John Benjamin MILLUS Secondman ANDREWS Perry ANDREWS Charles T LEWIS Jesse LEWIS Walter Green MERRYMAN Gabe Harlis MERRYMAN Benjamin Colbert MERRYMAN Unknown ALLIANCE Jewell Ruth MERRYMAN Theodore John WEAST Beatrice Addie MERRYMAN William R REED Jettie REED William M DOLLISON William J HACKLEY Ruth B CASTELOW Mini tree diagram
Mary Louise MILLUS

Mary Louise MILLUS1,2,7,3,8,4,5,9,6

29th Sep 18731,2,3,4,5,6 - 4th Jul 19471,2,5

Life History

29th Sep 1873

Born in Douglas County, Missouri.1,2,3,4,5,6

before 1890

Death of William J HACKLEY in Missouri

about 1890

Married Secondman ANDREWS in Missouri.1,3

Nov 1891

Birth of son Perry ANDREWS in Missouri.1,7,3,4

30th Sep 1893

Married Charles T LEWIS in Missouri.1,7

before Dec 1893

Death of Secondman ANDREWS in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.7

Nov 1897

Birth of son Jesse LEWIS in Sugar Loaf County, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.3,1,4

about 1898

Death of Charles T LEWIS in Latimer County, Oklahoma.1,7

25th Feb 1900

Married Walter Green MERRYMAN in Talihina, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.1,1,7,3,8

No record has been found indicaing that Mary Millus Merryman was married to Jewell Ruth Merryman's father.  Jewell was born in 1906, after the death of Mary Merryman's husband Walter Merryman in 1904.  Jewell was given her mother's current surname of Merryman.  Her birth record reports no name, but only "Illigetimate [sic] Child."

about Nov 1900

Birth of son Gabe Harlis MERRYMAN in Sugar Loaf County, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.1,8,11

12th Mar 1903

Birth of son Benjamin Colbert MERRYMAN in Bengal, Sugar Loaf, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.1,4,5,11,12

21st Jun 1904

Death of Walter Green MERRYMAN in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.1,1,5

8th Jan 1906

Birth of daughter Jewell Ruth MERRYMAN in Bengal, Sugar Loaf, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory.4,1,2,5,16,17,18

4th Apr 1911

Birth of daughter Beatrice Addie MERRYMAN in Bengal, Latimer, Oklahoma.13,5,14,1,9,15

about 1912

Married William R REED in Latimer County, Oklahoma.1

about 1913

Birth of daughter Jettie REED in Latimer County, Oklahoma.1

before 1920

Death of William R REED in Latimer County, Oklahoma.1

after 1920

Married William M DOLLISON in Latimer County, Oklahoma.5,1

13th Nov 1946

Death of Theodore John WEAST in Oklahoma.2,5

27th Feb 1947

Death of son Benjamin Colbert MERRYMAN in Bengal, Latimer, Oklahoma.5

13th May 1947

Death of son Gabe Harlis MERRYMAN in Sebastian County, Arkansas.10,5

4th Jul 1947

Died in Talihina, Le Flore, Oklahoma.1,2,5

6th Jul 1947

Buried in Peachland Cemetery, Bengal, Latimer County, Oklahoma.5

Other facts

 

Married Unknown ALLIANCE

 

Married Theodore John WEAST

No record has been found to indicate Theodore Weast and Mary Millus Merryman were ever married.  Mary gave Beatrice her own last name, the name of her last husband Walter Merryman, who died in 1904.  Walter's legal wife Rhoda did not die until 1929.

 

Married William J HACKLEY

Notes

  • Mary is listed in the 1880 and 1910 censuses as Mary C.  One or two genealogies have her name as Mary Louise, but no documentation of this middle name have been found.

    1880 Federal Census, Douglas County, Missouri, 10 June, Campbell Township, District 28, page 28 (scan 492C), Hse/Fam #18
    Millus, John B  W M 45 Head Farmer Carpenter NY NY NY [b abt 1835]
    Millus, Ruth W F 36 Wife Keeping House Ark KY Tenn [abt 1844]
    Millus, Mary C  W F 5 Dau At Home MO NY AR [abt 1875]

    Beatrice Addie Merryman
    Birth 1911 in Oklahoma, Death in Krebbs, Oklahoma
    Parents:
    Walter Green Merryman b 1874
    Mary Louise Millus 1874 - 1947
    --  Tripp Family, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/6930779/person/1837418095

    "The name of the applicant's husband, Walter G Merryman, appears upon the records of the Commission on Choctaw roll card, field No. 2080, having been listed for enrollment as a citizen by blood of the Choctaw Nation upon the identification of his name on the last Choctaw census roll, Sugar Loaf county, No 8525."
    --  Mary Merryman, application interview for Choctaw Citizenship, 15 December 1902

    Other helpful details on Mary's family configuration are included in the interview transcript.

    Mary Merryman application interview for enrollment as an intermarried Choctaw Citizen, 15 December 1902
    Department of the Interior, Winter, Indian Territory, December 15th, 1902
    Pertinent Facts:
    Mary Merryman age 29
    Father John Millis, Mother Ruth Millis, both living
    Lived in Choctaw Nation 10 years [1892]
    Choctaw husband Walter G Merryman
    Married 25 February 1900 Talihinia, Indian Territory
    By Minister of the Gospel Edmunds [no first name reported]
    No license
    Previous marriage  to Charlie Lewis 30 September 1893
    Charlie died after 5 years [abt 1898]
    Walter's previous wife Lula Poteet, died before marriage to Mary
    Transcript Notarized 20 December 1902

    Mary and her Choctaw husband Walter Green Merryman were reported in the 1900 census a few weeks after their marriage in February 1900.  Their household includes two children from Mary's previous two marriages.

    1900 Federal Census, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, 7 June, Township 4 (Sugar Loaf County), District 94, Page 16B, Hse/Fam #5
    Merryman, Walter G  Head Indian Male Sept 1874 25  Married 6 years  MO TN TN Farmer  Rents Farm
    Merryman, Mary Wife Ind [should be White] F Sept 1873  46  Married 6 years  4 children/2 living Ind Terr Ind Terr Illinois
    Merryman, John Son Ind M Aug 1894 5 Single Ind Terr Ind Terr Missouri/Texas
    Merryman, Zado Dau Ind F Oct 1897  2 Single Ind Terr Ind Terr Missouri/Texas
    Andrews, Perry Step-son W M Nov 1891  8 Single Ind Terr Ind Terr Missouri
    Lewis, Jesse Step-son W M Nov 1897  2 Single Ind Terr Ind Terr Missouri

    In the 1910 census, Mary Merryman is reported as a widow.  The whole family is reported as White.  This census was hard to find due to the enumerator's misspelling of the family name.  Corrections have been posted as alternate names for the index at Ancestry.com, which should make it easier for future researchers to find and correlate this census information.

    This census is very interesting and brings up a puzzle about the two youngest children named Merryman reported din 1920.  The report of Mary as a widow, however, is consistent with the date of death on Walter G Merryman's gravestone in the Bengal, Oklahoma, Cemetery, reporting he died in 1904, after the death of Benjamin.

    1910 Federal Census, Latimer County, Oklahoma, 27 April, Damon Township, District 131, Page 3A, Hse #46, Fam #48
    Marymon [Merryman], Mary Head F W 35 Widow 8 children/5 living MO NY AR No Occupation Owns
    Marymon [Merryman] [Andrews], Perry D Son M W 17 Single MO US MO Farm Laborer, Working Out
    Marymon [Merryman] [Lewis], Jissie [Jesse] Son M W 12 Single OK US MO Farm Laborer, Working Out
    Marymon [Merryman], Bengiman [Benjamin] Son M W 7 Single OK US MO
    Marymon [Merryman], Jewel Dau F W 4 Single OK US MO

    Mary is reported as a widow in this 1910 census.  But in 1911 another child, Beatrice Addie Merryman, was born.  If Walter Merryman died before 1910, who was her father?  Was she born out of wedlock?

    Walter's gravestone says he died in 1904, after the birth of Benjamin, but before the birth of Jewel, reported here as age 4, so born about 1906.  Who was Jewel's father?  Was she also born out of wedlock?

    Mary has family nearby.  This makes it less likely she would have "misbehaved" and had children with dropin men.  But maybe it happened.  Mary Merryman's parents are also enumerated on this page of the census, about 3 houses away.  Her brother John B Millus Jr lives 2 houses away, between Mary and their parents.

    1910 Federal Census, Latimer County, Oklahoma, 27 April, Damon Township, District 131, Page 3A, Hse #43, Fam #45
    Millus, John B Head M W 75 Married 47 yrs NY NY NY No Occupation Rents
    Millus, Ruth Wife F W 66 Married 47 yrs 7 children/7 living AR KY TN No Occupation
    Millus, Elad [?] Dau F W 27 Single MO NY AR
    Brown, Hariet [sic] Dau F W 39 Widow MO NY AR
    Brown, Pearl Granddau F W 11 Single OK AR MO
    Brown, Dolf Grandson M W 10 Single OK AR MO
    Brown, Harry C Grandson M W 7 Single OK AR MO

    1910 Federal Census, Latimer County, Oklahoma, 27 April, Damon Township, District 131, Page 3A, Hse #44, Fam #46
    Millus, John B Head M W 29 Marriage 2 Married 2 yrs MO NY AR farm Laborer Working Out Owns
    Millus, Cattie Wife F W 21 Marriage 2 Married 2 yrs 1 children/1 living AR US US No Occupation
    Millus, Gurtie Dau F W 11mos Single OK MO AR

    The 1920 census for Mary as a widow indicates she was married three times.  But it was actually four times, because her first son was listed by the enumerator with the same last name as her second son, Jesse Lewis.  Perry's father was named Andrews, as reported in the 1900 census.  Again in this census, Mary and her children are all reported as White, even though we know the Merryman children were on the Choctaw rolls with their father Walter in 1896-1904.

    Mary's first husband was named Andrews, her second was Charlie Lewis, the father of Jesse Lewis.  Four children named Merryman are listed from her third marriage.  She has one child from her fourth marriage, 6-year-old Jettie Reed.

    1920 Federal Census, Latimer County, Oklahoma, 5 January, Damon Township, District 87, Page 1B, Hse/Fam #13
    Reed, Mary Head Rents F W 46 Widow MO NY MO Farmer
    Lewis [Andrews], Perry Son M W 28 Single MO AR MO Farmer [b abt 1891]
    Lewis, Jessie Son M W 22 Single OK AR MO Farmer [b abt 1897]
    Merryman, Gabe Son M W 18 Single OK OK MO Farmer [b abt 1901]
    Merryman, Bennie Son M W 16 Single OK OK MO
    Merryman, Jewell Dau F W 14 Single OK OK MO
    Merryman, Addie Dau F W 8 Single OK OK MO
    Reed, Jettie Dau F W 6 Single OK OK MO

    In the 1930 census, her son Benjanmin is single and living in the household of his brother Gabe and wife Eva.  Both Gabe and Benjamin are reported as Indian, and Evan Merryman is reported as White.  All Gabe and Eva's children are reported as White, although the children are 1/64 Choctaw.  This indicates the political nature of the designation of race.  After the Dawes rolls were published, only those on the Choctaw rolls were designated as Indian, even if they were part Indian.

    But some enumerators, or some censuses, were not careful about that anyway, as indicate in the 1910 census above, where Mary and all her Indian children were all reported as White, although still living in the same place they were when they were listed as Choctaw, and as Gabe and Ben were in 1930 when listed as Choctaw.  Even Mary was a Choctaw citizen before the Nations were dissolved to assimilate in to the State of Oklahoma in 1907.

    No census record for Mary Merryman in 1930 has been found.

    1930 Federal Census, Latimer County, Oklahoma, 5 April, Bengal Village, District 39-12, page 1B, Hse/Fam #12
    Merryman, Gabe H Head Rents $2 No Radio Male Indian 29 Married at age 20 Oklahoma Mixed Blood Choctaw Tie Maker [b abt 1901]
    Merryman, Eva Wife F W 26 Married at age 17 Oklahoma Arkansas Missouri [b abt 1904]
    Merryman, Denver Son M W 6 Single OK OK OK [b abt 1924]
    Merryman, Oleeta Dau F W 4yrs4mos Single OK OK OK [b abt Nov 1925]
    Merryman, Jimmie G Son M W 9mos Single OK OK OK [b abt June 1929]
    Merryman, Benjamin Brother M W 27 Single Oklahoma Mixed Blood Choctaw Tie Maker [b abt 1903]

    Notes on Mary's memorial on Find a Grave report an earlier marriage than any of the ones discovered in records before, to a William J Hackley.  The notes and obituary included also report on her last husband, William M Dollison.  Note that in the obituary, her son Perry is referred to as Perry Lewis, rather than Perry Andrews (ref the 1920 census).  It may be that Perry decided at some time to go by that last name, not remembering his father Mr Andrews.

    ---------------------
    Mary C. Millus Dollison
    Birth Sep 29, 1873 Douglas County, Missouri
    Death Jul 4, 1947 Talihina, Le Flore County, Oklahoma

    Married 1st: William J Hackley
    2nd: Mr Andrews
    3rd: Charles T Lewis
    4th: Walter Green Merryman
    5th: William R Reed
    6th: William M Dollison

    Mrs. Mary Dollison passed away early Friday morning, July 4,1947, after a long illness. She was 73 years old and had been a resident of Bengal for many years before moving to Talihina last year. Funeral services were held at the Peachland Cemetery Sunday [July 6,1947] at 3:00 with Rev. Morgan in charge. Pallbearers were Dick Green, Cecil Kitchens, Vilson Redmill, Austin and George Blankenship.

    She is survived by her husband Bill Dollison, three daughters, Mrs.Vick Moore of Bengal, Mrs.Jewell Loomis of LeFlore, and Mrs.Addie Smith of California; two sons Jess Lewis of Texas and Perry Lewis of California.

    Parents:
    John Benjamin Millus (1835 - 1924)
    Ruth W Castelow Millus (1844 - 1920)
    Spouse William M Dollison (1870 - 1948)
    Son Benjamin Colbert Merryman (1903 - 1947)

    Siblings:
    Lum Millus (1865 - 1951) Half-sibling
    Hiram Boyd Millus (1867 - 1954)
    Harriet L Millus Brown (1870 - 1957)
    Martha Millus Standerfer (1875 - 1961) Half-sibling
    John B Millus (1880 - 1914)
    Margaret Elva Millus (1882 - 1927)

    Burial Peachland Cemetery, Bengal, Latimer County, Oklahoma

    Created by Donna Aug 09, 2009
    --  Find A Grave Memorial #40485159, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40485159
    ---------------------

Sources

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