Cherokee Molly Flatt

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1. kgarnica says

   February 1, 2021 at 6:03 am

   These were Old Settlers. Mollie Welch dau of James Welch (Indian Trader) and Edward Wilkerson. The Blevins were Choctaw I believe. My family has dna matches to this family. I am interested in hearing from you.

   From Researcher Betty Renfro of Three Sisters Genealogy

   Posted by Betty Renfroe, August 15, 2006

   “I am guessing that Elizabeth Wilkerson was born by 1770. She had a son by 1783, maybe earlier. We know she had brothers named John and Edward. We know she married Thomas Jones because he sold the land the [that] she was given by the South Carolina legislature.

   ‘From my files

   1789 Pendleton Co, SC–Thomas Jones and Betty Wilkerson Jones sell to Alexander Drumgoole.

   ‘if you are familiar with Cherokee history you know of Drumgoole. This farther ties the knot between Thomas Jones and the Cherokee Indians. But there are a multitude of other documents. Thomas Jones took a reservation in 1817-1819 in right of his wife. There are more documents concerning these transactions.

   ‘Because of situations occurring with the white inhabitants of the area of the Jones Reservations, Elizabeth and Thomas Jones leave their land and move back to the Cherokee Reservation (probably over the Tenn. River near Marion County, Tenn). Thomas goes south to visit friends and family in the Chickasaw Nation and died there. Elizabeth Wilkerson Jones becomes an Old Settler and moves to Arkansas and Indian Territory with her sons and daughters.

   ‘from my files—Drury Jones statement when he sued the US government in behalf of

   The heirs of Elizabeth Wilkerson Jones. This suit was filed in Pulaski County AR in 1844 and 1845. Here is part of the testimony of Drury Jones:

   ‘ ‘The reservation entered by my Father for my Mother, Elizabeth, was in Jackson County, Alabama on Jones Creek near Kings Cove on lands ceded by treated of 1817. My Father was a white man and my Mother was native Cherokee. My Mother and her family had been living on the place, which was afterwards entered for the Reservation, three or four years before the Treaty of 1817. The place had been improved some before mother and Father moved there, but the owner, Bill Brown had abandoned it and it was the custom in those times for any person to take possession of an abandoned place.

   ‘ ‘My Mother had 7 children at the time of the Treaty. Five of them lived with her. The other two–James and myself–were both married at the time of the Treaty and settled to ourselves. I lived two and a half miles from my Mother’s place. Several years after the Treaty—can’t name exactly how many—there were several White men—Hamilton King, John Kellyson (?), M. (?) Smith, Tom Gunter, Bill Gunter, and Charles Reed, and some others (all living within the neighborhood) were in the habit of coming to my Mother’s house and tormenting her in every way they could device and invariabley at night and would stone the house. In some instances, (they) broke in the doors and windows with heavy rocks. One time, the door being broken in , a stone was thrown that struck my Father upon the face and broke his jaw bone. At another time, they threw the grindstone down the chimney. The attacks were very frequent, sometimes twice or three times a week, and becoming more harrassing and frequent everyday. Father came to the conclusion that it was unprofitable for them to live on the Reservation and he and Mother, very reluctantly, left it, and moved to the Cherokee Nation, which was 5 or 6 miles distant.

   ‘ ‘Dont’ recollect whether my parents every lost any property by it being stolen by the whites. About 2 years after he left the Reservation, Father died, when absent from home on a visit in the Chickasaw Nation. My mother continued to live on the Reservation until she immigrated to this country [Carroll Co., Arkansas] in the year of 1831 and died six years ago next August.

   ‘ ‘My mother had all together TEN children:

   1. James

   2. Drury

   3. John

   4. Polly [Mary Jones Blevins, 2nd wife of Richard Blevins, Jr]

   5. Betsy [Elizabeth Jones Blevins, 3rd wife of Richard “Old Settler” Blevins, Jr.]

   6. Ruben

   7. Washington

   8. Sally

   9. David

   10.Thomas

   Of these, Ruben, Washington, Sally, and Thomas died young without issue. Polly is the only child dead that has left issue. She left three childre:

   Cynthia

   Elizabeth

   John

   (note from owner of this tree: I believe Mary Polly Jones Blevin’s daughter Cynthia, born 1821, to be Cynthia Blevins Boyd (born in Georgia in 1821–see 1850 Federal Census), 1st wife of Wiley H. Boyd. Wiley was a first cousin to my great-great grandfather Tillman Boyd (father of my great-grandmother, Emma Boyd Boren). Wiley was also my step-great great grandfather, in that he was the stepfather of Benjamin Dolan Boren, my great grandfather and the husband of Emma Boyd Boren.)

   ‘ ‘Polly was married to Richard Blevins who is also dead. Their heirs live in Carroll County, Arkansas. The living children of the reservess–David, and Drury–reside in Delaware District of this Nation. James, Betsy, and John live in Carroll County, Arkansas.

   ‘ ‘ When my Mother and Father left the Reservation, it was taken possession of by Hamilton King, one of the White men who had been worrying them so long.’

   ‘This statement was made before. . .John T. Mason.’ ”

   Betty Renfro’s summary of information:

   1. Elizabeth Jones died in August of 1839

   2. Elizabeth Jones moved to Arkansas

   3. Richard Blevins [Jr.] is dead by 1845

   4. It leads us to believe that Polly [Mary] Jones was his wife first and Betsy Jones married Richard after Polly died. I do not believe they were wives at the same time [as has been written and rumored].

   (note from owner of this tree: Richard Blevins, Jr. actually was married three times—widowed twice– and had children by all three wives: Elizabeth Arrentos, Mary Polly Jones, and Elizabeth Betsy Jones.]

   5. Richard and Polly’s children were Cynthia, Elizabeth, and John Blevins.

   6. Betsy Jones Blevins is alive in 1845.

   7. Drury, David, James, and John Jones are alive in 1845.

   8. John and James Jones and Betsy Blevins live in Carroll County, AR. in 1845. Newton County is part of Carroll in 1845.

   9. Drury and David Jones live in Delaware District of the Cherokee Nation. [At the time, would this have been in Oklahoma?]

   10. Elizabeth Jones had 10 children: James, Drury, John, Polly, Betsy, Rueben, Washington, Sally, David, and Thomas. We actually do not know if all were children of Thomas Jones Sr. They appear to be listed in order of birth.

   11. William Jones was not a child of Elizabeth Jones. The only connection we have found is his name is listed with the Thomas Jones names and his Reservaation is next to theirs. He may be a son to Thomas Jones, by a different Cherokee wife. [note from owner of this tree: William Jones lived in Carroll County, Arkansas in close proximity to children of Thomas and Elizabeth Wilkerson Jones. He is listed on Carroll County tax lists for the early 1830’s.]

   Betty Renfroe stated: “My connection is James Jones married Mary Standridge!”

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