GENERAL AFFIDAVIT.

IN THE MATTER OF CLAIM.

of  Mary Ann Wagoner to Cherokee Indian citizenship.

AFFIDAVIT OF

STATE OF  North Carolina  }ss.
COUNTY OF  Wilkes  }

On this the  29 day of  July, A.D., 1896, personally before me  J.O.Owens  a justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid duly authorized to administer oaths, appeared  Mary A. Wagoner , aged  21  years, a resident of  Wilkes  county, and State of  North Carolina , whose post office is  Halls Mills, NC , who after being duly sworn according to law, says that she is  one sixteenth  Indian by  blood  and a claimant for  Cherokee  Indian citizenship. Affiant further says on oath  that she derives her Indian blood from her and ancestor the late Ned Sizemore who was a full blood Cherokee Indian as set forth in her petition and Memorial 

and is direct lineal descendent of the  Sizemore  family, whose name she 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 she believes the said Sizemore family to be of Cherokee Indian blood and were members of the Cherokee tribe of Indians.

Affiant further says she has been taught and has heard from her earliest youth that she is a descendent of a  Cherokee  Indian family and that affiant has been recognized and treated by her neighbors and the public generally as a person of  Cherokee  Indian blood and that from her complexion and physical appearance she has every reason to believe and does believe that she is of  Cherokee  Indian blood in is and a mixture of  white  and Cherokee and at the least one  sixteenth  Indian by blood.

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

    her
Mary Ann x Wagoner
mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me this  29th  day of  July  A.D., 1896, 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 her to be a credible person.

   J. O. Owens  J.P.




PETITION AND MEMORIAL

FOR CHEROKEE INDIAN CITIZENSHIP

To the Hon. Dawes Commission.
Your petitioner  Mary A. Wagoner  earnestly and respectively represents that she is  one sixteenth   Cherokee Indian by blood deriving the same from her lineal ancestor, the late  Ned Sizemore  through  her father John Owen Wagoner, who was a son 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.

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 her claim and that the same is found to be valid and correct as herein stated that she be allowed all the rights, privileges and immunities of other citizens of said nation.

Petitioners full name is  Mary Ann Wagoner , age  twenty one years, residence  Wilkes County , in the state of  North Carolina , postoffice address  Halls Mills  County of  Wilkes  state of  North Carolina  occupation that of a  housewife

Attesting witnesses,
J. D. Hall [Seal] }
R. J. Lang [Seal] }
State of  North Carolina  } ss.
County of  Wilkes  }
  Most Respectfully Submitted,
her          
 Mary A. x Wagoner [Seal]
mark         

Personally appeared before me,  J.O. Owens  a Justice of the Peace in and for said county in the State aforsaid,  Mary A.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 her said petition above are true as stated therein, this the  29  day of  July  189 6.

Attesting witnesses,
J. D. Hall [Seal] }
R. J. Lang [Seal] }
  her          
 Mary A. x Wagoner [Seal]
mark         

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  Mary A.Wagoner  the said petitioner, and know 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 her by blood or marriage.

J O Owens

No. 10½.- PROBATE - CERTIFYING JUSTICE OF THE PEACE TO ANOTHER COUNTY.- Edwards & Broughton, Printers, Raleigh.

State of North Carolina, } ss Wilkes County. }

The foregoing certificate of  J.O. Owens  a justice of the peace of  Wilkes  County, is adjudged to be correct; and I,  A. M. Vannery , clerk of the Superior Court of said County, do hereby certify that  J.O.Owens  was, at the signing the foregoing Certificate a justice of the Peace in and for the County of  Wilkes , and state of North Carolina, and that his signature thereto, is in his own proper handwriting.

In Witness Whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name and affix
my official seal, this  5  day of  Aug 
A.D. 189 6 
A M Vannery

Clerk of Superior Court




SERVICE AFFIDAVIT

INDIAN TERRITORY,} ss.
Cherokee Nation. }

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  Mary A. Wagoner  for Citizenship in the Cherokee Nation, Ind. Ter.


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






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

J N Baldwin

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

 W H Tibbils  Notary Public

My commission expires Mar. 7 1900.




    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




Transcribed by Deborah Sizemore Lauer



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