Person:Joseph Anderson (12)

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PROVEN AND THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A CONTROVERSY AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE CONNECTIONS MADE HERE. (Mona Herrin, October 23, 1999.)

In an email from Karin Patterson to my aunt, Brenda Burton, dated 16 Oct. 1999: "My grandmother is Katherin Anderson Lott. My grandfather, Bryon Lott, researched her family tree before he died and found the following information. I can only hope that it is pretty accurate.

The Anderson Ring: given by Mrs Betty Ross Teetson, who was the only child of Cephus Anderson.

The "Anderson" family originally came from Sweden. They came from South Carolina to help fight at the Battle of New Orleans. One of the "Andersens" (later changed to Anderson) was wounded and left with Pushmataha around what is now Hattiesburg, MS. Jack (Joseph Anderson) was 17 years old and stayed with the Indians (Choctaw) to marry Pushmataha's daughter, Running Deer, in an Indian ceremony. They were later married by a traveling Protestant preacher in a Christian ceremony. They had several children who looked Indian except one-John Anderson. Mrs. Teetson seemed to recall that Running Deer died young and Jack remarried.

A diamond found in the diamond mines of Arkansas by Pushmataha was sent to Europe to be cut for Running Deer's ring. This ring was about 1/2 karat, yellowish, and exquisitely cut. It was handed down to John Anderson, who married Sarah Davis, then to Daniel Austin Anderson for Henrietta's engagement ring-then to Elisha Alexander Anderson for Julia's engagement ring-then to Cephus Anderson for Ola's ring-then to Cephus' daughter Betty-then to her son who lives in Houston for his son."

(THIS LETTER FROM MR. ROBERT M. ANDERSON, DATED MAY 10, 1999 OUTLINES THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS GENEALOGY.)

Robert M. Anderson, in a letter to Ms. Nina Jones, states that family traditon indicates that they carry Indian blood, presumably Choctaw, since this was the dominant tribe found in that area of Mississippi. "A tombstone said to have been located in the Granny Bounds Cemetery in Forrest County purportedly bears the following inscribtion:

Joseph Anderson 184- (Husband of Choctaw Indian, 'Running Dear', Father of John, who was the son of Daniel-served with Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans)"

Mr. Anderson states that this was recorded in 1983 and published by the South Mississippi Genealogical Society in 1986 in their book FORREST COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS. He goes on to add that stones for John "Jack" Anderson and Sarah (Davis) Anderson were also reported as being located in the Granny Bounds cemetery He visited the cemetery on July 7, 1989 and failed to find the tombstones. He contacted the SMGS and was informed by the individual that conducted the original inventory of the Granny Bounds cemetery that the stones in question had NOT been present in the said cemetery at the time the inventory was conducted in 1983 and that the published information had been inserted into the book by person or persons unknown. Mr. Anderson states that he has determined that the fictitious headstone inscriptions were inserted into the book by Mr. John Anderson, who edited the book and was responsible for inserting this information (by her own admission) {this is unclear, did he mean Mrs. John Anderson?} He states that Mrs. John Anderson believes that these individuals are, indeed, buried in the Granny Bounds cemetery-but she is unable to provide any proof to substanciate that belief. He also states that he cannot "condone the fabrication of genealogical information merely in an attempt to validate one's own belief." This is the reason for his caution in this letter regarding a history of the Anderson family published by Mrs. John Anderson.

Mr. Anderson continues his letter with statements as to records for Major Daniel (Austin?) Anderson, John E. Anderson, and Joseph Anderson. Apparently, Joseph Anderson settled in the Mississippi Territory in an area that would be present day Washington Co., Alabama. This was on the Tombigbee River February, 1798. This is evidenced by a deed. He had a wife and a family at that time. He cautions that it is only speculation that John E. Anderson is the son of this Joseph Anderson. Mr. Anderson states that "we also know that a Daniel Anderson migrated to the Mississippi Territory, married a Choctaw woman, and subsequently lived among the members of the Choctaw Tribe in the Mississippi Territory as evidenced by the information contained in the ARMSTRONG ROLL OF 1830-which listed Daniel A., Joseph, John, and Daniel A. Anderson, Jr. as residing in the LeFlores District of those lands ceded to the United States by the Choctaw by the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. Mr. Anderson believes that this is the same Daniel Anderson identified by the deed that he referenced before concerning Joseph Anderson on the Tombigbee River. He goes on to state that he is unable to establish a connection between this Anderson family and the Perry County Andersons.

He goes on to state that he has had correspondence with Tom Goldman, an attorney in Meridian, who published an article in MISSISSIPPI RECORDS, " Choctaw Connection". Mr. Goldman maintains that he is descended from a union between Daniel Anderson and the Choctaw maiden named Lilliketchie, who was supposed to be the granddaughter of Pushmatah. Mr. Anderson states that it is his understanding that Mr. Golman has proven his relationship to Daniel Anderson and has been enrolled in the Mississippi Band of the Choctaw Nation. He apparently descended from Daniel through Solomon Anderson, a fairly prominent citizen of Washington Co., Alabama. Mr. Anderson states that it is interesting that the name Solomon nor the name Joseph turns up in the Perry County Mississippi Andersons. He believes that Solomon and possibly Joseph may not be in the direct line of the Perry County Andersons.

Mr. Anderson states that there is no proof that Daniel Austin Anderson served under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. If he served under Jackson in the group that volunteered with Pushmatah in defense of New Orleans in 1814, there may be no formal documentation. He states that a biography of Elizha Alexander "Zan" Anderson, the son of Daniel Austin "Bunk" Anderson, published in the OFFICIAL AND STATISTICAL REGISTER OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, 1917, indicates that Elisha's great-grandfather was Daniel Austin Anderson of Perry County, who was a Major under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. The biography goes on to state that his paternal grandfather, who would be John E. "Jack" Anderson, also served in the War of 1812. Mr. Anderson states that this is in direct conflict with the theory of Mrs. John Anderson that Joseph Anderson was the father of John E. "Jack" Anderson.

Mr. Anderson states that there is oral family history seems to indicate that the father of John E. Anderson was Joseph. The published biography states that the father of John E. Anderson was Major Daniel Austin Anderson. Mr. Anderson thinks that this makes more sense age-wise. He gives credence to the written biography because there were living descendants who were only one or two generations removed from Daniel and who should have had a clear knowledge of their ancestors and of any historical anecdotes pertaining to them. And Daniel Austin is a name that recurrs in the family in following generations and Joseph does not.

Mr. Anderson continues with more information on a John Anderson that does appear to have served in the Battle of New Orleans, but that he has been unable to locate the service records at the National Archives. He goes on to state that a John Anderson received five patents for lands in the Choctaw Land District on September 6, 1827. He does not know if the William or John Anderson who signed a petition that was attached to a letter to Congress Dec. 26, 1815 by the inhabitants of the Mississippi Territory connect to the Perry County Mississippi Anderson. He states that Joseph did not sign the petition, which would indicate that he was absent at the time. Mr. Anderson also states that he has not followed up the land patents to see where they are and does not know if this John Anderson is connected to the Perry County Andersons.

Joseph's name and date of birth came from my Aunt, Brneda Burton. I don't know of any proof of his name and date.