In a message dated 12/11/2001 9:29:45 AM Eastern Standard Time, ShngSprt@aol.com writes: > > > > Wonderful family lore. > Still makes me cry that my poor young grgrandmother died in childbirth > along with the twin sons. She was the first of the young girls my great > grandfather married. Four altogether and 3 died early. The last outlived > him and burned everything, including the bible. > Who said the Judge was angry? Mixed marriages were common from day > one > , and very common in the territory. > You may be right that Dice Drake was also native. Tom Drake may have married 3 native girls and that is what made the judge so angry. Tom was in his late 50's when he married a young native girl, the judge's daugther. Tom already had grandchildren. Rufina was a child. Well, by today's standards. He married his last wife when he was in his 60's (he lied about his age on the license) and his bride was 15...although she lied and said she was 19. She was also native, but we have no idea what tribe. She looked "Spanish" is what I was told. Part of the family is enrolled on the Final Rolls. Mable Sue Drake Crow, wife of Andrew Jack Crow, enlisted herself, her two brothers (George Washington Drake and John Will Drake) and her son, the luckless baby who died a year later. She named her parents as Tom Drake and Rufina Folsom. Then...wonderful woman I'll never be able to praise enough for her thoughtfulness....she listed Tom Drake's parents, the only place I've ever found their names as parents. Simon and Patience Drake That led me to Wake Co., NC where Tom's parents were married in 1817. Simon Drake and Patience Gregory. So yes, I've been researching for years in Indian Territory, but with the advent of internet, I've found more in several months than I've found before through the normal slow procedures. And it's from wonderful people like you who take the time to explain things that make it possible. Thank you so much. Shirley Maynard