Wesley Trahern

Notes for DELILAH BRASHEARS:

Notes by Teri Dimmett

Armstrong Roll- Choctaw Census 1830

Under Treaty 27 Sep 1830

Communicated to Senate 11 Apr 1834

Delila Brashears

50 acres cultivated

Family size- 7

Male over age 16- 1

Male & female under age 16- 4

Location- Suckenatcha

Total acres- 640

16 slaves

Remarks- she was married to David Wall since the Treaty, who is provided for in the Treaty

District- LaFlore

Delila Brashears

50 acres cultivated

Family size- 7

Male over age 16- 1

Male & female under age 16- 4

Location- 640

Remarks- she was married to David Wall since the Treaty, who is provided for in theTreaty

District- Mushulatubbe

The Trahern's

The first Trahern who apparently arrived in Mississippi was Wesley Traher n, who married Delilah Brashears, the daughter of Zadoc Brashears and Susa nna Vaughn on March 23, 1808 in Wilkerson County, MS. Delilah was one four th Choctaw. They had the following children, Wesley Brashears, William, Am elia, Letha, and George Washington Trahern. They settled near the lands he ld by Zadoc Brashears, and as such, were residences of Hinds County, MS wh en it was formed. Delilah died shortly after the birth of George Washingt on Trahern and Wesley married Agnes Turnbull, who was about 16 years ol d. Agnes, the daughter of William Turnbull and Judith Perry, was the grand daughter of John Turnbull. John Turnbull as believed by many researche r, is the legitimate father of Susanna Vaughn, which would make Agnes a nd Delilah Brashears half cousins. Wesley had the following children wi th Agnes Turnbull, Minerva and Gilbert. Wesley died around 1829, and Agn es then married Samuel Foster. In 1824, Wesley is found as a taxpayer of H inds County, MS, along with his nephew James Trahern JR., and his broth er William Trahern. The family settled in Pittsylvannia County, VA 1777, h aving lived in Prince George and Queen Anne County Parrish, MD prior to th at. Wesley's sister in law was Peggy's daughter Delilah Juzan who was marr ied to Jesse Brashears, and his son Wesley Brashears Trahern married Lu cy Juzan another of Peggy's daughters in 1829. Perhaps this is how she me t, and then had children with the man who has given her the last name of T rahern in history.

Although it has been published in many places, the two children of Peggy T rahern (listed as Trihan on the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek Supplemen t, Article 2), are not Amelia and Letha Trahern. If one reads the lette rs carefully, it is "of the opinion" of the writer (in the American Sta te Papers, Vol 7) that she is the mother of Amelia and Letha. William War d, although admittedly not the most reliable source, states unequivocabl y, that Peggy is in no way associated with Wesley Trahern, or either of h is wives. It could be assumed that she was not thought of favorably by Wil liam Ward by his tone.The names of "the two fatherless children," is easily found on the land scrip in which Peggy and her sons, Jeremiah a nd James N. Trahern sell their land to Harriet Sims approved in 1851. Jam es N. Trahern attended the Choctaw Academy with his two "cousins" Geor ge W. and William Trahern, and is listed in 1838 as being in attendanc e. In 1846, he and his wife Sarah Hall sign a writ of quit claim to sell t he land. When he immigrated to Skullyville County Indian Territory is unkn own. Jeremiah is found no where else, other than the deed, and where or wh en he died is unknown. Exactly who the father is of these two Trahern 's as of yet, is unproven, however, in 1812, James Trahan witnessed a de ed where Zadoc was selling or giving land to his daughter Ann. Also mentio ned is Wesley Trahan. He is again found in legal paperwork involving the B rashears in Louisianna in 1819, despite the fact he is listed in the cens us of 1820, it looks like he was indeed in the area at least part of t he time. It is also known that in 1831, James Trahern Sr. filed a prote st in court at Hinds County, MS over the way his younger brother William h andled the will of Wesley Trahern. Evidently, he was aware of what was occ uring with his brother's family, and could have met Peggy on a trip to vis it. The will of James Trahern Jr., Wesley Trahern and William Trahern a re as of yet unexamined, but may shed some more light on the matter. Curio usly enough, in Loretta Coppick's notes, Wesley Brashears, son of Delil ah Juzan Brashears, acknowledges "Jesse" Trahern as his cousin. There w as no Jesse Trahern of this family on record. Perhaps Jesse was misread, a nd it was Jerry Trahern, although he would have been the half Uncle to We sley, not a cousin.

William Trahern, the youngest son of the Trahern family, apparently ca me to Mississippi and shows up in records first in 1819. His son, Willi am Eustace Trahern wrote an autobiography in 1926, and the author was fort unate enough to receive a copy. According to the Autobiography, William w as in a fire in Virginia in 1811. William was appointed to handle the Choc taw Orphan Land allotments in 1831. In 1835 he married Mariah B. Traher n, daughter of Jesse Trahern, originally from Loudon Couny, VA, and lat er of Natchez, MS. In 1834 a marriage of a William Trahern to a Lucy L ee is found, but which William (he or his nephew, son of brother Wesley) t his is, of yet, remains unknown. William was named as being part of the co mpany of individuals who "misappropriated" land from some of the Choctaw s, this information can also be found in the American State Papers. Also n amed was the brother of F.E. Plummer, the man who represented Amelia, Leth a, (George) Washington, and Peggy Trahern in the letters to the governmen t. Unfortunately, it is noted, per testimony, that among the land that w as improperly "sold" was the land of his neices and nephews. William di ed $20,000 in debt in 1840, and his plantation was seized by creditors. Wh ether this debt relates to his land dealings is unknown. No Choctaw relati onships to William are proven, and his son acknowledges only one brothe r, also by Mariah Trahern, in his autobiography.

Purposefully omitted from any parent is Mary Trahern who married J.W.J. Mi nor in Hinds County, MS in 1826. While she could be the daughter of Wesl ey and Delilah Trahern, it cannot be ruled out that she is the neice of We sley, or the widow of his nephew, James Jr. who died at Wesley's home in 1 825. As no more information can be found at this time, it is necessa ry to not include her under any family.

The children of Wesley Trahern did not immigrate to Indian Territory, a nd it isn't until the late 1880's that any of the descendants of Wesley a re found there. William Trahern, his son, settled in Holmes County, upon h is death, his widow and thier children went to Indian Territory. Gilbert T rahern died in Mississippi, living in Tallihatchee County, MS. His sist er Minerva, marred to Josiah Metcalf also lived there, as did his mothe r, Agnes Turnbull. After his death, Gilbert's son Louis immigrated to Indi an Territory, apparently sometime in the 1870's to 1880's. At this time, f urther research of Minerva has not been attempted. Amelia and Letha marrie d, and have not been fully researched at this time, but clues on the daw es rolls suggest perhaps their children did try and get enrolled. George W ashington Trahern, after leaving the Choctaw Academy, fought in the Mexic an American War. He was given a land patent in California, and became a fo unding settler of what is now Stockton. He spent a brief time in Washingto n, D.C. before moving to California, and was evidently a great orator. (S ee Correspondance of the Choctaw Academy by Joe Goss.). None of his descen dants are on the Dawes Rolls, nor did they apply.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 16 2016, 4:07:18 UTC