Indian Territory, and Other Family Stories; #2

Tarleton Bull

Dad was a natural born story teller, and as a child I remember him talking about meeting his uncle (actually a great uncle by marriage only), named Tarleton Bull. According to Dad’s stories, he was a kind of a “bigger than life” character who dad said “was a great big man, nearly seven feet tall.” The more that I looked into him the more interesting he became. So I am including quite a bit about him.

Lizzie, Tarleton's Sister

Lizzie Bull was Tarleton Bull’s older sister. They moved from Wisconsin to Texas going through Indian Territory (Oklahoma) on the way where the entire family got sick, and Tarleton’s father died. A Denton, Texas newspaper found an old letter Lizzie had written and published parts of it. .http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_Thurman_Column_0103.3219b08.html.

These excerpts are from an article that was published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, on Wednesday, January 3, 2007, by Nita Thurman / Denton County [3]

Pioneer letters attest to tough times on the frontier

. . . Lizzie Bull dated her letter Nov. 2, 1859, Denton, Denton County, Texas:

She traveled for 10 weeks after leaving Iowa, a trip she describes as the “hardest time I ever expect to have.” The trip might have been pleasant, she wrote, except for an unidentified illness that apparently struck down most of her family in Indian Territory.

She apparently nursed her father, mother and at least one relative, Tarleton, probably a brother, as well as the doctor who was traveling with them and succumbed to the same illness. A heavy September storm raging around their tent added to the misery.

Her father died Sept. 28 on Horse Creek in the Cherokee Nation, Lizzie wrote, and asked her sister to put a notice in the Herald, a local newspaper.

“Think of my feeling when father was a corpse and Mother and Tarleton so low that they didn’t know anything of it,” she wrote, “and not a woman to come in to see me.”

After burying her father, she sat all night with her critically ill mother. The doctor traveling with them had “given up” on mother, Lizzie continued, and by now was also very ill. A man named George — probably a relative — went about 15 miles for a half-Indian doctor to treat the gravely ill travelers.

“It was coming up a storm, and I think we had as hard a storm that night as I ever saw,” she continued. She sat in the tent that night with her mother, Tarleton and the first doctor, who was so sick that he could not sit up. The doctor died four days later.

After giving all the bad news, Lizzie changed subjects without even a comma or a period:

“This is a very pretty country,” she continued, “but not what we call good watered country at all.” Her mother was still weak from the illness, but was “on the mend” and hopefully would soon be well.

Lizzie ended her letter with a request that word of her father’s death also be sent on to “the boys” and sent her love to all her friends.

So what happened to the Bull family? In his History and Reminiscences of Denton County, Ed Bates gave a roll call of the pioneers in each of the early settlements. He lists George and Tarleton Bull as two of the first people in the Denton Settlement.

Lizzie was Tarleton’s sister. His father died in the Cherokee Nation while the family was migrating from Wisconsin to Texas. Tarleton was a child at the time.

From “Genealogy of the Jackson Family” © 1890, by Hugh Park Jackson, Hugh Hogue Thompson, and James R. Jackson

Tarleton’s mother was a Jackson. Someone took time to write a genealogical record of them. A part of that record that mentions his is below. [4] Oh, these Jackson’s were somehow related to Andrew.

P 114-115

8. Tarleton D. Bull, born March 1, 1845, in Wisconsin; married first April 29th, 1869 in Denton County, Texas to Mary Montgomery, She was a member of the M. E. Church, and died January 27th, 1871 leaving an infant; Sarah A, Bull born January 11th, 1871 in Eastland, Texas, and resides at home with her father,

T. D. Bull married second time, Feb, 2. 1879 to Sarah A. Brown [Vance's note -- she is sister to my great grandma Josey (Brown) Richey]. He is engaged in the livery business in Desdemona, Eastland County, Texas; he is a non-church member and a Democrat. He was a Confederate soldier for three years and nine months. He enlisted first in the 18th Texas Cavalry, March 17th 1861, and was dismounted at Little Rock, Arkansas. At Pine Bluff Arkansas, his unit was nearly all captured.

And afterwards was transferred to the 29th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Company E, Colonel Demorse, Gano’s Brigade, Maxey’s Division, General Price’s Army of Cavalry, and remained in that regiment til the close of the war, west of the Mississippi River. He was in 37 engagements, and was not wounded or captured. The following are some of the battles in which he took part: In Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Elk Horne, Saline River and Poison River. In Louisiana; Mansfield. In Indian Territory; Cherokee Nation. While engaged in this last named cavalry conflict his horse stood on his father’s grave. There his brother George was captured and was a prisoner two years. His company went into war with one hundred eleven men, and came out of the war with seventeen men. T. D. Bull rode the same horse all through the war, and brought him home with him. When he arrived at home he was penniless, having suffered untold hardships and privations.

They have four children:

1. Walter T. Bull born May 19th, 1880, died May 14th 1882.

2. Nancy A. Bull, born February 11, 1883.

3. Alta D. Bull, born May 5th, 1886.

4. William Cleveland Bull, born November 19th, 1888.

Vance's note -- on 1920 census they are living in Murray County, Oklahoma. I don't know where this Jackson researcher got his information, but since it was written in 1890 Tarleton was still living -- perhaps he got it from Tarleton himself. I thought it interesting that Tarleton's horse survived the war, and also that his horse stood in Tarleton's father's grave, as well. I suspect it is an unmarked grave, and I wonder if it could still be found -- probably not. Also does this conflict described match a known historic battle? I think it is Cabin Creek or Honey Creek -- maybe Honey Creek as he mentions his brother was POW for 2 years and it was in 1863.

From Tarleton Bull’s Confederate Pension Application

Here are excerpts from Tarleton Bull’s Civil War Pension Application from Texas. Texas rejected his pension application. Later, he applied in Oklahoma for a pension and we accepted his application. However his Oklahoma application gave very little personal information, while his Texas application provided more details as to what he did in the Texas Confederate Cavalry.

Disapproved -- applicant is under 60 years of age and does not connect his disability with service. I hear by disapprove the within application this 23? Sept AD 1899. Co-Judge fee paid.

What is your name? T D Bull

What is your age? 54

In what county do you reside? Eastland

Who long have you resided in said county? 20 years.

Post Office? Desdemona

What is your occupation? Livery business

What is your physical condition? Bad

If your physical condition is such that you are unable by your own labor to earn a support, state what caused your disability. Piles and hemorage of the lungs, while in the Army contracture.

State what company and regiment you enlisted in the Confederate Army, and the time of your service. Company G, 18th Texas Cavalry. About 3 years. Enlisted in 1861 or 1862.

[Have you] received any other pension . . . No sir.

What real and personal property do you own, and what is the present value of such property.

One small house and lot in Desdemona, Texas worth about $100.00, 2 horses worth about $50, and 2 cows worth about $40.

What property, and what was the value thereof, have you sold within the last 2 years . . . 1 cow and 1 calf worth $50

What income, if any do you receive? None at all. I have a small mail contract but it barely pays expenses.

Are you in indigent circumstances? Yes I am.

Are you unable by your labor to earn a living? Yes. My health is such that I will have to give [?up?] the mail contract.

Affidavit of witnesses

There must be at least 2 witnesses.

The State of Texas, county of Eastland. Before me, GW Darkan, county judge of Eastland County, Texas, on this day personally appeared GW Bull and JM Huddleston. JM Huddleston only swears to the applicants inability to support himself by labor of any sort who are personally known to me to be credible citizens, who being by me duly sworn on oath, state that they personally know T D Bull, the above named applicant for a pension, and that they personally know that the said TD Bull enlisted in the service of the Confederacy and performed the services of a soldier . . . . Sworn to and subscribed to me this 12th day of August, 1899. . .

Before me, GW Darkan, county judge of Eastland County, state of Texas, appeared Dr. L. C. Downtain, who is a practicing reputable physician of this county, who . . . States that he has thoroughly and completely examined TD Bull, applicant for a pension, and finds his laboring under the following disabilities which render him unable to labor at any work sufficient to earn a support for himself: suffering from Piles, Hemorage of the lungs.

. . .

. . . I find the said applicant is lawfully entitled to the pension provided by the Confederate Pension law of this state, and hear by approve said applicant. . . . GW Darkan

. . .

. . . We, the undersigned members of the Commissioners Court, of Eastland County, Texas, find the said applicant is lawfully entitled to the pension . . . This 15th day of August, 1899. . .

John ?Levelor/Lovdder?

What is your age? 55 years old.

Residence. Gunsight, Stephens County, Texas.

I am acquainted with T. D. Bull. I have known him for 37 years. I first saw him at Camp Jeff Davis in Red River County, Texas, in camps when I first got acquainted with him. He lives in Eastland County at Desdemona.

He was in the Confederate Army. I do not know where he enlisted. He served 2 ½ years, Company E, 29th Texas Cavalry. I was in a fight with him at Elk Creek ?Ind? Nation and another place called Cabin Creek. As far as I know he was a good soldier.

If he ever deserted I never heard anything of it. I do not believe he did.

I messed with T. D. Bull. Sometimes he served in Texas and Indian Territory and Arkansas about 2 & ½ years. He is 5 ft. 10 in height, weighs about 120 pounds. Tall slender, very spare made, 55 years old. John (his “x” mark) Levdder.

?Tal? Murphey.

My age -- 59 years old, Gunsight, Stephens Co., Texas.

I have known him 37 years. I got acquainted with him in the Army at Camp Jeff Davis, in Red River County, Texas. He now lives in Desdemona, Eastland Co., Tx.

He was in the Confederate Army.

Can not state when or where he enlisted.

Company E 29th Texas Cavalry. About 2 and ½ years. I was ????? With him every day and saw him every day. H made a good soldier I am ?sertain? [Vance's note: probably should be “certain“]

I never heard any complaint to that effect.

By soldering with him in Confederate Army.

He served 2½ years.

About 5 ft. 10 in height, weight 120 pounds, age 55, Tall and slender, very spare made. Joe Murphy -- [Vance’s note: here it definitely says JOE, as a given name]

1868 Indian Raid

The next is a story about Tarleton, from 1868, 3 years after the Civil War.

Colonists of Navarro and Denton Counties fight Indians. by A. J. Sewell, in San Antonio Light. [5]

The first settlements made in what is known as Denton county were on Hickory and Prairie creeks, from 1842 to 1845 by the WAGNERS, CLARYSES, KINGS and others. In June 1845, there were seventeen families in all. In the latter part of 1845 came MURPHY, the HARMASONS, the HOLFORDS, WELDERS, FRENCHES and others, and in the early part of 1846, the CARTERS, S. A. VENTERS and the YOCKHOMISES settled on Clear creek and the STRICKLINS on Isle de Bois.

Denton County was organized in July 1846, and named for Captain John B. DENTON, who was killed in a fight with Indians on the Trinity. The Indians were numerous and hostile, and often bloody encounters took place between them and the pioneers.

In 1868, a party of Indians, supposed to be about twenty in number, made a raid into Wise and Denton counties. Crossing Denton Creek near the overland road and meeting no opposition, the savages at 12 o’clock at night dashed into the town of Denton and drove out about thirty head of horses without the inhabitants being aware of their presence. Next morning horses were missed from lots and pastures and Indian trails were discovered in the fields. Scouts were sent out in several directions and it was discovered by them that the Indians had gone out by the Gainesville road to the crossing on Clear Creek, gathering all on the horses on the route.

No attempt had been made by them to kill any of the citizens on the route. When crossing Clear creek they attempted to capture two of Mr. ROLL’s little boys, who happened to be some distance from the house. Their main object seemed to be to get as many horses as possible. They gathered all the horses in the way [which] amounted to fifty or sixty, then left the settlements beyond Clear creek and started in the direction of Cook County. Capt. R. H. HOPKINS, Stephen CURLEY and three other men who ranches on Clear creek were swept of a good deal of valuable stock, mounted fleet horses and started in pursuit. Another force of ten men also joined in the chase farther in the rear, not being able to keep pace with the Indians, all of whom were now mounted on fresh horses.

The pursuit continued for many miles over the prairie, the party keeping in sight of the Indians all the time until the squad under Captain HOPKINS made a flank movement for the purpose of getting reinforcements from some of the ranches on the right. This move so confused the Indians, who thought this was some strategem, that they turned into the brakes and briers on Clear creek, where they were charged upon by Hopkins and his men and nearly all of the stolen horses recaptured. The Indians escaped with the horses they were riding and went off in the direction of Montague County.

Soon after this rain a runner hastened to the town of Denton and reported Indians in force gathering between the ranches of Thomas EAGAN and George McCormick. About twenty-five of the citizens immediately armed themselves, mounted horses and started in pursuit. About ten miles from town the scouts discovered two Indians on Hickory Creek driving about fifteen head of horses to the main herd. They raised a yell and charged them and recaptured the horses. Tarleton Bull was in the lead and fired first at close range, wounding an Indian in the spine. The Indian turned and fired at Bull but missed him. He then raised his bow to discharge an arrow but was fired on by the others of the party and hit with three more balls and fell from his horse dead, without shooting the arrow. Mr. Bull secured his horse and E. ALLEN got the gun and bow and the quiver of arrows. The other Indian escaped.

The scouts then pushed on closely after the main body of the Indians up the North Hickory, but did not come up with them until they halted at Chisholm’s Ranch [Vance’s note: Is this talking about Jesse Chisholm, the man for whom the Chisholm Trail was named? He was mixed with Cherokee, descended from John Chisholm and a Cherokee woman. I had thought he was a son until I read Ricky Butch Walker’s “Doublehead”, where Jesse is a grandson, not a son, of John D. Chisholm. I looked into it and he’s right. His grandfather is the same John Chisholm who knew and befriended Chief Doublehead]. Here the Indians formed for battle, the chief blowing a shrill whistle. Hearing the whistle, a dog belonging to one of the settlers ran over to the Indians and was at once killed by them. The number of white men by this time had increased to forty-three men and the Indians numbered about one hundred and fifty. Firing commenced on both sides and the Indians, seeing the small force of the settlers as compared with their own number, raised the war whoop and charged.

As is often the case in battles with Indians some white men cannot stand the charge and yell of an Indian, and so in this case some broke away and then others followed and all soon became scattered in a disorganized fight. Encouraged by the braver men, the retreating ones rallied and a stand was finally made, but in the flight Sevier WHARTENBURG was killed and then scalped and stripped of his clothing. William EAVES was wounded and George McCormick’s horse was killed, but he succeeded in making his escape across the creek. The stand that the white men made was not of long duration, but they succeeded in checking the Indians and then retreating more slowly in a body. The Indians succeeded in getting away with about three hundred head of horses. The body of the slain man was afterwards recovered and carried to his home and buried.

[7]

In the year 1879, Tarleton D. Bull married Sarah A. Brown, great-grandma’s sister.

Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2002; Name: T. D. Bull Gender: Male Marriage Date: 6 Feb 1879 Spouse: Sarah Brown Marriage city: Denton Marriage State: Texas Source: Texas Marriages, 1851-1900

Now I remember vividly Dad saying “Tarleton was a great big man, nearly seven feet tall.” Per his pension application, he was 5 ft. 10 inches. And from the photo above, he doesn’t look like a great big man, either. Oh well . . .

The second man from the left, with a cane in one hand and a stetson in the other, is Tarleton Bull. [6]. From the way Dad talked about him, you got the feeling he was the kind of a man whose grandkids would sit on his lap and say, “grandpa, tell us a story.” And he’d be off to the races, standin’ high in the saddle on his favorite pinto. Well, age changes us. But apparently, he had once been a formidable warrior himself, and I want him remembered. While the other two men stare off into space, Tarleton stares right at the camera. That newspaper article was dated 1929 and I suspect the photo probably dates to the same timeframe. Recall it said "Tarlton Bull was in the lead." For that reason, I want him remembered.

D. Dad, Uncle Eual Lee, and other Stories

I am proud of my Dad. I never really told him, but I was. He was a humble man. Below is a WW2 photo of my father, Alpha Omega Hawkins (1915-1992). After spending so much time on Tarleton, I feel I ought to mention Dad. Dad was like Tarleton, only his stories were about the Dust Bowl, having no food except pintos and corn bread. If they wanted meat, they grabbed a shotgun or a fishing pole, maybe both, some home-made jerky, a slice of corn bread or a couple of biscuits, and came back with a cat fish or two, or a couple of cotton tails or squirrels. He told stories of walking to school a mile and a half away, barefoot as he had no shoes at times. All the young boys wore bandanas around their necks, so when they saw the black clouds of dust coming they’d turn them around and wore them like the outlaws in old westerns, covering their noses so they could breathe better in the dust.

His job was looking after the one or two dozen head of cattle they had. When he’d see what he called “black dust clouds” in the distance, he’d take off in a hurry. He’d make sure the cattle got back in the barn before the black dust clouds arrived. He had a dog he called “Ol’ Coalie” because he was black as coal. Dad said the dog helped him with the cattle. He’d also talk of World War Two, specifically about Pearl Harbor or the Battle of the Bulge. One story he told just before he died, about freezing in a little pup tent. When the snow thawed they realized they’d camped over the bodied of six frozen German soldiers. He’d speak with both wonder in his voice and a sadness in his eyes. Oh, dad had many stories that he only told, never wrote down. But he had a hundred of them. Dad and Tarleton may have been kindred spirits. I loved those old stories dad told, and I suppose maybe that’s why I am researching these stories, today.

One of Dad’s stories dealt with something funny that he was told as a boy. His grandma and uncles and aunts were raised in the Chickasaw Nation. As a child on the farm, his Aunt Ettie came running into the house one day hysterical, saying, “Wild Indians are coming! I saw their feathers crawling through the tall grass!” Well, dad said his grandpa, Jeffrey Hoten Richey, calmly, not saying a word, walked over to where they kept the shot gun, picked it up, loaded it, and walked outside. He started walking over to where Aunt Ettie (his daughter) said she’d seen these “Indian feathers”. The family waited in the house, a little worried I suppose. Now this was in the early 1890s, and the last Comanche/Kiowa War, known as the Red River War, had ended in 1875, a decade and a half earlier. That was fresh enough in their minds to think it possible, but far enough back in time to have some doubts. The great Comanche War Chief Quanah Parker was still living, and his home was in what is now the town of Cache, maybe 20 or 30 miles or so from where my great-grandparents called their home. But now it was known that he had accepted the need for a change in lifestyle if the Comanche were to survive into the future. Still what about the young bucks? They had traditionally been a society of warriors. The younger men might want to gain a reputation. Thinking about these things, great-grandpa Richey slowly disappeared from view of his family.

The family heard that shot gun go off. Being rural people, they knew the difference between a shotgun and a rifle, and they knew their papa, Jeffrey, had fired that shot gun at something or someone. Well, some anxious moments passed, as they all wondered what was going on outside. After a few minutes, he returned. He had with him a wild turkey gobbler. Those feathers great aunt Ettie had seen belonged to a turkey! When I was a child they told that story at family reunions, all my great uncles and aunts had a big laugh – everyone except Aunt Ettie, that is.

Later I told this story to a Chickasaw who also had a good laugh. I asked about the usage of the term “Wild Indians”. And he said yes, they called the Plains Tribes “Wild Indians”. He also said the Comanche and Kiowa often came and stole horses and cattle from their Chickasaw farms and ranches and this was a great concern. Above is a photo my father as a young man, and beneath that is a photo of him as an old man, taken from his last driver’s license, that expired in 1993, the year after he died. He was 77.

I was told a funny story about Quanah Parker. He last surrendered in 1875. He lived until 1912, so half of his life was spent living as the White’s lived. Quanah Parker’s house still exists but it is really run down and falling apart. There is this little store just off highway 62 near Cache, Oklahoma.

Please know these are stories I was told. I can't vouch for their accuracy. Anyhow I was told the following story. Quanah’s house had 5 stars on the roof. He wanted all the Army officers at Fort Sill who might come calling on him to know that he out-ranked them.

Here’s another story I was told. Well, one day this preacher saw Quanah in the streets of Cache. Now Quanah had 5 wives (or was it seven?). This preacher told him it was a sin to have more than one wife and he had to get rid of all of them except one to get right in the eyes of God. Quanah paused and pondered those words. Then after a short time, said to the preacher. “Tell ya what. You go over to my place, stay a while, observe them. Then you decide which one can stay. Then you tell the others they have to get out.” That was the last time the preacher brought this subject up.

As I write this, it is December 8th, and I apologize for being so long winded. But I can’t quit without telling Dad’s Pearl Harbor story. He used to start this story by saying that on Friday, they went on some kind of an alert. He had joined the Artillery he said, so he could get stationed close to home, as Fort Sill near Lawton, Oklahoma was the Army’s Artillery School. He was raised about 25 miles from Fort Sill. Well, instead of being stationed near the fort, they shipped him to Schoefield Barracks on Oahu, Hawaii, then a territory.

Well part of going on alert involved moving their big Artillery guns to the beaches. To get to the beach, they had to go over these mountains. Now the roads were muddy, and their trucks kept getting stuck in the mud. Dad said they had Army mules and had to use them to get their trucks out of the mud. I think he said they did this in the rain, but maybe it was just in the mud. I am pretty sure he said it was raining. I just don’t remember exactly. Anyhow, by the time they got their howitzers in place, they were exhausted and muddy themselves. Now Saturday they moved those same big guns back where they’d been before, back over the mountains, through the same mud, with the same mules again saving the day. I think dad liked using those mules more than the trucks. He seemed to get a kick out of telling this part of his story. Again, he was very exhausted by the end of the day. When Sunday morning finally came, he seriously thought about not getting up and getting in the chow line to be served breakfast. He was so tired. But dad was a Corporal, and the Mess Sargent was a good friend of his, so he finally decided to go down and get a bite to eat. Well, since the Mess Sargent was his buddy, he didn’t have to wait in line. He just started talking to him standing near him, and as they talked he casually got his plate and filled it up.

About this time they saw many planes off in the distance. Well some of the guys in the chow line started acting up, joking around. They were pretending to shoot at the planes, now a little closer to them, some pretending to be shot, themselves. Well the closer they got they noticed they didn’t have our markings on them, and when they looked at the ground those who were “pretending to be shot”, actually had been shot! Well, Dad said he and a few others ran to the supply building, broke the door in (it was locked) and started getting rifles (I suppose m-1s, although I recall him mentioning B. A. R.’s) and ammunition, and started shooting at those planes. He said he didn’t think they hit anything, though. Later, when it was all over, he said when he saw his own bunk, the window over his bed was broken in, with broken glass on his bunk. For as long as he lived, I never knew dad to sleep in – he was always up way before dawn.

Later he came back stateside, as cadre to train others, and then off to Europe, where he joined up with the 9th Army in the 280 Field Artillery, crossing into Europe about the same time and same place where his baby brother was killed.

Uncle Eual Lee

Well since I have gone this far, I might as well include a memorial photo of Dad’s younger brother, Eual Lee Hawkins. He was in the infantry, First Army. He was killed near St. Lo in Normandy, France on 18 Jul 1944. He is buried in the American cemetery in Normandy. There is a pdf file online that is about this cemetery and battle. I have tried to find it again but without success. Excerpts from it say:

Rapidly, the Allied armies increased in size and strength. On 26 June, Americans freed Cherbourg; on 9 July, British and Canadians fought their way into Caen; and on 18 July Americans took St. Lo. Proceeded by a paralyzing air bombardment on 25 July, the U.S. First Army stormed out of the beachhead area. Coutances was liberated three days later and, within a week, the recently activated U.S. Third Army cleared Avranches and was advancing toward Paris on a broad front. To the right is the only photo I have ever seen of him.

Late in his life Dad said he was sad that his brother was buried overseas, saying; "No one wanted to be buried overseas."

Mandy (Amanda Brown) Knight

Now about Amanda "Mandy" J. Brown. She, along with Sarah, Tarleton’s wife, and great grandma Josephine wife of Jeff Richey, were the three Brown girls who left Indian Territory and moved to Denton County Texas with their mother Harriet, David Brown their father, having passed on in May, 1865. John Henry their brother, also seems to have gone to Texas. David’s brother Alfred (Alph) seems to have stayed in IndianTerritory.1880 Census - 18 years old, living with sister's family, Josephine (Brown) Richey, in Denton Co., TX. pg. 98, Mandy (Amanda Brown) Knight, so she is already married to John, but he is not listed in the census.

According to the Knight family, her husband was John W. Knight, 1850 census - 4 years old, living in Denton Co., Texas. pg. 107 B. In 1860 he is 13 years old, living in Denton Co., Texas. pg. 427 A. In 1870 John W. Knight is 22 years old, living with his first wife, next door to his father, in Lewisville, Denton Co., Texas. pg. 182 B.

Texas Land Abstracts: District: Fannin County: Denton Grantee: John Knight Patentee: John Knight Patent Date: 29 Aug 1871 Patent #: 82 Patent Volume: 39 Acres: 138.50 Class: Fan. 3rd. File: 4253. 1880 Census - John is not listed, but his second wife, Mandy, is 18 years old, living with her sister's family, Josephine (Brown) Richey, in Denton Co., TX. pg. 98. John W. Knight [Parents] was born in 1845/1847 in Denton Co., Texas. He married Amanda "Mandy" J. Brown sometime before 1880. Amanda "Mandy" J. Brown was born in Lawrence Co., Arkansas. She died about 1890. She married John W. Knight before 1880. They had the following child:

Amie Lee Knight

One of Amie’s descendants sent me a file about her grandma, including a photograph (above) of her as an elderly lady. The photo is of Amie [Knight] Goldsbury, b. Apr 19, 1880, d. October 4th, 1956, at the age of 75. Her delayed birth certificate said she was born in Arkansas, but her obituary said she was born in Oklahoma.

Her obituary mentions 3 sons, Olen, Marvin, and Henry Goldsberry, and a daughter Mrs. Beulah Lane. She had 2 brothers, Jim and George Knight, and a sister, Mrs. Ruth Foster.

John Henry Brown

1870 Black River, Lawrence Co. Ar, census

Harriet Brown 53 F keeping house Tn

John H 18 M Ar

Josephine 16 F Ar

Sarah A 13 F Ar

Amanda 11 F Ar

James D McNutt 12 M Ar

1880 El Monte, Ca, LA, dist 34 --

John H Brown M 28 laborer Ar Al Al

Cariane F 23 keeping house Tx Mo Al

Emma F 3 Tx Ar Tx

Ida F 1 Tx Ar Tx

Minnie Bailey F 8/12 ?unreadable? Az Fl Tx

I wish I had more on John H Brown, Josephine’s brother. Notice in California, that John was born in Arkansas and his parents were born in Alabama. Also his wife was born in Texas. Two of his 3 sisters married after the family moved to Denton County, Texas, so perhaps he did as well. Notice the McNutt name – it will become a prominent surname in the second half of this report. I do not know what became of him or his descendants.

E. Who is Alph Brown?

In Arkansas, we first find our ancestor, David Brown, on the 1848 tax records for Lawrence County. David is on a tax list in 1847 in Walker County, Alabama, so we know pretty much the exact year he went to Arkansas. He is found in 1861 as joining the 8th Arkansas, Confederate. In 1862 he is taken POW at the battle of Corinth, Mississippi, and was paroled 8 days later. We have had difficulty after that, as there were so many men named David Brown, in the Civil War, on both sides.

We have the following record of the death of David Brown, Josephine’s father:

In the Probate Court Lawrence County before the clerk [?]

I Aaron M. Sawyers here app[?] for [?] of administration upon [?] estate of David B. Brown, deceased, do swear that the value of said estate will not exceed about six hundred and [?] dollars, that said deceased died on or about the day of 1 May AD 1865 without a will as it is said that he left surviving him a widow Harriet Brown and four children. John Henry, Josephine, Sarah Ann, and Amanda Brown, All of Lawrence County. That I will, if appointed administrator, make a perfect inventory of and faithfully administer all [?] the goods and chattels rights and [?] which [?] of the deceased and pay his debts as far as his assets which come to my [?] or possession [?] [?] and the law direct, and that [?] will account for all pay over according to law, all assets that may count to any [?] or possession so help me God.

A. M. Sawyers.

Sworn to and subscribed before [?] [?] this 30 day of September A D 1865

C W Harlow clerk

J W T[?]eau D C

David had died on 1 May 1865 so it took a few months before they got around to his Probate Court being settled.

Per the 1850 and 1860 census records of Lawrence County, Arkansas, the same children listed above were their children. There are also three others in the household we have always heard were orphans. Per census records -- Nancy I. Joiner, Thomas McNutt, and Nancy A. Loony, who is recorded as Nancy A. Brown on the 1860 census. Who were they? We will find out, later.

A record of the marriage of my great grandparents exists and says –

Jeffrey H. Richey, Josephine Brown, marriage. This is to certify that I, Hugh Rainwater did on the 10th day of March, 1872 the rights of matrimony between Jeffrey Richey age 21 and Josephine Brown age 18 in the residence of Alph Brown in the state of Arks. In the county of Lawrence my credentials being recorded in the clerk’s office in Powhatan this 14th day of March 1872. Hugh Rainwater.

Now remember we have a record of my great grandparents moving to Indian Territory, near Fort Smith, Arkansas. Recall my great grandma’s statement about attending a public hanging at Fort Smith, and there being mention of needing protection from the law.

Well, we also have the following:

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the Western District of Arkansas. The United States of America to the Marshall of the Western District of the state of Arkansas – greeting: Whereas complaint under oath has been brought before me charging that Alph Brown, Elias Jeffries, and Eli Beavers did on or about the 15th day of July A. D. 1884 in the Indian Country Western District of Arkansas, commit the crime of assault with intent to kill contrary to the form of the statute in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the United States to apprehend the said Alph Brown, Elias Jeffries, and Eli Beavers and bring their bodies forthwith before James Brizzolara, Commissioner appointed by the United States District Court, for said district, whenever they may be found, that they may then and there dealt with, according to law for said offense.

Given under my hand, this 2nd day of August, A. D. 1884, in the 109th year of our Independence.

James Brizzolara, Commissioner, U. S. Courts, Western District of Arkansas

So my great-grand-parents were married in the home of “Alph Brown” in 1872, moved to the vicinity of Fort Smith shortly thereafter. Well, a decade after that “Alph Brown” becomes a wanted man for the crime of “assault with intent to kill” in Indian Territory somewhere near Fort Smith. Just who is Alph Brown? We will have more on him later. Also note the “Jeffries” surname – it was a common Catawba surname, as was Brown.

Here is my great-grandma, Josephine [Brown] Richey (b. Ar 1854 -- d. Ok 1932). To her right is my Uncle Andrew. The person who sent me this photo just wanted a picture of Josey, and didn’t know who the young man was standing near her, so they cut him partially out. Uncle Andrew is the uncle who heard I was interested in researching the family, and responded “You might not like what you find.” However he was probably in his 60s or 70s at least, when he said this to me. Great-grandma Josephine [Brown] Richey was sister to Tarlton Bull’s wife Sarah Ann [Brown] Bull. She is the one who said she regretted attending that public hanging at Fort Smith, Arkansas all the remainder of her life, the infamous Judge Roy Parker, known to history as “The Hanging Judge”, presiding.