Connecting the Dots

Ever since the DNA results have come in, I have been working to connect all these cousins to my tree.  It has been a lot of work, and a lot of time, but VERY interesting!!

Now, Ancestry has created the new Thru Lines!  This is a great feature that has helped me connect many cousins to branches I never would've guessed from their trees.  However, users should beware ~ if someone else has an error in their tree, it can show up as a thruline.  

For example, I know from all the research I've done that Henry Cook ANDERSON is certainly not my Jesse's father.  However, EVERY other tree I find him on, has Henry Cook listed. 

Now, I would AGAIN mention that there was no way that the Henry Cook who went to Missouri was old enough to be the father of Jacob and Ruth, who we KNOW are Jesse's siblings.

The line of Josiah also has children with those names, but their spouses and families are documented, and are not the same families.  But, the idea here in this post was some of the craziness I encountered adding limbs this weekend. 

Ailey Jones Armstrong Watkins
okantee originally shared this on07 jul 2017

The craziness began looking to match up an Armstrong.  I found Ailey JONES (1st cousin 6x removed) who was first married to Royal ARMSTRONG, then second to William WATKINS (1st cousin 5x removed).

On my grandpa Anderson’s side is my 5th great-grandfather, Samuel WATKINS.  Also on my grandpa Anderson's side is my 6th great-grandfather Jacob GUM.

My 6th great-grandfather on my grandma Anderson's side is Mansfield JENKINS (b.1708).

LOL!  So.... here's where the fun is!

Samuel Watkins had sons John, Elijah, and James.  John had son's William and Isaac.  Son James, had son Lewis. 

Richard Skaggs b. 1744 had several children:  Benjamin, Shadrack, Meshack, Abednego, Henry, Rhoda, Sarah, and James.

Ailey Jones had daughters from her first marriage to Royal named Mary E., and Eliza Jane Armstrong. 

Mary E., married Nelson Watkins, son of Lewis.  And, Eliza Jane, married Isaac Watkins, son of John and uncle by marriage.  ~ lots of 'add someone already in tree'.  But, then there's more. 

Ailey Jones is the daughter of Lydia Gum and John Jones.  Lydia is the daughter of Jacob Gum, and her first husband was Shadrack SKAGGS. 

Jacob Gum's other daughter Sarah had a daughter also named Lydia, who married Elijah Watkins, Samuel's son.  Sarah’s first husband was Meshack SKAGGS.

Nancy HALE (Sarah Hale's sister - wife of our Jesse Anderson) was married to James SKAGGS.

Then while adding information, I saw there was a Silas JENKINS on one of Robert Armstrong's censuses (Robert is the son of Ailey). Hmmm..... Robert married Lucinda Jenkins.  Lucinda Jenkins is a cousin through Mansfield JENKINS.  Mansfield-Jesse-Joel-John-Lucinda.  Ancestry does not have all these connections updated yet, so I am not sure of the new ranks.

A couple other bits that I have not gotten into yet:

1.  Samuel Watkins mother was Mary Jones.  Any relation to John Jones, Lydia Gum's husband??  Probably, but I haven't found it yet.

2.  William Watkins daughter Nancy Watkins BELL passed away without any children. 
Her estate was taken care of by Royal Watkins, her first cousin.  There is an entire list of heirs - many names I have not seen in trees yet.  Looks like the adventure of a lifetime trying to connect all those dots!

I now have a ridiculous tree of over 15,000.  Way too many, but I'm afraid to split it up, especially after days like the one I just had.  I would be afraid that I would miss a connection.  

It is interesting to me that these families have been connected for so many generations, and nobody probably even knew it.  How could anyone know that these connections that began with someone born in 1708 would trickle down and mix on both sides into the children of Robert E. Anderson, and Pearl E. Coke 200 years later.  

How cool is that??!!!

So, if you're interested.... I've added a little tree section below.  It also includes the Bells, but I have not yet figured in all the Jones family....

Note2:  Simpson Montgomery m. Sally Skaggs m. Sarah Gum dau. Lydia Montgomery

Cherokee Nation ~ Outtalucker

I had read a letter a while back "Courtesy of David Cornsilk, Cherokee Nation" and the comments that followed.

I was seriously surprised at some of the reactions to his words.

I am an Outtalucker. I know this. My family was denied by the Dawes commission, and appeals, all the way to the Supreme Court. But, so what?

Since I was a small child I was taught I was Cherokee. I was told my great great great grandmother walked the trail of tears.  It broke my heart.  But, I was a wannabe all my life. Therefore, I have spent a great deal of time looking for proof or denial of that. And, yes, I am one of those people who would say "well my family was just wrong...." but, the more I search, the more I find I am truly an Outtalucker.

My family tells me I am Cherokee. My aunts and uncles and grandparents were all born within Cherokee "territory". My family lived with the Cherokee Nation.  My Great Great Grandfather fought for years to be included on the Dawes Roll. We have testimony upon testimony that our family is Cherokee. They state that we are related by blood to known Cherokee families, with three of the direct relatives included on the rolls.  But, for some reason they did not meet the requirements at the time (although I'm not really sure why yet AND I even have Google!) ~ so we are outtaluck.  It just is how it is.

I STILL want to know my family lines. I STILL want to know where they fit in. I STILL want to know more about Cherokee culture. I STILL want to learn the Cherokee traditions and stories. I STILL want my children to know what the Cherokee people went through (and they do). It STILL matters to me and I STILL don't want people to forget.

My heart breaks for what the Cherokee people have endured, I cry reading about the history. Imagine being a girl, and hearing the terrible stories about their treatment and thinking your gr.gr.gr. grandmother was going through all that.  It is amazing how they have still endured, they are still a Nation, they are still a proud people. I have nothing but respect for the Cherokee people who are tribal members and keep the nation going.  

But, the fact remains that I cannot be included. No amount of whining or crying or complaining is going to remake history.  And, it is senseless to be mean or cruel to one another over decisions that were made many years ago. 

I can continue to learn their culture. I can learn their history. I can continue to try to trace my family back to the rolls of 1835. I can be sorry that I am an outtalucker.

I am proud to have any Cherokee blood at all (if I in fact do - and I will know for sure in a couple more months).  I am proud to be who I am.  I accept being an outtalucker. And, if that should change, that's great. If not, then that's okay too.  It doesn't change who I am or where I come from. 

I completely understand that the registered members of the Cherokee Nation are offended by people who just state they are Cherokee. I may not "like" that I cannot be accepted without proof, but I completely respect and understand that.

(And btw... it even offends me when I hear people say... I want to prove my Cherokee heritage for - a college scholarship.. for money.. for land.. for whatever. - I want to prove my Cherokee heritage because that is who I believe I am - that is my family. I've already graduated college, and I own my own land. I want to know more about where we came from, what did my grgrgr grandparents go through?  Who were their parents -that I cannot find?  Who is in the nation today am I related to?)

Maybe I understand it because even though I am a wannabe, I am also just an outtalucker.  ~at least for now. 

"unetlanvhi detsalasgesdi"    :)

The Capstone!!! ~ Forever Grateful ~

Could C.H. be Catherine Hale? F.H. - Flossy, Franklin or Francis? J.W. - a Wiseman? Sarah's second husband was William Wiseman. Jacob Workman??

It's been a while since I've been able to post or do any research, so I've been missing it quite a bit.  But, I was contacted by a wonderful person whom has made a wish a come true! I have gotten to see the Capstone of Haletown spring! "They have the large stone in storage that covered the spring and has several "H"'s engraved into it. It would be interesting to see that stone, and know that our family did that! Amazing"

John Norris, the grandson of Cliff Norris had contacted me after finding this blog.  His grandfather's efforts saved the capstone after it was buried under a road.  The capstone now sits forever outside the Bushwhacker Jail near the local museum. 

Cliff Norris was the last living person to reside in Haletown, Missouri.  His memories and his dedication to saving this piece of history are forever, deeply appreciated.  As are his grandson's efforts in finding people in search of Haletown and its history.

I have had thousands of visitors on my blog pages, so I really hope this finds its way to other people searching for the family that once lived in this little, nearly forgotten town. 

And, maybe... Cliff Norris has left us some clues to continue the search for Jesse Anderson and other people from the past...  Anybody know about the cemetery Cliff Norris mentions?  ;)

Haletown, Vernon County, Missouri

Well, it's been a while since my last blog post. I still don't have much new information to share on the Anderson family history.

I have found some newspaper articles at news.google.com that relate to the book "History of Vernon County" that cover Jesse Anderson, his father-in-law Luke Hale, and his two brother-in-laws James Skaggs, and John Hale.

Luke Hale was a Methodist preacher, and Jesse and John were the first two residents of Haletown. They have the large stone in storage that covered the spring and has several "H"'s engraved into it. It would be interesting to see that stone, and know that our family did that! Amazing.

At the end of one of the articles, there is a question as to a Nancy Skaggs relative. That Nancy Skaggs would have been James Skaggs' sister. His wife just happened to be a Nancy also (there were an awful lot of Nancys and Sarahs!).

The articles also mention A.G. Hale, and an A.G. Anderson. So, I am also currently trying to locate these residents, and see where/if/how they relate. One of my distant cousins has provided some information on A.G. Hale. : ) As always, they help so much!

The only other new tidbit of information was (Clinton) Edward's wife Sarah (Lucas) Anderson on the list of rejected Guion Miller Roll Applications. She filed under her family.

I find it especially interesting that all these family members were rejected, but have applied and appealed, and tried to get registered with the Cherokee Nation. It will be VERY interesting to find aunt Nancy who was registered, and see how this all fits together.

Happy hunting!

Who is Jesse Anderson's Father?

Jesse Anderson 1814-1845


Jesse was born in South Carolina and later lived in Sequatchie, Tennessee. Around 1832 he relocated to to Pulaski, Missouri. There he married Sarah Hale around 1835. (also called Sally Hale) He passed away in Vernon County in 1845, and his widow was remarried to William Wiseman. The family later moved to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma.

His son Robert M. Anderson applied to the Dawes commission for himself and other family members, but even after several appeals, he was ultimately denied. (From what I can tell, based on not being able to prove his ancestors were on the previous rolls.)

The papers and testimony on file have a few clues on Jesse and their family ~
Robert M. claimed his Cherokee blood through two previous family members actually on rolls (at least that he mentioned). One (on the Anderson side) was his father's aunt Nancy Anderson on the rolls of 1835 and 1848. On his mother's side, through Maxwell Chambers as a first cousin to his grandfather, Luke Hale, on the rolls of 1835 and 1848 living near Candy's Creek.
The commission did state that the family was Cherokee, and that these relatives were in fact on the rolls and known to be Cherokee.

I have searched for Nancy Anderson, and there are a few! But, another testimony given states that he "knew Nancy and Alex" from Sequatchie, Tennessee. So, is Alex the husband of Nancy? The father? The brother?

It is possible that Alex is Jesse's father, and Nancy his sister, but, I have found nothing on this.

One possibly is in the line of John Anderson. There is a son Alexander Anderson born 1764, who married a Nancy Wilcox. This Alexander also had a brother William who had a son Alexander. But, again, was Anderson Nancy's married or maiden name? I would "think" it was her maiden name - but not really sure.

The fact that Robert says his aunt Nancy instead of his grandfather may simply be because she was on the earlier rolls and he was not.

I also have a distant cousin looking into the possibility of Jesse's father being Henry Anderson, who had a father Jesse. - There's some possibility there as well.

So, I am wondering does anyone out there know who Jesse's father is? Any hints to our Nancy and Alex Anderson? Or their information off the rolls?

Children of JESSE ANDERSON and SARAH HALE are:

i. ELIZA ANDERSON, b. 1832, Missouri; m. SMITH.

This is a complete guess! Jesse and Sarah did have a daughter listed on an early census. Later, there was an Eliza Smith in the household in Missouri. ???? However, there is not any mention of her in the Dawes application.

ii. ANDREW MONROE ANDERSON, b. 1836, Missouri; d. 20 Jul 1878, Indian City, Payne, Oklahoma, USA.

iii. WILLIAM ANDERSON, b. 1839, Missouri, USA.

iv. ROBERT MARION ANDERSON, b. 15 Oct 1844, Vernon, Missouri; d. 09 Mar 1935, Oklahoma.


Children of SARAH HALE and WILLIAM WISEMAN are:

v. DANIEL WISEMAN, b. 1846, Bates, Missouri; d. 07 Nov 1881, Chautauqua, Kansas.

vi. NANCY "SHAN" WISEMAN, b. 29 Jun 1850, Nevada, Vernon, Missouri, USA; d. 21 Feb 1917, New Albany,Wilson, Kansas, USA.