Robert & All,
The Vaughan Cherokee Bloodline seems very factual to me. The book,
VAUGHAN PIONEERS: WILLIAM AND FEREBY VAUGHAN OF RUSSELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA
AND THEIR DESCENDANTS by Lewis E. Vaughan, c. 1979 has much to say about
this.
Incidently the book is currently available (reprinted) by Higginson Book
Company, P.O. Box 778, Salem, MA 01970
Ph. 508-745-7170
Page 8 of the book lists: William Vaughan, b. ca. 1750, reportedly in
Wales, d. between 1838-40 in N.W. Ark., m. ca. 1772 Fereby Benton, b. ca.
1750 in N.C., d. May 1850 in Madison Co., Ark.
The affidavits concerning Cherokee Blook are listed several times. Page
319 has an affidavit of John C. Calico (my direct ancestor) at Madison
Co., Arkansas, sworn & subscribed before J. H. Cummings, Notary Public on
11 May 1892. Witnesses are W. W. Tucker & M. C. Calico. Part of the
affidavit says this:
"In the matter of the claim of George W. Vaughan, for
citizenship or right in the Cherokee Nation, the affiant states as
follows: I am personally acquainted with George W. Vaughan,
and know him to be the son of Jackson Vaughan, shom I was
also acquainted with, and know him to be the son of Samuel
Vaughan, with whom I personally acquainted. I knew him to be
the son of Feriby Vaughan, who was my Grandmother, her
maiden name being Feriby Benton. She married William
Vaughan, my Grandfather. Feriby Benton was the daughter of
my Great Grandmother Benton whose maiden name was
Looney, who was Cherokee by blood.
"The affiant further states that Feriby Benton married
William Vaughan in the Old Cherokee Nation in Tennessee.
And Grandmother Vaughan told me or stated to me that her
mother was Cherokee by blood, whose maiden name was
Looney. I also heard Uncle Daniel Vaughan acknowledge to
the Cherokee blook in him to a man named Lowell in 1828, who
was selling goods at Cane Hill in Washington County which
was a Territory at that time."
On p. 319-321 are 2 depositions of Benjamin Vaughan who was
a first cousin of John C. Calico and reports basically the same
information.
Benjamin's 2nd deposition also adds this information:
"The deposition of Benjamin Vaughan taken at Post
office in the town of Hindsville, Madison County, Ark., on the
27th day of October A.D. 1892, to be read as evidence in an
action now pending in the Cherokee Council wherein Geo. W.
Vaughan is a claimant for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation.
"The deponent after being duly sworn according to law
deposes and says 'That his age is 77 years, that his post office
address is Clifty, Madison County, Arkakansas. He is
personally and well acquainted with the claimant and has been
all the lifetim of the said claimant. That I was raised by my
Grandparents, William Vaughan and Feriby Vaughan (Nee
Benton) and have heard my Grandfather talk to my Grandmother
about being a Cherokee Indian by blood a great many times.
And in fact is was a common talk in those days that my
Grandmother was a Cherokee Indian by Blood. I also became
acquainted with a Cherokee Indian in my boyhood who was in
the habit of visiting my Grandparents and who claimed to be a
cousin of my Grandmother. The Indian's name--Looney Tol-
lem-Tees-Key, and was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. That I
was a grown up man at the time I knew him. That I have often
heard the Roggers (John and James) say that the Vaughans
should have a right in the Cherokee Nation and old Capt. John
Roggers wanted the deponent to remain in the Cherokee Nation
while the deponent was there, for the reason that the Vaughans
were descendants of the Cherokee Indians by blood."
This was given before J. D. Bevers, Notary Public on 27
Oct. 1892.
Also on pages 231-240 is an entire chapter on William and
Fereby (Benton) Vaughan. Part of Benjamin Vaughan's affidavit
is again listed on pages 232-233.
Some records list Fereby's father as a James Benton (not
proven). She is also said to be the grandfather of one John
Looney who was active in Cherokee Indian affairs in the early
1800s, but he was not old enough to be her grandfather--he was
more of a contemporary.
Mention is made of John Vaughan who married Nancy Callicott
and also James Calico who married Elizabeth Vaughan.
The book is well-documented and a gold mine of information.
I've been trying to trace the Benton and Looney families for a few years
now, but with little success. There is much interest in Cherokee ancestry
here where I live in SW Missouri--not far from Oklahoma and NW Arkansas.
Benton and Looney are both well-known family names in this area.
Sincerely,
Glenn Gohr
Springfield, MO
ggohr01(a)mail.orion.org