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17355
Mr. Miller
Dear Sir,
You asked me to answer your letter. I am too nervous to write a long letter.
So I got my son to write it and I would sign it.
I told him what to write. I hope it will be all right.
Yours truly,
Mary A. Bailey
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Caledonia, Miss.
Dec. 16th 1909
Mr. Guion Miller
Washington, D.C.
Kind Sir,
In reply to yours of the 9th inst. relating to my application to participate
in the Eastern Cherokee fund.
I note you want to know who first told me that Ash Hopper was my Great Grand
Father and why I failed to mention him in my original application.
When I made my first application 3 or 4 years ago I claim(ed) my Indian
blood through my Grand Mother Ann Hopper who married James Trout (and) who
was a half blood Cherokee Indian, but since that time I have made our family
history a special study. My Father moved from Georgia to Alabama in 1855. I
(was) a child only about 9 years old. In 1857 or 8 my uncle Frank Reese who
married my mother's sister Ann Trout came from Georgia to Alabama and my
Grand Mother Ann Hopper Trout came with them and they came to Father's house
and stopped a while with us and my Mother was asking them about Ash Hopper
and they talk(ed) about him in a general way. Then after that my Grand
Mother Ann Hooper Trout live(d) with my Mother about one year and my Mother
& Grand Mother referred to Ash Hopper very often. Then my Grand Mother went
to live with my Uncle Nesbit Trout in Arkansas (and) I never heard much more
about Ash Hopper as my Mother (now) would not talk to her children about her
Indian blood. She seem(ed) to think it dishonorable. My Father would refer
to us children as being Indians (in a joking way) so I now am fully
confident that Ash Hopper is my Great Grand Father and when my first
application (was) rejected I filed my objection on this belief.
I note you want to know who told me that he lived on Pea Vine Creek (in)
Walker County, Georgia and (was) enrolled from there in 1835. My Mother
often referred to Pea Vine Creek & (?) Creek and one Mr. Enoch Vandiver who
came from Georgia with my Father (did) tell me that my people once lived in
Walker County, Georgia. He came and spent a day with me and I learned a
great deal about my Family history back in Georgia before my day. He was a
full grown man when he left Georgia and I heard my Mother say that when the
Indians left Georgia that they came by her Father's home and stopped a while
and my Grand Mother conferred with them. My mother was then a child about 9
or 10 years old. This is my reason for believing or knowing that he lived in
Walker Co., Georgia on Pea Vine Creek.
Now my mother was born in 1826 and she said she was 9 or 10 years old when
the Indians left Georgia. This would bring the date up to 1835-6. This is my
reason for believing that he (was) enrolled on Pea Vine Creek, Walker Co.,
Georgia (in) 1835.
I note you ask if I can find the name of any person who knows that my Great
Grand Father did live on Pea Vine Creek in Walker Co., Georgia. Nothing more
than the above.
I note you want to know when did I first learn that my Great Grand Father
lived at this place and from whom did I learn it.
I learned it from my Mother speaking of Pea Vine Creek as though she lived
there and her statement corroborated by Mr. Enoch Vandiver. I feel confident
that the Court of Claims will sustain my application for I know that I am
contending for my just rights and I feel sure you will agree with me.
Yours Respt.,
Mary Ann Bailey
by J.W. Bailey
P.S. My mother is too nervous to write a long letter so she ask(ed) me to
write for her. I am her son.
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Eastern Cherokees Application 17355, U.S. Court of Claims 1906-1910.
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David Kelley 1997