Guion Miller Miscellaneous Testimony, Pages 11–20

No. 16492.

MARTHA ANN SCALES, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Martha Ann Scales; I am 38 years old; my post-
office is Tobaccoville, N. C. I was born in Forsythe Co., N. C.
I claim to be Indian through both mother and father. I don't know what
tribe of Indians either mother or father belonged. I have heard that
my father's father was an Indian. My father's mother and my mother's
mother were colored. My father and mother were both slaves. I don't
know what Indian blood my father's father had. My brothers and sis-
ters did not file claims.

Her
MARTHA ANN X SCALES
Mark.

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME, this 19th day of March, 1908, at
Winston-Salem, N. C.

[Signed] Guion Miller
Special Commissioner of the
Court of Claims.

No. 12371.

JAMES RUFUS SCALES, being first duly sworn and examined,
deposes and says:

My name is James Rufus Scales; I live at Tobaccoville, N. C.;
am 41 years old. Was born in Forsythe Co. My mother is living, and I
claim Indian blood through her. She lives at Tobaccoville and has
filed a claim; her name is Emily Scales (16484). I don't know that my
father had Indian blood. My mother got her Indian blood through her
mother and father. My father was held as a slave. I don't know whether
my mother was held as a slave or not; I think she was called “free is-
sue” and don't think she was held as a slave. I don't think my grand-
mother on my mother's side was held as a slave. My mother always said
she was mixed with Indians, but never heard her just say what Indian.
My mother came from Caswell Co., N. C. I think that her Indian peo-
ple came from Va.

[Signed] James R. Scales

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N. C., this 19th
day of March, 1908.

[Signed] Guion Miller
Special Commissioner of the
Court of Claims.

11.

No. 21102.

SARAH J. GARRETT, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Sarah J. Garrett; I was 58 years old, last Novem-
ber; my postoffice is Mocksville, N. C. I was born about 5 miles from
Mocksville, in Davie Co., N. C. Reuben Gather, who filed App. No.
20319, is my brother, and Jefferson D. Gather (No. 19480). I have
also a sister, Emily King, who lives at Thomasville, N. C. (No. 20142).
My mother's father claimed to be half Indian; he claimed to be Eastern
Cherokee. My father's mother was colored. My mother's mother was a
colored woman, held as a slave; my mother and myself were also held as
slaves. My mother's father was raised (I think) in Iredell Co. My
mother and I never lived with the Indians.

her
Sarah J. X Garrett.
mark.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N. C., this 19th
day of March, 1908.

[Signed] Guion Miller
Special Commissioner of the
Court of Claims.

12.

No. 19323

EDWARD JENNINGS, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Edward Jennings; I live in Winston-Salem; I am
53 years of age. I was born in Haywood Co., N. C. My mother's name
was Polly Jennings. My father's name was Overly. They say my father
was an Indian and my mother was a quarter. She was Indian and colored.
I don't know whether she was held as a slave or not. I was never held
as a slave. I never heard whether my mother was held as a slave or
not. I did not live with my mother; I lived with Miss Bisham; I was
found on her doorstep; she was a white woman, did not have any slaves,
and had nobody but her son. I lived with her about 13 years and then
she died. I don't know where my mother was all that time; I saw her
once after that in Spartanburg Co., she was living then at Johnson
Branch, in Spartanburg Co. Mrs. Bisham's son told me it was my mo-
ther. She had been there after me is the way he knew it. I never saw
my father. I don't know anything about him only what I have heard o-
ther people say. Polly Jennings told me that I was her son, and told
me who my father was. They told me that my father came somewhere be-
tween Boston, Massachusetts and Colorado, and that he was an Indian.
They said he was a Cherokee Indian. His brother, for one, told me so;
his brother's name was Overly; the only name I ever heard for my fa-
ther was just Overly. I knew my Uncle Henry well; he lived in Hay-
wood Co.; he was a whole lot of Indian. My mother was keeping house
for an old lady named Aunt Tamer when I met her. My mother told me
that they had to leave me on that doorstep, that they could not take
me with her. She said that she left me so that I could be taken care
of. I don't know where she went when she left me on the doorstep, but
when I met her, she was in Spartanburg Co. I don't know whether
her parents were named Jennings or not; they named me that after her.
She is dead. Polly Jennings is the only name I ever heard that she
bore. I have no brothers or sisters; my sister died when she was a-
bout six years old, so they told me. Twenty-five years ago, I was
in Pulaski City, Va. They say my mother was enrolled as an Indian
once; Mr. Gosling told me so. He lived in Spartanburg, S. C. I was a-
bout 13 years old when I went to S. C. At that time, the woman who
raised me was dead and I went out with her son, and he died on the
road, on the air line road in Spartanburg Co., on the other side of
Spartanburg. My mother was then on Johnson Branch in Spartanburg Co.
I did not know she was there until after I got down there. It had
been about eight years since I had seen my mother. That time was in
Haywood Co. I had not heard from her between those two times. Mrs.
Bisham's son and I were travelling and came across to
the R. R. and hired as water boys, and he saw her and knew her. We
were down close to where she stayed about three weeks; that is the last
I saw her down there. I saw her only three times. I never have seen
my father at all. It came up through a talk one day that Mr. Gosling
told me that my mother was enrolled. He said she was a quarter Indian.
That was not the first time I had heard that she was an Indian. I do
not know why she was enrolled. I don't know with what particular tribe
of Indians she was enrolled, just enrolled as an Indian, I suppose. I
understood that she was enrolled down at Spartanburg. I do not know
who my mother worked for in Haywood Co., nor do I know anybody in Hay-
wood Co. who knew my mother. I do not know anybody in Haywood Co. who
knew my father. My Uncle Henry Overly died about in 1875, in
Pickens, S. C.

His
Edward X Jennings
Mark.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, at
Winston-Salem, N. C., this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] Guion Miller
Special Commissioner Court of Claims.

13.

App. #18495.

Miscellaneous.

Eliza Louisa Stafford being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I live in Forsythe County near Turnerville. I have lived
there all my live. I am 76 years old. I have good health and
memory. I have always heard through my mother that I have Indian
blood. I think my Indian blood is Cherokee, although I did not
pay much attention to it in my younger days. I never claimed to
be an Indian as a member of the tribe. I never had any talks
with Indians who were well known members of the tribe. My mother
was Hannah Jones and married a Hendrix, and I married a Stafford.
My grandmother on my mother's side was a Brook. My grandmother
was a Brook before marriage and married a Jones. She died since
I was married. I never heard my grandmother speak of being
an Indian but I have heard my mother talk often about it. I
have heard my mother say that Joel Sanders married a wife who was
of Indian descent. I think Joel Sanders was my mother's great
grandfather. I think his wife was a Cherokee Indian. My mother
has been dead 17 or 18 years, and I heard her talk about this
shortly before her death. I do not recollect anything about
an enrollment of Cherokee Indians in 1851. None of my family
received any money from the Government at that time. I never
heard my mother speak of receiving money from the Government on
account of her Cherokee blood. I did not hear my grandmother say
anything about receiving money as a Cherokee Indian. I would
have known if they had received anything. I never heard them
speak of being enrolled as Cherokees by an enrolling agent.
Before this matter came up, I never heard anything special about
being a Cherokee Indian, and never lived with the tribe. I
have seen Cherokee Indians here. They were going to Raleigh
after their pensions and said they were Cherokees. My mother
was born and raised in this county also, and my grandmother was
raised here too, so far as I know. I have four children living.
My youngest daughter, Dora Hasting, is now present.

[Signed] E. L. Stafford

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C.,
this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Assistant to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

14.

App. #18483.

Miscellaneous.

Dora Hastings being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I am 41 years of age, and live near Kernersville, Forsythe
County, N.C., and have lived here all my life. Eliza L. Stafford
is my mother. I heard her testimony relative to this matter, and,
so far as I know, her testimony is correct except in reference
to the question as to whether we had ever claimed to be Cherokees
before this present enrollment matter came up. I would state
that back in 1884 an agent came through here and said that one
branch of our family had received land in the Indian Territory
and if they were entitled to it, we were also. This other branch
of the family claimed Indian descent through the same Mary Saunders
who married Joel Saunders, as spoken of by my mother. I remember
my grandmother who died about 17 or 18 years ago. I remember hearing
her speak of her Indian blood often. I have heard her say that
Joel Saunders married an Indian she had always heard. Joel
Saunders was my great grandmother. I think Joel Saunders and his
wife lived in Guilford County.

[Signed] Dora E. Hasten

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C.
this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Assistant to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

15.

App. #16485.

Miscel.

Edwin Sawyer being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I am about 72 years of age, and live in the upper part of
Forsythe County. I have lived there since I was a small boy.
I was born in [deleted text] Caswell County, and moved here
as a boy, and have lived in Forsythe County ever since.
My mother was a whole blood Indian. My father, John Sawyers,
was a colored man. They say my mother was born near Greensboro.
She died when I was a small child. Her name was Sally.
I remember my mother a little, she died when I was young.
I do not know what kind of Indian she was, but she was an Indian.
She had long, straight hair and of a ginger-cake color. She
died long before the War. My father was free born. I was never
a slave, but after my mother died I was bound out until I was
21. I served during the War under Capt. Epson of this county.
I do not know whether my mother ever received any money from the
Government on account of her Indian blood, but I was only a small
boy. I was never enrolled. I have never lived among the Indians
as an Indian. I heard of this money about a year or so ago.
My mother died in Guilford County. I remember my father quite
well. My mother spent most of her life in Guilford County. I have seen
a few Indians passing through this country when I was a grown
man. I forget whether my mother was known by any other name
than Sally. She married John Sawyer. I have a brother living
who is helpless and also have two living sisters. My sister,
Emily Scales, has applied for her share of this money. She
is a year older than I am. I do not know what kind of an Indian
my mother was. I know Sally Scales who is sitting by me. She is
the daughter of Emily Scales just spoken of, and claims Indian
blood through my mother, Sally, only who is her grandmother.

[Witnessed by] Harold W. Kiser

his
Edwin X Sawyers
mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C.,
this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Asst. to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

16.

App. #16481.

Miscl.

Linda Sawyer being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I am about 56 years of age, and was born and raised in
Stokes County, N.C. My father was Thomas Bidden (Bitting).
Thomas Bidden was a slave. He claimed Indian blood. My mother
always told me that my father was half Indian and his mother
was half Indian, but did not say to which tribe he belonged.
My father's mother, Nellie Bidden, was part Indian and always called
me her little India girl. I was a good, big girl when she died.
My father was a slave. I do not claim Indian blood through my
mother. I have one half brother on my father's side. His
name is Rufus Stone and he lives near Mt. Airy. My father
was born and raised in Stokes County. My father lived in Stokes
County in 1851.

[Witnessed by] Alice J. Lumpkin

her
Linda X Sawyer
mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C., this
19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Assistant to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

17.

App. #16814.

Miscl.

Willie Lash being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I am 78 years of age and live in Forsythe County, N.C.
Have lived here since I was 10 years old. I was born in Forsythe
County. My grandmother was an Indian. Darcas Shamill was
my mother, and her mother was Indian. I do not claim Indian
blood through my father. I was a slave all my days. I never
heard of any Indian blood on my father's side. My mother was
a slave, and my grandmother, who had Indian blood was also
a slave. I have heard of Indians, but have never seen any.
I have heard talk of the Cherokee Indians being through here, but
that was before my day. I know nothing of any enrollment of
Cherokee Indians.

[Witnessed by] Alice J. Lumpkin

his
Willie X Lash
mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C.
this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Assistant to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

18.

App. #16489.

Miscl.

Mary Hauser being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I am 50 years of age, and was born in Yadkin County and lived
there all of my life. I have heard my father say that I have
Indian blood. I get this Indian blood through my father.
His name was Mose Shores. He is dead. Has been dead about 30
years. I do not claim Indian blood through my mother. She
was a colored woman, and was held as a slave. My father was
a slave, but I don't reckon my grandfather was. I was born
a slave. I do not know what kind of Indian my father was.
I have always heard that I was related to the Indians but do
not know anything more about it. My father got his Indian
blood through [deleted text] my grandfather,
Bill Sheppard. He died in Stokes County, and had lived there
pretty much all of his life.

[Witnessed by] Alice J. Lumpkin

her
Mary X Hauser
mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C.
this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Assistant to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

19.

App. #16816.

Miscl.

William Turner Bitting being first duly sworn deposes and says:

I am 53 years of age, and was born and raised in Forsythe
County, N.C. and have lived here all of my life. I claim Indian
blood through my mother. My father was a slave. My mother
was also a slave. Her name was Rhodie Bitting. I was also
a slave. My mother's mother was Indian. I do not know what
kind of Indian she was. She had long hair. Her name was Katie
Mattthis. She lived down in Stokes County. She was sold
from my mother and went down there.

[Signed] W. T. Bitting

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Winston-Salem, N.C.
this 19th day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Tyler
Assistant to Special Commissioner
Court of Claims.

20.