Miller Application # 326

William Catherine Betterton Nee Henson

Grove, Oklahoma

(Applicant claims through father, George Thomas Henson, enrolled, Chapman # 1313. Grandfather, William, Chapman # 1307, Joseph, Chapman # 1302 is a brother to George Thomas Henson. See Misc. Test. P. 2669).

Commissioner of Indian Affairs

Washington, D. C.Sir:

I hereby make application for such share as me be due me of the fund appropriated by the Act of Congress approved June 30, 1906, in accordance with the decrees of the Court of Claims of May 18, 1905, and May 28, 1906, in favor of the Eastern Cherokees. The evidence of identity is herewith subjoined.

1. State Full Name:

English Name- William Catherine Betterton

Indian Name- have none

2. Residence- 7 miles South of Grove, Indian Territory

3. Town and Post Office- Grove

4. County: Cherokee Nation

5. State: Indian Territory

6. Date and Place of Birth: In Flint District, Cherokee Nation in 1881

7. By what right do you claim to share? If you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each claim separately:

Joe Henson

William Henson

Boot Henson

George Thomas Henson (my father)

8. Are you married? Yes

9. Name and age of wife or husband- B. J. Betterton, 45 years 10. Give names of your father and mother, and your mother’s name before marriage-

Father- English name- George Thomas Henson (Chapman # 1313)

Indian name- Had none

Mother- English name- Mary Carden Henson

Indian name- Had none

Maiden name- Mary Carden

11. Where were they born? Father-East of the Mississippi River; Mother-East of the Mississippi River

12. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time ? Father-North Carolina; Mother-North Carolina

13. Date of death of your father and mother? Father-about 1895; Mother-1896

14. Were they ever enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where-

I suppose they participated in the payment of 1852, known as the Eastern Cherokee payment.

15. Name all your brothers and sisters, giving ages, and if not living, give date of death-

1. James Henson about 25 years old d.

2. Alice Henson about 1898 d.

3. Jack Henson about 1897 d.

4. Arlie Henson about 28 years old d.

5. Josie Henson d. in 1905

6. Terrel Henson d. about 1903

7. Mary Muskogee Henson about 27 years old d.

8. Tennessee Henson about 25 years old d.

9. Boot Henson d. 1895

10. Wash Henson about 17 years old d.

11. Virginia M. Henson about 16 years old d.

16. State English and Indian name of your grandparents on both father’s and mother’s side, if possible-

Father’s Side Mother’s Side

I don’t know my grandparents on either side.

* Richard Henson and Peggie

*-There is a side note here that it is probably William Henson and see 12231, which is Wash Henson’s miller application number.)

17. Where were they born? Do not know

18. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time? If living, they were in North Carolina

19. Give names of all their children, and residence, if living; if not living, give dates of deaths

English name - Joe Henson d. about 1901; Indian name - Had none; Residence -

English name - William Henson been dead about 20 years; Indian name - ; Residence -

English name - Boot Henson died about 18 years ago; Indian name - ; Residence -

English name - George Thomas Henson (my father); Indian name - died about 1895; Residence -

English name - Sis Henson Crow *(This is Margaret); Indian name - about 60 years of age; Residence - Lives near Tahlequah, IT

Have you ever been enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where - Drawn all Cherokee payments since 1881

21. To expedite identification, claimant should give the full English and Indian names, if possible, of their paternal and maternal ancestors back to 1835.

I was unable to ? to answer above question.

REMARKS

(Under this head the applicant may give additional information that he believes will assist in proving his claim).

Please observe that the Henson family should (?) on the J. D. Chapman Roll made in 1851 for the payment

of the Eastern Emigrant Cherokees in the East at that time.

Note: Answers should be brief but explicit: the words ‘yes’ , ‘no’, and ‘unknown’ may be used in cases where applicable. Read the questions carefully.

I solemnly swear that the foregoing statements made by me are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed: William Catherine Betterton

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of September, 1906

Signed: ADN Coffedyl

Notary Public

________________________________________________________________

AFFIDAVIT

(The following affidavit must be sworn to by two or more witnesses who are well acquainted with the applicant.)

Personally appeared before me John Moore and C. F. Walker , who being duly sworn, on oath depose and say that they are well acquainted with William Catherine Betterton , who makes the foregoing application and statements, and have known her for 5 years and 3 years, respectively, and know her to be the identical person she represents herself to be, and that the statements made by her are true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and they have no interest whatever in her claim.

Witnesses Signatures:

John Moore

C. F. Walker

Subscribed and sworn to before me on this 18th day of September, 1906

ADV Coffedyl

Notary public

________________________________________________________________

Letter inserted in Miller application # 326-

P. 2669

William Catharine Betterton being first duly sworn deposes and says:

My name is William Catherine Betterton. My number on the Dawes Commission is # 189. I was born in Flint District, and I am 26 years old. I claim my Cherokee blood through my father, and his name was George Thomas Henson. He is dead. He has been dead about 13 or 14 years. He was about 56 years old at the time of his death. He was born in North Carolina, I think. I don’t know where he was living in 1851. I made a mistake he was born in Tennessee and then moved to North Carolina. He was married in Tennessee and then went to North Carolina. I am not the oldest child. The oldest child was Alice Henson. I could not tell you how old she is. She was 33 or 34 years old when she died. I don’t know when my parents were married. Four of the children were born East. My father’s father name was George. It seems to me he said his father was named George Boudinot. I never hear my grandmother’s name. I never heard any other name for my grandfather. I had an uncle Joseph Henson, who had a daughter named Margaret and one name Mollie. (See Chapman 1302 and 1304) I do not claim any Indian blood through my mother. Al Hollins whose postoffice address is Gore, Oklahoma, and John Chandler whose postoffice address is Fairland, Oklahoma, knew my father well. John Chandler was my schoolteacher. Mrs. John Crow, whose postoffice address is Tahlequah, Oklahoma would know about my case. George Blair # 27026 and Thomas Blair # 1050 are my cousins and claim through the same source as I do. Lizzie Blair, # 5379. These people are the children of Thomas Blair, and Thomas Blair was the nephew of my father.

William Littlejohn of Sallisaw knew my father well.

Signed: William Catharine Betterton

Troy Avant. See # 31186-1/2 is my Deceased sister’s son

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Grove, Oklahoma on this 8th day of September, 1908.

Signed: Guion Miller

________________________________________________________________

Special Commissioner

U. S. Court of Claims

Letter inserted in Miller Application # 326-

County of Delaware

State of Oklahoma

Grove

November 29th, 1907

Application # 326-

Personally appeared before me a notary public in and for said County and State, William Catharine Betterton to me well known and entitled to credit who after being duly sworn declares as follows:

"My age is 25 years. I do not know whether my mother or father were ever enrolled on the Eastern Emigrant Rolls. My father was a Cherokee. My mother a white woman. My father died when I was 13 years of age. My mother died when I was 14 years of age. I never heard them say that is my father, about any emigrant money. I did hear him say several times that he was no Old Settler, and I know he did not draw any Old Settler money. I did hear him say that he came with the Eastern Emigrants. My fathers name was George Thomas. My father’s mother came to this country with him, and died here before I was born. I heard her name was Alie but I am not sure of it . On my mother’s side-Grandfather name Alford Cardin. Grandmother Artie Cardin. My aunt, my father’s sister, her name is Sis Crow, she did live at Tahlequah. I have not heard from her for two years.

Signed: William C. Betterton

The within affidavit subscribed and sworn on this 29th day of November, 1907

Signed: T. S. Ramson?

Notary Public

________________________________________________________________

GROUPED WITH------

12231 - Wash Henson

31186 ½ - Troy Avant

12230 - James Henson

27026 - George Blair

5379 - Lizzie Blair (This Miller App.# is for Lizzie Blair nee Downing, wrong number, should be # 27239, Elizabeth T. Dyer nee Blair, daughter to Thomas Blair)*

1050 - Thomas Blair

20181 - Tennessee Collins nee Henson

Father: George Thomas Henson, Chapman Roll, 1851 # 1313-Cherokee County, NC near Murphy as George Henson - 9 yrs.

Grandfather: William Henson, Chapman Roll, 1851 # 1307-Cherokee County, NC near Murphy- as William Henson - 56 yrs. (HH)

Uncle Joseph Henson, Chapman Roll, 1851, # 1302, Cherokee County, NC-Murphy as Joseph Henson-31 yrs. (HH)

Transcribed by Catherine Widener, 2002

William Catharine Betterton nee Henson

Dawes Roll # 189, Census Card # 52

¼ Cherokee

*Transcriber notes:

In the Misc. Test. P. 2669, above, it seems to me that Thomas Blair is the cousin to her father, not the nephew to her father.