Who is Who on the Butterfield Stage Coach Route within the Choctaw Nation

 Who’s Who of the Butterfield Stagecoach Route in the Choctaw Nation

The Butterfield Stagecoach Stations in the Choctaw Nation 1858-1860 were established around the same time as the controversial Skullyville Convention. The stage routes benefited some of the most prominent relatives of the Convention.

 

1. Walker’s Station, Skullyville. Operated by Gov. Tandy Walker.
2. McDaniel’s Crossing Brazil Creek. Operated by Washington McDaniel and Charles M. James
3. Trahern Station. Operated by Judge James M. Trahern
4. Holloway’s Station. Operated by William Holloway across the Narrows, upper Brazil Creek, 2 miles northeast of Red Oak.
5. Riddle Station. Operated by John Riddle across Fourche Maline.
6. Pulsey Station. Operated by Silas Pulsey across Gaines Creek.
7. Blackburn’s Station. Operated by John Blackburn.
8. Waddell’s Station.
9. Geary Station. Operated by A. W. Geary (offered for sale same year) across Little (North) Boggy
10. Davis Crossing. Operated by James Davis across Middle Boggy. Not listed as a station.
11. Boggy Depot. Heirs of William Guy (and Jane McGee a Chickasaw) across Clear Boggy.
12. Blue River (Nail’s)
13. Fisher’s Strand.
14. Colbert’s Ferry.

 

1866 and after changes (No longer the Butterfield Stage, but stations remained_

1. Skullyville (Walker’s)
2. Wilkin’s Crossing. Operated by James Wilkins.
3. Trahern’s Station. (Council House)
4. Edward’s Station. Operated by Thomas Edwards, currently Red Oak.
5. McCurtain’s Station Operated by Jack McCurtain.
6. Riddle Station. Operated by George Riddle.
7. Mountain Station. Operated by Olasechubi
8. Buffalo Station. Operated by Wade N. Hampton.
9. Jim Colbert’s Station. (On Brushy), son of Isaac Colbert.
10. Well’s Roger’s Married to the daughter of Samuel Garland.
11. McKinney’s replaced Geary’s.
12. Mrs. Flack’s.
13. Boggy Depot.
14. Charles Leflore operated a toll across the Clear Boggy.
15. Nail’s Crossing. Operated by David A. Folsom after 1867
16. Carriage Point
17. Colbert’s Ferry.

 

1. Walker or Skullyville Station

Tandy Walker was the son of a white man, John Walker, and his half Choctaw wife Mary Riddle. He served as Chief of the Choctaws in 1857 under the Skullyville Constitution, and in some cases is referred to as Governor Tandy Walker. Tandy’s mother was the great niece of Chief Mushulatubbee, and his Uncle, also Tandy Walker, was the Blacksmith famous for saving a white woman during the Creek War. Tandy Walker ran Walker Station at Skullyville from 1858 to his death in 1877. He is buried in the Skullyville Cemetery. Tandy Walker was married twice.

His first wife was Elzira, surname unknown, and his second wife was Cillen Krebs, daughter of Placide Krebs and Rebecca Folsom. Placide Krebs, the first cousin of the Choctaw Leflore’s, was a white man, his wife Rebecca Folsom was the daughter of Nathaniel Folsom, and was half Choctaw.

 

2. Brazil Station (Brazil Creek Ferry)

 

Charles James was the son of Adam James of the Choctaw Nation. He was a mixed blood Choctaw. His mother was Tikbonnah, a full blood, while his father Adam was a mixed blood. A letter from 1813 shows Adam James, the son of Indian trader, Benjamin James, Sr., was educated.  The James family remained in close contact with the Trahern family who also lived near Brazil, and some of the James’ are buried in the Trahern Station cemetery. Since many of the graves have been desecrated and are no longer marked, it is impossible to say whether Charles James was buried there as well.

Charles wife was named Sallie, surname unknown. He had several children whose descendants are on the Dawes rolls as full bloods, Noel, Adam, Benjamin, Daniel, William, Levina, Susan, and Sealy. Charles siblings were Davis, Dace, Robinson, and George James.

 

Washington McDaniel is found on the 1856 census with wife Charlotte, and son Isaac. His son’s child is found on the Dawes, living in the town of Ward. His inclusion in the route would indicate a relationship to someone of prominence, but nothing more is known of him at this time.

 

James Wilkins is not found on the 1885 census, nor are descendants found on the dawes rolls, although other Wilkins are found in Shady Point and Leflore in 1899.

 

3. Trahern Station or Council House

 

James N. Trahern, the son of a James Trahern out of Virginia, and a mixed blood Choctaw known as Peggy. Peggy was first married to Charles Juzan, and the mother of 8 of his 11 children, including sons Chief Pierre Juzan, Jackson Juzan, William Juzan, and daughter’s (married Surname), Mary Leflore, Eliza Ann Flack, Lucy Geary, Rebecca Walker, and Delilah Brashears. Peggy’s brother was the Mingo of Chunky, Oka Lah Humma, and their mother was the sister of Chief Pushmataha. Another of Peggy’s brothers, Tappenahoma, replaced Chief Pushmataha in 1825 thru 1828. James’ Trahern cousins include the children of Wesley Trahern and Delilah Brashears. James attended the Choctaw Academy, and was first a clerk, and then judge of the Mushulatubbee district. He also served in the Congress for his district. James ran Trahern station from 1858 until his death in 1883. James and his wife are buried at Trahern Station Burial Ground.

 

James’ first wife, Sarah Hall, was the daughter of two half blooded Choctaws, William Hall, and Susan Riddle. The Hall children were first cousins of Tandy Walker. Sarah’s sister Jane was the second wife of David Folsom, also a Chief of the Choctaws, her other sister’s, Katie or Katherine, married Thomas Wall, (son of Noah Wall and Lucretia Folsom), and Margaret married William Moncrief (Son of Sampson Moncrief and Sophia Brashears). Sarah’s brother, Joseph, attended the Choctaw academy, and was one of the first 4 Choctaws sent away to College. James and Sarah had 7 children, 5 of whom have descendants on the Dawes rolls. James’ second wife, Virginia Parelli Clossen, a white woman, had two children, both of whom have descendants on the Dawes rolls.

 

The Hall’s were the first burials at Skullyville, and it was known as the old Hall cemetery at one time. The Cemetery portion where the Hall’s are buried is separate from the other burials and was in the corner of their land. Susan Hall, Tandy’s Aunt lived there until her death, shortly before 1860.

 

4. Edward’s Station

Ran by Thomas Edwards, in what is now Red Oak. A white man, nothing has been found on his parentage, though he left a widow Nancy, age 50 and a son Lethan, age 13 on the 1885 census for Skullyville, however, both died before 1899. Thomas’s wife Nancy was the daughter of Hartwell Hardaway, and she was the sister of John Hardaway, who was married to Sarah Ann Hall. Nancy’s niece, Anna, married a son of James Trahern, Lysander Trahern and had two children.

 

5. Holloway or McCurtain Station

William Holloway first operated the Station at the Narrows. In 1856 he had a large family, mainly daughter is, but by 1885 the family seems to have disappeared. His family in 1856 included wife Ellen, and children Permelia, Celina, Rutha, Elizabeth, Amy, Frances, Jacob, and Nathaniel.

 

Jackson McCurtain was approved in 1867 to establish a toll gate at the Narrows. Jackson, who was Choctaw Chief 1880-1884, was the son of Cornelius McCurtain, (also a Choctaw Chief), and Mahaya Belvin. Cornelius was one of the mixed blood descendants of Shumaka, a Chakichiuma Indian. Cornelius, a half blood, was the son of Hannah, Shumaka’s daughter, and Daniel McCurtain, also half Choctaw. Mayaha, was the daughter of John Belvin and Miyahoke, and was ¼ to ½ Choctaw. Although it has been rumored  Miyahoke was another daughter of Shumaka, Robert Cole’s testimony does not mention any relationship to the Belvins. The son of Shumaka, Robert Cole, was also a Chief of the Choctaws.

 

Jackson was married twice. His first wife was Maria Riley, by which he had two daughters, Cornelia Brunetta and Sophia. Jackson’s second wife was Jane Austin, and the mother of 6 children, two sons, Uni, and Allen, and four daughters, Eliza, Ida, Lucinda, and Lizzie.

 

6. Riddle Station

Riddle Station was first operated by John Riddle, the son of William Riddle and Caty. John attended the Choctaw Academy and missionary schools, and it is from these records it is found that he is a nephew of Chief Mushulatubbee. John Riddle’s nephew Tandy Walker, and nephew is in law, John Blackburn and James Trahern, also had stations on the route. John was married 4 times and had a total of 16 children. His first wife was Eve Folsom, daughter of Edmond Folsom, and the widow of Joseph Pitchlynn. John Riddle raised Eve’s sons by her first husband, and they looked on the Riddle family as their own. By his first wife Eve Folsom, John had 4 sons, Andrew J, George W., Henry C., and Silas D., and four daughter’s, Susan, Martha Jane, Sarah Ann, and Margaret. His only son of this union to survive unto adulthood took over the station in 1867, George W. Riddle. Of his daughters by this marriage, all 4 married and had children.

John’s second wife was Evaline Cheadle, and he had 3 sons, William C, Douglas Cooper, and Jesse, and 5 daughters, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary Jane, Eliza and Evaline. His last two wives, Pus Nuseum, and Susan Pulsey had no children with John.

 

George Riddle was married to two of Jackson McCurtain’s sisters. His first wife, Isabelle McCurtain is the mother of his children, George, Virginia, Andrew, and Susan. His second wife, Elsie McCurtain had no children. George’s third wife, Elvarene Edon was the mother of 10 children, George, Richard, Cornelia, Edmond, William, John, Mellinee, Samuel, Eureka, and Thomas.

 

7. Pulsey Station

Silas Pulsey was the son of Calvin Pulsey, and the grandson of Captain George Pulsey. His household in 1856 included wife Sally, and children Sukey, Helen, Norris, Albert, Gilbert, and Lucinda. Several of his siblings and children are found on the 1885 census for Gaines County.

 

8. Mountain Station

Olasichubbee is enumerated as individual 100 in the 1885 Census of Gaines County.  His wife Sophie is alive in 1899, but the Dawes card does not list her parents. Both Olasichubee and his wife were fullbloods. Olasibchubbe was born about 1825. Because of variations in spellings on native name, he has not been located in the 1856 census.

 

9. Blackburn’s station

This station was ran by a white man named John Blackburn, whose wife was the full sister to Tandy Walker. The Blackburn’s are enumerated in 1856 as having the following household, sons David and Israel, and daughters, Mary, Prudence and Sellar (Probably Celia). Of their children only one is named on the Dawes rolls, Susan who was married to John Bohrur, a white man. Susan and her family are found in 1885 in Tobusky. The 1860 United States census shows John Blackburn in Armstrong Academy. Given the lack of Susan’s name in 1856, she is inevitably either the Prudence, or Sellar named in 1856

 

10. Buffalo Station

Wade N. Hampton, the operator of this station is found in 1856 in household 100 of Red River, with Joseph Hampton, and two women, Bias and Lina. In 1885 Wade is found in Gaines with wife Nancy, sons Simon, and Jackson, and daughters Dora Ella and Evaline. From Dawes records it appears Wade was one half Choctaw, as was his wife, Nancy Irvin, the daughter of C. D. and Sally Irvin.

 

11. Waddell’s Station

There is no known Waddell of Choctaw descent.

 

12. Jim Colbert’s Station

James Colbert, the operator of this stand, was the son of James Isaac Colbert and Caroline Moore. James was married twice, his first wife was Sylvia Blackburn, and his second wife was Mary Nelson. He had three known children with Mary Nelson, Theodore, James Eden, and Amelia, who married Andrew Blackwood. Brushy Jim as he was called descended from the Colbert and Love families of the Chickasaw nation, and his grandmother Susan James was the daughter of Benjamin James the Choctaw Trader and his Choctaw wife. Jim was a first cousin to Charles James who ran the ferry over Brazil Creek.

 

13. Well’s or Rogers Station

Mr. Wells was not of Choctaw descent.

After the Civil war this was known as Roger’s station, and was ran by John Rogers, whose wife Mary was a daughter of Samuel Garland (Chief). John Roger’s died by 1885, but Mary and her children are found in Tobusky, and are enumerated on the Dawes Roll. The children of John Rogers and Mary Garland are Laura, Georgia, and John M. Rogers

 

14. Geary’s Station

Amos Geary married the widow of Wesley Brashears Trahern in Sumter County, Alabama, and immigrated to the Choctaw nation in 1841. A white man, Geary married Lucy Juzan, who was 1/4 Choctaw, and full sister to Chief Pierre Juzan, and half sister to James Trahern. (Incidentally, James was a first cousin to her first husband.) Lucy had 5 children with her first husband, Jesse, William, Amelia, Letha, and Pierre, and three with Amos Geary, Charles, Lucrecia, and Eliza Ann. Of her Trahern children, no known grandchildren have been found or proven. Her son Charles Geary died as a young man, but Lucrecia married John Taylor and Andrew Stacy, and Eliza Ann married James McClain and Elisha Heskitt. All of these marriages resulted in children enrolled on the Dawes Roll.

 

Amos sold the station shortly after the award and moved up to Skullyville. He was widowed shortly after and married Margaret Hall Ring, the widow of John Ring, and Aunt to Sarah Hall, his brother-in-law’s wife.

 

15. McKinney’s Station

The replacement for Geary’s Station, no proprietor is listed. There are several McKinney families of this area.

 

16. Mrs. Flack’s

Eliza Ann Flack, the widow of Hugo Flack, was ¼ Choctaw and another sister of Choctaw Chief Pierre Juzan. Eliza Ann had several children, but only four grandchildren survived her in death. Her grandchildren, children of daughter Isabinda and Oliver Hebert were Louisiana, Czarina, Olive and Alice Hebert. Eliza Ann Flack donated part of her land for a Baptist Academy and donated the lands for the cemetery in which she is buried. Eliza Ann Juzan Flack was the youngest of the 8 children of Charles and Peggy Juzan and outlived all of her sibling’s. She is buried along with her children, and her sister Rebecca in the Atoka (Westview) Cemetery. It appears that her elder sister Delilah, the widow of Jesse Brashears was living with her at her death and may be buried in the same cemetery.

 

17. Davis Crossing

This crossing was operated by James Davis, an intermarried white. There are two families of James Davis in 1856, one in Towson, and the other in Blue. It is the Blue family that ran Davis Crossing. James D. Davis was married to Salina Nail, and had children Henry, Johnathan, and an unnamed infant. He then married a Martha, and had Alonzo, Robert, Anna, and Clara, and lastly, Rhoda Levina Pate, and had several children, Claud, Clarence, Neta Levina, Arthur, Mamie, and Virgil.

 

18. Boggy Depot

Initially the crossing at Boggy Depot was given to the heirs of William Guy, and his wife, Jane McGee. Unfortunately, this family is not found in the 1856 census. Two of the children of William Guy and Jane McGee were Paralee Guy who married Alexander Jones, and Mary Angeline who married Charles Leflore.

 

 After the civil war, Charles Leflore was given the right to a toll bridge over the Clear Boggy.  Charles Leflore was the son of Forbis Leflore, and Rebecca Fisher. Charles had seven children with Mary Angeline Guy, William Forbis, Annie, Estelle, Daisy, Chickie, Lorena P, and Maudie. After Mary Angeline’s death, Charles married a white woman named Louisa Francis Patrick, and he had no children by this marriage.

 

19. Nail’s Crossing

Jonathan Nail was given the right for a toll bridge across the Blue. Jonathan a mixed blood Choctaw, and his wife Catherine Perry, a Chickasaw, had the following child Joel H. Nail.  Catherine was the daughter of Jim Perry.

After 1868 David Folsom, who married the widow of Jonathan, ran the crossing. David was the son of David Folsom (Chief) and his first wife, Rhoda Nail. David A. Folsom died by 1885, and his widow is listed with her two children, John, and Kate (or Kitty) Folsom. Prior to his marriage to Catherine Perry, David A. Folsom, Jr. was married to Martha Reynolds, he had two known children, Julia, and Joel Folsom, who died as a child.

 

20. Fisher Strand

Proprietor not named.

 

21. Carriage Point

Proprietor not named.

 

22. Colbert’s Ferry

Benjamin Frank Colbert was the son of James Isaac Colbert and Sally McClish. He was married to Martha Moore, the Chickasaw rolls show one son Martin, born about 1851. Benjamin was the half brother to Brushy Jim Colbert; his wife Martha was also full sister to Jim’s mother Caroline.

 

The delegates who signed the Skullyville convention were Tandy Walker, Silas Fisher, William B. Pitchlynn, S. P. Willis, Robert Kincaid, L.D. Garland, Kennedy McCurtain, Coleman Cole, Mishamah Tubbee, Swinny Frazier, McKee King, Alfred Wade, James Thompson, William Roebuck, John Page, J. E. Dwight, James Garland, Daniel Folsom, John Lewis, Francis Battiest, and William Cass.