Martha "Patsy" Chisholm was registered in the Cherokee tribe as an Old Settler and received compensation in 1828 and 1851. She filed a statement of separate property in 1853 in Ellis County. She emigrated with her husband to Tulare County. She died between 1887 and 1896 per a newspapers land transaction and the 1896 Old Settler roll. There are several documents that prove Martha's connection to the Cherokee Nation. She was remembered in family oral history as the half-sister of Jesse Chisholm. Narcissa Chisholm Owens recalls Martha Biggs in her memoirs as a daughter of Ignatius Chisholm the white half-brother to Narcissa's father Chief Thomas Chishiolm. Depositions given by the Parris, Chisholm and Wilson family members in the Dica Lewellen claim (Dica Lewellen v. Cherokee Nation, 28 Aug 1888 pg. 235), clearly identify Martha Biggs as the daughter of Lucretia Parris who in turn is the daughter of Cherokee leader George Parris by an unnamed first wife. George Parris is the son of a full-blood Cheorokee and white trader and Loyalist Col. Richard Pearis. In 1872, her daughter Jacquelina Biggs King petitions for citizenship (Case 105, 25 Nov 1872) which states, "Mrs. King was also a "son" of the said Patsy Chisholm I have no doubt of their Cherokee blood and they have eh favor of the Chisholm family and further I met the Briggs (sic) family in Texas in the year 1854 on their way then to California..." [ Richard Thompson]. DNA tests on the mitochondrial DNA of matrilineal descendants of Martha show the B Haplogroup, which is most commonly found in Native American Indians and is consistent with native american ancestry. “George Parris, who beign duly sworn states as follows: I am a citizen of Deleware District and am about sixty six years old. All I know about the case is what I have heard my parents say. My grandfather was married three times and had three children by his first wife and the names of the three children by his first wife was a daughter named Lucretia and one boy named Jim & [one boy named] John. The applicant Dica Lewellen claims to be the great granddaugther of George Parris who was the grandfather of the witness … I first became acquiainted with the applicant’s family on the line of the Arkansas about 21 years ago. My grandfather imigrated to this country and died and is buried on the Barron Fork … My grandfather lived in the State of Georgia in the Old Cheorkee Nation on High-Tower. My grandfather was an Old Settler, came when my father come. The applicant claims to be the descendant of Jim Parris. He was the son of my grandfather. My grand father George was part Cherokee. I never saw Jim Parris the grandfather of the applicant, only hear my grandfather speak of him. I don’t think Jim Parris ever come to this country. My understanding was Jim Parris lived somewhere in Georgia about where my grandfather did – I never heard of the applicant previous to my acquaintence with them 21 years ago. From my own knowledge I do not know that they are descendants of Jim Parris. I know Robert Parris & Moses Parris. Jim Parris was their half brother. Robert Parris was the father of the witness” [ref: Dica Lewellen vs. Cherokee Nation, 28 August 1888 , pg. 235]. The second testimony comes from Polly Parris and reads, “Polly Parris after being duly qualified states as follows: I live in Going Snake District and am going on Seventy years old. I am not acquainted with the applicant but I have seen her. I am acquainted with her Aunt Lucretia, Old George Parris’ daughter. I got acquainted with her in the State of Georgia and she was said to be a Cherokee. I was also acquainted with a daughter of Lucretia who married a man on the Bayou named David Biggs in Illinois District.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Chisholm-815
