Camp San Sabá: Where my Indian Texas Ranger Kin Fought the Lords of the Plains

Photo courtesy of Google Earth.

Presidio San Sabá was the northern-most, largest and most advanced presidio in Spanish Texas. It was called Presidio de San Sabá to protect Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá, located 4 miles downstream.  Known originally as Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas, Presidio San Sabá was constructed in April of 1757 by a Spanish force led by Captain Don Diego Ortiz Parilla. 

San Sabá was the principal settlement in McCulloch County until Brady became the county seat in 1876. Presidio San Sabá is on the National Register of Historic Places and is located one mile west of Menard, Texas on US 190 at 191 Presidio Road.

A group of Texas Rangers were stationed at Camp San Sabá, about 40 minutes away via Hwy. 190E to Farm Road 1955 and the San Sabá River ten miles southeast of Brady in southeastern McCulloch County, in the mid-1850s to protect settlers from Indian attacks. My family were some of the earliest settlers in McCulloch County, Texas.

This story is about two families who aided in the settlement and protection of the region, the Goins and the Mulkeys. My Cherokee GG-Grandfather, Lewis Andrew Mulkey was one of those Texas Rangers in Capt. O'Brien's Company. My relatives trace back to Texas for five generations.
My Cherokee Great-Great Uncle, James "J.D." Daniel Mulkey, Lewis' older brother, also served with the Texas Rangers as a scout. Lieutenant James D. Mulkey served with Captain Fossett’s battalion of Texas Frontier Regiment in 1864-1865 and is even mentioned in a book called Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas by A.J. Sowell, published in 1900. The chapter recalls the famous Indian Fight at Dove Creek in 1865. 

Both men and their brother, William, were the sons of Colonel Jonathan Mulkey and his Cherokee wife, Mariah Ross, the youngest sister of Principal Chief John Ross. Mariah died on the Trail of Tears in Cane Hill, Arkansas on the border of Indian Territory in 1839, during the forced Indian Removal Act from their eastern homelands to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.

Their uncle, Chief Ross, had won his case in the Supreme Court defending Cherokee sovreign rights but President Andrew Jackson refused to obey the court's decision after gold was discovered in Georgia. Cherokees lost their homes and possessions through federally sanctioned lotteries to white settlers.

As a five year old child, Lewis walked the Trail of Tears in the Benge Detachment in 1838. Chief Ross' wife, Elizabeth "Quatie" Ross, perished along with so many other Cherokee during the harsh winter walk after giving her coat to a cold child.

Mariah's oldest sister, Eliza Ross and her husband Jonathan Golden Ross (no blood relation), raised the Mulkey children along with their five children at the "Murrell Home" in Park Hill, Oklahoma, near Tahlequah. Eliza would eventually become one of the few women to teach in the Cherokee Nation prior to 1855, and the first Cherokee to teach at the Cherokee Female Seminary in Park Hill.

GGG-Uncle Chief John Ross married his 2nd wife, Mary Stapler, in Washington D.C. She was 19, he was 53.

Present day, the Murrell Home is a historical museum and offers tours of the mansion. The three Mulkey boys had only one sister, Mary Anna "Mollie" Mulkey, only one year old upon Mariah's death, but she perished in a fire in 1845.

Only the arched stone entrance is original to the structure. The walls were re-purposed to hold cattle on the Great Western Trail Drives in the 1870s-80s because of water available from the San Sabá River.

Jonathan Mulkey received $2.50 per day for his 43 days of service as a commissary in the
Benge detachment during the forced Removal of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears.
Jonathan Mulkey then became a clerk for spoliations in the Saline District.
Their widower father, Jonathan Mulkey, a Cherokee Nation Councilor for the Saline District in 1842 with the Cherokee name of "Unurti", traveled with his three sons to Texas in 1855. The August 1934 edition of Frontier Times Magazine said, "The earliest settler in this section is believed to have been Jonathan Mulkey, who came front Austin with his three sons, James (Dan), Lewis and W. R. (Bill). Jim Mulkey, who was quarter Cherokee Indian, acted as guide for the soldiers and others dealing with the Indians. 

The Mulkeys first settled on Deep Creek, near where Milburn is now located. Shortly afterwards, Bill Mulkey built a house on the Colorado river a short distance above the old No. 10 Highway bridge." Jonathan died a decade later near the Texas Trail in Oklahoma and was originally buried in Indian Cemetery #27 at the Verdigris River. He was later reburied in an unmarked mass grave with 16 others at Three Rivers Cemetery southeast of Okay when the dam was built in Okay, Oklahoma.

Jonathan's son, Lewis Andrew Mulkey, was the last living Cherokee to survive The Trail of Tears from Georgia to Oklahoma when he died in 1929 at age 96 years, 7 months and 10 days. Records show his Cherokee name was "Ta Woti ga nage," which according to loose Cherokee translation means Black Hawk.

Lewis Andrew Mulkey and his brother James Daniel Mulkey were Texas Rangers under the command of Captain William Tom, in a company on the Sabinal River. Captain John Tom, William's father, was the executor for the Will of my Choctaw GX3Grandfather, Jeremiah "Jerry" Moses Goins, who came to Texas while it was a Republic in 1834. He is listed on the first census of Texas.

After a rigorous genealogical records examination, I have recently been accepted by The Daughters of the Republic of Texas thanks to my GGG-Grandfather, Jeremiah M. Goins. Jeremiah married Sarafina Charity Drake. In Texas census taken, Jeremiah Goins and his family were listed at various times as Negro, Mulatto, and Yellow. Both he and his wife's ancestors had been referenced as "Free People of Color," although all the Goins kin always claimed to be Choctaw originating from Mississippi.

Charity, born about 1755, taxable in her mother's household in the 1767 list of Stephen Jett, probably the Charity Chaves, "Mulato libre" native of Virginia, who was married to John Aaron Drake, "Mulato libre" of "Elisabeth, Virginia," and had been living in the parish of Saint Martin Attapakas in Louisiana for fourteen years on 10 May 1800 when their son John Drake, a "Mulato libre natural de Carolina" (free Mulatto native of Carolina), married Rosalie Abcher (Abshier) [Hebert, Rev. Donald J., Southeastern Louisiana Records, 1750-1900 (1999), IV:195, cited by Cousin Barbara Ellison of Oklahoma in email correspondence to cousin Gabe Gabeheart].

When John Aaron Drake, Jr. married Rosalie Abshire b. abt. 1782 – d. 1871, a White woman, their offspring were therefore considered “Indian Mulatto’s.” Technically, Charity Sharafina (Sarafia) Drake Goins b. abt. 1795 – d. 1881, could be labeled as Melungeon under Virginia Law but probably not her offspring in Texas. Jeremiah M. and Charity Sharafina Goins were known as an Choctaw couple by their neighbors and other people who knew them.

 Photo Courtesy of cousin, Chris Yeargan. Alonzo Mulkey is Chris’ grandfather. Additional Information below, courtesy of cousin Sue Foote.
More about James "Dan" Mulkey: James Daniel was the first child of Jonathan and Maria Ross Mulkey. James “Dan” was married to Elizabeth Cleveland Joy on January 31, 1867 in San Sabá, Texas. Sallie was the daughter of Wylie (Wiley) and Elizabeth Joy. Sallie had previously been married to James W. Vann and had a daughter, Daisy, just 3 years old. 

In the above photo, “Babe” is Sallie Frazier Mulkey. Her husband, known as “Dan”, died of a heart attack while visiting their daughter Aileen in Oxnard, California. Seven years later, Sallie died at home in Stroud, Oklahoma, also of a heart attack. Dan and Sallie were both mixed blood Cherokees.

Dan married Sallie Frazier on November 7, 1904 in Warner, Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. The Mulkeys were recipients of land allotments to the Cherokees, by virtue of an Act of Congress, approved July 1, 1902. Two deeds were found for 80 acres allotted to Jonathan Daniel Mulkey on November 14, 1905.

For some reason, Sallie was allotted 120 acres, possibly because her degree of Cherokee blood was higher than her husband’s. My notes: The name Vann is also a Cherokee surname; it is is not known what happened to Sallie’s first husband; perhaps she was a widow therefore allowed an additional claim.

Sallie Frazier and Jonathan "Dan” Mulkey had six children; Dennis, Elizabeth, Roy, Geneva, Ruth and Aileen. Roy died at birth, Geneva and Ruth in their early 40’s, while Elizabeth died at age 76 years and 4 months. In 1996, daughter Aileen was still living as was daughter Daisy Vann Davis.

Documents were found indicating the Mulkeys did not retain their land for very long. A General Warranty Deed Record, dated the 5th of November 1906, transferred one parcel of 40 acres to M. P. Johnson of Marysville, Kansas, for the sum of $600.00. On the 30th of April, 19090, a parcel of 120 acres was sold to Phillip Mayers of Mound Valley, Kansas, for the sum of $1,200.00.

On the 7th of August 1908, the state of Oklahoma purchased a parcel identified as NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 Sec. 30 T 12 P 19 E from the Mulkeys, presumed to be 40 acres, for the sum of $1,000.00. We believe this parcel is the present day site of Connors College, just east of Warner, Oklahoma. Many allottees donated or sold land so Connor College could be built. Lewis Andrew Mulkey was one of those who participated.

Note to Mulkey researchers: Per cousin Sue Foote, Cousin Tom Pierson (wife, Audrey) in Texas, is the son of Isaac Frank Pierson and Lettie Viola Mulkey. Lettie Viola was the daughter of Wiley Ross Mulkey and Martha Mahala Paul Mulkey. Wiley Ross was Tom’s grandfather and brother to Jonathan Daniel Mulkey.

Lettie Viola and Elizabeth Mulkey Evans were first cousins. Lettie was 9 years older than Elizabeth, and both were born in Warner, Oklahoma. Another cousin is Don Clay (wife, Rosemarie), of Los Angeles. He is the son of Frankie Farmer, another cousin of Elizabeth’s. The Farmers are from my line, Isabelle Mulkey and Ferdinand Farmer. Their daughter, Georgia Farmer, is my grandmother. Frankie is Georgia’s sister.

Information about Wylie Joy can be found in The West Texas Frontier or a Descriptive History of Early Times in Early Texas by Joseph Carroll McConnell. Mrs. Wylie Joy and her daughter, Mrs. Lafe McDonald, of Spring Creek, Texas, were both killed one mile east of Harper, Texas. Wylie Joy was away on a trip to old Mexico, during the Civil War. The crime scene appeared to be staged to blame Indians for their demise, but many locals doubted it.

These ladies would be mother and sister to Elizabeth Cleveland Joy Mulkey. Later, Aileen Mulkey Legat and Elizabeth Mulkey Evans had vague recollections of hearing someone had been scalped but couldn’t recall specifics. Further details; 12, Hunter’s Frontier Magazine, February 1912 and 1, Frontier Times, June 1927.

In McConnell’s account, “Mrs. Lafe McDonald lived in Kimble County, Texas, who was staying with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wylie Joy, while her husband was away in Old Mexico, during the Civil War. Someone had recently returned and brought some letters from Lafe McDonald to his wife, and these letters were left at the home of Tom McDonald, who lived in Spring Creek, about 8 miles east of Harper.

Mrs. McDonald was exceedingly anxious to hear from her husband, so she insisted that someone go horseback with her to Tom McDonald’s home. They made the trip on horseback and started home early the next morning. Mrs. Wylie Joy and her daughter, Mrs. Lafe McDonald were both killed one mile east of Harper.

Many have surmised that this foul deed was not done by Indians. Nevertheless, moccasin tracks and other savage signs were discovered shortly afterwards.” Nothing further was written.
GG-Grandma Adeline Mulkey nee Goins and GG-Grandpa Lewis A. Mulkey. ~Photo courtesy of cousin Charles Olzawski.
My 4th and 5th grandfathers John Aaron Drake Jr. & Sr. were documented by Spanish Authorities in the company of Daniel Boone and Charles Sallier. Our 3rd grandmother Sarafina Drake also made it into Lt Herrera's 1809 report. Sarafina was of course Jeremiah's wife and Juan Aaron Drake Jr, his father in law. "Geronimo de Herrera of the Spanish Army of the Province of Texas was headquartered out of San Antonio de Bexar. He was born in the Old World and was considered a "Peninsular." 

As a young Lieutenant, he spent a number of years patrolling eastern Texas, turning back settlers from the East, and trespassers from Louisiana. In 1805 he encountered John Aaron Drake Sr (reported as Juan Eromdreque) from Attakapas Station (now St.Martinsville) in Louisiana.

Drake was a horse trader and breaker, and he had been apprehended rounding up the King's wild mustangs, to be taken home and "broken" and sold. This, Drake readily admitted. He was chastised and sent home. Lt. Geronimo Herrera duly noted the details in his report sent back to San Antonio.

In 1809 Lt. Herrera again encountered John Aaron Drake Sr (reported as Juan Erindrek), this time in the company of his family, and Charles Sallier (for whom Lake Charles is named) and his family, and 20 other families intending to settle in Texas. They were apprehended at the Camp of Orcoquisac, allowed to rest their mounts and then directed back east the next day, after being warned.

A then 4 year old Sarafina Drake Goins was in the company of her father John Aaron Drake Jr., on that day. A man named Daniel Boone (Boom) from this party, was the only one permitted to continue on west, as Boone had documents allowing him to go to San Antonio de Bexar. Daniel Boone died 16 years before the Battle of the Alamo was fought in San Antonio in 1836.

All of Herrera's reports were made to San Antonio, and are preserved in the Bexar Archives, as he enforced the "no man's land" agreements with the United States. Lieutenant Herrera progressed in rank, and was a Colonel at the time of the fall of San Antonio in 1813 to the rebels who would establish the short-lived Republic of the North. He was one of 14 Spanish Army Officers who capitulated the city, and surrendered their sidearms in keeping with the traditions of "civilized warfare," on April 1, 1813. That group would be ruthlessly slaughtered by the rebels on April 3, 1813.

These Officers, besides Colonel Herrera, included Texas Governor Manuel de Salcedo, and Nuevo Leon Governor Col Simon de Herrera, and 3 Captains, 7 Lieutenants, and 1 Ensign."

Note: Sarafina Charity Drake, a free woman of color, was born in Louisiana circa 1803 and christened in 1804. She was a daughter of John Drake of South Carolina, a free man of color, possibly tri-racial, and his white wife, Rosalie Abshire, of Louisiana. Sarafina's middle name, Charity, honored her paternal grandmother, Charity Crieves, or Creves, wife of John Aaron Drake. John Drake is a part of US Black heritage.

Historical records indicate a Slave Sale on 17 Mar 1810 in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, USA. John Drake, Aaron Doyle, Alexander Buxton and Charity Drake sold to Jesse White a slave named Jim for $675 dollars.

On 10 Apr 1815 John Drake and Mary Drake, wife of Alexander Baxton, sold to Aaron Dial a tract of land (per Probate Records) at Grosse Isle, measuring .75x40 arpents, bounded above by lands of William Armstrong and below by lands of Benjah Campbell in St Martin Parish, Louisiana, USA.

Sarafina's mother, Marie Rosalie Abshire, married 18 May 1800 in St. Martinville, Louisiana, New Spain. "With the permission of her parents and her church she married John "Santiago" Drake when she was 17 years old. As required by the Catholic Church, before a minor could marry there was an Informacion de Solteria Producida - Marriage Investigation regarding the freedom to marry; hers was dated 10 May 1800-- eight days before her marriage." (Hebert, SWLR CD: ABSHIRE, Rosalie - 17 years old (Jean ABCHER - of Pennsylvania & Françoise HARTGRAVE - of Virginia & 21 years in this parish) John DRAKE - mulatre libre of Carolina; 14 years in this parish (Aaron & Charite CHEVES - of Virginia - 14 years here.)

The application is listed in her name since she is marrying a free mulatto. Assistant Witnesses: Charles Daniel FAGOT & John WHITE; Wits: Pierre ABCHER, John DRAKE, Jean Baptiste Louis CHEMIN, Jean THOMASSON, John DARAY, Mark LEE. Fr. Michel Bernard BARRIERE (SM Ch.: Marriage Investigation: Folio D, # 24) via Wikitree. Donald J. Hébert, Southwest Louisiana Records, Volume 33: Supplement, Mixed Records (1903-1953); Slave/Black Records (1765-1886); Corrections and Additions (1756-1904) ("SWLRv33"), (Rayne, LA: Hébert Publications, 2001; reprints by Claitor's Publications, 2008) p. 158 DRAKE, Angela (Santiago & Rosalia ARCHER) bt. 1804 (SM Ch: v.3S, #137)

Land Grants from Beaumont, Texas, 1838. Note the name Jeremiah Going, 1834.

In 1838, Jeremiah Goins received a Jefferson Co., Texas, land grant for one league and labor. A league of land equals 4,428 acres and a labor, 177 acres, combined they add up to 4,605 acres. He stated he had been in the Republic of Texas since 1834. His land grant was situated near Pleasanton. 

Jeremiah Goins died August 18, 1883, according to Howard Goins, however "Jeremiah Goins, Sr." [probably his estate] received a deed February 12, 1884 to 160 acres in Survey 14, located on Atascosa Creek 19 miles southeast of San Antonio for $140 from Lewis A. Mulkey and Adeline Goins Mulkey, his daughter, according to Bexar County Deed Book 33, page 149.

Please pardon my temporary redundacies. It is not my intention to make this article an info dump but I must admit there is a LOT of information hence I am in the process of writing a book. I have two giant scrap books of compiled information, documents and photographs. As new information comes to light or is re-discovered in my files, I have expanded this story. It is a collection over many years. Unfortunately, some things may get repeated. I will attempt to tidy this history wherever possible. I believe there is value in similar stories, as it may aid researchers for clarity. Never take anyone's word for it though, the real meat and potatoes of genealogy are documents. Family folklore is not facts. Always verify your sources.

My GGG-Grandfather, Jeremiah Moses Goins, (1800-1883) son of Phillip Goins (1770–1831) and Ooti Montro, was born in the Choctaw Nation [Mississippi] in 1771. Death 1851 • Choctaw Nation, Mississippi.

Jeremiah was probably the third "free colored person" enumerated in the 1810 census of his father's household in St. Landry Parish. He was married about 1820 to Sarafina Drake (1804-1881) probably age 14, in Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana, USA.

Sarafina Charity Drake married Jeremiah Goins of Mississippi c.1819. Jeremiah was thought to be a son of a white man and a Choctaw Indian mother. Their children would be called "Redbones," a term indicating a tri-racial mixture of people largely inhabiting the so-called "Neutral Ground" of Louisiana and Texas. They were sometimes considered "Melungeons," negroes, or mulattos.

They continued to live in Louisiana until 1834 when they emigrated to Coahuila y Tejas where they became citizens of Spain. They settled in Bevil Municipal District, named for John R. Bevil, located between the Neches and Sabine Rivers in what was later Newton and Jasper Counties.

Bevil Fort was located at a bend in the Neches River just south of present-day Zavala, Texas. There were 23 municipal districts in Texas at the time of the Declaration of Independence. On March 17, 1836, two weeks afterward, each became one of the original 23 Texas counties.

The household of Jeremiah Goins was enumerated in the Spanish census of Bevil District in 1835. The census was compiled by Marion Day Mullins and published by the National Genealogical Society as "First Census of Texas 1829-1836." They were recorded as: "Goin, Jerry 37, farmer
Drake, Sarafina 28, wife of Goin,
Henry 13
Ransom 11
Eveline 9
Sybrant 7
Caroline 5
Robert 3
James 1
From the two census returns, some researchers believe that Sarafina Drake Goins was the first wife of Jeremiah Goins and Charity Goins was his second, as is the case of the incorrect conclusion of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas genealogist. It was suggested that Sarafina Drake Goins was the mother of Henry Goins, Ransom Goins, Evaline Goins, Seaborn Goins, Caroline Goins, Robert Goins, James Goins and Adeline Goins.

In this fanciful scenario, Charity Goins was the mother of the second Robert Goins, Reuben Goins, Emily Goins, Jeremiah Goins and Mary Goins. All good stories deserve a plot twist, so here it is. The second Robert Goins and Reuben Goins may have been foster children of Jeremiah Goins. In which case, it is surmised that Emily Goins, Jeremiah Goins and Mary Goins were the children of Jeremiah Goins and Charity Goins.

Other Goins researchers claim Sharafina and Charity are the same woman sharing the same first and middle names and there were no foster children. I cannot explain the two sons with the same alleged name. Census of the time weren't perfect. Mispellings and other inaccuracies were fairly common in the time period.

Other spellings for Goins has been noted as Goin, Goens, Goings and similar. In 1850 Jeremiah and Charity were living in Limestone County, Texas, and were described as "mulattos." In 1870 they were counted in Pleasanton, Atascosa County, Texas as "Indians." She died in 1881. Sarafina (Drake) Goins is a part of US Black heritage.

I'm firmly in the Sarafina Charity Goins nee Drake camp that supports she was the same woman. Where researchers get distracted is the fact Sarafina's mother, Charity Chavis b. 1755 • Granville County, North Carolina, USA, d. 1815 • St Martin Parish, Louisiana, USA, shared names. Repetitive names are oftentimes a genealogist's biggest challenge. Examining dates should shed clarity.

Sarafina carries her middle name of Charity, which became her family nickname and oftentimes legal name on censi. Alternate spellings she was listed under are Sharofine, Seraphia and Sharafina.

Charity Chavis' parents were Richard Chavis, b. 1724 • Northampton County, North Carolina, USA, d. 1765 • Granville County, North Carolina, USA and Luraina (no further details.) Charity had older siblings, John, Milly, Suffiah, Luraney and Robert.

Jeremiah Moses Goins Sr. was a resident of San Saba County, Texas May 21, 1857 when his daughter Adeline Goins was married to Lewis A. Mulkey. Jeremiah Goins does not appear as the head of a household in the index of the 1860 census of Texas compiled by Accelerated Indexing Systems. "Jerry Goins, Sr." was enumerated as the head of a household in the 1870 census of Atascosa County, page 171, living near Pleasanton, Texas.

Other Goins households in the 1870 census of Atascosa County included R. G. Goins, page 171; Ransom Goins, page 194; Sarah Goins, page 202; Rayborn Goins, page 204; Hardinia Goins, page 199; James Goins, page 204 and Josephine Goins, page 194.

"Jeremiah Goens of Hays County, Texas" received a deed from Robert Mays of Hays County to 535 acres lying in Hays and Burnet Counties, according to Travis County, Texas Deed Book L, page 419. It is believed that Jeremiah Goins and Charity Goins removed to San Antonio, Texas about 1873.

"Jerry" Goins received a deed to Lots 37, 38, 39 and 40 in San Antonio from Juan Jose Flores September 18, 1873 for $1,500, according to Bexar County Deed Book 1, page 116. Jeremiah Goins appeared as the head of a household in the 1880 census of Bexar County, Enumeration District 22, page 17 on June 11, 1880.

Jeremiah's son, Ransom Goins, also served under Captain John Tom in 1864. Ransom's brother, Reuben, was later involved in the famous Shootout at the '97' Ranch in the Chickasaw Nation in Grady County, Oklahoma. Two alleged rustlers were shot by hired men protecting cattle. Seven men, including Rueben, were tried before "Hanging Judge" Parker in Fort Smith, Arkansas. They claimed self defense. The trial began February of 1886 and dragged on to October 1887.

On November 1885, the men were released on bail for the sum of $7,000 each, a hefty sum back in the day. In October 1886 a hung jury was declared. A new trial ensued and the men were found guilty of manslaughter and imprisoned. They were all sentenced to be hanged. The Fort Smith jail was a dungeon under horrible conditions.

In September 1887, it was determined the jury's decision was not unanimous. On September 28, 1887, President Grover Cleveland signed a Presidential Pardon that exonerated all the men, including Rueben Goins. Judge Parker released the men on October 3, 1887. In 1892, Ransom married Emily Hardy.

Reuben Calvin Goins, was born in East Texas c. 1824** during the Mexican colonial era, making him a natural born Mexican citizen. His parents lived previously in the Spanish speaking “No Man’s Land” of what is now west Louisiana, an area long disputed and claimed by many governments including the Republic of Texas. He was a Choctaw, Cherokee, Irish and Anglo mix. He spoke fluent English, Choctaw, some French and likely knew a decent amount of Spanish, facilitating his service alongside fellow Tejanos and Mexicans in Col. Santos Benavides’ Confederate 33rd Regiment at one time. **The birth year of 1819 is considered an error by one family researcher, some records show a birthyear as late as 1831. His birthplace was likely near current day Belleville or San Felipe in Austin’s Colony. Thank you to cousins, Rich, Gary and Daniel Gabehart.

“Rube” also served with the Texas 45th Calvary and was a Texas Ranger. At least 2 of his brothers served as Rangers as well. His cousin, Isaac Ryan fell at the Battle of the Alamo and his father Jeremiah Moses Goins served Sam Houston loyally as an Indian scout and interpreter.

Ransom and Rueben’s brother, Seaborn “Cebe” Goins, was killed by Indians in May 1861 in San Saba, Texas. He would become known as “the first white man killed in McColloch County.” This account was first published in Handbook of McCulloch County, Texas. Cebe and two other men were tracking wild horses when night fell.

The men pitched camp at Salt Gap. During the night Indians crept in the darkness and stole the men’s horses then shot a volley of arrows at the sleeping cowboys. An arrow fatally struck Cebe, who slept nearest the attackers. One man was wounded but the other was uninjured. He tried to shoot but his pistol jammed.

They escaped into the brush and walked to Cebe’s home which took them three whole days. There was at that time in San Saba County a company of 25 men under the command of Capt. W. R. Woods known as “Minute Men.” They were men who were obligated to rush at a minute’s notice to rendezvous in case of an Indian attack. When it was reported that Cebe Goins had been killed, 10 of these rangers were immediately into the saddle.

The distance to be traveled was about 50 miles, through the wilderness and without a road to travel when they discovered Cebe’s body with an arrow piercing his blanket to his body. They buried him on the spot.

Forty-eight years later, in 1909, Cal Montgomery made an appeal to the citizens of McCulloch County to place a marker over the grave of Cebe Goins. Several search parties went to the location, but the landmarks could not be located after a half century.

This photo is my G-Uncle Ransom “Rance” Goins, colorized by my husband John Earl.

Captain John Tom, my GX3Grandfather Jeremiah Goins’ best friend and executor of Jeremiah’s will and father of Captain William Tom. Note the Indian beadwork on Captain’s Masonic apron and bandolier. Photo colorized by John Earl.
According to The Texas Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest 1825-1916, my family appeared under the misspelled name of "Goeings" on No. 195 Petition from the Citizens of San Saba County dated September 29, 1858. 

The letter was addressed to H. R. Runnels, the governor for the state of Texas stating, "The peace and the prosperity of their County is greatly disturbed by depredating bands of indians prowling among us, as we suppose for the purpose of stealing horses. That many families have left the county on account of the insecurity here for life and property & many others are talking seriously account of the indians. That we doubt many erroneous reports have reached the ears of your excellency in relation to indians in this County, but notwithstanding we are satisfied we are placed here in a critical situation and need additional protection. The promises considered your petitioners earnestly request that you will send us a force of mounted men sufficient for our immediate protection (say one full company) and as in duty bound we will ever pray & c."

Among the fifty citizens listed were "T. Goeings, Leban Goeings, Ransom Goeings, James Goeings, Ruben Goeings, Robart Goeings, Henry Goeings and Raben Goeings."
Violence began when settlers arrived over a hundred years earlier. Lipan Apache, Comanche and Wichita tribes lived in the area so skirmishes and raids ensued. On March 16, 1758, two thousand natives attacked the mission far from Presidio Sabá, killing two priests and several others. Twenty seven survived and escaped to the presidio. 

Conditions continued to deteriorate as hardship and strife proliferated. By 1768 the presidio was abandoned. In the early part of the Civil War companies of state troops known variously as rangers, mounted volunteers, etc., were organized all over the state. The ones in this particular part of the state were a part of Col. J. E. McCord's regiment.

One or more of these companies had a camp on the San Saba River about a mile or a mile and a half south and east of the Hardee crossing near another crossing known as the "Flat Rock" crossing. They were quartered in log cabins and a few tents. It was from this camp of rangers that the town of Camp San Saba took its name. It is said that the first soldiers to occupy the camp were members of Capt. McMillan's company of San Saba.

A Masonic lodge was organized at or near Camp San Saba in 1864 thought to have been principally among the members of the "ranger" camp. This lodge later became McCulloch Lodge No. 273 A. F. & A. M., and was moved to Mason, Texas, and the Masonic Lodge at that place still retains the same name and number. 
My G-Great Uncle Jim Goins served under Col. J. E. McCord's regiment. He was my GX2GreatGrandmother, Adeline Mulkey nee Goins' brother. According to a county census, he and his wife, Harriet Adaline Goins nee Dykes, were neighbors. She became a widow and received a Confederate pension. Mulkey researchers have oft mistaken Adeline Goins for Adeline Mulkey. Lewis Mulkey did not serve in the Confederate War nor earn a war pension, but Jim did. 

The first census record for the State of Texas was the enumeration of 1850, the republic having been accepted as a State in 1845, at which time its total population was 212,592, or more than one square mile for each person enumerated. The city of New York that year had a few more than 50,000. When Texas was admitted as a State in 1845 it claimed considerable territory not now within its confines.

In 1850 it sold to the Federal Government for $10,000,000 all claimed outlying area which reduced it to the size as shown by present-day maps. The 1850 Limestone County Texas census recorded Jeremiah Goins had 50 horses, 80 milk cows, 20 oxen, 160 cattle and 300 pigs. According to official records, Jeremiah also served as a Choctaw interpreter.

In their lifetime, Jeremiah and his wife Charity had a total of 14 children together. Eight of them were born in Texas. They are both buried at Oakley Cemetery in Pleasanton, Texas. Jeremiah's father was Phillip Goins, born in Mississippi, was a resident of the Choctaw Nation according to the United States Citizenship Court records as transcribed in The Journal of American Family Research.

The household of Lewis A. Mulkey, my GG-Grandfather, was also enumerated nearby June 10, 1880 in Enumeration District 22, page 16. Charity Goins died May 31, 1881 at Pleasanton, Texas and was buried in San Jose Cemetery near San Antonio "on property which they owned," according to Howard Goins.

Jeremiah Goins died August 18, 1883, according to Howard Goins, however "Jeremiah Goins, Sr." [probably his estate] received a deed February 12, 1884 to 160 acres in Survey 14, located on Atascosa Creek 19 miles southeast of San Antonio for $140 from Lewis A. Mulkey and Adeline Goins Mulkey, his daughter, according to Bexar County Deed Book 33, page 149.

The will of Jeremiah Goins, written November 2, 1882 and was filed for probate August 14, 1883 and was recorded in Bexar County Probate Book J, pages 176-178. The document has been transferred to the archives of the Bexar County Clerk's office.

A deed and a release dated June 30, 1886 signed by Jeremiah Goins, Jr. "son of Jerry Goins" and Alice Goins, his wife, recorded in Bexar County Deed Book 48, page 380 mentions that "my mother and father are buried here." Consideration of the 160 acres of land was $800. Apparently this was the land purchased from the Mulkeys in 1884. This burial ground is still known as Oakley Cemetery, where Goins family reunions were held in the recent past.
Lewis' and James' brother, William Ross "Bill" Mulkey appears on the Confederate Rolls as "WR Mulkey, Private, C.O. Barton, Decator, 1st Lt., Org Co. No. 1, 31st Brigade, 2nd Prec. #1, McCulloch Co. Roll dated March 2, 1864, Page 26. Front Dist. TST. Remarks: R. & F 41; rifle and six shooter, --absent--not sworn in.; counties of Ellis, Freestone, Limestone, Navarro comprise 19th Brigade. Elec. certif. with roll; Co. S.18-61." 

Also listed are other family members, Henry Goins, "enlisted March 23, 1864, Atascosa Co., 3rd Frontier District, age 38, Enl. Offcr. E.O. Brian; Rans Goins, Atascosa Co. 3rd Frontier Dist., age 38; Ranson [sic] Goins C.O. Tom, John, F. Capt., Enl. 1864, age 37, owns rifle and pistol, CO. organized under Act of Dec 15, 1863. This is the same person, registered in sequential years."

The list included all men in Atascosa County liable to military duty except two persons under age, 3 others exempt by law and a few who could not be seen by En. Off. because of their absence from the county; this means men appearing on list are liable for duty but does not appear on the muster roll nor on payroll. No service is shown to him."

Dr. Bill Mulkey was married to Margaret Rebecca Hudson. They had six children together. Like his brother's colorful lives, W.R. Mulkey's stories were printed in Oklahoma's Indian Pioneer Papers (OK Gen Web Vol 64, 65-10 Microfiche #6016929-30, available through the Oklahoma Historical Society, NARA and LDS) and Frontier Times magazine, VOL 1 No. 1 OCT 1923, VOL 10 No. 6 March 1933, and VOL 2 No 2, August 1934. 
The original presidio was made of wood but later replaced with stones in 1761. The Presidio’s walls were re-purposed to hold cattle on the Great Western Trail Drives in the 1870s-80s because of water available from the San Saba River. What you see here onsite is mostly a reproduction but accurate. Only the arched gateway is original to the camp. 
Pvt. Rayborn Goins as "Raibon Goin" was mustered into service at San Antonio on May 14, 1862 with Captain Angel Navarro's Company of Texas Mounted Volunteers. The Texas Mounted Volunteers were commonly referred to as "Texas Rangers" at the time. He was also the brother of Ransom, Rueben, Henry, and Seaborn "Cebe" Goins. 
Lewis A. Mulkey later received a Texas Ranger pension under the Indian Wars Special Act of 1892. He never participated in the Civil War. Here is a historical snippet of his life from "Pioneer Interview of Vida Mulkey Carr, Eufala, Oklahoma; by Field Worker, Carl R. Sherwood, June 23, 1937. 

"My father was Louis (sic) Mulkey, a Cherokee, from Georgia. My mother, before her marriage, was Miss Adeline Goins, three-quarters Choctaw Indian. After their marriage, they moved to Texas, and to this union were born six children. In 1887 my father and family left Texas on foot and drove fifteen hundred sheep and goats to the Indian Territory [now Oklahoma], locating in the Cherokee Nation about eighteen miles northeast of Checotah. The family of eight took their allotments in this vicinity.

My father sold sheep and goats, and bought cattle and farmed several hundred acres of land. Our nearest church was Texanna, a distance of about twelve miles. Our transportation to and from church was a wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen. On December 5, 1900, I was united in marriage to William M. Carr, who was a son of Albert and Susan E. Carr, a prominent [Creek] family of the Indian Territory.

After our marriage we located in what is now McIntosh County on Carr Creek, about four miles south [east] of Checotah. My husband was educated in Eufala schools which were kept by a Creek fund. In 1907 Mr. Carr was elected constable of Checotah township in the Carr Creek district, and in connection with this office he was appointed deputy sheriff. Mr. Carr took the first prisoners from McIntosh County to the state penitentiary at McAlester in 1909, the charges against these men being grand larceny and robbery.

Frank Jones, United States Deputy Marshal, Bill Carr, a Deputy Sheriff, and Ed Baum all of Checotah were the first called to the Snake Uprising near the old hickory stomp grounds east of Henryetta, Oklahoma. They arrived on the scene just before sundown, and all at once the bullets from the Snake Indians began buzzing all around them.

Frank Jones and Bill Carr dismounted from their horses and got behind trees and started firing. Ed Baum was a crippled cowboy and would not leave his horse and was soon shot down. Ed Baum was the first man killed in the Snake Rebellion." [End of Interview.] Available at OK Gen Web Pioneer Papers, OK Historical Society, 2100 N. Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK and at Cherokee Heritage Center, Park Hill, OK, and Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
On September 9, 1896, my Goins family took their case to the Supreme Court after being denied their Choctaw rights by the Dawes Rolls Commission. It was filed under "Robert Goins et al, Commission No. 55, US Court No. 127, Citizenship Court No. 31-T." After proving their case with documentation and witnesses, nearly 100 Goins individuals were legally recognized as Choctaw. 

This is what was contained in the original documents, except where noted. JEREMIAH "Jerry" MOSES GOINS Sr.
1800–1883
Birth
1800 • Lawrence, Old Choctaw, Mississippi, USA
Married:
Sarafine 'Charity' Drake
1804–1881
Father: Phillip Goins
Mother: Oti Montro
1771–1851
Name: Phillip Goins
Father: Steven Goins
Birth Date: 1770
State: MS
Country: United States
(Source: Family Data Collection: Births)
Jeremiah Goins, son of Phillip Goins and Oti Goins, was born in Choctaw Nation [Mississippi] in 1800.
*Descendents of Jeremiah Goins by:
saraholzawski (Ancestry)
When asked his father's name in a Dawes Commission hearing at Colbert, Indian Territory June 21, 1900, Jeremiah Goins, Jr. son of Jeremiah Goins, testified that his father's name was "J. A. Goins."
Questions posed to Jeremiah Goins, Jr. by Acting Chairman Bixby on that date suggest that he and his ancestors may have been Melungeons. From the line of questioning, Bixby obviously regarded him as mulatto by the color of his skins and physical appearance. His questions were:
Question: "What proportion of Choctaw blood do you claim to have?"
Answer: "I claim to be a half-breed."
Question: "You must have some other blood besides white and Indian, haven't you?"
Answer: "I don't know."
Question: "Don't you think you are too dark for a half-blood?
Answer: "I don't know. I don't think I am."
Jeremiah Goins was married about 1820 to Sarafina Drake, probably age 14. An affidavit filed with the Dawes Commission in 1896 by Robert Goins and Evaline Goins Padier stated that their parents were married in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but they gave no dates. Jeremiah Goins and Sarafina Drake Goins continued to live in Louisiana until 1834 when they emigrated to Coahuila y Tejas to become citizens of Mexico.

According to the research of George Virgil Goins of Blanch-ard, Oklahoma, Sarafina Drake was born, about 1804 in south-western Louisiana. He wrote:
"She was baptized October 4, 1804 at the Eglise St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church at St Martinville, Louisiana. Three other siblings were baptized on the same date. They were Francisco Drake born about 1801, Aaron Drake born about 1802 and Ricardo Drake born about 1803.

The father of Sarafina Drake was John Aaron Drake, Jr. who was born in 1774 in North Carolina to John Aaron Drake, Sr. and Elizabeth Charity Crieves Drake. Both were born in Virginia.
(Alt: Parents: Santiago Drake and Rosalin Abcher)
Jeremiah Goins and Sarafina Drake Goins settled in Bevil Municipal District, named for John R. Bevil, located between the Neches and Sabine Rivers in what was later Newton and Jasper Counties.

Bevil Fort was located at a bend in the Neches River just south of present-day Zavala, Texas. There were 23 municipal districts in Texas at the time of the Declaration of Independence. On March 17, 1836, two weeks afterward, each became one of the original 23 Texas counties.

The household of Jeremiah Goins was enumerated in the Mexican census of Bevil District in 1835. The census was compiled by Marion Day Mullins and published by the National Genealogical Society as "First Census of Texas 1829-1836." They were recorded as:"Goin, Jerry 37, farmer
Drake, Sarafina 28, wife
Goin, Henry 13
Ransom 11
Eveline 9
Sybrant 7
Caroline 5
Robert 3
James 1"

Fortunately for genealogists, it was the custom of Spanish enumerators to record married women by their maiden names. There is no record of military service on the part of Jeremiah Goins in the Texas Revolution which was to erupt in the following spring. However, Gen. Sam Houston had exempted Melungeon William Goyen of Nacogdoches from military service so he could be a liaison and an interpreter with the Texas Indians to keep them on friendly terms with the Anglos. Dawes Commission records show that Jeremiah Goins had also acted as an interpreter, and it possible that he had rendered such a service for Texas in its struggle for independence.

In 1838 Jeremiah Goins made an application to the Board of Land Commissioners of Jefferson County, Texas for a land grant which was accepted and forwarded to the State Land Office in Austin where the originals on crisp, yellowing old paper may be found today.

The application read:
"I do solemnly swear that I was a resident of Texas at the date of the Declaration of Independence, that I did not leave the country during the campaign of the spring of 1836 to avoid a participation in the struggle, that I did not refuse to participate in the war and that I did not aid or assist the enemy, that I have not previously received a title to my quantity of land and that I conceive myself justly entitled under the constitution and laws to the quantity of land for which I now apply.
Jeremiah [X] Going"
•••••••••

On October 16, 1850 his household was enumerated in Limestone County in the federal census, page 759 as Household 163-163:
"Goins, Jeremiah 58, born in Mississippi, farmer, illiterate, mulatto
Charity 58, born in Louisiana
Ransom 24, born in Louisiana
Sebern 22, born in Louisiana
Caroline 20, born in Louisiana
Robert 19, born in Louisiana
James 16, born in Texas
Robert 14, born in Texas
Reuben 13, born in Texas
Adaline 15, born in Texas
Emily 9, born in Texas
Jeremiah 5, born in Texas
Mary 2, born in Texas"

In an adjoining household, No. 164-164, was enumerated the family of Henry Goins, son of Jeremiah Goins Sr
Jeremiah Goins was a resident of San Saba County, Texas May 21, 1857 when his daughter Adeline Goins was married to Lewis A. Mulkey.

Jeremiah Goins does not appear as the head of a household in the index of the 1860 census of Texas compiled by Accelerated Indexing Systems. "Jerry Goins, Sr." was enumerated as the head of a household in the 1870 census of Atascosa County, page 171, living near Pleasanton, Texas. Other Goins households in the 1870 census of Atascosa County included R. G. Goins, page 171; Ransom Goins, page 194; Sarah Goins, page 202; Rayborn Goins, page 204; Hardinia Goins, page 199; James Goins, page 204 and Josephine Goins, page 194.

It is believed that Jeremiah Goins and Sarafina Goins removed to San Antonio, Texas about 1873. "Jerry" Goins received a deed to Lots 37, 38, 39 and 40 in San Antonio from Juan Jose Flores September 18, 1873 for $1,500, according to Bexar County Deed Book 1, page 116.

Jeremiah Goins appeared as the head of a household in the 1880 census of Bexar County, Enumeration District 22, page 17 on June 11, 1880:
"Goins, Johan 80, born in MS, father born in MS, mother born in MS, mulatto, farmer
Charity 70, born in MS, father born in MS, mother born in MS, wife
Morris, Lisie 16, born in TX, father born in TX, mother born in TX, niece"

Jeremiah Goins died July 22, 1883, according to his headstone in Oakley Cemetery. "Jeremiah Goins, Sr." [probably his estate] received a deed February 12, 1884 to 160 acres in Survey 14, located on Atascosa Creek 19 miles southeast of San Antonio for $140 from Lewis A. Mulkey and Adeline Goins Mulkey, his daughter, according to Bexar County Deed Book 33, page 149. The will of Jeremiah Goins, written November 2, 1882 and was filed for probate August 14, 1883 and was recorded in Bexar County Probate Book J, pages 176-178. The document has been transferred to the archives of the Bexar County Clerk's office.

The following was filed in the case where Goins challenged the court for their Choctaw rights. On September 9, 1896 evidence was introduced in United States Citizenship Court in Indian Territory that the names of Henry Goins, William Goins and James Goins together with their children [unnamed] appeared on the 1874 census roll of Kiamitia County, Indian Territory. An application was made for the enrollment as Choctaws by blood "Robert Goins and 99 others, all claiming to be children and grandchildren of Jeremiah Goins, a half-blood Choctaw and a recognized member of the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi" was filed with the Dawes Commission and evidence in support thereof, consisting of numerous affidavits, submitted.

The record shows:"Jeremiah Goins was a mixed-blood Choctaw, possessing somewhere between one-half and seven-eighths Choctaw blood; that his father was Philip Goins, his mother Oti. Philip Goins was about three-quarters Choctaw, while Oti was a full blood. Jeremiah Goins and his family were members of the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi. The record shows that he was one of the frontiersmen alternating between the Choctaw Nation and Texas; that he was always acknowledged by those who knew him to be a Choctaw Indian; that he acted as an interpreter in proceedings in which Choctaws appeared."

The Dawes Commission on December 1, 1896 denied the request of the applicants stating that "a Choctaw Indian, to be entitled to enrollment should have at some time prior to the act of 1898 established a residence in the Choctaw Nation." Additionally the Commission stated that the names of the descendants of Jeremiah Goins did not appear on the tribal rolls.

The family appealed the decision. On December 1, 1896 its attorneys presented the appeal to the United States Court for the Southern District, Indian Territory at Ardmore, Oklahoma for the family members to be admitted to the Choctaw rolls. The attorneys introduced over 50 pages of typewritten material in evidence of blood, residence and tribal affiliation.

They were successful on this occasion:
"Decree entered admitting the following persons: Robert Goins, Elizabeth Goins, Seaborn Goins, Calvin Goins, Caroline Goins, John Goins, Elizabeth Goins, Minerva Goins, William Henry Goins, Samantha Goins, James Goins, James Goins, Jr, Randolph Goins, Lizzie Goins, Rayborn Goins, Thomas L. Goins, William Goins, Collin Goins, Eli Goins, Rayborn Goins, Campbell Goins, Martha Margaret Goins, Missouri E. Goins, Amanda May Goins, Dinkey Goins, Reuben Goins, Mary Goins, Cordelia Goins, Jeremiah Goins, Jr, Monroe Goins, William Goins, Frank Goins, Leonard Goins, Mrs. Evaline Paddieo [Padier], Reuben Paddieo, John Paddieo, Evaline Paddieo, Martha Paddieo, W. C. Tasso Paddieo, James Paddieo, Amanda Paddieo, Jerry M. Morris, G. W. Morris, Spencer W. Morris, Jr, Sarah Morris, Kansas Morris, Mrs. Emily Perrice [Peres], G. W. Nevils, Ike Perice, Josephine Perrice, Mary Perrice, Anna Perrice, Alonza Perrice, Caroline Perrice, Mrs. Mary Southward, W. C. Southward, William Southward, Elizabeth Southward, John F. Southward, James Marion Southward, Jessie Myrtle Southward, Maggie May Southward, James Melton Gardner, Margaret Lugene Gardner, Manda Eldora Gardner, Cora Lee Gardner, J. M. Gardner, Ebenezer S. Morris, Gertrude E. Morris, Jesse W. Morris, Jesse Coleman Morris, Augusta B. Morris, Wilmuth Morris, Nora Lee Morris, Mollie Morris, Cora May Morris, Kansas Viola Morris, Frank C. Jones, James Jones, Jesse Jones, Gypsie Jones, Frank C. Jones, Ignathia Marjories, Susie Marjories, Reams Marjories, Joe Perrice, Ignathia Peres, Jr. Eugene Dias, Albert Dias, Clara Androda [Andrade], Christoval Androda, Mrs. Josephine Priest, Adella Taylor, Pearline Taylor, Anzo Taylor, William Martin Taylor, Josephine Taylor and Clara Taylor."
A judgment was rendered in favor of the family December 21, 1897:
••••••••••

Certified copy of decree hereto attached, marked " Exhibit A."
December 17, 1902. Decree of United States court vacated by decree of citizenship court in "test case.''
March 3, 1903. Case transferred to citizenship court for trial de novo.
May 20, 1904. Mr. Herbert, attorney for claimants, moved the court for leave to dismiss the case.
May 31, 1904. Motion denied. No additional testimony offered. Record before the commission and United States court offered and rejected as not admissible in evidence. No record of briefs filed or arguments made. No opinion.

June 29, 1904. Decree entered denying all claimants.

On September 23, 1898, and at various dates thereafter, applications were duly made to the commission within the time prescribed bv law for the enrollment of children of those persons admitted to citizenship by decree of United States court, and whose names do not appear in said decree. They are: Leroy Goins, Albert Goins, Georgia Goins, Paul Goins, Minneola Goins, Henry Goins, Jewel Goins, Starley May Goins, Jesse Goins, Clarence E. Goins, Sarah W. Goins, Nellie Goins, Lula Goins, Tomer A. Goins, Henry A. Goins, William B. Goins, Allie May Goins, General Jackson Hinkle, Bessie M. Jones, Flora Leona Jones, Buel Bradford Jones, Frank Delmer Jones, James I. Paddieo, Eugene Paddieo, John L. S. Cox, Eva Paddieo, Josie Paddieo, William Adolphus Ramsey, Effie H. Southward, Susan Southward, Edith Southward, William W. Morris, Lula Mamie Morris, Andrew J. Dorn, Tommy O. Dorn, Robert A. Dorn, Lenora May Laxton, Maggie Edwards, Roy Edwards, Elizabeth Martinez, Alzina Martinez, Ira Padier, Seborn Goins, Nellie Marjories, Manuel Marjories, Jr., Fred Lee Marjories, Ida Goins, Ruby Viola Goins, Joseph Goins, Conception Perrice (or Peres), Ella Perrice, and Stella Perrice.

In September, 1904, the applications for enrollment of the above children were denied by the commission, for the reason that, as stated in one of the opinions:

The right of the applicants' father, John H. Goins, to citizenship in the Choctaw Nation having been adversely determined by a decree of the Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court June 20, 1904, in case No. 31, upon the Tishomingo docket of said court, it is hereby ordered that application of * * * for enrollment as citizens by blood of the Choctaw Nation be dismissed.

September 15, 1904. Case closed.

April 22, 1909. Indian Office requests report as to right to enrollment of claimants.

April 30, 1909. Report of commissioner to Indian Office.

June 3, 1909. Department holds this case not analogous to Goldsby case, as the names of claimants herein were never on any schedule approved by the Secretary and subsequently stricken therefrom without notice to claimants, and declines to enroll applicants, as the Secretary is without authority of law to do so.

STATEMENT BY COUNSEL FOR CLAIMANTS.
There is not one line of evidence offered in this case before any tribunal by the nations. The proof of blood, residence, and tribal affiliation of claimants covering more than 50 pages of typewriting stands uncontradicted. Those entitled to enrollment are: Robert Goins, Elizabeth Goins, Seborn Groins, Calvin Goins, Caroline Goins, John Goins, Elizabeth Goins, Minerva Goins, William Henry Goins, Samontha Goins, James Goins, James Goins, Jr., Randolph Goins, Lizzie Goins, Rayborn Goins, Thomas L. Goins, William Goins, Collin Goins, Eli Goins, Rayborn Goins, Campbell Goins, Martha Margaret Goins, Missouri E. Goins, Amanda May Goins, Dinkey Goins, Reuben Goins, Mary Goins, Cordelia Goins, Jeremiah Goins, Jr., Monroe Goins, William Goins, Frank Goins, Leonard Goins, Mrs. Evaline Paddieo, Reuben Paddieo, Tasso Paddieo, John Paddieo, Evaline Paddieo, Martha Paddieo, James Paddieo, Amanda Paddieo, Jerry M. Morris, G. W. Morris, Spencer W. Morris, Jr., Sarah Morris, Kansas Morris, Mrs. Emily Perrice, G. W. Nevils, Ike Perrice, Josephine Perrice, Mary Perrice, Anna Perrice, Alzona Perrice, Caroline Perrice, Mrs. Mary Southward, W. C. Southward, William M. Southward, Elizabeth Southward, John F. Southward, James Marion Southward, Jessie Myrtle Southward, Maggie May Southward, James Melton Gardner, Margaret Lugene Gardner, Manda Eldora Gardner, Cora Lee Gardner, J. M. Gardner, Ebenezer S. Morris, Gertrude E. Morris, Jesse W. Morris, Jesse Coleman Morris, Augusta B. Morris, Wilmuth Morris, Nora Lee Morris, Mollie Morris, Cora May Morris, Kansas Viola Morris, Frank C. Jones, James Jones, Jesse Jones, Gypsie Jones, Frank C. Jones, Ignathia Marjories, Susie Marjories, Reams Marjories, Joe Perrice, Ignatia Perrice, Jr., Eugene Dias, Albert Dias, Clara Androda, Christoval Androda, Mrs. Josephine Priest, Adella Taylor, Pearline Taylor, Anzo Taylor, William Martin Taylor, Josephine Taylor, Clara Taylor, Leroy Goins, Albert Goins, Georgia Goins, Paul Goins, Minneola Goins, Henry Goins, Jewel Goins, Starley May Goins, Jesse Goins, Clarence G. Goins, Sarah W. Goins, Nellie Goins, Lula Goins, Tomer A. Goins, Henry A. Goins, William B. Goins, Allie May Goins, General Jackson Hinkle, Bessie M. Jones, Flora Leona Jones, Buel Bradford Jones, Frank Delmer Jones, James I. Paddieo, Eugene Paddieo, John L. S. Cox, Eva Paddieo, Josie Paddieo, William Adolphus Ramsey, Effie S. Southward, Susan Southward, Edith Southward, William W. Morris, Lula Mamie Morris, Andrew J. Dorn, Tommy O. Horn, Robert A. Dorn, Lenora May Laxton, Maggie Edwards, Roy Edwards, Elizabeth Martinez, Alzina Martinez, Ira Padier, Seborn Goins, Nellie Marjories, Manuel Marjories, Jr., Fred Lee Marjories, Ida Goins, Ruby Viola Goins, Joseph Goins, Conception Perrice (or Peres), Ella Perrice, and Stella Perrice.

Respectfully submitted.
BALLINGER & LEE and WALTER S. FIELD.
EXHIBIT A.
Copy of order of court.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Indian Territory.

Southern District, 88:
In the United States court in the Indian Territory, Southern District, at a term thereof begun and held at Ardmore, in the Indian Territory, on the l5th day of November. A. D. 1897.
Present: The Hon. Hosea Townsend, judge of said court.

The following order was made and entered of record, to wit:
Robert Goins et al. r. No. 127, The Choctaw Nation. Judgment.
At this time come on to be heard the report of the master in chancery, filed herein June 23, 1897, and at the same time come the applicants by their attorneys; and it appearing to the court that the applicants herein through their attorneys have excepted to the report of said master in chancery, wherein he recommends that those of the applicants who are nonresidents of the Indian Territory be denied the right to have their names enrolled as members of the tribe of Choctaw Indians, and the court, after hearing said exceptions and being fully advised in the premises, is of the opinion that said exceptions be, and the same are hereby, sustained: and it appearing to the court from the report of said master and from the evidence filed herein that all of the applicants are members of the tribe of Choctaw Indians;
It Is therefore considered, adjudged, and decreed by the court that Robert Goins and his wife, Elizabeth Goins, and Seaborn Goins, Calvin Goins, Caroline Goins, John Goins, Elizabeth Goins, Minerva Goins, William Henry Goins, and Samontha Goins, the children of Henry Goins, deceased, and James Goins and his children, James Goins Jr., and Randolph Goins and Lizzie Goins; and Rayborn Goins and children, Thomas L. Goins, William Goins, Collin Goins, Eli Goins, Rayborn Goins, Campbell Goins, Martha Margaret Goins, Missouri E. Goins, Amanda May Goins, and Dinkey Goins, and Reuben Goins, and children, Mary Goins, and Cordelia Goins, and Jeremiah Goins, Jr., and children, Monroe Goins, William Goins, Frank Goins, and Leonard Goins, and Mrs. Evaline Paddieo, and her children, Reuben Paddieo, Tasso Paddieo, John Paddieo, Evaline Paddieo, Martha Paddieo, James Paddieo, and Amanda Paddieo, and the children of Caroline Morris, whose maiden name was Caroline Goins, to wit, Jerry M. Morris, G. W. Morris, Spencer W. Morris, Jr., Sarah Morris, and Kansas Morris, and Mrs. Emily Perrice, and G. W. Nevils, her son by her first husband, William M. Nevins, and her children by her second husband, Antonio Perrice, to wit, Ike Perrice, Josephine Perrice, Mary Perrice, Anna Perrice, Alzona Perrice, and Caroline Perrice, and Mrs. Mary Southward and her husband, W. C. Southward, and their children, William M. Southward, Elizabeth Southward, John F. Southward, James Marion Southward, Jessie Myrtle Southward, and Maggie May Southward, and the children of Sallie Goins, who married J. M. Gardner, viz. James Melton Gardner, Margaret Lutcene Gardner, Manda Eldora Gardner, and Cora Lee Gardner, and the said J. M. Gardner, and the children of J. M. Morris, who was a son of Caroline Morris, viz. Ebenezer S. Morris, Gertrude E. Morris, Jesse W. Morris, Jesse Coleman Morris, and Augusta B. Morris, and the children of G. W. Morris, viz, Wilmuth Morris, Nora Lee Morris, Mollie Morris, Cora May Morris, and Kansas Viola Morris, and the children of Sallie Morris, who married Frank C. Jones, viz. Frank C. Jones, James Jones, Jesse Jones, and Gypsie Jones, and the said Frank C. Jones, and the children of Josephine Marjories, who was a daughter of the said Emily Perrice, viz, Iguathia Marjories. Susie Marjories. and Reams Marjories, and the children of Ike I'errice. who wins a son of Emily I'errice. viz, Joe Perrice and Ignatia Perrice, Jr., and the children of Mary Dias, who was a daughter of Emily Perrice, to wit, Eugene Dias and Albert Dias, and the children of Anna Androda, a daughter of Emily Perrice, to wit, Clara Androda and Christoval Androda, and the grandchildren of Jeremiah Goins, to wit, Mrs. Josephine Priest and her children by her former husband, namely, Adella Taylor, Pearline Taylor, Anzo Taylor, William Martin Taylor, Josephine Taylor, and Clara Taylor are all members of the Choctaw Tribe of Indians and as such are entitled to have their names enrolled as members of said tribe of Choctaw Indians by blood, except as to the said W. C. Southward, who is a member of said tribe by intermarriage, and Elizabeth Goins, the wife of Robert Goins, who is a member of said tribe by intermarriage.

It is further considered, adjudged, and decreed by the court that the Choctaw Nation, the defendant, pay all costs in this behalf expended and incurred, for which execution may issue.

It is further considered, adjudged, and decreed by the court that the clerk of this court certify this judgment to the Commission of the United States to the Five Civilized Tribes for its observance. To which judgment of the court the defendant, the Choctaw Nation, in open court duly excepted.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Indian Territory, Southern District:
I, C. M. Campbell, clerk of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of the Indian Territory, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of an order made by said court on the 21st day of December, 1897, as appears from the records of said court now on file in my office.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at my office in Ardmore, in said district, this 10th day of March, A. D. 1903.
[SEAL.] C. M. CAMPBELL, Clerk.
N. H. MCCOY, Deputy.
From:
Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma: Reports of the Department of the Interior and Evidentiary Papers, in support of S. 7625 A Bill for the Relief of Certain Members of the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma. Sixty-second Congress, Third Session. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1912.

Jeremiah Goins wrote his will November 2, 1882, and it was filed for record August 14, 1883 in the office of the Bexar County Clerk.
"Last Will and Testament of Jeremiah Goins to be opened only after his death by Capt. John Tom, Executor in whose hand this is deposited.

State of Texas, County of Bexar
In the Name of God, Amen
I, Jeremiah Goins of said County and State being of sound and disposing mind and memory considering the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death to make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, following:
Item 1st. I will my body to be decently buried and that the expenses thereof be paid out of any money on hand at the time of my death by my executor hereinafter named.

Item 2nd. I devise and bequeath to my daughter Evaline Peres, wife of Henry Peres, one hundred acres of land in the form of an ell off of the Southern part of my home tract in Said County.

Item 3rd. I devise and bequeath to my son James Goins one hundred and sixty acres of land in the Said County patented by the State of Texas to Lewis A. Mulkey and by him deeded to me November 28, 1880.

Item 4th. I will and bequeath to my son Ike [Rayborn] Goins all my stock of horses wherever they may be, except my mules and my jack.

Item 5th. I will and devise to my son Jerry Goins my homestead tract of land in Said County except the one hundred acres herein before devised to my daughter Evaeline Peres.

Item 6th. I will and devise to Mary Southward, wife of William Southward, one town lot in the city of San Antonio known as Lot. No. 36 with house & all improvements thereon. Said lot being one of a number of lots conveyed to me by Juan Jose Flores & his wife, Ufemia Biabando de Flores by deed dated on the 18th day of September 1873.

Item 7th. I will and devise to my daughter Caroline Morris, wife of Spencer Morris three hundred head of Sheep.

Item 8th. I will and bequeath, in addition to the bequest of one hundred acres of land above, 4 cows & calves to my said daughter Evaline Peres, and also 4 cows & calves to my son James Goins.

Item 9th. I will and bequeath to my son Jerry Goins, in addition to the previous bequest to him, all the rest and residue of my cattle of every kind whatsoever.

Item 10th. I will and devise to my son Jerry Goins, in addition to the former devise herein to him Lots No. 37 and 38 in the City of San Antonio, Said lots being two lots of four lots conveyed to me by Juan Jose Flores & his wife Uphemia Biabanda de Flores by deed dated September 18th, A.D. 1873.

Item 11th. I devise and will to my granddaughter Sarah Morris daughter of Spencer Morris, Lot No. 39 with all improvements thereon in the City of San Antonio, Said lot being one of a number of lots conveyed to me by Juan Jose Flores and his wife Ufemia Biabanda de Flores by deed dated September 18th, A.D. 1873.

I hereby nominate and appoint Capt. John Tom of Atascosa Executor of this my last will and testament, and I hereby will and direct that no other action in relation to my estate or the settlement of the same, shall be had in any court of this State, except that I request my said executor to probate this my last will and testament, and return an inventory, appraisement thereof & list of claims against the same should there be any such claims.

In witness whereof I have herewith set my hand this second day of November in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Eighty two.
Jeremiah [X] Goins"
••••••••••

The above will of Jeremiah Goins, written November 2, 1882, was filed for probate August 14, 1883 and was recorded in Bexar County Probate Book J, pages 176-178. The document has been transferred to the archives of the Bexar County Clerk's office. A deed and a release dated June 30, 1886 signed by Jeremiah Goins, Jr. "son of Jerry Goins" and Alice Goins, his wife, recorded in Bexar County Deed Book 48, page 380 mentions that "my mother and father are buried here." Consideration of the 160 acres of land was $800. Apparently this was the land purchased from the Mulkeys when they left for the Cherokee Nation. This burial ground is known as Oakley Cemetery.

On August 18, 1896, David Reynolds, 78 years old and a resident of Atascosa County, Texas gave an affidavit to the Dawes Commission:
"I was present when he [Jeremiah Goins] proved himself by white men and Indians that he was a Choctaw Indian at Nacogdoches County in 1848 in the latter part of August."

"I knew Jeremiah Goins and his wife, Sharofine during their lifetime . . . the wife died first . . . they both died in Bexar County near the line with Atascosa County, about 12 miles from Pleasanton, the county seat of Atascosa County. During my acquaintance with the Goins, we were separated a considerable distance at times, some times we were 300 miles apart and sometimes we were neighbors. My acquaintance with them extended for about sixty years."

"Jeremiah Goins proved that he was a Choctaw Indian at Nacogdoches. He told me himself that he was a Choctaw and that he came from Mississippi near the Indian Nation. I knew that he talked the Choctaw language because I understood and could talk some Choctaw myself. My father was an agent for the Choctaws to sell cattle on the line of the Choctaw Nation. Goins took a great liking to me because I could speak Choctaw.

Jeremiah Goins was a large, square-built man, with high cheek bones. Sharofine was a rather small woman with high cheek bones. I am an old Texas veteran, and Jeremiah Goins was a good trailer and interpreter for us."

It is believed that children born to Jeremiah Goins and Sarafina Drake Goins include:
Henry Goins born in 1824
Ransom "Rance" Goins born in 1825
Evaline Goins born in 1826
Seaborn Goins born in 1828
Rayborn A[lbert?] Goins born in 1829 [1826?]
Caroline Goins born in 1830
James C. Goins born in 1834
Adeline Goins born in 1835
Robert Goins born in 1836
Reuben Calvin Goins born August 8, 1837
Emily Goins born in 1841
Jeremiah Goins, Jr. born in 1845
Mary Elizabeth Goins born in 1848
CHOCTAW NATION, MISSISSIPPI

Phillip Goins, (Father of Jeremiah Goins) a "three-quarters" Choctaw, was born in Mississippi about 1770 and was a resident of the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi, according to United States Citizenship Court records as transcribed in "The Journal of American Family Research," Volume 3.

Family Researchers: *
Carlotta Earlene Hollis Bates, 301 Berkeley Park Blvd, Kensington CA, 94707
Pamela Harle Dillard, Box 50742, Amarillo, TX, 79159, 806/355-7505
Daniel Lee Gabehart, 306 Bloomfield Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78228, 512/615-8733
Howard Goins, 109 E. Church Ave, Mena, AR, 71953
Brenda Thornburg Legrand, Box 505, Panhandle, TX, 79068
Sandra M. Loridans, Apartado Postal 844, 45900 Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Jane P. McManus, 68 Hyacinth Drive, Covington, LA, 70433
Della Ford Nash, 2515 NW 26th, Okla. City, OK, 73107
Leila Ray Perkins Smith, 1180 Kenley Rd, Corrigan, TX, 75939, 409/829-4576
Hazel G. Standley, 308 Old River Rd, Starks, LA, 70661, 428/743-5521
Juanita Thornburg Southerland, 9156 Sawyer Brown Rd, Nashville, TN, 37221
Linda Rapp Vickers, Box 312, Poteau, OK, 74953
Patricia Ann Waak, 4225 Weld County Rd. 1½, Erie, CO, 80516
Mary Harmon Wallace, Box 237 Ratliff City, OK, 73081.
Jane J. Williams, 60 Porters Chapel Rd, Vicksburg, MS, 39180
Thank you cousin Cyndie Goins Hoelscher for this 2019 post.
Our Cherokee heritage began with our GGGGG-Grandparents Ghi-goo-ie, full-blooded Cherokee of the Bird Clan [Ani Tsi skwa] b. circa 1735 and William Shorey, b. circa 1748 d. May 1762 at sea on the way to England. William Shorey, b. abt 1720, Scotland, death of consumption 1762, occupation: British Interpreter at Fort Loudon. 

Their daughter, Annie Shorey married John "Ti Ta S Gi S Gi" McDonald. John served in the Revolutionary War as an ensign in the British ranks and as commissary agent for the British troops. In this capacity he proved effective at leading and supplying Indians, qualities that would cultivate in subsequent merchandising efforts.

After the war he settled on the Chickamauga River, carrying on a private trade through Pensacola among the Cherokees with goods bought at Charleston in defiance of Indian trading laws established by the fledgling United States.~Moravian Journals: Nov 19, 1809. Annie Shorey, couldn't speak English. ~Old Frontiers, John P. Brown, pp. 122-123. ~1817-19 Reservations: July 1817, #14, in right of wife, 1 in family. Emigration: Abt 1766, Charleston SC. Residence: Look Out Mountain ~Starr's notes: D096, b 1747 Iverness, Scotland, d 8/29/1824.

Notes: William Shorey Jr., Source: Gary E. Moulton John Ross Univ of GA Press, 1982. b. abt. 1750, died 1809. He married Peggy (Wolf Clan) bef 1809. She was b. abt 1760. In the 1790's, William carried out several military and liaison tasks for his brother-in-law, McDonald. He also must've gained some influence among the Cherokees, for he signed the Cherokee Treaties of 1805 and 1806, using his Cherokee Indian name of "Eskaculiskee". ~Starr's Notes: treaty signing attributed to William SR.

Our GGGG-Grandparents are Mary "Mollie" McDonald AKA Cherokee name "Wali" b. NOV 1776, Cherokee Nation East, clan Bird, married Daniel Ross (b. 1760 Sutherland, Scotland, died May 22 1830 at head of Coosa River, Cherokee Nation East, now Rome, Floyd, Georgia) in 1786 Chickamauga, Cherokee Nation East, Mollie died OCT 1808 prob. at Cherokee Nation East, Chatanooga, at age 37. Mollie was the mother of Cherokee Chief John Ross. ~Starr's Notes S097, b 11/1/1770, d. 10/5/1808.

More about Daniel Ross: 1817-19 reservations: July 18, 1817, #15, Lookout Mountain, in Right of Wife, 4 in family. Blood: Scottish. Residence: 1817, Lookout Mt. Starr's Notes: D097, b 1760 Sutherland, Scotland, d. 5/22/1830.

Mollie “Wali” McDonald and Daniel Ross children:

1. Eliza Ross b. May 25, 1789, married to John Golden Ross b 22 Dec 1878 d. 1 June 1958, at age 80.

2. Jennie Ross b. 25 Mar 1787, married Joseph Coody b. 19 Feb 1779 d. 11 Oct 1959

3. John Ross (Chief) b 1790, married #1 “Quatie” Elizabeth Brown Henley (prev married to Mr. Henley) and #2, Mary Bryan Stapler, of Wilmington DE.

4. Susannah Ross b. 10 Dec 19793 married Henry Nave 1810.

5. Lewis Ross b 20 Feb 1795? married Francis Holt.

6. Andrew Ross v. 19 Feb 1798? married Susan Lowery

7. Annie Ross b. 15 Nov 1800? married William Nave

8. Margaret Ross b. 5 July 1803? married Elijah Hicks

9. Mariah Ross b. 13 JAN 1806 at Chicamauga, Lookout Mountain, Cherokee Nation East now Tennesee, married Jonathan Mulkey (b. circa 1800, Georgia).

There are 22 Mulkeys listed on the Dawes Final Cherokee by Blood Rolls, page 248. In the book Those Who Cried, the 16,000 by Boyce Timmons (1974), which is the Cherokee Census of 1835, Jonathan Mulkey's household in McMinn, County, Red Clay, Tennessee, is listed on page 179 as "Three quarterbloods (sic), owning three slaves. One white intermarriage. A farm and one farmer. One ferry boat. Two read English. One weaver and one spinner." 

More info about the mysterious Jonathan Mulkey was gleaned from a diary of H.R. Gold written in 1830, found in the 1960's in the Calhoun, GA city hall vault while the vault was being cleaned out of papers which had accumulated over decades and more. The misspellings and typographical errors are as they were in the original.

"Tuesday; We parted with our Cherokee friend at Creek Path, traveled over the Mountain to Wills Valley, 33 Miles to Col. Mulkey’s, who is a native of Georgia, and brother in law to the Principal Chief, Mrs. Mulkey is the youngest daughter of Mr. Daniel Ross. There as in other places we were treated cordially and hospitably."

Note: On August 30, 2003, information was received by cousin Sue Foote explaining that H.S. GOLD is Herman Gold, brother of Elias Boudinot's wife, Harriet. He took a trip to see his sister & wrote back to a relative up North.

Jonathan Mulkey. Photo courtesy, my Aunt Juanita Harrison.

I love genealogy and discovering new facets about my family’s past I was unaware even it it creates cognitive dissonance like this historic document. This is a Bill of Sale between my relatives in 1838 selling a slave before they were forced to leave on the Trail of Tears. As distasteful as slavery was, this document brought light to a couple of things I wondered about.

Jonathan and his wife were wealthy by standards of the time. However, I didn’t have proof they owned slaves until I read this document. Maria was the youngest sister to Cherokee Chief John Ross. I knew he owned slaves, as did his brother Lewis Ross.

Confederate General Stand Watie, a Cherokee leader and Ross adversary, burned the home called Rose Cottage on Oct. 18, 1863, during the Civil War. The home was rebuilt after Ross’ death on August 1, 1866, but it later burned down again.

Also, since my Cherokee Ross’ descend from the Scottish, I figured Maria’s name was pronounced “Mariah,” although it is spelled as the Spanish feminine pronounciation. Maria died during the Indian Removal known as the Trail of Tears the following year on the Arkansas/Indian Territory border in 1839, leaving behind four children.

Indian Removal was also a brutal reality of the time period. Thank you for helping me further decipher this document further, if you wish.


The State of Alabama, Marshal County,
__by these _that we, Jonathan Mulkey and Mariah his wife for and in consideration of the ____two hundred dollars to us in ___ ___ the consecration of which is here by __Kerowedge? by the party we have this day__ ___unto G W Gunter our Mulatto Girl named Matilda which we___ to be ___ launder and a Slave for __ in wharn off we ___was unto to ___ ___ ___ Reels this 11th Oct 1838.

The conditions of the above ___ is such that if the said Jonathan Mulkey and his wife Mariah do ___ and ___unto the ___ George W. Gunter two hundred dollars in this office nation __of Mississippi by the first of February Eighteen Hundred and Thirty nine we the ___ at Eight to per __ the other above file of __ is to ___ other wise to ___ in forever and virtue this day___ above written.

Witness
Albert G. Henry
___
Jonathan Mulkey
Maria Mulkey

Note: George Washington Gunter, son of James Isham Gunter, was born in 1810, in Guntersville, Marshall, Alabama. He married Elizabeth Eliza Nave on 23 August 1828, in Indian Territory. They had nine children. He died in 1865, in Muldrow, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma.

According to the book Red Over Black; Black Slavery Among the Cherokee Indians by R. J. Halliburton, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut and London, England, page 113, it states "Bill of Sale [son of Jonathan Mulkey] James D. Mulkey Guardian of his brother (sic) Lewis Andrew and Wm. P. R. Mulkey...for a mulatto woman slave and child named Harriet, about 18 years old and Archey, about 5 years old...to [Chief] John Ross of the [Cherokee] Nation, [in exchange] for negro (sic) named Toney about 26 years of age, and I will protect the right and tittle (sic) in the said negro woman and child forever against claim or demand of all persons whomsever (sic) this first day of September 1854, signed, sealed and delivered in presence of J.D. Mulkey, seal of D.H.Ross and Thos.(sic) Davis,Guardian. In June 1854." This bill of sale is displayed at the Hunter's Home Museum in Park Hill, Oklahoma.

By 1863, Cherokees were fined for owning slaves. After the Civil War and the leaders of the Cherokee Nation agreed to a federal treaty. Emancipated slaves became known as Cherokee Freedmen, and continued to thrive in the Cherokee community, owned property, operated successful businesses and held political office.

Jonathan Mulkey appears on the Emigration Roll (census) in 1817 on page 21. His name also appears on the McMinn County TN 1830 and the 1835 Henderson Roll census. Mulkeys do not appear on census' for the Millay Roll of 1848, the Siler Roll of 1851, the Chapman Roll of 1852, the Hester Roll of 1883, the Swetland Roll of 1869, Churchill Roll of 1908, or the Baker Roll of 1924. There are multiple Mulkeys appearing on the Guion-Miller Roll of 1909.

Some researchers have concluded Jonathan Mulkey is related to the Prussian Von Moltke's who aided the emporer of Germany. Others claim Jonathan hails from the famous Baptist preacher line of Reverand Philip Mulkey of early South Carolina. To my knowledge, none of these theories have been proven yet but ongoing genealogy research continues.

Sue Foote surmised Jonathan may be the son of a James Mulkey, since traditionally oldest sons were named after his paternal grandfather. Jonathan's son, James Daniel Mulkey, fits the bill. The name Daniel is derived from James' maternal grandfather Daniel Ross.

Another tentative clue is William R. Mulkey may have been named after Jonathan's possible brother, Dr. William A., because of references to his son, the famed Methodist evangelist Reverand Abe Mulkey of Corscicana, Texas. Abe Mulkey was born April 14, 1850, in Arkansas. He moved to Texas in the 1860s, settled in Corsicana and worked as a grocer. In 1885, Mulkey became a Methodist preacher.

Cousin Beaulah B. Mulkey Morse, daughter of James Daniel Mulkey, recalled her grandfather, Lewis A. Mulkey, spoke of his cousin Abe often and seemed to be proud of him but in her advanced age, could no longer recall further details.

Beulah Belle Mulkey was born July 13, 1902 near Coontown, two and a half miles southwest of Warner, Oklahoma. She was enrolled as 1/16 Cherokee and was allotted the Taylor property which had improvements consisting of a house, barns, orchard, pond, deep dug well, and farmland.

Her mother, Mary McAnally Mulkey, died in 1906, and she lived with her grandparents, Lewis Andrew and Adeline Goins Mulkey from 1906 until 1922. In 1919 Beulah sold her farm and bought a home for her grandparents in Checotah.

In 1922 Beulah married Clay Ryan, a young attorney who later was assistant county attorney of Pittsburgh County. He was still in office when he died in 1934. He was a veteran of World War I, serving as an artilleryman in France for several months.

In 1943 she married Loren J. Morse, a member of the Air Force. Mr. Morse is the author of a book, Civil War Diaries of Bliss Morse. Bliss Morse was Loren's grandfather. Beaulah passed away in 1993 at Miami, Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, cousin Beaulah and I never met and Sue passed away before the mystery was solved. They had spent much time diving through official records and microfiche on their quest way before the invention of computers and online searches, a delight to traditional genealogists.

I am grateful I was able to meet cousin Sue Foote in Jay, Oklahoma, where she was living in a Cherokee Nation Assisted Living Home in 2007 after she moved from Eugene, Oregon. I was living in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, at the time. She was a descendant of Cherokee Nation Principal Chief John Ross and Nancy Ward Ross.

We chatted for hours as we pored through family photos and compared family research like we had known each other our entire lives. She died the following year at the age of 80. I became penpals with her sister, Jean Standifer, of Ventura, California. She too was proud of her Cherokee heritage. Cousin Jean passed away in 2015.

Many thanks to my cousin Janice Olzawski of Muskogee, Oklahoma, for sharing Beaulah's box of research materials with me and making me feel like family by introducing me to hers in 2006, some of which I have formed a lifelong bond. She passed away in 2022.
L. to R: Julia Mulkey, Vida Carr nee Mulkey, William M. Carr, Ollie Ponder Carr, Lewis A. Mulkey, Billy Carr, Lillian May Carr, Adeline Mulkey nee Goins. Photo enhanced by John Earl.

For those curious about what I sent to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to apply for membership for Jeremiah Moses Goins: My marriage license(s), my divorce cert(s), my birth cert, my husband’s birth cert, marriage license for my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents; death certs for my parents, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother; newspaper obits for my great and great great grandmothers.

I had no death certs for my grandfather, great grandfather, great great grandfather or Jeremiah and Sarafina but they allowed me to send in a photos of their headstones. Also, copies of a land grant application in Jefferson County Texas stating Jerry’s arrival in 1834, copy of his name on the First Texas Census (listed on the Sons of the Republic of Texas database) and a copy of his 1850 census from Limestone County, Texas.

No photo description available.

All Jeremiah’s children were listed on the last page of the application for cross referencing. Some supportive docs were redundant but that’s what the larger DRT registrar asked for although the smaller chapter said I only needed a death cert or marriage license for a relative, not both which is what their website confirmed. Many thanks to Anne, the DRT John Browne Chapter Registrar.

I sent all docs and photos to the registrar(s) thru email attachments individually per generation. I was asked to include a two paragraph biography of Jeremiah’s life. I signed the application in-person and paid $131 in initiation fees and annual dues. I was approved as a Daughter of the Republic of Texas in July 2022.

Same family members as the previous photo, years later. Courtesy, Beulah Mulkey Morse.

Just to put it into perspective, during his Cherokee Nation Anniversary speech in 2006 we were priveleged to attend in Tahlequah, Cherokee Chief Chad Corntassel Smith said, "In the olden days there were three things settlers despised most. Indians. Dogs. And Mississippi Choctaws. In that order." 

Some Goins married into the Chickasaw tribe. Other Mulkeys, like Lewis' daughter Vida, as aforementioned, married into the Creek tribe via lawman, William Carr, but remained on the Cherokee Rolls. He was enrolled on the Creek Rolls.

For a factual look at the Creek rebellion and shoot- out involving U.S. Marshal Bill Carr of Checotah in McIntosh County, beginning page 43, click on the highlighted link.

Jeremiah and Adeline Goins’ graves are located at Oakley Cemetary in Pleasanton, Texas, which they received from Lewis A. Mulkey before the Mulkeys returned to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma in 1887. Jaylyn is a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and an enrolled Cherokee Nation tribal citizen thanks to the legacies of Jeremiah Moses Goins and Lewis Andrew Mulkey. There are still many Goins living in the region but unfortunately I was unable to contact any of them.

There has been much confusion for Goins researchers because my Adeline Goins and husband Lewis A. Mulkey lived next door to her brother, James C. Goins in Texas. James' wife's was known by her middle name of Adaline, although her full name was actually Harriet Adaline Goins nee Dykes. 

Adaline Goins later received Confederate widow's benefits but our Adeline Goins Mulkey did not because Lewis didn't serve in the Civil War. However, as previously stated, he was a Texas Ranger during the Indian Wars; and later received a pension.

James C. Goins and Harriett Adeline Dykes Goins gave a deed to William R. Priest February 12, 1884 to 160 acres in Survey 14, located on Atascosa Creek, 19 miles southeast of San Antonio for $215, according to Bexar County Deed Book 33, page 150.

On June 30, 1886 they received a deed from Talmond H. Hobbs and Nancy Hobbs to 160 acres in Survey 357, located 20 miles southeast of San Antonio on Luna Creek, a tributary of Atascosa Creek, according to Bexar County Deed Book 49, page 525.

At the same time they purchased 100 acres of land from Hobbs located on Gallinas Creek, 12 miles south of Pleasanton, Texas, according to Bexar County Deed Book 48, page 378.

On the same day they deeded both tracts to Jeremiah Goins (Jr.), for $1,000 according to Bexar County Deed Book 49, page 523. They received 160 acres under the terms of the will of Jeremiah Goins.
We enjoyed visiting the Texas Ranger Heritage Center in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Walking next to the immense stone walls of Camp San Saba, one cannot help imagining the turmoil of overwhelming odds and bloodshed when the presidio was built. I like to contemplate my ancestor’s struggle and successes as early settlers in Texas and ponder the incongruities of racism and culture and its roles in history. A fair assessment would say it’s complicated and nowhere as succinct as this sketch about my family.

It is sobering yet inspiring when one realizes the same ground we stand on today is where so much history took place centuries ago. The park offers a picnic area, walking path and numerous signage depicting the history of the presidio. Admission is free.

The nearby tiny town of San Saba, Texas, is known as the “Pecan Capital of the World.” In the meantime, we shall return to our hometown of Bandera, Texas, the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” knowing our family played important roles in the evolution of the great state of Texas. Let’s end this story for now with a little humor. Please check back every now and then for updates.

Last Updated: January 18, 2025.

Citations and Recommended Resources

Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas by Sowell, Andrew Jackson, published 1900


The Mulkeys of America by Hunt, Philip Mulkey, published March 1983, 854 pages

Cherokee Mixed Bloods; Additions and Corrections to Family Genealogies of Dr. Emmet Starr Volume 1: Cordery, Ghigau, Ridge-Watie, Ross, Sanders and Ward by Hampton, David Keith, published 2005, 681 pages

The San Saba Papers by Howell, John; published 1959, 157 pages

The Texas Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest 1825-1916 Vol 1-5, Edited by Winfrey, Dorman and Day, James M., published 1995

Free African Americans of North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina by Heinegg, Paul, First Ed. 2007

Handbook of McCulloch County History Volume I by Wayne Spiller Pioneer Book Company, Seagraves, Texas, published 1976

1842 Cherokee Claims – Saline District by Chase, Marybelle W., published January 1, 1988

Jonathan Mulkey and the Ross Family 1827, Cherokee Blood Newsletter, Chattanooga, TN published 1991, Vol, Issue 18

Frontier Times Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 6, March 1933

Frontier Times Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 10, Aug 1934 by Snider, Clarence, Early Settlers on the Colorado in McCulloch County.

Frontier Times Magazine Vol. 1, No. 1, Oct 1923

Frontier Times Magazine, Nov 1924, 1928, and 1936

https://www.frontiertimesmagazine.com/ecomm/product/vol-11-no-08-may-1934

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/camp-san-saba-tx

https://www.frontiertimesmagazine.com/blog/early-history-camp-san-saba

http://www.cemeteries-of-tx.com/Wtx/McCulloch/cemetery/Camp%20San%20Saba.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_people_of_color

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/211/249/

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/mulkey/452

https://www.nps.gov/trte/learn/historyculture/upload/Alabama-Collections-Camps-Forts-Depots-and-Routes-508.pdf

https://www.loc.gov/item/usrep211249/

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=90987

https://archive.texashistorytrust.org/view/49759399/20/

https://okgenweb.net/~okmuskog/peopleplaces/turnback19.html

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/camp-san-saba/76825/current-weather/2107132

The First Census of Texas, 1829-1836; to which are added Texas Citizenship Lists, 1821-1845 and Other Early [Documents?] of the Republic of Texas,” Marion Day Mullins, comp. (Washington, DC: National Genealoical Society, 1962) FHL 1,00,607, item 12, citing The First Texas Census 1829-1836, 1821-1845, Texas Citizenship Lists in Texas Archive, (Wash DC: NGS, 1962), citing “Census of Jasper, Municipality of Bevil, May 1, 1835. Nacogdoches Archives,” Vol. 85, pp. 247-300. online at GenWeb Notes: Texas 1835 Census – Bevil District, Texas, p. 23 – Jerry Goin 35y tanner; Sarafine Drake 28y; Henry 13y; Ransom 11y; Evaline 9y; Sybrant 7y; Caroline 5y; Robert 3y; James 1; “Negroes.”

2 thoughts on “Camp San Sabá: Where my Indian Texas Ranger Kin Fought the Lords of the Plains

  1. I would be most interested to talk with any living descendants
    Of the Mulkey family particularly those who have knowledge of Lt James D. Mulkey who served with Capt Fossett’s battalion of Texas Frontier Regiment in 1864-1865.

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