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Thought I would let ya all know that I have finally been able to place what
William this.
I just received a response to a posting on genforum about Wm Chunn b. abt
1842 living with Anna Coleman in the 1850 census. By all rights I had him
as the s/o Berryman Chunn & Arty Coleman. I was able to get confirmation
last night from an email received as well as a copy of his - Wm's -
tombstone. The following article circulated last year is about William
Chunn s/o of Berryman & Arty Chunn. He moved out to Oklahoma it appears with
some of the Colemans. He married Nancy Ann McCarty who was 1/2 Choctaw.
Her father Robt. M. McCarty had married a Choctaw woman in Miss & moved
west. This information is in the article below. I figured I would share my
find & circulate it around. I don't know about ya'll, but I am always happy
to tie up loose ends & not have stuff floating around wondering who it
belongs too.
>From: NMW31949(a)aol.com
>Reply-To: CHUNN-L(a)rootsweb.com
>To: CHUNN-L(a)rootsweb.com
>Subject: [CHUNN] William CHUNN mentioned in the Chronicles of Oklahoma
>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 17:13:50 EST
>
>Chronicles of Oklahoma
>Volume 4, No. 2
>June, 1926
>PERRYVILLE AT ONE TIME REGULAR MILITARY POST.
>
>By J. Y. Bryce
>
>Page 184
>
>Not many people now living in the neighborhood of McAlester are aware that
>at
>one time the little village just south of them about five miles, now known
>as
>Cameron, was a Confederate military post of some importance as well as a
>depot of supplies from which the Confederate forces while in operation in
>Indian
>Territory received supplies. Perryville, at that time was one of the most
>important centers in the country, located as it was on the old military
>road from
>Fort Gibson and Fort Smith to the northeast, and Fort Washita and Fort
>Arbuckle
>on the southwest; which at that time was one of the very few highways
>leading
>through the Indian Territory. At this place the road forked, one branch
>going
>west and south, passing through Stonewall and on to Cherokee town, located
>on
>the Washita River east of Pauls Valley, then by the forts and on into
>Texas;
>the other branch taking a southeasterly course, intercepted the old
>military
>road near Isaac Colbert place on Brushy Creek leading from Fort Smith to
>Stringtown and Boggy Depot and on to Fort Washita and Fort Arbuckle and
>into Texas.
>Over this road a great many men of distinction have traveled, and made
>Perryville their stopping place for the night. Perryville was then a stage
>stand,
>boasting a Government blacksmith shop, Post Office, with more than a half
>dozen
>business firms, and a little log school house used as occasion demanded for
>church purposes as well as for Choctaw court purposes. This place was at
>one
>time, possibly for sixty or ninety days, the Choctaw capitol. This
>statement can
>hardly be substantiated now, but it is a fact nevertheless, that during a
>squabble as to who had been elected chief, one contending faction, I have
>forgotten
>which, moved the records to Perryville and set in motion the affairs of the
>Nation. The other faction won, and the capitol was moved to Doaksville.
>Perryville had the distinction of being a district and county court town
>for a number
>of years. The writer has often witnessed the High Sheriff, Wm. Chunn, who
>was
>merchant and Postmaster, convening court by crying, "Hear ye, hear ye, the
>honor-
>
>Page 185
>
>able court of Tobusky County is now in session." At this place, near the
>close of the war, the Confederates were defeated in an engagement of a few
>hours
>duration, in which several were killed on both sides and a considerable
>number
>wounded.
>
>These old military trails could tell some wonderful history if they could
>only make audible what they have witnessed in the by-gone years. During an
>engagement in 1864 the Confederates were repulsed and driven out of the
>post by the
>Federals, who after appropriating as much of the supplies as they were able
>to
>carry, fired the buildings, leaving the women and children homeless and the
>Confederates impoverished. A few days before the Federals had destroyed the
>supplies at old North Town, located on the North Canadian River near where
>Eufaula now stands. Their only other supply base was at Boggy Depot,
>located near
>where the Delaware Creek empties into Boggy Creek, and about two miles from
>the
>present location of Bogy Depot. My understanding is that the Federals
>failed
>to reach this base of supplies, as they were not able to get farther south
>than
>the immediate territory of Perryville. Not many months ago the writer in
>conversation with an old Confederate soldier, who was then living in
>Pittsburg,
>Pittsburg County, pointed out the place on the mountain southeast of
>Perryville,
>where he with others did picket duty. There were three military trails
>leading into Perryville, one from Fort Smith, via Skullyville (first known
>as
>Choctaw Agency), one from Fort Gibson, via old Fisher town, on the North
>Canadian,
>north side, thence by North Town on the south side of North Canadian, both
>places near the confluence of the two Canadians, continuing south, passing
>through
>the section of country where the towns of Canadian, Reams and McAlester are
>now located. The third one came in from the southeast, being a branch of
>the
>old military road from Fort Smith, via Skullyville, the Wade Hampton place
>on
>Toll Mountain, near where Wilburton is now located, in Latimer County,
>thence on
>by Johnson, near the Isaac Colbert place on Brushy Creek, where it, forked,
>one branch leading northwest, crossing Bald Mountain, passing on by Blue
>Springs and Picket Mountain, mentioned above, and into Perryville, thus
>connecting
>these three roads.
>
>Page 186
>
>Two Confederate soldiers, wounded in the battle at Perryville, were cut off
>from their company and trying to make their way to some place where they
>could
>have their wounds dressed, spent a short while at the Blue Springs, and
>then
>trying to cross over the Bald Mountain so as to get south on the road
>leading
>to Boggy Depot where they expected to get food and medical assistance. One
>died, the other built a rock wall around him, in the absence of any tools
>with
>which to dig. Here his body rested secure from the wolves and vultures
>until his
>bones bleached. Curious white men afterwards tore the wall down and removed
>most of the bones. Blue Springs was somewhat of a noted place, as the
>Confederate forces rested there for some time after losing their supplies
>at Perryville
>and North Town. The little place, mentioned above as Johnson, got its name
>from George Johnson, a noted Choctaw Indian, who was considered the worst
>man in
>the country at that time. He had killed several men and was always on the
>lookout for some one else to kill. I have listened to several men, in
>conversation
>as to characters in the community, and heard them say that George Johnson
>was
>the only man that they were really afraid of, as be seemed not to have any
>regard for human life whatever. Mr. Johnson had at different times as many
>as a
>dozen wives, and at one time he swapped wives with another man, giving as a
>difference between the two, a pen of corn shucks and an old side saddle.
>
>One of the notable places on this old road was that of John Penn Rodgers, a
>place about ten miles south of the Bald Mountain. At this place Mr. Rodgers
>had
>settled at an early day, putting in quite a farm and buildings for that
>day,
>a fine home, and a country store, from which supplies were bought by the
>Choctaws and the few whites in the community. At this place one of the
>early-day
>Post Officers was established. Mr. Rodgers was a Cherokee, but married a
>Choctaw
>woman by the name of Miss Garland, who was a graduate of some female
>school,
>and was a splendid musician, having the only piano in the country for a
>number
>of years. At this place Mr. Rodgers had secured a right from the Choctaw
>Government to put in a toll bridge, across a tributary to McGee Creek,
>which was a
>source of considerable revenue to the family.
>
>Page 187
>
>Rev. W. F. Folsom, of whom mention was made in the last number of
>Chronicles,
>used to preach at nearly all the points along this old military road; the
>Colbert community, and the Rodgers settlement were both on his circuit as
>pastor
>or interpreter for the presiding elder. The Rodgers family were Methodists,
>and their home was a regular stopping place for the preachers of those
>early
>days. Several good protracted meetings have been held in that locality
>where the
>entertainment was, mostly, in the Rodgers home. Such families as the
>Staples
>and Gathers, who lived for several years on Rodgers’ farm, were good
>entertainers on those camp-meeting occasions. A Rev. John Mann, a Methodist
>divine of
>some renown, used to make this neighborhood in his rounds on the Perryville
>circuit Relating some of the experiences of the early day missionary may
>not be
>out of place just here, showing some of the things with which they had to
>contend. Toll bridges were the order of the day, provided a stream large
>enough
>could be found across which to build one. If not, sometimes they would
>ditch
>around in such a way as to make it impossible for a wagon to pass other
>than on the
>bridge. A Mr. Johnson, not George above referred to, had built such a one
>across Peaceable Creek, near Perryville, on the old military road running
>directly south. Across this bridge Rev. Mann was necessarily forced to go.
>Mrs.
>Johnson was a member of the Methodist church, and a member of Rev. Mann’s
>flock.
>Coming in one day from a long, hard day’s travel, crossing the bridge and
>coming
>on up to the residence of Mrs. Johnson, he was met by the good sister who
>asked him for ten cents, the price charged for man and horse crossing the
>bridge.
>In reply to her request for the money, Rev. Mann said: "Mrs. Johnson, you
>would not charge me for crossing on the bridge would you, as I am your
>pastor?"
>She replied: "Yes, I know you are my pastor, and I should not charge you,
>but I
>use snuff and am out and have no money with which to buy it and this ten
>cents will get me a box of snuff." He paid the fee and rode on, afterward
>relating
>the circumstance with some relish. Brother Mann would frequently spend
>several days in our home in Perryville. A few months before the annual
>Conference
>was to convene, I remember that he wrote to his wife, who was in Arkansas,
>asking her to make him a suit
>
>Page 188
>
>of clothes, out of the blackest black sheep’s wool in his flock, for the
>Conference. That meant that Mrs. Mann was, no doubt, to shear the wool,
>card and
>spin and weave it into cloth with her own hands, then cut by guess and fit
>him
>for Conference. I wonder how many of our preachers of today would be
>satisfied
>to wear such a suit to an annual Conference.
>
>Some of the persons who were residents of the village in that early period
>were Wm. Chunn, Postmaster, high sheriff, merchant and general banker for
>the
>community; his brother-in-law, Dr. D. M. Hailey, was the country doctor;
>Thomas
>Ryan, also a brother-in-law, was bookkeeper and clerk; Joe Ryan, brother of
>Thomas, was the village school teacher; Mr. John Dawson, who was afterwards
>a
>brother-in-law of Win. Chunn, was the blacksmith with a Mr. Henry Norman as
>assistant; and the writer’s mother was keeping the wayside Inn, feeding
>the
>general public. Wm. Chunn, Thomas Ryan, D. M. Hailey and John Dawson were
>all
>son-in-law of Robt. M. McCarty, whose residence was a few miles west of
>Fort Smith
>on the old military road leading out of Fort Smith to Perryville. Mr.
>McCarty
>married a Choctaw woman in Mississippi and came west with them. These
>families
>were all leading families of the Choctaw Nation. Many of their descendants
>are
>among the first families of our state today.
>
>At Perryville I first saw the Choctaw Government inflict punishment for law
>violation. I recall one instance in which two Choctaws were convicted for
>some
>offense against the Government and were sentenced to be whipped. This was
>done
>by first removing all garments from the waist up, then they were taken to a
>tree and made to stand with their breasts next to the tree, when two men,
>one
>each taking hold of the hand of the prisoner, would hold him close to the
>tree
>while a third would administer the punishment. As I remember now there were
>five men who did the whipping, one would give ten strokes then another
>would
>give ten until fifty, minus one, had been administered. I recall that a man
>by
>the name of Impson, who was a prisoner awaiting trial, one day broke jail
>and a
>man by the name of Alex—who was part negro and deputy sheriff made a run
>for
>him and overtaking him in a flat near by, fired three shots, killing him
>
>Page 189
>
>instantly. My father was called by the sheriff to bring his wagon and haul
>him in. The man Impson, who was killed, had killed twelve men, and the
>negro
>deputy had killed eleven, and the killing of Impson made an even dozen for
>him. I
>remember how the man Alex would laugh and tell how he shot him and how the
>fleeing man would beg him not to shoot; the negro seemed to take the whole
>thing
>as a huge joke.
>
>Another little incident shows western life in an early day. As has been
>said,
>mother kept the wayside Inn, and everyone wishing meals served came to her.
>On one occasion a man by the name of Tandy Walker, who was himself somewhat
>of
>an outlaw, a deputy under Wm. Churn, came to the house about noon and asked
>for meals to be served to himself and about a half dozen prisoners, who
>were
>chained and hand-cuffed. Tandy himself being about half or two-thirds
>intoxicated, his request was so violent and rude that mother positively
>refused to serve
>them, whereupon Mr. Walker began to curse and male threats. Dinner was just
>ready to be served to the family and mother had a kettle of boiling water
>on the
>stove, to which she turned and pouring out a stewpan full, turned to the
>boisterous man and ordered him from the house. Not seeing the hot water at
>first,
>he repeated his threat and said: "This is a public eating house and I will
>have my men fed." Mother made a start to throw the hot water in his face
>when he
>took the hint and left. He told Mr. Chunn what he had experienced and Mr.
>Chunn said: "You should have had better sense than to have gone there in
>the
>absence of Mr. Bryce, in your drunken condition and made demands for
>dinner; she
>should have thrown the water in your face."
>
>Perryville was named for the man who first had a store in the place, a Mr.
>Perry, who had a Government commissary prior to the war, and during the
>war,
>settled there in an early day. Located as it was on the main thoroughfare
>leading
>from Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas on the north and east, to Texas and
>Mexico
>on the south and southwest, made it a very important commercial center. Mr.
>Perry amassed quite a fortune before his death, which occurred just prior
>to
>the rebellion of the Southern states. Mr. Perry was buried about four
>hundred
>yards from where his place
>
>Page 190
>
>of business was located; there is nothing left there now to mark his
>resting
>place, but when the writer lived in the town, it was tolerably well kept,
>the
>method being used by the Indians of an early day, that of building a small
>house and covering the same with clab boards.
>
>About the time of Mr. Perry’s death, a Mr. Osborn Fisher, became
>proprietor
>of the business, continuing stage accommodations, and the Post Office,
>which
>had been established February 24, 1841, with John F. Houston as post
>master. The
>evidences all go to show that the post office was in the old Perry business
>house and that it was continued in the building after Mr. Fisher took
>charge.
>This is no doubt the same building in which Wm. Chunn conducted a general
>business for many years, until the Katy Railroad built through and the town
>of
>McAlester was established. At the time the railroad was built through the
>Territory, Wm. Chunn was post master at Perryville. The year 1875, Mr.
>Chunn closed
>out his business at Perryville, and moved his family on to a cattle ranch
>six
>miles to the southeast, where lie had wonderful success as a ranchman; here
>he
>remained until the time of his death which was about the year 1880 or 1881.
>His
>son William R., still lives in the immediate vicinity of the ranch.
>
>Mr. O. Fisher left Perryville, according to our best information, about the
>close of the war and settled in McGee Valley, where he conducted a large
>mercantile business in connection with extensive cattle interests which he
>maintained for many years. The Fisher family made their home in Tishomingo
>after
>leaving Perryville; there both Mr. Fisher and his wife died and are buried.
>McGee
>Valley is one of the finest sections of the Choctaw Nation, and is located
>south
>and east of the old military road, mentioned above, passing by the Isaac
>Colb
>ert place on Brushy and on down by the John P. Rodgers place. On this O. F.
>ranch were some of the best cattle and horses raised in Indian Territory.
>Three
>daughters of the Fisher family are living two of them Mrs. Flemming, and
>Mrs.
>Ben Colbert, in Tishomingo, and Mrs. H. L. Muldrow, in Norman.
>
>While Perryville has lost its identity, it has not lost any of the romance
>for those who were associated with it in an early day. There is a piece of
>masonry remaining intact in
>
>Page 191
>
>the well that is of considerable interest to the writer; it is just as it
>was
>when we used to draw water out of the well, with an old sweep more than
>fifty
>years ago. On a visit to the old place some days ago we noticed that the
>stone walk leading from the kitchen to the well was torn up by the trees
>that had
>grown there since my time in the little village. Some of these trees were
>as
>large as a man’s body. We were want to say on gazing on the old site in
>the
>language of the poet:
>
>"Lives there a man with soul so dead,
>Who never to himself hath said,
>This is my own, My native land."
>
>J. Y. BRYCE
>
>
>==== CHUNN Mailing List ====
>Wrinkles don't hurt.
>
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