Re: I'm a Girty From Tahlequah Okla....
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In reply to:
Re: I'm a Girty From Tahlequah Okla....
1/27/02
Hi William,
I’ve been researching the Oklahoma Girtys in the hopes of finding a connection to the Pennsylvania Girtys. My only connection to the family is through a cousin who married Simon Girty’s daughter. But, I do have many cousins who are direct descendants that I’m in contact with. I'm also very interested in the oral tradition passed on in Wilson Girty's family. Bob Neely sent me a picture of Wilson Girty and his daughter Lucy. I can copy and send to you if you like. So, with that, here’s what I’ve been able to find.
There are a few possibilities on where the Girtys came from. They are either descendants of George and Simon Girty of Pennsylvania, or from an Indian who took the English Girty name. The second one is possible. The Girty brothers were quite famous and when the Cherokee were required to take English names for enrollment they may have adopted that well-known name. One documented case, though not due to enrollment, was from the Delaware Indian named Katepacomen, who took the name of Simon Girty in the 1760s. Some writers have said that Simon and the Indian exchanged names, but I’ve only seen records of the Delaware Indian using Simon’s name and not Simon using Katepacomen. Its possible that Jack, Isaac and Simon of Oklahoma are descendants of him, though there is no proof of this. Katepacomen and Simon Girty were about the same age I assume.
I’m not sure if there is a record saying Jack Girty was of Delaware descent. I think this is from family tradition. It’s definitely a clue though. I have been able to find only two children of George Girty, the first being George Jr. and a daughter. George Jr. did sign a treaty in 1829 to relocate the Delaware to Missouri, but he didn’t go with them. According to the Draper Manuscripts he settled in the town of Zanesville, OH. According to tax records and marriage records this was true. The same man who knew George Girty at Zanesville wrote that George Sr. also had a very beautiful daughter who married Chief George White Eyes, who he thought was the same Indian who was educated by Col. George Morgan at Princeton. There were other Girtys in the Zanesville area, one being Catherine Girty (b.1775), and Amanda Girty who married about 1810, and a George W. Girty who may be the George Jr.’s son. That’s about all I know about them.
Now for Jack, I traced him back to the records you mentioned in Arkansas when he and Isaac Girty sold their homes to the government in 1828 or near that time. Then they appeared in the Canadian and Illinois District of Indian Territory. I have copies of some of the ledger pages you mentioned. Bob Neely sent me part of the book “Notes on the Thompson Daybook” which talked a little about the Girtys. It says there are 8 Girty members named in the daybook, Jack (also John) and his wife Polly Girty, Isaac Girty, Simon Girty and his wife Elizabeth, and Canard Girty. That’s not eight, but I don’t have the whole chapter. The Simon Girty may be a son of Simon Girty before his marriage to Catherine Malott. O. M. Spencer who was a prisoner in 1791 mentioned knowing a “reputed son” of Simon Girty named Ked-zaw-saw or as his grandmother called him “Simo-ne.” He was of Mohawk descent. The boy’s grandfather was a Mohawk Chief and his grandmother was a medicine woman and priestess. This boy was born about 1781 according to Spencer and the Oklahoma Simon Girty was born about 1779. The Rev. Washburn came to Old Dwight mission to the deathbed of a dying Indian who revealed that he was Simon Girty. A later author confused this saying he was “the” Simon Girty known as the White Renegade. The Simon Girty of Oklahoma who was born in 1829, and either a son or grandson of Simon Girty (b. 1779) was listed as a “half-breed” in the 1867 census. Please excuse the use of that term.
The 1895 Old Settler payroll has much information on family connections, but they usually list the deceased old settler and their descendants. In some cases, like aunts and uncles, it’s a little more difficult to pin point from which parent they are related. There are many Girty’s mentioned to included the families of Simon Girty, Jack Girty and others from the Illinois District.
You mentioned Mortar as Jack’s father. I think he was actually Che-lor-nee-jay’s father (or mother). First, according to the payroll, Wilson, Katy, and Buck were children of Cher-lor-nee-jay; and Car-ter-yar, Ker-you-jay, and Quatee (Betsy Graves) were children of Jack’s first wife. I think Quatee was mistakenly put down as Jack’s daughter from the first wife because it doesn’t match other records. I need to check and see if she has a Dawes file since she died after 1900. Or, maybe its correct, but it gets confusing when looking at the aunts and uncles. Lydia was also listed, as deceased, and was a daughter from Jack’s first marriage. So knowing that, the list also says Wilson, Quatee, and Katy Girty were grandchildren of Quar-lar-you-cah and Mortar (Can. 251). My guess is that they were Che-lor-nee-jay’s parents since the other children of Jack were not named as descendants.
There are many aunts and uncles to Jack’s kids mentioned. And trying to figure out if they are Jack’s, his first wife’s, or Cher-lor-nee-jay’s brothers and sisters is a little difficult. Here’s a listing:
1. Ter-car-we (Can.139) was aunt/uncle to:
Ka-ya-ker Starr, Wilson Girty, Maggie Girty, Betsy Girty, Katie Wilkerson, and John Kettle.
2. Floating Ice (Can. 112) was aunt/uncle to:
Car-ter-yar Starr, Ker-you-jay Girty, Wilson Girty, Quatee Girty, and Katy Wilkerson.
3. Oo-le-skar-ny and Chee-kea (Can. 263) were aunt and uncle to:
Ka-yer-ker Starr, Wilson Girty, Maggie Girty, Betsey Graves, Katie Wilkerson, and John Kettle.
4. Che-nor-sah (Can. 139) was aunt/uncle to:
Ka-yer-ker Starr, Wilson Girty, Maggie Girty, Betsey Graves, Katie Wilkerson, and John Kettle.
5. Choo-con-ner Stutty (Can. 40)was a great uncle to:
Wilson Girty, Betsey Graves, and Katie Wilkerson.
6. War-le-yah Oo-nor-dar-tah (Can. 99) and Car-lee-loo-hee Oo-nor-dar-tah (S. B. 99) were aunt/uncle to:
Wilson Girty, Betsey Girty, Katie Wilkerson, and Buck Girty (his sons mentioned as great nephews).
7. Watty and Te-squar-ny (Can. 138) were and aunt/uncle to:
Ka-ya-ker Starr, Wilson Girty, Maggie Girty, Betsy Girty, Katie Wilkerson, and John Kettle.
I’m not sure who Maggie Girty is, she wasn’t specifically listed as a daughter of Jack unless she went by a different name. Both Maggie Girty and Car-ter-yar (Girty) Starr were listed as age 50 and living in Briartown. They are probably the same person.
I think most all of these aunts and uncles, if not all, are relatives from Cher-lor-nee-jay’s side of the family. Also Kah-u-gun-stah, Snake’s wife, who Ned and Daniel Girty said was a sister of Buck and Wilson Girty was never listed in any of the records though she was alive at the time. If she is indeed a sister of Buck and Wilson then she may be from one of Jack’s wives though not Jack’s daughter. A little confusing. More on her later. That’s enough for now. I’ll post more soon. One thing I noticed in all these records was the fact Snake Girty was in no way connected to Jack’s family. More on him later too.
Jim
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