Logo designed for Johnson County by Pamela R. Cresswell
Logo designed for Johnson County by Pamela R. Cresswell
Over a year ago one of our cuzins, Rose S. Vaught Rogers-Harris, told us of an article she was writing for the genealogical society she belongs to in Chicago. She said at that time she'd like to share it with us if possible. I wrote and said we'd love to. About a month or two ago, I reminded her of it and today I received a copy along with some other items and another article written by someone else, but referring to Rose's efforts and success. This will be going up on our site, but I wanted to make sure you all read it first.
This will be of particular interest to Vaught, Shoun and Wagner families, but I think everyone will benefit and find this interesting.
MaryFloy Katzman
This article appeared in the AAGHSC Newsletter, June 2002 and used with the permission of both Rose S. Vaught Rogers-Harris and the society.
Two important documents which helped me tremendously in my research were a death certificate for my grandfather, William Vaught, which stated he was "indian" (?), and his application for a Cherokee allotment.
I grew up not knowing anything about my grandparents, not even their names, so to find the Application for Cherokee Allotments, dated 1909 and all the information it contained was a revelation. I do not think I ever heard my mother say anything about an Indian connection. I was reseaching McMinn County. I had found William there with his wife, Mattie/Martha, on the 1880 and 1900 Census. They were listed as black. I was stuck and had not been able to find William on the 1870 Census, so I was looking at a variety of records.
The first hint of the Indian heritage I had was the Tennessee State death index for McMinn County, Tennessee, which listed William Vaught, (Indian?). I wrote and received a copy of his death certificate. It said he was a male, part or entirely Indian and that he was widowed. His date of death is shown as August 12, 1916. He was a farmer. The name of the information of his death was G.W.G. Vaught, Riceville, Tennessee. He was buried in the Riceville Cemetery, colored section on August 13, 1916. The registrar was Mrs. W.A. Brackett, and the undertaker was James, Riceville, Tennessee.
William Green Vaught was born in Johnson County, Tennessee in March 1834. The information gives his name as William Vaught (Indian)? age about 87, born NC, father and mother not given, died 1916, #614. The death certificate provided some new information; that he was born in Johnson County, Tennessee. I had looked at the 1870 Census for Johnson County but I could never find him. I had been searching in the wrong county for 1870.
I looked at the Dawes rolls and found William listed as Cherokee. I wrote for his full appliction. When I received it, the excitement and emotion that I felt was indescribable. The information proved fill in a lot of gaps that I had in my research. His parents were listed as Melvina Vaught, and Daniel Shoun. Daniel was born in Cherokee County, North Carolina, and Melvina was born in Johnson County, Tennessee. William Vaught on his 1909 Cherokee Application provided this information. It is important to note here that they are only listed on the 1870 census under the name of Shoun, which is why I could not find them. (See Tom Burrough's article "Finding African Americans on the 1870 Census" in the January, 2001 issue about the 1870 census and surnames). Daniel is age 59 in 1870. Based on this information, he was born about 1811, and Melvina on the 1870 Census is age 40. That would make her born about 1830.
The 1870 Census shows that Daniel and Melvina had the following children:
Name Age Date of Birth Color Where Born
Martain 19 1851 ML Tenn
Louisa 14 1856 B Tenn
Milton 11 1859 ML Tenn
Isaac 9 1861 ML Tenn
David 5 1865 ML Tenn
Gabriel E. 1 1869 ML Tenn
B=Black and ML=Mulatto
William listed the names of his brothers and sisters on his 1909 Cherokee aplication. They are: Emeline Vaught, Aleck Vaught, Keziah Vaught, Sallie Vaught, Cook Vaught, Daniel Vaught. (Note: I did not list Martin and Isaac who were listed by his parents). William states that he did not know the exact ages of his brothers and sisters and stated they were all scattered. He thought some were in Johnson County and some were in North Carolina.
William Vaught married Martha/Mattie Gamble. I have been unable to find any information on her. William Vaught on the McMinn County, Tennessee 1880 Census is age 36. His wife is shown as Martha/Mattie (Gamble), age 22. They have two children, George, age 6 and Mary M. age 6."
An application for William Vaught was received on July 07, 1907 by the Court of Claims for a share of the money appropriated for Eastern Cherokee Indians by the Act of Congress approved June 30 1906, in accordance with the decrees of the Court of Claims May 18, 1905 and May 28, 1906. The application was assigned #30684.
This is a wonderful document because it lists his name, year of birth, age and where he was born, name of his wife, and names of his children who were living on May 28, 1906. This is the same information that is on the 1900 Census. They are:
Granville Vaught age 34 Born October 01, 1873 Mary Vaught 31 January 26, 1876 Allie Vaught 26 March 03, 1881 Pocahontas Vaught 24 September 02, 1883 John Vaught 16 August 27, 1891 Henry Vaught 12 May 1894 Garrett Hobart Vaught 10 September 1897 (my father)
The application asks the name of his parents, English and Indian.
Father - English name "Daniel Shoun (so named by the family who raised him). Indian name: Never knew as he was captured when small in Cherokee County, North Carolina. Brought to Tennessee and raised in Johnson County, Tennessee by J.L. Shoun".
Mother - English name: "Melvina Vaught, was a Negro woman. Children took her name as she was a slave, and all took the name of that master in early days".
Answers to questions asked on the application were:
Father was born in North Carolina, probably Cherokee County, and Mother was born in Johnson County, Tennessee. They resided in Johnson County, Tennessee in 1861.
Date of death of Father and Mother?: I do not know exactly date of death, but they both lived several years after the civil war.
William states in the application that his father is full-blooded Cherokee Indian, and that his mother's people were slaves.
William Vaught signs the application. The document was witnessed by Dr. J.L. Basinger and Postmaster W.W. Lowry, and notarized by W.A. Brackett.\
William A. Brackett, Undertaker and Funeral Director submitted in letter on July 23, 1907, stated that "William Vaught came to McMinn County over thirty years ago and has always been a hard working man. The citizens of Riceville have always considered that Vaught to be a good part Indian, as his appearance certainly indicates it. He shows the Indian blood much more than the African. So do all his children. Personally I have known Vaught ever since he has lived in this place and feel sure all he says is true as to his Indian claim. He has always been reliable. I've no interest in his claim. Only would be glad to see him have his share for I know he deserves it."
On January 24, 1908 two affidavits were submitted from men who lived in Johnson County, Tennessee and who knew William's father and him when he was raised.
One affidavit was from John B. Vaught, dated January 21, 1908. He is age 66 years old. He is living in Shouns, Johnson County, Tennessee.
He states "I know William Vaught from his childhood until after the war. I know to be a son of old man Dan Shoun who all people of that time call him Injun Dan and he was known by all who knew him by this name. I cannot say how he was brought to this country, but I know he was part Indian. Can't say just how much or what part but to the best of my knowledge he was one half or three fourths Indian of the Cherokee tribe.
I know the Mother of William Vaught. Her name was Melvina Vaught. She had quite a number of children. Among them were Alee Vaught, Martin Vaught and several others. The children all took the name of the mother as she was a slave and was owned by Joe Vaught. As afore states I knew Wm. Vaught because he worked for me on my farm and I known him to be the son of Dan Shoun and Melvina Vaught as my Uncle Joe Vaught owned Melvina when the child Wm. Vaught was borne. John B. Vaught signed the letter, January 21, 1908"
The second letter is from Daniel D. Wagner, age 77, and living in Shoun, Johnson County, Tennessee.
He states "he knew William Vaught from birth or from boy hood and knew him till after the war. He has worked for me many a day. I know him to be the son of Dan Shoun, known to all citizens of that day in the community as Injun Dan. I owned one of Dan Shouns boys, Joe, and we all called him Indian. I know he was mostly Indian. I know Dan Shoun was apart Indian from one half to three fourths of the Cherokee Tribe. Wm. Vaugtht's mother's name was Melvinia Vaught. She had quite a number of children by Dan Shoun. Among them were Alee Vaught and Martin Vaught and others. All who bore the name of their mother as she was a slave at that time owned by Joe Vaught, and the Mothers name always governed the names of the children as the owner of the Mother. This letter is dated January 21, 1908. It was witnessed by Daniel D. Wagner and Mary C. Wagner. This application was rejected because the applicant's mother was a slave in slave times.
I had followed a lead on information that I had gotten on my grandfather's death certificate, and it lead me to another generation. You never know where information will take you. I have since found my grandfather on the 1870 census. He is in another county in Tennessee, but that is another story.
Written by and used with the permission of Rose Vaught Rogers-Harris. All rights reserved
This page updated March 7, 2005