The Genealogical Research of Glen Mark Martin
Here is what I have discovered about my mother's family, the Glenn line. Note that any information that is not sourced should be considered speculative, and should be used only as a guide. Some dates and names are from trees compiled by other individuals, and if sources are not noted, the information provided has not been verified.
The earliest known member of my Glenn line is Lewis Glenn, who was born about 1800 in (possibly Hardin County or Wilson County,) Tennessee, or North or South Carolina. Prior to coming to Marion County Arkansas, he was married to a Mary Johnson, daughter of Samuel Johnson (b. ABT 1778, Virginia, d. ABT 1856, Wilson County, Tennessee) and Elizabeth UNK.(b. ABT 1783, North Carolina, d. AFT 1870).. Lewis and Mary had the following two offspring, and possibly others:
On 4 NOV 1846, Lewis married Catherine Phillips, who was born 5 August 1814 in Virginia or North Carolina and who died 19 May 1872 in either Arkansas or Oklahoma. They can be found in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census for Marion County, Arkansas, along with their three year old son Samuel D., one year old daughter, Mary (born in Arkansas), and Lewis' 43 year-old brother, Samuel, with Lewis and Samuel both listed as being farmers. All but Mary are listed as being born in Tennessee. Next door, Lewis' grown daughters by his previous marriage can be found with their families, as well as an Andrew Phillips, who may be Catherine's brother or cousin.
1850 U.S. Federal Census, Marion County, Arkansas, pp. 327
Name Age Sex Color Occupation Value of Real Estate Place of Birth
Smith William 27 M W farmer 25 E. Ten.
Elizabeth 19 F W "
Mary Jane 3 F W "
Susan Ann 1 F W Ark.
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Glenn Lewis 50 M W ditto 50 Tenn.
Catharine 35 F W "
Samuel 3 M W "
Mary 1 F W Ark.
Samuel 43 M W ditto Tenn.
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Smith Singleton 29 M W ditto "
Judith 16 F W "
James 9 M W Ark.
Celia Ann 2 F W "
Mary 3/12 F W "
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Phillips Andrew 26 M W ditto 25 Ten.
Salina T. 19 F W "
James F. 1/12 M W Ark.
Cinthia 21 F W Ten.
Matilda J.11/12 F W Ark.
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These daughters by an earlier marriage provide a link to important clues regarding the origins of my Glenn line. In the 1870's, there was a series of court cases wherein descendants of sisters Abigail Rogers and Margaret "Peggy" Rogers petitioned the courts for recognition as citizens on the Choctaw Nation. Abigail married a man named John Glenn (who may or may not have been related to my Glenn line), and Margaret married an unknown Glenn, and, according to the following deposition, appears to have been the mother of Lewis Glenn. The offspring of John Glenn and Abigail Rogers intermarried extensively with a family named Tucker, so this series of legal cases is commonly referred to as "Glenn-Tucker vs. The Choctaw Nation." The parents of Abigail and Margaret Rogers are said to be John Rogers (said to be full or half Cherokee) and a full-blood Choctaw named Starnes, but there is no documentary proof of this. Ultimately, the petitions for citizenship were rejected by the courts.
Depositions McAlester C.N. July 3, 1877 Alex Durant "Dear Sir Please find petition & Depostions of Wm Smith et all in support of the Citizenship of Judy J. & Elizabeth Glenn for Citizenship in the Choctaw Nation file the same and issue notice as provided by law and much oblige Yours Campbell Leflore" "Depostions in support of the right of Judy J. Glenn and Elizabeth Glenn in relation to there Lineage and descent and right to tribal relations and citizenship as members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians and to the privileges there of as taken before Stephen Wheeler United States Commissioner in and for the western district of Arkansas as taken at Fort Smith Arkansas on the seventh day of December AD 1876. United States of America Western District of Arkansas "On this day personally appeared before me Stephen Wheeler the undersigned a Commissioner of the United States of America in and for the western district of Arkansas at my office in Fort Smith, Arkansas one Johnathan Glenn a resident of Sebastian County Arkansas and who after being by me duly sworn the truth to speak and nothing but the truth Deposeth and says as follows to with: That he has been acquainted with said July J. and Elizabeth Glenn the said applicants for citizenship in the Choctaw Tribe of Indians for they reside at this time in Sebastian county Arkansas and further states that the said Judy J. and Elizabeth Glenn were the recognized heirs and children of Lewis and Polly Glenn who resided in Willson County in the state of Tennessee in and before the year AD 1848 before the removal of the choctaw tribe of Indians west and further that said Lewis Glenn was by blood a nephew on the mothers side of one Abigal Glenn who was a Choctaw woman and a member of the Choctaw tribe of Indians was so recognized by said tribe of Indians in the old nation east of the Mississippi river and further that said Abigal Glenn was a sister of Peggy or Margaret Glenn who was the mother of said Lewis Glenn father of said Judy J. and Elizabeth Glenn the applicants herein and further state said Abigal Glenn and Peggy are both dead at this time. And that the said affiant is a third cousin to said applicants and that he has no pecuniary interest in thie application whatever and that his age is fifty nine years and by occupation a farmer and stock raiser and that he has made the above and foregoing statements from his own personal knowledge and the representation of others that he believes to be true." "Subscribed and sworn to before me this 7th day of December 1876." Johnathan Glenn, affiant Stephen Wheeler United States Commissioner over in and for the Western district of Arkansas "Also on this day came before me Joseph R. Pratt a resident of the city of Fort Smith Arkansas and who being by me duly sworn the truth to speak and nothing but the truth deposeth and says that his age is 45 years and that he is by occupation a lawyer and that he is well acquainted with William N. Smith and Johnathan Glenn the affiants herein and has been acquainted with them for ten years. And that they are men of credit and respectability and intitled to credit and belief and further that he has no pecuniary interest in this matter and is not of kin to said applicants." Joseph R. Pratt, affiant "Subscribed and sworn before me this 7th day of December 1876." Stephen Wheeler United States Commissioner in and for the Western district of Arkansas "I Stephen Wheeler the undersigned to hereby certify that as United States Commissioner that the above and foregoing depostions were duly read and signed in my presence and the affiants are persons intitled to credit and belief. I have hereto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of this office this the 7th day of December." Stephen Wheeler United States Commissioner in and for the western district of Arkansas "Also personally appeared William N. Smith who is a resident of this Sebastian County Arkansas and who after being sworn by me the truth to speak and nothing but the truth deposeth and says as follows to wit: My age is fifty four years and by occupation a minister of the gospel and farmer. And that I have been personally acquainted with Ms. Judy J. Glenn and Elizabeth Glenn for the period of twenty eight years and that they were the children of Lewis and Polly Glenn who resided in the state of Tennessee in Willson County thereof and were the legitimate children of said Lewis and Polly Glenn and were so recognized and by them nutured and cherished and my understanding and after my first acquaintance with said Glenns (which was the AD 1848) was that they were by blood related one Abigail Glenn a choctaw woman and who was a member of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in the old nation east of the Mississippi river and befoere there removal west to where the tribe now resides." William N. Smith, affiant "Sworn to and subscribed before me..."
(Thanks to Nita Ferguson and Marilyn Szum for this information.)
In the 1860 Federal Census (White River Township, Marion County, Arkansas) after Lewis' death, we find Catherine and Samuel (who who have married his brother's widow, which was not an uncommon practice in that era), Mary, Samuel, and a new addition, Lewis S. (my ancestor):
1860 U.S. Federal Census, White River Township, Marion County, Arkansas, p. 617
Name Age Sex Color Occupation Value of Value of Place of Birth
Real Estate Personal Est.
Samuel Glenn 52 M W Farmer 600 524 S.C.
Catharine " 41 F W Va.
Samuel D " 12 M W Tenn.
Mary " 9 F W Ark.
Lewis S. " 7 M W Ark.
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Note the inconsistancies regarding place of birth from one census to the next. This seems to be quite common as I track this family through census records. Unfortunately, I've not been able to locate my Glenn line in the 1870 census, nor can I establish when the elder Lewis passed away, other than it being between 1850 and 1860.
At about the same time that Lewis and Samuel show up in Marion County, a Jacob Glenn also shows up living nearby. Some speculate that Jacob might have been a brother or cousin to Lewis and Samuel, but there is no proof of this. One of Jacob's descendants appears later as a neighbor of Lewis Sion Glenn in Oklahoma, and some of their offspring intermarry, as documented in the Lewis Sion Glenn family page.