Nation's No. 14??

Commission's No.          

In re Application of

John H. Wagoner

Demurrer and Answer

75    96







PETITION AND MEMORIAL
FOR CHEROKEE INDIAN CITIZENSHIP

TO The Hon Dawes Commission

Your petitioner John H. Wagoner earnestly and respectfully represents that   he is   one Sixteenth   Cherokee Indian by blood, deriving the same from h is  lineal ancestor, the late   Ned Sizemore   through his father Owen Wagoner who was [a son of Charlotte Wagoner], a daughter of Owen Sizemore who was a son of Ned Sizemore, who was a Cherokee Indian of the full blood.

Your petitioner therefore submits to your honorable body the above statement of facts as grounds for her application for Cherokee Indian citizenship as aforesaid in the Cherokee Nation and asks for a full and complete investigation of h   claim and if the same is found to be valid and correct as herein stated, that he be allowed all the rights, privileges and immunities of other citizens of said Nation.

Petitioner's full name is   John Henry Wagoner  , age   twenty-seven   years, residence   Wilkes Co  , in the State of   North Carolina  , postoffice address  Halls Mills, county of  Wilkes State of   North Carolina   occupation that of a   farmer and is a married man and the father of two minor children, Conie M Wagoner, aged 4 years and Fannie M Wagner, aged  [2]    years.  

Attesting Witnesses,   Most Respectfully Submitted,
          [Seal]
          [Seal]
State of   North Carolina  
County of   Ashe  
    John H. Wagoner   [Seal]

Personally appeared before me   M C Hash  
in and for said county in the State aforesaid,   John H. Wagoner  , the petitioner in the above petition for Cherokee Indian citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, U. S. A., who after being duly sworn according to law states that the facts set forth in h   said petition above are true as stated therein, this the   29   day of July 1896.

Attesting Witnesses,     John H. Wagoner   [Seal]
             [Seal]
             [Seal]
 

Subscribed and sworn to before me, a   Justice of the Peace   as aforesaid, on this   29   day of July 1896, and I do certify that I am personally acquainted with   John H. Wagoner   the said petitioner, andknow that She is a credible person and entitled to full faith and credit before any of the Courts of the State of   North Carolina  , and that I have no interest directly or indirectly in the prosecution of her said claim for Cherokee Indian citizenship and am not related to h    by blood or marriage.

  M C Hash J.P.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Ashe County   ss
I, POINDEXTER BLEVINS, Clerk of the Superior Court of said county, do certify that   M C Hash  , Esq., whose name is signed to the foregoing certificate, was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and State, duly commissioned and sworn; that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit, and that his signature thereto is genuine. Witness my hand and seal of said Court, this   19th   day of   August   1896.

  P. Blevins 
Clerk Superior Court





GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
IN THE MATTER OF CLAIM

Of   John H. Wagoner   To Cherokee Indian Citizenship.
 AFFIDAVIT of   Claimant

STATE OF   North Carolina  
COUNTY OF   Ashe      ss

On this, the   29   day of   July   A. D., 189, personally before me   M C Hash  , a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly authorized to administer oaths, appeared   John H. Wagoner  , aged   27   years, a resident of   Wilkes   county, and State of   North Carolina   whose postoffice is   Halls Mills N.C.  , who after being duly sworn according to law, says that   he is   one sixteenth   Indian by   blood   and a claimant for   Cherokee   Indian citizenship. Affiant further says on oath   he derives his Indian blood his ancestor Ned Sizemore as set forth in his petition and memorial   and is a direct lineal descendant of the   Sizemore   family, whose name he believes appears upon the census rolls, that were taken by the United States government, by blood, of the   Cherokee   tribe of Indians. Affiant further says that   he believes the said   Sizemore   to be of   Cherokee   Indian blood, and were members of the   Cherokee   tribe of Indians.

Affiant further says he has been taught and has heard from his earliest youth that he is a descendant of a  Cherokee  Indian family and that affaint has been recognized and treated by his neighbors and the public generally as a person of  Cherokee  Indian blood and that from his complexion and physical appearance he has every reason to believe and does believe that he is of  Cherokee  Indian blood and is an admixture of  white  and Cherokee and at least one  Sixteenth  Indian by blood.

Affiant further says the above statements are true to the best of her knowledge and belief.

  John H. Wagoner  

Subscribed and sworn to before me this  29  day of  July A.D., 189 6 , and I further certify that the foregoing affidavit was read to affiant in my presence. That said affiant is to me personally known (or has been satisfactorily identified before me) and I verily believe him to be a credible person.

  M C Hash J. P.  








AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESS

STATE of   North Carolina  
COUNTY of     Ashe    

Before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared  William Price  , who after being by me duly sworn states that he is  86  years of age, and a citizen of   Ashe County  , and State of   North Carolina  , and that he is personally acquainted with  John H. Wagoner , who is an applicant for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T. and affiant further states that the said  John H. Wagoner  is the identical person he represents himself to be in his application for citizenship in said Nation, and that the said John H. Wagoner is a son of Owen Wagoner who was a son of Charlotte Wagoner who was a daughter Of Owen Sizemore who was a son of Ned Sizemore who was a Cherokee Indian of the full blood. And is the father of the following named minor Children: Carrie M. Wagoner, and Fannie M. Wagoner




Affiant further states that he has known the said   John H Wagoner   for the past  25  years and knows that he is and has been recognized and treated by his neighbors and acquaintnaces and the public generally, as a person having   Cherokee  Indian blood and that the complexion, physical appearance, language and manners of the said   John H. Wagoner   indicate that the said   John H. Wagoner   is of Indian blood. That from the above facts and circumstances and from statements made to h  im   by the said   John H. Wagoner   affiant states he has every reason to believe and does believe that the said   John H. Wagoner   is of   Cherokee   blood.

Affiant further states that he has no interest whatever in the prosecution of the claim of the said   John H. Wagoner   to citizenship in the   Cherokee   Nation, I. T., and that he is not related by blood or marriage to the said   John H. Wagoner  

 his  
Attest, J. H. Burton William  X  Price 
mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this  11  day of August A.D. 1896 and I further certify that I am well acquainted with the said William Price and know him to be a person of credibility and of truth and veracity.

  M. C. Hash  J.P.  

State of North Carolina}
Ashe County} SS.

I, Poindexter Blevins, clerk of the Superior Court of said County, do certify that   M C Hash  , Esq., whose name is signed to the foregoing certificate, was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and State, duly commissioned and sworn; that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit, and that his signature thereto is genuine. Witness, my hand and seal of said court, this   19th   day of    August    1896.

  P. Blevins  
Clerk Superior Court




#2813


IN THE MATTER OF

John H. Wagoner

Claim to Citizenship in Cherokee
Nation, I. T.

Po Halls Mills N.C.
(Sizemore family)
Filed Sept 8th 1896
H.M. Jaconson secty

Rejected
John Baldwin
Silas Cark
                 MC




    In the matter of the claim of the descendants of Ned Sizemore to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, }
         COUNTY OF ASHE             } SS,

Before me, the undersigned justice of the peace, in and for the county of Ashe, in the State aforesaid, personally appeared Samuel Davis, who after being duly sworn, states that he is seventy-seven years of age, a resident of Grayson county, Va, whose postoffice address is Grassy Creek, Ashe county, N.C.; that he has lived in Grayson county, Va, all his life; that about sixty years ago, he well and personally knew one Ned Sizemore, who was a Cherokee Indian of the full blood then living in Ashe county, N.C.; that said Sizemore, prior to that time had come from the Cherokee tribe in western North Carolina, or Georgia; that said Sizemore had the appearance of a full blood Indian and was so treated and recognized by his neighbors and acquaintances; that he made frequent visits to the home of said tribe after affiant first knew him; that he died in Ashe county, N.C., and had a numerous family of sons and daughters, one son Owen Sizemore had a daughter, Lyddia who married James Blevins and another daughter who married one Stamper, from whom have descended a number of these claimants and that said Ned Sizemore had one daughter Catharine who married one James Hart; that said James and Catherine Hart had sons Ned and George among others, and Catherine who afterwards married one Baldwin and subsequently one Caldwell, and Margery who married one Robert Hash and settled in



Grayson county, Va, near the N.C. and Va State line and near the home of affiant; that he often saw said Ned Sizemore at the home of the said Margery Hash, his grand-daughter, and remembers to have seen him there once with a pet bear following him; and that said Ned Sizemore could speak English only very imperfectly.

Affiant states these facts from his own personal knowledge and observation and has no interest direct or indirect in the claim of said Ned Sizemore's descendants to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.

Given under my hand this 10th day of August, A.D. 1896.

[Signed] SAMUEL DAVIS

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 10th day of August A.D. 1896, and I certify that I am well acquainted with said Samuel Davis and know him to be entitled to full faith and credit and a truthful person.

[Signed] M. C. Hash, J. P.

(The foregoing is a copy of an affidavit filed with the Hon. Dawes Commission in the claim of Cornelie Peak for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.

Official character and genuineness of signature of Justice certified by Clerk of Court under seal of Court.)




    In the matter of the claim of the descendants of Ned Sizemore to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, }
         COUNTY OF ASHE             } SS,

Before me, the undersigned Justice of the Peace, in and for the county of Ashe, in the State aforesaid, personally appeared William Price, aged 86 years, a resident of Ashe county, State of North Carolina, whose postoffice address is Weaversford, N. C., who after being duly sworn, states that he was born and raised in Ashe county, N.C., and that some sixty or seventy years ago, he well knew one Ned Sizemore, who was a full blood Cherokee Indian and made his home at that time on the waters of Cranberry Creek, in Ashe county, N.C.; that said Sizemore had come from the home of the Cherokee tribe in Western N. C., or Ga, some several years prior to the time affiant first knew: that he often went back to where said tribe was located after affiant first knew him but finally made his home in Ashe county, N.C., where he subsequently died; that said Sizemore had numerous family of sons and daughters, two of whom, Owen Sizemore, a son, and Catharine Sizemore a daughter affiant well and personally knew; that said Owen Sizemore had a daughter, Lyddia who married one James Blevins, and lived in Ashe county N.C.; that said James and Lyddia Blevins had several sons and daughters from whom have descended a number of the present claimants: that said Catharine Sizemore, a daughter of said Ned Sizemore married one James Hart, and had numerous sons and daughters among whom were Catharine who married one Baldwin and subsequently married one Caldwell, and Margery who married Robert Hash, and settled in Grayson Co., Va., near the Va., and N.C. State line, Ned Hart, who settled in Ashe county N.C., from whom have descended a number of the present claimants. Affiant further states that said Ned Sizemore had every appearance of being a full blood Indian; that he claimed to be a member of the Cherokee tribe and was so recognized by the said Cherokee tribe and members thereof; that he was recognized and treated by his neighbors and acquaintances in Ashe county; N.C., and Grayson county, Va., as a full blood Indian.
    Affiant states these facts from his own personal knowledge and observation and has no interest direct or indirect in the claim of said Ned Sizemore's descendants to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I.T.
    Given under my hand and seal this 11th day of August A.D. 1896.

Attest [Signed]   his
J. H. Barton   WILLIAM x PRICE   
   mark.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of August, A.D. 1896, and I further certify that I am well acquainted with said William Price and know him to be a person of truth and credibility.

Given under my hand this day and date first above written.

   [Signed]   M.C. Hash, J.P.

(The foregoing is a copy of an affidavit filed with the Hon. Dawes commission in the claim of Cornelie Peak for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation. I. T.
Official character and genuineness of signature of Justice certified by Clerk of Court under seal of court.)




    In the matter of the claim of the descendants of Ned Sizemore to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, }
         COUNTY OF ASHE               } SS,

On this 19th day of August A. D. 1896, personally appeared before the undersigned Justice of the Peace, in and for the county of Ashe, in the State aforesaid, Alfred Price, aged 76 years, whose postoffice address is Crumpler, Ashe county, N. C., and states that some sixty years ago he personally knew one Ned Sizemore who then lived in Ashe county, North Carolina, and who was a Cherokee Indian of the full blood, having come several years prior to that time from the Cherokee reservation and settled in Ashe county, N. C.; that said Ned Sizemore had the appearance of being a full blood Indian, and was so treated and regarded by his neighbors and acquaintances; that said Sizemore died in Ashe county, N. C., and had a numerous family of sons and daughters, one son Owen who was the father of Lyddia Sizemore who married James Blevins and who was the mother of James, Eli, George, Wells Blevins from whom have sprung a number of the present claimants; that Catherine was the name of a daughter of said Ned Sizemore who married one James Hart and who had several sons and daughters, Margery who married Robert Hash, George Hart who was the father of Margery Peak and Cornelie Peak and Grub Hart; said Ned Sizemore also had other sons and daughters and said Catherine Hart was the mother of Catherine Caldwell who was the mother of Nancy Caldwell and William D. Baldwin; that said Catherine Hart was the mother also of Ned Hart, Morris Hart and others. Affiant states these facts from his own personal knowledge and observation.       Given this Aug. the 19th, 1896.

          his
  [Signed] ALFRED x PRICE
        mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 19th day of August, A. D. 1896, and I certify that the contents of the foregoing affidavit were fully made known to affiant before signing and swearing, and that said Alfred Price is a person of truth and credibility.
    Given under my hand this day and date first above written.

[Signed]   L. Hurley, J. P.

(The foregoing is a copy of an affidavit filed with the Hon. Dawes Commission in the claim of Cornelie Peak for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.
     Official character and genuineness of signature of Justice certified by Clerk of Court under seal of Court.)




    In the matter of the claim of the descendants of Ned Sizemore to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, I. T.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, }
         COUNTY OF ASHE               } SS,

On this 2nd day of September A. D. 1896, personally appeared before me, the undersigned Notary Public, within and for the Northern District of the Indian Territory, William A. Lewis, aged seventy-nine years, whose postoffice address is Ft. Gibson, Cherokee Nation, I. T., who after being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That he is a Cherokee by birth and came to the Indian Territory with the Cherokee tribe on its migration from the east, that he was well acquainted with the majority of the members of said tribe who so migrated as well as those who remained in the east; that he was well and personally acquainted with one Ned Sizemore, in North Carolina, old Cherokee Nation, and knows that he was always recognized and treated as a Cherokee Indian, and from the appearance of said Sizemore and his acquaintance with him, affiant knows him to have been a Cherokee Indian by blood and of the full blood: that he knew said Sizemore from about the year 1822, in North Carolina, and believes that said Sizemore was enrolled in the Cherokee enrollment of about that date, and again in the Wafford enrollment.
    Affiant further states that he knew one James Hart, whom he believes to have been so enrolled and who married Catherine, the daughter of said Ned Sizemore, and affiant also remembers that said Ned Sizemore has a son name of Owen and also another son by name of George. Affiant further states that said Ned Sizemore and his family, on the migration of the Cherokees to the Indian Territory, remained in North Carolina and from the best of his information he believes that said Ned Sizemore afterwards settled, lived and died in Ashe County, North Carolina.
    Affiant states these facts from his own personal knowledge. Affiant states that he was born and partially reared a near neighbor to the Sizemore and Hart families, and was familiar with them, in school and as playmates and associates.
    Given under my hand and seal this the day and date first above written.

   Wm A Lewis   [seal]

Subscribed and sworn to before me this, the 2nd day of Sept., 1896.

   W H Tibbils   Notary Public

My commission expires  Mar 7" 1900




SERVICE AFFIDAVIT

INDIAN TERRITORY
     Cherokee Nation   SS

I, J. N. Baldwin, do solemnly swear that on the Fourth day September, 1896, I , in person delivered to Wm. Hastings, Frank J. Boudinot, and Wm. T. Hutchings, Attorneys for the Cherokee Nation at Tahlequah, I. T., a package which contained a true copy of the application of   John H. Wagoner   for Citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, Ind. Terr.,

and of the affidavits of   himself, Samuel Davis, Alfred Price, Wm. Price, Wm. A. Lewis  

in support of same, the originals of which are now filed with the Honorable DAWES COMMISSION at Vinita, Ind. Terr. That affiant has no interest in this matter.

  J A Baldwin  

Subscribed and sworn to before me this   7   day of September, 1896.

  W H Tibbils Notary Public  
My commission expires Mar 7, 1900.





Before the Honorables Henry L. Dawes, Frank C. Armstrong, A. S. McKennon, T. B. Cabaniss, and A. B. Montgomery, Commissioners.

In the matter of application of
John H. Wagoner
  Nation's No.      
Commission's No.        

for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation

Your respondant, S. H. Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, comes now and demurs the said application, and for the grounds thereof says:
1st. That this Commission has not jurisdiction over the parties or subject matter of this controversy and no legal right, therefore, to hear and determine the same.
2nd. That the application does not state facts sufficient, if true, to show that the applicant       entitled to citizenship.
Respondent not waiving his aforesaid demurrer, but insisting upon the same for answer to said application says that  Ned Sizemore 
through whom the petitioner    claim to derive  his  right to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, is not now, and has not been a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, since the removal of said Nation, west to the Indian Territory as at present located and defined , that his name does not appear on any of the authenticated rolls of said Nation; that neither he nor any of his ancestors now reside, or ever have resided in the Cherokee Nation and Indian Territory, as citizens thereof.








Having fully answered, your respondent asks to be hence dismissed.
S. H. MAYES, Principal Chief Cherokee Nation.
By   Hastings, Hutchings & Boudinot  Attorneys.
John L. Adair, Executive Secretary, Cherokee Nation, having been first duly sworn, states that the matters contained in the foregoing answer are true, to the best of his knowledge and belief.

  John L. Adair  

Subscribed and sworn to before me this, the   17th   day of   Sept   1896.
  D J. Brill      
NOTARY PUBLIC





Transcribed by Deborah Sizemore Lauer



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