Death at the Beck Mill

Beck Mill in 1920

One day Zeke dropped by to visit his sister Elizabeth. He was surprised to find her and her children alone and hungry with not much of anything in the house to eat. He learned that her husband, James Kesterson, had deserted her and their children. He took Elizabeth and her children to live with other family members. There is no record of why James left his family and moved out. Ezekiel Proctor was very angry with James for leaving his sister in this condition. After leaving Elizabeth, James had found a job with Mary Hildebrand and later married her. Story … Read more

Mary “Polly” Beck Hildebrand Kesterson

Mattie Dial Hughes

Mary “Polly” Beck was born about 1820 in Georgia. She was the last child of Jeffrey Beck, III and Susannah Buffington. Mary was my 2nd great grandmother. Jeffrey died when Mary was a young child and Susannah then married Surry Eaton on 11 March 1824 in Hall Co., GA. Mary married Aaron Downing, date unknown. When she received subsistence money for moving west to Indian Territory in 1838 she was listed as Polly Downing. This leads me to believe that by this time her and Aaron were no longer married. Her Mother (Susannah Buffington Beck Eaton), stepfather (Surry Eaton), their children … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Samuel Hildebrand

(See Hildebrand) -Fannie, daughter of Frank and Agnes (Foster) Fritz was born in Cooweescoowee District October 8, 1879. Educated at Carlyle and Haskell Institutes. Married at Vinita February 24, 1900 Samuel, son of Benjamin and Delilah (O’Fields) Hildebrand, born February 14, 1880. Educated in the Male Seminary. They are the parents of Agnes; born February 25, 1902; Lura, born March 27, 1904; Edward, born May 3, 1906; Aaron born April 19, 1908; Glenn, born October 23, 1911; Floyd, born January 17, 1914; Georgia, born February 22, 1918 and Melvin Hildebrand, born January 31, 1920. Mrs. Hildebrand is a Methodist and … Read more

Kansas Registrations of Enemy Aliens, 1917 – 1921

Enemy Alien Registration Affidavit for Bernhardt Vick - Cropped Photo

The series contains original affidavits of registration that record personal information about each registrant, their photograph affixed to the majority of documents, and the registrants fingerprints. All of these are specific to Kansas, and most have the actual documents attached.

Biographies of the Cherokee Indians

1830 Map of Cherokee Territory in Georgia

Whatever may be their origins in antiquity, the Cherokees are generally thought to be a Southeastern tribe, with roots in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, among other states, though many Cherokees are identified today with Oklahoma, to which they had been forcibly removed by treaty in the 1830s, or with the lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokees in western North Carolina. The largest of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, which also included Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles, the Cherokees were the first tribe to have a written language, and by 1820 they had even adopted a form of government … Read more

Genealogy of the Cherokee Hildebrand Family

A25. Peter Hildebrand, born May 10, 1782 in Germany. Married Elizabeth Harlan, born August 15, 1793. She died September 19, 1826. He was one of the Captains of Emigrant detachments in 1838-39 and located on Flint Creek where he operated a saw, turning and grist mill. He died on December 11, 1851. A62. Sarah Hildebrand was born on November 26, 1788. She married Blackcoat. By an act of the council at Piney on Piney Creek, Arkansas Cherokee Nation, on September 11, 1824, it was provided that “the Executive Department of the Cherokee Government shall consist of three persons, that is, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Morris Sheppard

Person Interviewed: Morris Sheppard Location: Fort Gibson, Oklahoma Date of Birth: November, 1852 Age: 85 Old Master tell me I was borned in November 1852, at de old home place about five miles east of Webbers Falls, mebbe kind of northeast, not far from de east bank of de Illinois River. Master’s name was Joe Sheppard, and he was a Cherokee Indian. Tall and slin and handsome. He had black eyes and mustache but his hair was iron gray, and everybody liked him because he was so good-natured and kind. I don’t remember old Mistress’ name. My mammy was a … Read more