Guion Miller Miscellaneous Testimony, Pages 31-40

No. 15178.

WILLIAM P. DOBY, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Wm. P. Doby; I am 53 years old; I live at
R.F.D. No. 1, Rockford, Surry Co., N. C. I have been in Surry Co.
I think about 25 years. Before coming here, I lived near Old Town,
Grayson Co., Va. I was born in Davidson Co., N. C., and moved to
Grayson Co. when I was about 6 years old. According to what my
mother said, I have Indian blood in my veins. She has been dead
about 25 years; she died in Surry Co., N. C. She came here with
me from Va. The Indian blood came through my father's side. He
died in 1867 in Grayson Co., Va., near Old Town. He lived there
from the time I was 6 years old until the second year after the
surrender. My mother said that my father's father was half Indian.
I just really could not just say positively to what tribe he belonged.
I never heard that my grandfather was enrolled, nor my father, either.
I never heard my father talk anything about it; I was young when he
died. I do not know where my grandfather was born; he died in David-
son Co., N. C. I do not know whether or not he was an old man. My
father was about 50 when he died. My father was born in Davidson
Co., N. C. I don't know whether my father voted or not; I suppose
he did. He took an interest in politics, as well as I can recollect.
This is my brother with me, Charlie Doby (14656), and I have other
brothers and sisters applying for this fund– John Doby (15171); Jas.
(19088), and sister Jennie (25411), Sarah McGlothern (14653),
Emma Inscore (11934), Pauline Vernon (14640). They all claim Indian
blood, the same as I do. I do not know whether my father ever lived
with the tribe or not, but I suppose not. Nor do I know whether my
grandfather ever lived with the tribe.

[Signed] W. P. Doby

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me at Pilot Mt., N. C., this 23rd
day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Commissioner of
the Court of Claims.

CHARLEY DOBY, referred to above, brother of Wm. P. Doby,
being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Charley Doby; I am about 45 years old; my P. O.
is Low Gap, N. C. I have heard the testimony of my brother, as given
above, and it is substantially correct, as far as I know.

Witness: Winifred E. Ayers.

his
Charley X Doby
mark

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd
day of March, 1908, at Pilot Mt., N. C.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Commissioner of
the Court of Claims.

31.

No. 21602

EDMOND E. KINGSBURY, being first duly sworn, deposes and
says:

My name is Edmond E. Kingsbury; I am 64 years old; I live
at Mt. Airy, N. C. I have lived in Surry Co. since I was a child.
I claim Indian blood. I was born in Stokes Co. I claim Indian
blood through both mother and father's side. My mother was a Catawba
Indian and my father a Cherokee. I never made any claim before this;
never knew anything of it. Never received any money on account of my
Cherokee blood. My father was John Kingsbury; he died at 75 years.
He was born in Guilford Co., on the Catawba River (N. C.) His father
died in Guilford Co.; he practiced medicine in Guilford Co.; they say
he was an Indian, a Cherokee Indian. He lived in Greensboro and died
there. He never received any money from the Government on account
of his Indian blood that I know of. I don't know whether he was a
full blood or not. My father never received any money from the Go-
vernment on account of his Indian blood. I do not know whether my fa-
ther was ever enrolled with the Indians. My father was a voter and
I have voted always. I have known the Cherokee Indians to be here
in Surry Co. I have seen Indians here and don't know to what tribe
they belonged. I have been seeing Indians here for the last 15 years
off and on, but I do not know what kind of Indians they were. My
father claimed to be a member of the Cherokee tribe of Indians. He
boasted of being a relative of Pocahontas; I have heard him say that
many a time. My father was recognized as belonging to the Cherokee
Indians by the tribe, because he kept a shop and they came in the
shop and draged him around and took him out, and my mother fainted;
they seemed glad to see him, but she did not know what was the matter.
I have no other reason for thinking that he was recognized by the
tribe than what I have stated. I remember that incident; there were
a dozen or two Indians; they were going to Raleigh, they
said, to see the Governor about some claims. That was in Greensboro,
N. C., where that happened. I do not know where they came from; they
professed to be Cherokee Indians. He gave them something to eat; they
had a haversack with them. My grandfather got his Indian blood
through my great-grandfather, John Kingsbury, Sr. My great-grand-
father married a Cherokee woman; my father always said that he (my
great-grandfather) always lived and died with the Cherokee Nation.
That is where we got our Indian blood, by that marriage with the
Cherokees.

[Signed] E. E. Kingsbury

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, at
Pilot Mt., N. C., this 23rd day of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Special Commis-
sioner of the Court of Claims.

32.

No. 19610

EDWARD W. STANLY, being first duly swor, deposes and says:

My name is Edward W. Stanly; I am 47 years old; I live
at R. F. D. No. 1, Rockford, Surry Co., N. C. I was born in Surry
Co., and have lived here practically all my life. I was in W. Va.
three or four years. I claim that my grandmother said that her
grandfather was an Indian. I claim my Indian blood on my father's
side. My father was Henry Stanly; he died about 1866; he was born
in Surry Co., N. C., and lived here all his life, I suppose. I do not
know how old he was when he died; I suppose he was about my age. I
never heard that he claimed to be an Indian, nor do I know of his
being enrolled as an Indian. I never heard of his getting any money
from the Government as an Indian. My father's mother's name was
Jemima Stanly; she died since I was married. She claimed that her
grandfather was a Cherokee Indian. She never received any money from
the Government on account of being an Indian, that I know of. I suppose
she lived in Surry Co., N. C., in 1851, and I suppose she lived here
in 1835; I never heard of her living anywhere else. She was never
enrolled as a Cherokee Indian that I know of. I first learned about
this Cherokee matter about 12 months ago. My father was a voter, as
far as I know. I never heard my grandmother say in what part of the
country her grandfather lived. I think her parents lived in Surry Co.
Her grandfather's name was Smith. I don't remember as I ever heard
of the Catawba Indian; I have heard the War Horse and Black Hawk
names spoken of, well-known Indian characters; but I don't know to
what tribes they belonged. I do not know whether my sister, Cle-
mentine Coe, has made application or not. I suppose she knew these
facts regarding what my grandmother told me, just the same as I do.
I sent her a blank application.

[Signed] E. W. Stanly

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd day of March, 1908,
at Pilot Mt., N. C.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Special Commission-
er of the Court of Claims.

33.

No. 19871

THENA C. HOLINSWORTH, being first duly sworn, deposes and
says:

My name is Thena C. Holinsworth; I am going on 55, as well
as I know. I was just a small girl when the war was going on. I
live 9 miles west of here, get my mail at R.F.D. No. 2, Mt. Airy, Sur-
ry Co., N. C. I was born in Stokes Co., N. C. and lived in Stokes
Co. until I came to Surry Co., about 22 years ago. My father was
Matthew Reid, and I claim my Indian blood through my father's side.
He died in Stokes Co. I remember my father; he was a very old man
when he was murdered. I reckon he was born in Stokes Co.; he always
lived in Stokes Co., as far as I know. I don't know whether he was
ever enrolled with the Cherokee Indians. Always claimed that he be-
longed to the Cherokee Indians. We have heard it all our lives. It
has been thrown up to us all our lives that we were Cherokee Indians;
I did not like it a bit. I think my father used to have little
sprees about it. My father was always considered to be mixed with
Indian. He paid taxes and always voted with the rest of the people.
He never got any money from the Government on the account of his In-
dian blood; if he had gotten it, I would have been apt to have known
it. I never heard of his being enrolled as an Indian. I reckon I
would have been apt to have known it, but I was not big enough to
know. My grandfather, John Reid, I reckon died down in Stokes Co.;
I never saw him but once. He bought a little tract of land close to
where we lived. I was living when my grandfather, John Reid, died.
I don't know whether he ever got any money from the Government as
an Indian. He might have lived with the Indians; I don't know.
Old Ellick Reid was my great-grandfather, the father of John Reid.
They said that Ellick Reid was mixed with the Indians. I never heard
that my father, Matthew Reid, ever lived among the Indians, nor my
grandfather. I first heard about this claim last spring. I never
saw an Indian in my life and don't know anything about them.

Her
Thena X C. Holinsworth
Mark

Witness: Winifred E. Ayers.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me at Pilot Mt., N. C., this 23rd day
of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Special Commis-
sioner of the Court of Claims.

34.

No. 21597.

JOHN W. WHITE, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is John W. White; I am 52 years old; my P. O.
is Round Peak, Surry Co., N. C., R. F. D. No. 1. I claim Indian blood
through my mother; from what my grandfather always said, she was a
Cherokee Indian. My mother died about 2 years ago; she died in
Stokes Co., at my sister's. She was born in Patrick Co., Va., in
1829. I suppose she lived in Patrick Co., Va., in 1835, as well as
in 1851. She lived in Patrick Co., Va. up until about 1855. She
never received any money from the Government on account of her In-
dian blood; she was never enrolled as an Indian. She lived part of
the time with me and my family. I have heard her say that she had
Indian blood in her veins ever since I can recollect. She claimed
to have Cherokee blood, from what her father had told her. Her
father died about 1879; his name was Prior May. He died in Rocking-
ham Co., N. C., and he was born in 1804, in Patrick Co., Va., and I
suppose he lived in Patrick Co., Va., in 1835 and 1851. He never
received any money from the Government on account of his Indian
blood that I know of. I remember him very well and heard him
claim to be an Cherokee Indian many a time. I guess he never lived
with the tribe. Prior May got his Indian blood from his grandmother;
I have heard him say many a time that his father's mother was a full-
blood Cherokee Indian. Prior May's father was John May, and I don't
remember his mother's name, but she was an Indian. I don't know
whether or not the Indians recognized my grandfather as one of their
number or not; I never saw any Indians at his house. The old gen-
tleman never took any interest in politics, but he voted. I never
made any claim on account of my Indian blood before this enrollment
came up. Jos. B. White (21614), who is present, is my brother.
Mary E. Chandler (21615) is my sister.

[Signed] J. W. White

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd
day of March, at Pilot Mt., N. C.

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

JOSEPH B. WHITE, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Jos. B. White; I am about 39 years old; my post-
office address is Mt. Airy, N. C., R. F. D. No. 3. I have heard the
testimony of my brother, John W. White, given above, and the same is
correct.

Witness: Winifred Ayers.

[Signed] Joseph B. White

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd
day of March, 1908, at Pilot Mt., N. C.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Special Commission-
er of the Court of Claims.

35.

No. 71633

CHARLES GREENWOOD, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Chas. Greenwood; I am 74 years old; I live at
Mt. Airy, N. C. I lived up there most all my life; [deleted text]
came there when I was about 12 years old. I came from
Yadkin Co., N. C.; I was born in Yadkin Co. I claim Indian blood
— Cherokee blood. I get my Indian blood by my mother's side; her
name was Fannie Greenwood. I don't know that I was enrolled as an
Indian; I never received any money from the Government on account
of my Indian blood. I don't know that my mother received any
money from the Government on account of her Indian blood. I was a
slave. My father was free; my mother was a slave. My mother lived
to be about 90 years old; she lived in Yadkin Co. all her life. She
was a Cherokee Indian; I don't know how much Cherokee. My mother was
regarded as a colored woman. I never heard her say where she got
her Indian blood. I have heard them say that my mother was half In-
dian. I have heard them say that she was an Indian in the neigh-
borhood in which we lived. I am generally regarded as a colored man.
My mother has been dead about 15 years. If my mother had ever re-
ceived any money from the Government as an Indian, I think I would
have known it. I don't know whether she was ever enrolled as an In-
dian. I have seen Indians pass through Yadkin Co., but I do not
know what kind they were. I have married daughters–Mary Ann Tur-
ner (32029), Pauline Bowman (32031), Regina Davis (32030), Bell
Cosbie (32032), Ida Reed (38012). They all claim through my
mother.

His
Charles X Greenwood.
Mark.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd day of March, 1908,
at Pilot Mt., N. C.

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

36.

No. 30724

HANNA MOORE, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Hanna Moore; I am about 60 years old; my P.O.
address is Mt. Airy, N. C. I was born in the eastern part of Va.,–
Louisa Co. I was quite small when I came from there, and have lived
here ever since. I was born in slavery; my mistress was an Ellis.
My mother's grandmother was a full-blood Indian. My mother was a
great big red woman. They always said that my mother's grandmother
was a Cherokee Indian. Mother always lived in Louisa Co., raised
and born there. She died here in N. C. My mother was born in
slavery, too. I have heard her say that my great-grandmother was
a Cherokee and lived in the eastern part of Va.

Her
HANNA X MOORE
Mark.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me this 23rd day of March, 1908, at
Pilot Mt., N. C.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Special Commis-
sioner of the Court of Claims.

37.

No. 38041

EASTER STUART, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Easter Stuart; I live at Mt. Airy, N. C.
I am 62 years old. I was bred and born in Halifax Co., Va. Joel
Tucker bought me to this country; I belonged to him and he gave me
to his wife's children. My mother was a slave, too. I claim In-
dian blood through my mother; she said that her mother was an In-
dian– a Cherokee Indian. Her mother (my grandmother) was born in
Halifax Co., Va. I have no brothers and sisters who filed claims.
I have a daughter, Elizabeth Martin (14125). I never received any
money as an Indian and never filed any claim before this. My mother
never received any money as an Indian, that I know of.

Her
EASTER X STUART
Mark.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd day of March, 1908,
at Pilot Mt., N. C.

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

38.

No. 29977

ANNA REEVES, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Anna Reeves; I live at Mt. Airy; I am about 50
years old. I was born at Richmond, Va. I was brought down here dur-
ing the war by Mr. Martin Hyatt, who bought me at Richmond. I was old
enough to remember it– about 16. I was the only one he brought here.
I remember my mother; she was a slave in Richmond. She was born in
Richmond. I have heard her speak of being an Indian, and my father
was Indian, too. I never heard her say what kind of Indians. I have
a brother, but don't know where he is now.

Her
ANNA X REEVES
Mark.

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, this 23rd day of March, 1908, at
Pilot Mt., N. C.

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

39.

No. 27470.

JOHN W. BOOTH, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is John W. Booth; I am 43 years old; I live at
R. F. D. No. 1, Danbury, Stokes Co., N. C. I was born and raised
in Stokes Co., N. C. I claim by my father's side 1/8 Indian; he was
1/4 Indian. He claimed to be kin to the Cherokee Indians that lived
in the upper end of Georgia. He was born and raised in Oconee Co.,
Ga. He said his father was 1/2 Indian; I have heard that my grand-
father's name was Jacob, but I don't know. My grandfather was wounded
at a battle with the Indians in the swamp known I Fla. He went out
with the troops in Ga., and went out to fight the Indians. He died
3 days after they brought him back to Ga. I don't know where he
lived before that. My father said he was born July 27, 1818; his name
was Benj. F. Booth; he died at Atlanta, Ga., about 1882. He went from
this country about 1879 to Atlanta, Ga., on a visit. My father came
here about 1840 with a tobacco-trader. He was a soldier in the last
war. I have heard him talk about being kin to the friendly Indians,
the Cherokees. He claimed they lived in the upper end of Georgia,
and it was called the Cherokee purchase. My father never did get
any money from the Government, as an Indian, as I ever heard of; I
don't know whether he was ever enrolled as an Indian. My father
was never known by any other name than Benj. H. Booth, that I know
of. In 1851, my father lived in Stokes Co.; he was a voter in
Stokes Co. He frankly confessed that he was an Indian and everyone
in the neighborhood knew it. He was not ashamed of it. My mother
was a white woman. If my father had been enrolled, I would probably
have known it. I have brothers and sisters applying for this money,
and their Indian blood is the same as mine.

[Signed] John Walton Booth

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me, at Pilot Mt., N. C., this 23rd
day of March, 1908.

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

BEN BOOTH, (19963), being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

My name is Ben Booth; I am 48 years old; I live at Moors
Springs, N. C. I am a brother of Jno. W. Booth, whose testimony
is given above; that testimony is correct. Alpha J. East (19953)
is my daughter.

his
Ben X Booth
mark

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me at Pilot Mt., N. C., this 23rd day
of March, 1908.

[Signed] J. Edward Taylor
Assistant to the Special Commis-
sioner of the Court of Claims.

40.