Glenn-Tucker-Barnes Families

GLENN-TUCKER-BARNES FAMILIES
1846 to the U.S. Dept. of Indian Affairs
"Letter of Expulsion"

B.O. Roop
June 8, 2011

Robert Tucker was Taxed living in Elbert Co., Georgia from 1800-1805. It is believed that his son, Edward Tucker was born there. Robert Tucker next made Land Entry in Tennessee in 1809. Numerous Land Records are found in Lincoln County, TN by Robert Tucker. The first land record was dated in 1810 and he had signed with his large capital "R". Edward Tucker was enumerated in the 1820 Census in Lincoln Co., TN with one female in the family but no children. He was married to Margaret Glenn, and no record of their marriage has been found. It is from this union that I descend.

Edward Tucker was enumerated in the 1830 Census with his family in Haywood County, TN. He along with Brother in Law David Glenn owned land within two miles of each other in Yalobusha Co., Miss in Dec 1833; and another Land Record appears in Washington Co., Miss. in 1833. No record was found on Edward Tucker for the years of 1832 and 1836.

Edward Tucker and Margaret Glenn Tucker were Taxed living in Sugar Loaf Township, Carroll County, Arkansas in 1837, they continued to be taxed there thru 1845. A Doctor owned a Bear Oil Rendering Plant at the mouth of Bear Creek, where it empties into White River at the Missouri State Line. Working at this plant were 5 Rendering Plant Operators, 25 Bear Killers, 25 Barrell Makers and 5 Boat Operators. It is thought that Edward Tucker and son in law John Barnes were among the "bear killers".

David Glenn appears on the Tax List in 1838 with Edward Tucker in Sugar Loaf Township, Carroll County, Arkansas. David Glenn and wife Margaret Bookout are enumerated and taxed living in Upper Osage Township, near Carrollton, Carroll Co., Arkansas in 1840; about 25 miles to the southwest of Sugar Loaf Township. I descend from John Barnes and he married Mary Wells Tucker, daughter of Edward Tucker and Margaret Glenn Tucker about 1838-39. With no assets, they did not pay a Tax until 1841.

They are enumerated on the 1840 U. S. Census of Carroll County, Ark in Sugar Loaf Township. They are then joined by Robert Tucker and wife Elizabeth Glenn Tucker. Robert is the brother of Edward Tucker and Elizabeth is a sister to Margaret Glenn Tucker. They had been living near Turnback Creek in Polk/Dade County, Mo at the 1840 U. S. Census. They then moved 85-90 miles southeast to join the Edward Tucker family, and Robert Barnes, who had married their daughter Frances Tucker October 11, 1838 back in Polk County, Mo. Abigail Rogers Glenn, the mother of these girls was living with the Robert Tucker family at the 1840 Census in Dade/Polk County, Mo. She moved in with the Edward Tucker family to help care for her daughter Margaret. John Barnes and his wife Mary Wells Tucker Barnes owned one cow, valued at $10, and paid the State of Arkansas one penny (.01 cent) Tax, for the year 1841. John Barnes was B. 29 Aug. 1816, D. 27 July 1884; Mary Wells Tucker Barnes was born in Lincoln County, Tn. 16 Nov. 1822 and died about Nov 1911; his brother Robert Barnes was B. 1817, both born in Cole Co. Mo.

Edward Tucker continued to be taxed through 1845, his brother Robert Tucker continued to be taxed through 1847, and died later that year, at Sugar Loaf Township, Carroll Co, Ar.

Tucker Hollow Public Use area is in Sec. 16, Twp. 21N, Range 19W on Bull Shoals Lake, 18 miles northwest of Harrison, Boone Co., Arkansas. One and a half miles from the Missouri State Line in Arkansas.

As it happened, these are only two of the 5 GLENN sisters that married 5 TUCKER brothers. These 5 Tucker brothers had a sister, and the 5 Glenn sisters had a brother, that also married; so that makes 6 double cousins that married from these Glenn and Tucker families.

These families were scattered from So. Car., Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Texas and Arkansas. Abigail Rogers Glenn was one half Choctaw Indian descending from a full blood Choctaw woman named "Starnes"; said to have died in Mississippi in 1765.

They traveled by themselves, independent of Indian Agents and stopped along the way because of illness and deaths. Both Margaret and her mother Abigail Rogers Glenn died there on White River, while living in Sugar Loaf Township, Carroll County, Arkansas. Margaret died 3 months after her daughter Margaret Abigail Tucker was born April 17, 1841, it is thought Margaret Glenn Tucker's death was July 1841. Her mother Abigail was then taken "over the hill 3/4 mile" to the home of Robert and Elizabeth Tucker, an older daughter; where she died a few months later in 1842. She was then buried beside her daughter Margaret. The location of these graves is not known; and likely about one and half miles from the Missouri state line in Arkansas. Numerous trips were made trying to locate these graves without success. Robert Tucker was Taxed there in 1846 and again in 1847. It is thought that he died in late 1847; and was then buried in the "same graveyard" as Margaret Glenn Tucker and her mother Abigail Rogers Glenn. It is thought that the "old graveyard" was within 200 yards Northwest of Chaney Cemetery in Sec 8, Twp 21N, Range 19W.

A lengthy in depth story has been written about this area; and the 18 families living there at the 1840 U. S. Census; with Title of "Tucker's of Tucker Hollow". Tucker Hollow is identified on the U. S. Geological Topographic map by name in Section 16, Twp. 21N, Range 19W. Jan Cutsinger has included this in her book and typed over 1000 pages about these Families with title of "Descendants of JOHN AND ABIGAIL (ROGERS) GLENN AND ROBERT AND MARY TUCKER, Through 1920". Because of it's size, it is affectionately called "Big Book".

Edward Tucker then married Nancy D. Sorrels and with his new family, along with son John B. Tucker and his family, moved on in the Fall of 1845, after their crops were harvested. They traveled the 150 miles south, and joined the other families that had gone on ahead of them. This location is 25 miles south of Ft. Smith, Ark near Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Most of these families appear on the Tax List of Sugarloaf Township, Crawford County, Arkansas in 1846. Living near Sugarloaf Mountain and the Hartford, Ark area generally; where they were enumerated in the 1850 Census of Crawford County, Arkansas. They spoke of this area as 'Sugarloaf Valley'.

An Agriculture Census was done, at the Population Census in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 in Arkansas and Missouri. Listing the Head of the Family, showing the results of his labor. Each Farm has a number, this number also appears on the Population Census. The owner of the farm is listed and shows "G" for Government. This shows on Records in Arkansas and Missouri. This does not appear in Choctaw records.

Sebastian County was formed the following year of 1851. They had lived in Crawford County, Arkansas for 5 years, but now this area has become Sebastian County, Arkansas. There was some question as to the boundary line for Arkansas and Indian Territory. Greenwood was the location of the Sebastian Co., Courthouse, on land given by Mrs. Coker. The names of Glenn, Edward Tucker, John Barnes and Adam Chronister all appear by name in the Minutes of those first Sebastian County Commissioner's Meetings starting in April 1851.

These families settled on the line thinking they were in the Choctaw Nation. The survey of 1877 showed that some of these families were on the Arkansas side of the new Boundary Line, this boundary line went through John Barnes farm. John Barnes and a number of these families had already moved west 8 or 10 miles to Pocola, and joined others already there which placed them in Skullyville County, Choctaw Nation. Agency Order #13573 shows they were enumerated April 27, 1874. This Choctaw Census had noted the name of the person, number in his family, how many years in the Nation, the name of their Post Office. A notation in the right margin of this 1874 Choctaw Census shows, "Claims Citizenship" for all of the Glenn, Tucker and Barnes and some related families.

A letter to the Choctaw Council was dated September 20, 1870 by Sary Elizabeth Barnes, wife of Joseph Barnes and descending from Edward Tucker and Margaret Glenn Tucker.

A letter to the Choctaw Council by Catherine Glenn Cloninger dated February 28, 1877 was denied; and then followed by another letter from Sarah Elizabeth Tucker Barnes dated September 20, 1878 for consideration by the Choctaw Council, and it too was denied.

They then sent a petition to "the General Council of the Choctaw Nation assembled at Chata Tamaha Oct. 1880". They then went to the Union Agency at Muskogee with their petition and it is document #12642 dated July 17, 1881. This petition is by 10 grandchildren of Abigail Rogers Glenn, who was a half breed Choctaw Indian. Their Claim for Citizenship---"was by virtue of descent from Abigail Rogers Glenn—one half Choctaw woman; and daughter of a full blood Choctaw woman named 'Starnes' said to have died in Misssissippi in 1765". Named were Mary Barnes, Peggy Tucker, Joseph B. Tucker, Sarah Barnes, Edward Tucker, George Tucker, Margaret Edmonson, Jackson Glenn, Robert Tucker, Kizzy Hughs.

J. F. McCurtain had organized a Regiment of Choctaws and Chickasaws for the Southern Confederacy in the Civil War, and he was spoken of as a 'Rabid Rebel'. One of his first orders was that "all white people will now get out of the Indian Nation". Our people had been there since 1846 and contended they were part Choctaw, "by virtue of descent from Abigail Rogers Glenn". J. F. McCurtain called them white people.

The North (Union) won the Civil War. The Government agents, once again, were telling the Indian Tribes what they had to do. The Creeks had ordered all Black people to get out of their Territory. The Bureau of Indian Affairs over-ruled this and issued an order that all of the 5 Civilized Tribes, (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek and Seminole) had to accept all their "black" people; now 'Freedmen' into their tribes. They would be entitled to the same "rights and benefits" as the Indian. The 16,227 Choctaws 'By Blood' now had to accept 6,019 Black Freedmen as Choctaws. It was in this 'atmosphere' that the Glenn¬Tucker-Barnes families were trying to "press their claim", that they too were Choctaws.

A number of Choctaws were dis-satisfied with things in the Choctaw Nation as related by a news paper article that appeared in the Hackett City, Arkansas newspaper,,,,,"The New Era" Aug 31, 1881 in a column called "Hackett City Hash"......."Dozens of "McCurtain Refugrees" are passing through this place leaving the Choctaw Nation. We are informed that quite a number of prominent Choctaws have left the Nation and bought land in this state, claiming they can't endure McCurtain's rule".......and now, here are those 'pesky' Glenn Tucker-Barnes families contending that they were Choctaws and being denied land in the Choctaw Nation.

The Glenn-Tucker-Barnes families had been harrassed so much that a "Protection Order" was issued by the Federal Court in Ft. Smith Jan. 10, 1882. 23 people were named; Edward W. Tucker, senior, Robert Tucker, Joseph Tucker, Edward Tucker, Jr., John Barnes, Polley Barnes, Salley Barnes, Margaret Tucker (widow of Jackson B. Tucker), Lee Edmeston, Margaret Edmeston, Lindsey Williams, Mary Williams, James Tucker, Jane Adams, Matilda Ann Smedley, William Smedley, Elizabeth Smedley, Frances Barnes, Joseph Barnes, Charley Glenn, James Hulsey, Edward Barnes, Nat Parkinson.

Chief J. F. McCurtain sent in a list of "Intruders" in the Choctaw Nation that he wanted removed; and added in his letter that "some of those that were removed in 1881 have returned", (in some cases this had broken up marriages). This letter was dated December 22, 1882 and had 2290 names and 557 freedmen; 9 of the 16 Counties of the Choctaw Nation reported. Gaines County (Wilburton area) did not report. All of the Glenn-Tucker-Barnes families were listed.

There were 5 Land Runs in Oklahoma Territory starting April 22, 1889, and by 1900 brought in 350,000 settlers and many did not get land and they 'appealed' to Congress to make land available to them. There were so many settlers; who were 'Citizens'; that the tribes were overwhelmed. Congress created the Dawes Commission; and they had to decide "who was Indian, and who was not".

This was a monumental task and the problems that the Commissioner enumerating the Creek Tribe had; pretty well sums it up for all Tribes. He had been working two years to compile the list. One Klan Leader could not think of all of his people, and told the Commissioner that he would have to take the list home with him and bring it back next week. He did and listed all of his people that he wanted—but.......he had scratched all of the names of those that had been enumerated already; that he did not approve of. The letter to his superiors said it all......."I have worked for two years compiling this list of Creeks for the Dawes Roll and must say that I am no farther along, than when I started two years ago......."

This effort was started in 1898 and was to be completed by 1906. The Glenn-Tucker-Barnes families filled out the required "Census Cards". They were heard by the Dawes Commission and approved; and their 'Census Card' was sent to the Chief and Choctaw Tribal Council. The Cards were denied, and then returned to the Dawes Commission. They called the applicant in again, and heard their appeal a second time; then returned the Census Card to the Choctaw Council for reconsideration. The Chief and Council denied it again. Further appeals then had to go to the Choctaw-Chickasaw Citizenship Court in South McAlester. All of these families did that; and all of the letters, statements, depositions, testimony, including Trial Records of the past 25 years were required to be presented to the Central District U.S. Court at South McAlester, including the 'Census Card' for each family. These "Census Cards" have not been found among the many records found so far. The name of the parents of every person on the Card would have been shown.

There were 57 law suits brought by these people, descending from Abigail Rogers Glenn. This overwhelmed the Court and by mutual agreement it was decided that all would be bound by the decision of the Joseph B. Glenn vs Choctaw Nation case.

Case #61 shows December Term of Court 1898
Case #75----Jan 13, 1899
Case #76----Jan 13, 1899
Case #93 Judgment Mar 20, 1903
Case #119M Certification of Appeal 20 March 1903
Case #119 Decree of the court 20 Oct 1904

Jan Northland and her sister Jeanette purchased this roll of film from the Ft. Worth Branch of National Archives and gave it to the Glenn Tucker Cousins Association, Box 52, Wilburton, Ok. 74578

Sue Clark and her friend Tressie, who is a Volunteer at Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City; found a large box of these old Records, Statements, Testimonies; and Sue Clark transcribed these Documents and she and Jan Cutsinger have placed them in a large Binder called CC 7 and CC 30. This book can be purchased from the Glenn-Tucker Cousins Association, Box 52, Wilburton, Ok 74578.

This last appeal by the Court at Tishomingo was handed down to these people and was dated October 20, 1904, they had been there since 1846. They lost their appeal, and do not appear on the Dawes Roll and did not get an allotment because of this. Many of the original Petitioners from 1870 were deceased and decendants now number in the thousands.

Mr. Atkins was the Commissioner of Indian Affairs; and stated in his Letter of Expulsion. "they are of Indian Blood, undoubtably part Choctaw".......

Oklahoma became a State November 16, 1907. The State assumed jurisdiction over all of the tribes, and people in the State. All orders of the Tribes became 'moot'. Allotments were made or were being made to those listed on the Dawes Roll. Some Choctaws and Freedmen had rather have "cash" and sold their allotments as soon as they got them. A small plot (allotment) might be 'bottom land' along a creek, and another larger plot up on the Mountain. Some of the best and most valuable bottom land sold for $10 dollars an acre.

To survive a family had to have one milch cow, one brood sow, 50 chickens, a hive of bees, and grow some cane to make sorgum, regardless of who owned the land. The Agriculture Census at 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 listed the number of acres "improved", and number of acres "unimproved", in the farm. A big "G" was shown as 'Owner', to designate 'Government'.

The Glenn, Tucker, Barnes families bought their farms over the area from Hartford, Ar, to McAlester, Ok; and the area generally where they had lived since 1846. The land they farmed and lived on all these years had been shown on the Agriculture Census with 'Owner' shown as "G", for Government. Now they will buy their farms, and they can be shown as the Owner with a big "0" as Owner, instead of a "G" Some bought from an allottee and some bought from the Choctaw Nation.

Edward Tucker was said to have died in 1883.
John Barnes died July 27, 1884 (Widow: Mary Wells Tucker Barnes). J. F. McCurtain died Nov. 9. 1885, and many others died before the final Judgement.

B.O. Roop
June 8, 2011