Cookson Hills
This was hand written by William Ballard about 1935
This was hand written by William Ballard about 1935 I would
like to relate a few facts about the Cookson Hills and the Cookson family
as the newspapers of the country have impressed the minds of the people
that the Cooksons were full of a band of bandits and that everybody that
resided anywhere near to were either bandits or were ready to harbor and
bandit that came along. First, I will begin with the Cookson family. First
there were Joseph Cookson who were of English birth who came to America
with his mother at the age of about five years old in the year of about
1805. He who drifted about until about twenty years of age then married
into the Cherokee tribe. His wifes maiden name were Hilderbrand. They were
married while they were still living in North Carolina and Tennessee. They
came with the first emigrants. Old Joseph's mother were a cook on the ship
that brought them across the ocean to America and the ships crew just called
the boy, Joe, the cook's son, and that is how he got the name of Cookson.
Well, after arriving here he finally settled a place on what is known as
Greenleaf creek, about five miles east of Braggs, Oklahoma. And there he
lived until his death. He were a shoemaker by trade. And there were a son
born to old Joseph and wife. Sons named were John H. Cookson, but commonly
known as Jack, who were born Oct 18, 1826 and died June 12, 1918 at the
age of 92 years on the old homeplace site of old Joseph the cook's son.
You will find some old landmarks, such as old grave stones. Some very old,
such as Isaac Vann, an Indian who were born in the year of 1764 and died
in 1874 at the age of 110 years. Jane Cookson, an Indian, born 1806 and
died 1860. Alfred Hilderbrand, an Indian, born 1799 and died 1873. Adam
Mohr who were a French man born the year 1833 and died 1900 and served
in the Civil War of the US Army belonging to 11, N. Y. Cav. Co. H. Louis
Dunback, a German, born Jan 28, 1829, died Feb 9, 1897. Charles Smitdman,
a German, born 1841 and died 1904. Mitchell Baxter, a German, born 1849,
died Nov 20, 1925 belonged to Co. C. 44. Regt. Ill. Inft age 76. Louis
Dasiley (Dasley, Dassler), a German, 78 years old. Mary J. Hines (Hinds)
born Aug 9, 1841 died June 11, 1918 age 76 and Lucy Wigand, born 1831 and
died 1900 who were a Cherokee Indian whose maiden name were Lucy Starr.
This is how the Ford of the creek derived its name as the Wigands Ford
and situated about 12 miles south of Ft Gibson on the east edge of Braggs
prairie on the west bank of Greenleaf creek in the south edge of the old
Battle Ground which were fought July 21, 1862 between the Rebels Army commanded
by General Stand Watie, a full blood Cherokee Indian and a detachment of
Federal soldiers which were called, Home Guards under Captain Whitecatcher
of CO I of which company my father, Thomas Ballard belonged to. Well, I
will tell how the creek derived its name as Greenleaf creek. On the morning
before the battle there were a company of soldiers camped on the bank of
the creek where the old Military road crosses the creek. And there were
one of the soldiers who were afraid to go in to battle, who got some home
raised tobacco and swallowed the amber of it to make himself sick so that
he could not go into battle. And some of the Indian soldiers afterward
called the creek, Choler Kisty, which means green tobacco. Now, John H.
Jack Cookson, son of old Joseph the cook's son married a half breed Cherokee
Indian and raised a family of four boys and one daughter. Andrew G. Cookson
born Feb 6, 1852 and died March 15, 1913 and Joseph J. Cookson Jr. born
1856 died 1936 age eighty. E. L. or E levi Cookson born 1854 and died 1914
age 65 and Thomas Cookson, a half brother born 1865 and died 1900 and one
daughter, Delila who married Mike Patrick. Joseph J. and E levi married
twin sisters, Eliza and Agie Pettit. Andrew G. Cookson were educated in
the public schools and finished his education at the male seminary at Tahlequah
Cherokee Nation and Cane Hill Ark. Then taught school several terms in
the public schools of the Nation. Then married into the Carlile family,
another good substantial family. Then next were E.L. or E levi who also
were well educated but did not do any school teaching. His first act after
becoming grown, were to take a job at the Cherokee Printing office at Tahlequah,
where a paper were printed in both languages, Cherokee and English. The
paper were called the Cherokee Advocate. After marrying, E levi went into
the stock business and farming and were very successful. E levi went into
Politics also of the Cherokee Nation and at one time were considered very
wealthy. E Levi served several terms as Nation Councilman and two terms
as District Judge of Illinois District of the Cherokee Nation. Were nominated
for Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation but were defeated by William G.
Rogers in the year of 1903, who were the last Chief of the Nation after
Rogers four year term were out. He were retained in office until his death
Nov 8, 1917. E Levi owned several good farms which were located in what
is called the Cookson Hills. Besides his old homeplace where he bought
from his father, John H. Cookson, which is situated on the Whiteoak branch
about twelve miles south of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, which is now owned by
one of his sons who name is Thomas Cookson. He also owned what were called
the court house place on Illinois river, where the courthouse of Illinois
District were located, on the east bank of the Illinois river where the
old Military road crossed the river and on the west bank of the river just
opposite the old courthouse were the old Macky Salt Works, but later owned
by a family by the name of Baty who operated it some time after the close
of the Civil War of 1865. Some of the old furnaces still remain there yet.
The court were moved from the site just described in the year of 1877 to
the old Ford of Greenleaf creek where the Military road crosses the creek
about ten miles southeast of Ft Gibson where old John H. Cookson and Thomas
Madden, a white man put in a general mercantile store, cotton gin, grist
and saw mill in 1881. The first cotton gin to be located east of the Arkansas
river in the Cherokee Nation and were later established a post office in
1882 and name of post office were called Garfield, after President James
A. Garfield, who were inaugurated in the year of 1881 and served six and
one half months were shot July 2, 1881 and died Sept 19, 1881. There
were also a public school established at the place just described in 1881
and called, Greenleaf school at the time, but later called Garfield school.
There were both Cherokee and English language taught but later the Cherokee
language were discontinued in the year of 1884 and the wages for school
teaching were $35.00 per month. E Levi Cookson owned a hay and stock farm
two miles east of Braggs, Oklahoma where he gathered his shippers near
the railroad, as Braggs were his shipping point. He dealt mostly in the
whiteface cattle and at one time he bought twelve head of pure bred Hereford
bulls and turned them loose on the range for himself and neighbors. The
Cooksons in general were very generous and clever class of men. Whenever
the Catowah (Ka-Too-Wah) clan of Indians wanted a beef or two or some fat
hogs for a feast at their stomp dances, they would call on the Cooksons
and always got what they wanted. Old John H. Cookson were somewhat peculiar
turned, but never were known to turn any one down when they wanted a meal
or any other kind of favor. Any stray or orphan children that cared to
make their home with "Uncle Jack", as he were called, were welcome. There
were always quite a bunch of children to be found about the place, but
as soon as they were old enough for school, he saw that each one must attend
school. They would go from his home mornings with their dinner pails and
return at night just as if they belonged to the old mans own family. All
the Cooksons were strong advocators of education and law and order. They
all were strong believers of the enforcement of the law and would never
mix in any of the feuds that were common among the Indians at that time.
Old John H. Jack Cookson at the time of the Civil War were living on Whiteoak
branch about twelve miles south of Tahlequah Indian Territory, which he
after years sold the old homeplace to his son, E Levi. You can find the
grave stones of John H. Cookson and several others of the Cookson family
in the family cemetery at the old homeplace. At the time of the Civil War,
"Uncle Jack" or John H. Cookson did not join either side, the Northern
nor the Southern Army, but remained neutral. But were captured twice and
taken somewhere in Texas, but escaped both times and scouted his way back
home to his family who lived most of the time of war in a large cave about
one and one half mile from their home. Cave were large enough for the family
and several articles of necessary such as their spinning wheel and loom
for making their clothes. The cave is still known as the Minaw Cave by
the old timers. It were named after an old Darkey by the name of Minaw
Thompson who helped take care of the Cookson brood at that time. I, William
Ballard, the riter (writer) of this article, gathered most of the Civil
War dates and happening from Joseph J. Cookson, but since I were old enough
to remember, I know most of what I rite (write) from self observation,
as I have saw sixty one summers right here among the Cookson Hills. I will
also add just a few more words about Joseph J. Cookson. After he quit teaching
school, He were the first teacher that I went to school to, he were almost
always a peace officer and he were the last sheriff that were elected to
our district, which were called Illinois District. The Cooksons all owned
great many head of cattle, horse and hogs. Joseph Cookson were elected
sheriff in 1903 and remained as sheriff until we lost our jurisdiction
as a government. Our Cherokee Nation were comprised of nine districts.
Well, John H. Cookson and Thomas R. Madden remained in business at the
old Garfield courthouse until the Iron Mountain railroad were under construction
through this part of the Nation which were built through what is now Braggs,
Oklahoma. Construction began in the year of 1887. The summer of that year,
there were a large railroad camp just two miles south where Braggs now
stands. The men that had the contract and camp were named Brownell and
Slusher. And then Cookson and Madden desolved partnership and Madden then
built a large store building at Braggs and went into the mercantile business
on a large scale, where he remained in business until the year of April
19, 1896. On Easter Sunday, he were murdered by Mose Miller, a full blood
Cherokee. The Millers were a very dangerous bunch. Moses brother, Jim Miller
had killed Jack Starr just about three years before. Jack Starr and Thomas
R. Madden were both brother in laws of mine. Well, these killings put me
somewhat on the war path. Moses then went on the scout and Mose, being
an Indian and Madden a white man and this country thickly settled with
Indians, it made it very difficult to try get up on Mose. I were just twenty
one years of age at the time, but I had quite a lot of experience as Peace
Officer and Scout that I made it very difficult for Mose to remain in one
place at a time as I had began the on the Sheriff Posse when I were just
seventeen years of age. After Mose killed Madden, I were commissioned as
US Marshall under Leo E. Bennett who were head Marshall at the time, located
at Muskogee, Oklahoma. Mose managed to scout for about three years until
he were captured one very cold night at Tuxie Ballard near the old Greenleaf
court house by J.T. "Bud" Ledbetter, John I. Brown and Tim Blakemore. All
three parties were US Marshals but I, William Ballard do claim that I were
responsible for his arrest as I were the man that met the Posse west of
Braggs fourteen nights before the capture and taken them out to my mothers
where they remained until the capture were made. The night of ( it is blank)
I had just left the Posse that evening about five o'clock and about 11
0'clock the arrest were made. I had to go to my home about three miles
away and did not get back to them until about 1 o'clock that night. There
had been a large snow fallen two days before I met the Posse. The snow
were about three foot on the level. It taken us all night to make the twelve
miles drive. I just had a pair of horses and wagon and the next morning
I taken the Posse with Mose to Braggs where they taken a train to Muskogee.
And there Miller were kept until his trial and conviction which were at
Wagoner, Oklahoma. Miller were never tried for the murder of Thomas R.
Madden but were tried for the killing of Zack Taylor, a merchant of Hulbert.
Miller and another outlaw by the name of Bill Nail who were killed seven
miles northeast of Braggs a few months later by a Posse headed by Thomas
Beavert. At the time of Bill Nail killing, I were with J.T. Bud Ledbetter
and Jim Blakemore, just a little ways down the creek from them. I was always
Ledbetters guide when he in our parts. J. T. Bud Ledbetter were a famous
man hunter and Officer. Just a little more about the capture of Mose Miller.
I will add the reason that Ledbetter, Brown and Blakemore were concealed
at my mothers home the fourteen days and nights were because of the big
snow. We could not get out without making tracks where Miller or his friends
might see, as his friends kept watch on myself and then kept Mose posted
on my movements, which made it very difficult for me to catch up with Mose.
Well, speaking about the Cookson Hills, of course there were a great many
of the boys who went bad, but there were always enough law abiding citizens
who were always ready to enforce the law and bring those criminals to justice.
But in later years, after statehood, the most of the criminals who ranged
in the Cookson Hills were men from other parts who after reading the newspapers
that had advertised the Cookson Hills as an out laws heaven. Just surposed
(suppose) that everybody in the hills would shield them from the law, but
they always found out different, but it were most always too late to do
them any good.
Note: I typed this out on my computer on May 31 and June 1, 2002
Betty Sanders Spencer |
