they are well acquainted with HARTWELL H. HOUSTON who makes the foregoing application and statements, and have known HIM for 15 years and 24 years, respectively, and know HIM to be the identical person WHO represents HIMSELF to be, and that the statements made by HIM are true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and they have no interest whatever in HIS claim. Witnesses to mark-BLANK Signatures of witnesses--W.H.JACOBS, J. M. WOOD
Subscribed and sworn to me, before me this 28TH day of FEBUARY, 1917.
Notary signature---W.H. DUUBLAJIES
Notary commission expires---JULY 6TH, 1908
NOTE: Affidavits should be made, whenever practicable, before a notary public, or clerk of the court, if sworn to before an Indian agent or disbursing agent of the Indian service, it need not be before a notary,
etc.
BRIGHTSTAR'S PERSONAL NOTE: Pages after that include letters written to the BIA about their claim. Some have additional papers, others do not. ADDITIONAL PAPERS WITH THIS APPLICATION ARE;
Add; Letter--#1
No.17703
Hartwell Houston, being duly sworn, deposes and says; MY NAME IS HARTWELL H. HOUSTON: MY POST-OFFICE IS ROLAND,OKLA.,BOX 32; I WAS BORN IN ASHEVILLE, N.C. IN 1834; I CLAIM RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHEROKEE INDIANS THROUGH MY MOTHER, WHOSE MAIDEN NAME WAS ANNA BROWN; HER NAME AFTER MARRIAGE ANNA JOINER; MY MOTHER WAS UNDER THE GUARDIANSHIP OF BETSY MOSS AND WHEN SHE DIED BETSY MOSS DIED AND WE WENT TO THE GUARDIANSHIP OF HER CHILDREN,
AND I WENT TO M.F.NEIL; I WENT TO THE WAR FROM N.F.NEIL; WHEN I CAN FIRST REMEMBER WAS LIVING IN BEDFORD CO.,TENN. I WAS THEN ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD. I WAS HELD TO SERVICE UNTIL THE WAR BROKE OUT; MY MOTHER WAS A HALF-BLOOD INDIAN; SHE NEVER CAME TO THIS COUNTRY; I AM NOT ON THE FINAL ROLLS OF THE DAWES COMMISSION; JOHN BROWN WAS THE NAME OF THE INDIAN WHO WAS MY GRAND-FATHER AND MY GRAND-MOTHER WAS A NEGRO WOMAN.
Signed; HARTWELL H. HOUSTON
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th day of Sept., 1908 at Sallisaw, Okla. Signed-- Guion Miller Special Commissioner of Court of Claims 2883
Add: Letter #2
MARCH 16TH, 1908
ANSWER- I HAVE MADE THE SAME PROOF TO THE COMMISSION AS I HAVE MADE TO YOU BUT THEY FAILED I HAD EX CHIEF JOHN ROSS WHO KNEW ME ALL MY LIFE AND WHO MADE IN HIS AFFIDAVIT THAT BROWN OWNED X WINNIE CHILDREN AS HIS BY BLOOD I CLAIM MY CHEROKEE BY MOTHER MY FATHER BLOOD WAS CROSSED BY CREEK AND CHEROKEE I WAS SO INFORMED THE GUARDIAN OF MOTHER MRS BETSY MOSE HER OLDEST SON WAS A SOLDIER IN WAR OF 1812 & HAVING AN OFFICER BY THE WELL KNOWN SAMUEL HOUSTON HE WANTED MY NAME CALL THAT AND I GIVE THAT NAME WITH MY OTHER NAMES BY SOME MISTAKE BY THE ---i--- THAT ENROLL ME IN THE ARMY WHEN I NOTICE HIM CALLING ME CORPL HOUSTON HE TOLD ME THE PAPERS HAD BEEN SENT TO WASHINGTON D.C. MY MOTHER SAID MR HENDERSON ENROLLED THEM BY NUMBER AND SHE WAS ONE OF THE HALF BREEDS I AFFILIATED WITH MY FATHER AS SON I FOUND A COUSIN OF THE CREEK NATION BY THE NAME OF BILLY JOYNER WHICH HE IS NOW DEAD HE TOLD ME ... PARENT,S CAME FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND HIS GRANDPARENTS NAMES THAT I KNOW THAT FATHER GIVE ME & HE CLAIMS ALMON AS HIS UNCE I KNOW NOT ANYTHING ABOUT BROWN’S PARENT’S. BUT THE JOHN BROWN GRAND FATHER WAS ENROLLED ON THE 25TH DAY OF SEPT. 1835 IN LOOKOUT VALLEY, HAMILTON COUNTY TENN. I THINK HE DIED THERE, OR AT LEAST I HEARD THAT IN 1858. I SAW GRANDFATHER TWICE ABOUT MY 4 YEARS OLD. WHEN I WAS 17 OR 18 YEARS OF AGE HE HAD WITH HIM 2 SISTERS. SALLIE BROWN, I DONT REMEMBER THE OTHER NAME, I THINK NANCY WAS THE NAME SHE WAS CALLED IS MY REMEMBERANCE AS I WAS HELD UNDER GUARDIAN. I WAS NOT TREATED AS A SLAVE. I WAS TREATED WELL & NO OVERSEER, NO ONE EXCEPT SOLDIER SON WHO TAKEN MOTHER PLACE. MOTHER AND FATHER HAD NO GUARDIAN. MOTHER GUARDIAN WAS A WHITE LADY & SHE TAUGHT HER T..... AND WRITE & SHE TAUGHT ME WHAT SHE COULD UP TO MY 12 YEARS. YOU ASK ME TO STATE WHY I HAD NEVER BEEN ON ANY CHEROKEE ROLL BEFORE THE WAR. WAS WITH THE INDIANS NOT VERY OFTEN AND THEN THEY WOULD COME TO SEE ME IS THEY HAD TO KEEP CLOST. THE FIRST DAWES COMMISSION THAT CAME DOWN HERE & GIVE THEM SOME THING NEAR THE SAME EVIDENCE I AM GIVING YOU, ADING EX CHIEF JOHN ROSS, THE WHITE INTER MARRIAGE, IF WE T... HAVE THE NEGRO BLOOD IN US, WOULD AND WILL DO ALL THAT THEY CAN AGAINST ME AND ALL OF THIS LINAGE. THERE IS A WHITE CITIZEN OF THE INDIAN LIVING IN THIS TOWN, TOLD ME IF I TOLDS THE COMMISSION I WAS A DEMOCRAT THEY WOULD HAVE PUT YOU ON THE ROLLS. I TOLD HIM I WOULD BE LEFT OFF.
RESPECTFULLY YOURS,H.H. HOUSTON
Add. Letter # 3, 1770, F.S.T., ROLAND OKLA. MARCH 18TH,1908
MY DEAR ELBA C. KELLER,
I THINK I HAVE SAID ALL THAT I CAN THINK AT PRESENT, IT HAS BEEN ALONG TIME SINCE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. I GIVE THIS EVIDENCE TO THE COMMISSION AS NEAR AS I COULD WITHOUT ANY RECORD BUT THE HEART AND HEAD AND THEN THEY WOULD NOT LET MY NAME ON THE ROLLS AS MEMBER OF THIS NATION. BUT W. R. W. C. KEYS WAS ENROLLED ON THE SAME EVIDENCE OF HIS GRANDFATHER. HE'S SO WHITE I DON'T SEE HOW THE COMMISSIONERS CAN SEE ANY INDIAN ON HIM & CAN'T SEE IT ON ME ,BUT THE INDIANS OFTEN STRANGERS MEET ME AND ASK ME, IS YOU CHEROKEE OR CHOCTAW.
HARTWELL H. HOUSTON
ROLAND, OKLA.
ROLAND OKLA.
JUNE 19TH 1909
HON COMMISSIONER MILLER, YOUR LETTER RECIEVED AND CAREFULLY READ. I CANNOT SEE THAT I CAN MAKE THE CASE ANY BETTER BY MAKING A NEW APPLICATION. THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS SENT ME A CARD NO. 17703, ACCEPTING THE APPLICATION. THEN I RECIEVED A LETTER TO HAVE MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN PUT ON THE ROLL. I SENT THIS TO LET THEM. THEN THEY COME TO MY HOME, WE WENT TO FORT SMITH ARK, MADE THEIR APPLICATIONS. MY SON P.H. HOUSTON WAS LIVING AT FOSTERVILLE, BEDFORD CO. TENN. AT THE. I HAD HIS APPLICATION MADE & SENT TO HIM WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO PUT HIS CHILDREN & SEND IT IN BY AUG 31TH 1907.
HARTWELL H. HOUSTON
ROLAND OKLA.
IF I UNDERSTAND THIS LETTER IF NOT EXCUSE ME PLEASE & LET ME HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN.
PRINCE A. HOUSTON
MARY F. HOUSTON
LOUISA E. HOUSTON
THIS IS THE NAMES ALL MY LEGITIMATE CHILDREN LIVING. I THINK THAT LAWSUIT, SO I SEE THAT I COULD EXCEPT OF THE OMITTED OR IMPROPERLY ....... ON THE ROLLS. I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH LOUISA, LET A LAWYER HAVE HER CARD, AND SHE SAID THE LAWYER TOLD HER HE HAD LOST IT. SO I KNEW IF ANY ONE GOT ON THE ROLLS IMPROPERLY BY. I AM NOT IT FAULT & HOPE YOU WON'T PUT ON ME, I DID ALL RIGHT TO HAVE THE PAPERS SEN IN AUG 31, 1907. THEY WOULD THOSE THAT DONE GONE & SHOULD BE DEBARED
So there was a man applying for Cherokee Freedman status named Hartwell. H. Houston. He says his father was Almon Joyner and his mother was Ann, a daughter of a slave woman named Winnie and John Brown. What else do we know about the John Brown who was Cherokee, and lived at Brown’s Ferry in what is today Chattanooga, Tennessee? Well. more about this particular John Brown is found at http://www.chattanooga.net/fmbnp/timeline2.htm, where it says –
The Cherokee Tenure
Around the time of the American Revolution, the Cherokee moved into the region. Under duress from the emerging Colonial economy, they shifted from a village-based lifestyle to farm-steading, which allowed for individual ownership of 1 square mile (640 acres) per head of household. One such property on the Bend was owned by a 1/8 Cherokee named John Brown, who operated the ferry at what is still known as Brown's Ferry.
So the John Brown who had a daughter named Anna, who was mother to Hartwell, was mostly White, having little Indian blood. Hartwell’s father though, according to Hartwell, had both Cherokee and Creek blood. So Hartwell was tri-racial. The census record for Bedford County, Tennessee does include an Almon Joiner in 1850 and 1860, his race in 1860 is listed “M” – meaning mulatto.
1850 Marshall County, Mississippi
Thomas Joiner 48 M Tn farmer and minister
Elizabeth Joiner 45 F Tn
John T. Joiner 17 M Tn
Martin M. Joiner 14 F Tn
Sarah F. Joiner 12 F Tn
Analisa Joiner 10 F Tn
Helan M. Joiner 7 F Tn
Caroline D. Joiner 4 F Tn
Do you remember the marriage on Oct. 11, 1842 of Thomas S. E. Joiner to Cynthia McNutt? Do you remember Cynthia is half-sister to my Harriet [Gist] Brown? If you will look on a map, Marshall County, Mississippi is just south of Shelby County, Tennessee. We have a man named Thomas Joiner in Marshall County, Mississippi who is listed on his census records as being a Minister, and my relative, Cynthia McNutt married a man by that same name a few miles to the north in Shelby County, Tennessee 8 years earlier. Are the 2 Thomas Joiners related? And are they related to the tri-racial families of Joiner’s in Bedford County, Tennessee?
Well I saw online where some were asking if anyone knew it there were any Joiners who were Indian. I contacted them including a descendant of this minister. Yes, there was a story/rumor that they had Indian blood. Okay, well they could they be connected to the Joiners in Bedford County, Tennessee. On this score, all I found was one short document. I wouldn’t have found it if I hadn’t had a lot of Guess/Gist/Guest research material on hand. There is a PDF file online. Here are a few excerpts from it.
MORDECAI6 YELL (JANE5 GIST, JOSHUA4, NATHANIEL3, RICHARD2, CHRISTOPHER1) was born 01 Aug 1809 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and died 30 Jan 1897 in Hayes County, Texas. He married LOUISA M SMITH 27 Oct 1845 in Rutersville, Fayette, Texas, daughter of WILLIAM B SMITH. She was born Abt. 1822, and died Abt. 1865.
Notes for MORDECAI YELL:
Circuit riding Methodist preacher. Called the "Father of North Texas Methodist Church." Died in Hays County, Texas on 30 January 1897 at age 87.Died at his son's home of pheumonia, contracted from cold while visting son at Chrismas. Buried in Lytton Springs Cemetery, Lytton Springs, Caldwell County, Texas. He was the Father of the original NW Texas Meth Conf of which he died a superannuated member. (See excerpts from Mth Journ for a detailed description of him and how he died.) He was visiting his son and caught pheumonia.
NORTHWEST TEXAS CONFERENCE, Minutes, 1897
Mordecai Yell
He was the father of this conference, having organized the Springfield District in 1849, when item braced all of our conference territory that had been reclaimed from the Savage. His face has been so long absent from us that many of this body did not know him and few are familiar with his history. He was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, August 1, 1809 and grew to manhood in Bedford County of the same State. He was converted at Holts campground under the ministry of Joshua Buther on the 12th day of September, 1830, being twenty-one years and one month old. He was at once appointed class leader under Wiley Ledbetter, preacher in charge. He was licensed to preach by Thomas Joiner, and admitted on trial into the Tennessee Conference, at Nashville, in 1832, Bishop James O. Andrew, presiding. He was ordained deacon in 1834 by Bishops Soule and McKendree, and elder, in 1836 by Bishop Andrew. When the Tennessee Conference was divided he fell into the Memphis conference, where he served two years on the Pontotoc, and two on the Salem Districts.
The man above listed as Nathaniel 3 Gist was the father of Joshua, but he was also the father of MY Nathaniel Gist, the one killed at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War.
It goes on to say Mordecai Yell (a Gist on his mother’s side closely related to mine) grew to manhood in Bedford County, Tennessee, he goes on to say Mordecai was licensed to preach in September 1830 by our Thomas Joiner and was transferred to the Memphis Conference. Since he grew to manhood in Bedford County, Tennessee. It says he was transferred to the Memphis Conference -- Well apparently so was Thomas Joiner as he was preaching one county to the South of Memphis, in Northern Mississippi’s Marshall County by 1850! So all the evidence so far does not contradict that these Joiners are the same that ones that knew the Cherokee Brown’s. And my Gist’s by family story married the Cherokee Brown’s.
Other Joiners and Carla Davenport’s E-mail
As I mentioned earlier, Carla Davenport is the wife of J. L. Davenport, a descendant of my great Aunt Ettie. She wrote this years before I ever heard of Hartwell H. Houston’s freedman application.
Vance,
I found this interesting tidbit. Now, I am sure they are Indians and not black as the census states. 1. When asked if they were Indian they probably said no. and they were processed as "colored or black" which I am sure you are already aware of.
Anyway, since Harriett has Looney and Joiner I am submitting these for your perusal
Knox Co. Tn Subdivision 15
William Looney 40 B b. TN
Polly 40 B b. TN
Abner J. Joiner 16 B b. TN
Rebecca J. Joiner 10 B b. TN
Sarah E. Joiner 7 B b. TN
Next door at the "white" household of Anderson M. Sands is
Nelson Joiner 16 B. B. TN
I also thought it was interesting that one of the little girls is named Rebecca. I am trying to find the husband of Rebecca Joiner b. 1790 in NC. She has a daughter Pernetta who married Jordan Payne in Shelby Co. TN in 1838 and then removed to Mississippi before 1840. Rebecca and 2 sons are living next door to Jordan and Pernetta. I also did a run down on Rufus Joiner who married Eliza Santina Baird, and find in the Mississippi census a "black" family with a son named Rufus Joiner. Anyway the only other marriage is for Thomas S. E. Joiner who married 1. Mary Fuller in 1838. Mary must have died, but I cannot find where he is in the 1840 census. The same Thomas S. E. Joiner married Cynthia McNutt in 1842. As you know, on 30 September 1843 our Nancy Joiner was born and admitted to the family Bible just as a child of Harriet and David B. Brown. Now, I cannot find Thomas S. E. Joiner and Cynthia ANYWHERE. So, I am wondering are these the parents of our little Nancy Joiner?
Carla
At the time we were emailing, we thought maybe McNutt’s or Joiner’s had married into the family, but had no idea how. Now that we know Harriet’s mother’s 3rd husband was a McNutt, well it all falls into place. One branch of these “Black” Joiners, per Hartwell Houston, were really bi or tri-racial – They were Indian, White, and Black! And some of them DID remove to the region near Shelby County, Tennessee.
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