The Trahern Chronicles - Wesley Trahern

Wesley Trahern married Delilah Brashears, the daughter of Zadoc Brashears and Susanna Vaughn in 1808. He borrowed 5000 dollars from his brother James Trahern, and 500 from his brother John Trahern to start a plantation. In the treaty of 1820 Wesley Trahern, along with Mary Mcdonald was given a square mile from the land ceded to the United States government from the treaty of Doaks Stand. This land was located southeast of Jackson, Mississippi. It likely bordered what is called Trahon Creek after Wesley Trahern.

Plat maps for Hinds County show marks for Trahon's field. This was the original land farmed by Wesley Trahern, and upon his death this land was registered to his brother, William Trahern, as evidenced by the land description in Wesley's estate records.

Wesley and Delilah had five children before Delilah died and Wesley remarried Agnes Turnbull. He had two more children by Agnes before his death at the end of 1825. His estate records show a lengthy process of settling his estate. The executor of the estate was his brother, William Trahern. By the time the estate was settled, the new executor (William had died) told the court that he had no idea where Wesley's seven children were located. It is not clear that any of the children ever received their portion of the estate.

Both of Wesley's wives, Delilah and Agnes were mixed blood Choctaws. Delilah was only 1/4, and Agnes was over 1/2. After Wesley died, Agnes Turnbull remarried Samuel Foster. After the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, Agnes and her children, Minerva and Gilbert Trahern are found in Tallahatchie county, Mississippi.

Wesley Brashears Trahern, Wesley's eldest son, married Lucy Juzan, the daughter of his Uncle James "wife" Peggy. He died about 1832 in what is now Sumter county, Alabama. Lucy and his children emigrated to the new Choctaw nation in what is now Oklahoma most likely about 1848-1849 when the bulk of the Juzan's emigrated.

William Trahern, the next son, attended the Choctaw academy, where he had hopes of becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass, and he returned to Holmes County, Mississippi where he married Rebecca. Rebecca is rumored to be a daughter of Samuel Long and Felicity Leflore, and in 1840 there is a man Wesley's age and a female Rebecca's age in the household that cannot be accounted for. Unfortunately, no records exist for the estate of Samuel Long to verify this information.  William died in Holmes County and his wife and children moved to the Choctaw nation where they were granted citizenship by the Council.

Amelia Trahern married Richard Claiborne West and moved to Texas. When Richard died, Amelia then married Homer S. Thrall. Homer Thrall wrote a history of Texas that was used by the schools of Texas for many years. Amelia, along with her sister, Letha, were granted citizenship by the Choctaw nation in the late 1880's. She is buried in Texas.

Letha Trahern married Columbus Lane and then Jesse Pendleton. Letha is the only daughter of Wesley who has descendants registered as Choctaws. Letha and her husband lived and died in Texas.

George Washington Trahern was famous in his time. He served in the Mexican American war ,after he returned home from the Choctaw Academy, as a Texas Ranger. His recollections of the War, where he was captured along with his entire company were published. A few years after the war, he was among the first settlers in what is now Stockton, California. He owned a large ranch, and was among one of the most wealthy citizens of that time. He also raised race horses. As a result, he is the easiest to research. I was also able to locate a short biography in a book about the Stockton area.

Though he gives information about his parents in his recollections, he does not claim at all to be Choctaw, nor does he mention where he received his education. He first had an illegitimate child with a Spanish woman (she sued unsuccessfully for a share of his estate) before marrying Henrietta B. Childers. Unfortunately, most of his grandchildren died young with the exception of a single granddaughter who never married, thus he has no descendants. I have been unable to trace the descendants of his illegitimate daughter.

Minerva Trahern married Joseph Metcalf and remained in the area of Tallahatchie. I have not been able to track descendants beyond her grandchildren. None of Minerva's descendants were ever recognized as Choctaw citizens.

Gilbert Trahern married Laura Slack and remained in Tallahatchie. His son, Louis Trahern came to the new Choctaw nation about the same time as William's family did. Louis and his family were recognized as Choctaws.

Thanks to a descendant of William Trahern, Carol Hoyt, I have these pictures of William Trahern's sons. I unfortunately don't know exactly whose who.