Sonya, There is also the possibility that if she actually is American Indian, that she did not really know where or when she was born. I don't think that the American Indians placed as much importance on that as most others did. Perhaps she really didn't know and made a guess or perhaps there were certain American Indian traditions that we don't know about, such as changing dates to match other important events in their lives. I just couldn't say but there could be lots of reasons for these seemingly unusual changes in times, etc. Here is some various tidbits about Coburns in NC that I have collected. Note the many variant spellings for Coburn. Bulletin of The Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County, Volume XXI, August 1993, Number 3, pg 144. The Bosch/Pest/Besh/Best/Bess Family of Blankenloch, Germany by Miles Philbeck. . . .. Bastuan Best petitioned the N.C. Council on 7 Apr 1750 for a warrant to survey 400 acres in Anson County, location not stated. He petitioned the Council on 29 September 1750 for a grant of 300 acres in Anson County "which being opposed is deferred till the next Council." A land warrant was issued for survey of 300 acres in Anson County for Bostin Bast on 27 August 1753 "on the Branches of Leeper's Creek & Killian's Creek being the Place where he now Lives." The survey, no longer extant, was made 18 October 1753. The patent was granted 16 May 1754 but the description was recorded in error, an error that would not be corrected until 1795. Bastian Bess bought 200 acres 20 August 1754 from John and wife Elisabeth Sigle and Matthias Claus, the deed being witnessed by Peter Hoyle who is purported to be the father of Bastian's wife Katrina. Bastian bought 210 acres on 2 March 1762 on the South Fork of the Catawba River from Jacob and wife Mary Coburn "opposite to Kuykindales Mount." . . .. 2 Oct 1784. Martin County, North Carolina, Abstracts of Deed Book A, 1774-1787, edited by the Library Committee, pg 98. 956. (A-556) William Collins to John Ross, Jr. 2 Oct 1784. 20 pounds, 100 acres beginning at my old line, then south along Cocoburn's Line to Phillip's Line to the first station. William (x) Collins (seal). Wits: J. Ross, William Bennett, Francis Cockburn (his mark). 1820 Census Anson County, N. C. page 4 James Cobren 1 M 16-18 1 M 18-26 1 M 45+ 2 F 10-16 1 F 45+ >From Howard & Jane Lindsey on 26 Apr 1997: Among my Martin Co. deeds, I have one Jan 1, 1798 from Thomas Ross to John Coburn Jr., witnessed by Thomas Staton (neighbors include Francis Coburn); and another from Hugh Ross to James Howell, witnessed by Ezekial Staton. I know that Ennis Staton married my Dougal Ross's daughter Sarah. And seems like some may have moved to Henderson Co., TN., with the younger Dugal Ross too. My Priscilla Coburn/Corbin married Frederick Staton probably in either Martin Co., NC., or Edgecombe Co., NC., sometime before 1770. Frederick's father, Jesse, was from the Snow Hill, Maryland, area, probably in Dorchester Co., MD. I cannot say for sure but it's even possible, I suppose, that the Coburns were associated with the Statons from a time as early as that Maryland period. In which case, the Coburns would not necessarily be Cherokee but from some of the Eastern Shore tribes. Intermarriage in that area was not at all uncommon. Johnita Sonya Tilley wrote: > > This is Hattie's husband the census before they were married: > > 1850 Itawamba County, > MS Federal Census > 36-36 > Benj. Morris: 50; Farmer; NC > Mary: 51; NC <<<<<<<<<<<<Mary Holmes > Jane: 30; NC 1820<<<<<Jane & Nancy are believed to Ben's > sisters > Nancy: 28; NC 1822 > Katharine: 19; NC 1831 > Abadiah: 16; NC 1834 > Joseph: 12; NC 1838 > Benj.: 8; AL 1842 > Geo.: 9; AL 1841 > Benj. J.F.: 8; AL 1842 > Solomon: 7; AL 1843 > Sarah: 6; AL 1844 > Wm.: 5; AL 1845 > > 1860 Itawamba County, MS > Federal Census > Fulton Post Office > 2354-2351 > Benjamin Morris: 55; farmer; NC 1805 > Harriett: 20; AL 1840 > Benjamin F.: 17; AL 1843 > William A.: 11; MS 1849 > James F.: 7; MS 1853 > Charles J.: 3; MS 1857 > Cynthia F.: 1; MS 1859 > George W. Morris: 20; MS 1840 > > 1870 Itawamba Co. MS Federal Census > 153-153 > Benjamin Morris: 66; Farmer: NC > Harriet: 28; AL > James: 16; MS > Charley: 14; MS > Mary: 9; MS > Soloman: 7; MS > Ellen: 5; MS > George: 2; MS > Nanney, Viena: 6; MS > Nanney, Riley: 4; MS > Nanney, John: 1; MS > > 1900 census McNairy Co. TN > district 6, house 179 > Morris, Harrett female head age 69 born May 1832 wd TN NC NC > Sarah E. dau age 22, born Jun 1877 TN TN TN > Moore, Quinton gr. son age 17, born Apr 1883 TN TN TN > Aden gr. dau age 18, born May 1882, TN TN TN > This is just 2 house away from Jacob & Elle Moore. <<<Ellen was Hattie's > daughter > > 1910, 1920 No Harriet Morris > > Somehow, by the end of her life, Hattie was no longer born in May 1832. > Suddenly, her birthday became Christmas day, then the year became 1826. Her > husband died on Christmas day in 1882 in Scotts Hill, TN. If she really was > born in 1832, then she was about 45 when Sarah E. was born, although the > family has given Sarah's year of birth two years earlier. If she was really > born in 1826, then she was around 51 when Sarah was born. Not likely. In the > 1860 census, she gave her age as 20, making her year of birth 1840. By the > 1900 census, she is reporting that she was born in TN, while all previous > censuses list AL as her state of birth. > > Hattie's daughter, Tennessee (Tennie) Isabel Morris, married Robert H. > Clifton and they lived in McNairy County. Tennie died 4 mos. after my > Granny, Hattie Isabel Clifton, was born, and Granny was raised by her Aunt > Ellen. The funny thing is that Granny was 20 years old when Hattie Coburn > Morris died, but I never heard a single word from her about this woman. I > also suspect that Granny's first child, Nolan Hicks, whom she bore at the > age of 13 in 1926, was illegitimate. She would never reveal the name of > Nolan's father, supposedly because he ran off and left her after the baby > was born. > > This is probably more than you wanted to know about Hattie Coburn, but, it's > all I have to go on. She may have been lying about her age and where she > came from because of trying to hide during the Trail of Tears. Were her > parents really from NC as she reported in the 1900 census? Was she actually > born in NC? One of her daughters, Dora, reportedly received a letter from > the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the 50s offering her land in Oklahoma. Dora > was also caught several times doing a rain dance down by the river. One of > her sons, Solomon, reportedly lived on an Indian Reservation in Oklahoma. > > To sum up: I have no idea what her real name was, where she was really born > or when. How's that for clues? > > Sonya > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Johnita P. Malone" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2000 10:58 AM > Subject: Re: [TNMCNAIR] Harriet (Hattie) Isabel Coburn > > > Sonya, > > > > We've never discussed this surname before. Where did your Coburns come > > from? I have one I'm trying to find also. She was Priscilla Coburn. > > Lived in Anson Co., NC., but married Frederick Staton in probably > > Edgecomb Co., NC. She was the grandmother of my husband's Calvin Staton > > who came to McNairy Co., TN. Perhaps this is the American Indian > > connection that I've been looking for in my husband's Staton line. > > > > Johnita > > > > > > Sonya Tilley wrote: > > > > > > Does anyone know how I could get access to newspapers from 1932 in > McNairy > > > County? My gggrandmother, Hattie Coburn was supposed to have been > written up > > > in the local newspaper as the oldest living citizen of McNairy County at > the > > > age of 106. I would love to have a copy of that article. She is a major > > > brick wall for me. She was an American Indian who was apparently trying > to > > > hide from the government because of the Trail of Tears. ANY help would > be > > > appreciated. > > > > > > TIA, > > > Sonya Sipes Tilley > > > > > > Carpe Diem! And, make it extraordinary! > > > >