Details relating to the McCurtain brothers, the massacre of the Shak-chi-homas, the story of Sho-ma-ka and the identification of Mahayia, wife of Cornelius McCurtain as a granddaughter of Sho-ma-ka, are generously furnished the writer by the Hon. Peter J. Hudson of Tuskahoma who obtained the same from Mrs. Jackson F. McCurtain (Jane Austin), who passed away on October 27, 1925 at the advanced age of 82 years. It is recognized that some of these statements are at variance with the oft quoted story that Mahayia was of French extraction, her maiden name being Belvin instead of Nelson. Mrs. Jane Austin McCurtain was a lady of high intelligence, culture and probity and was in a position to acquire dependable information from her distinguished husband and other members of the McCurtain family. (See "Jane McCurtain" by Dr. Anna Lewis, Chronicles; Vol. XI, p. 1027 et seq.) The writer accords authenticity to the information assembled by Mrs. Jane McCurtain.
