Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Elizabeth Martin

Female - Aft 1816


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  • Name Elizabeth Martin 
    Born Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died Aft 13 Jul 1816  Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I5039  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family Edward Adair,   b. Abt 1756, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 3 Nov 1800, of, Oconee, South Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 44 years) 
    Married Abt 1789  Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F2118  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. The following genealogical summary of the family of James Adair was provided to me from Shawn Potter Aug 2015. Shawn and his wife Lois are the authors of a book to be published sometime in the future entitiled "Chickasaw Wife and Family of James Adair, Author of the History of the American Indians." The book uses extensive historical documentation and modern DNA analysis to assemble the following family. I provide only a summary of the family and the book should be consulted for the footnotes, more detail, and evidence which all support the following conclusions. (If you are a descendent of this family, Shawn would appreciate your contacting him if you are willing to submit your DNA test results as part of the study upon which the book will be based.) The summary:
      "James Adair was born probably in Ireland say about 1714. He immigrated to America before 1735. James married Eleanor of the Chickasaw Nation in about 1744. Eleanor was born in the Chickasaw Nation say about 1726. She was a member of the Panther clan. James died probably in Laurens County, South Carolina, after 25 Feb 1784 and before 12 Feb 1796. Eleanor died probably in Laurens County after 3 Jan 1803. James and Eleanor were the parents of the following children:
      1. James Adair, Jr., was born in the Chickasaw Nation say about 1748. He married Hannah probably in Laurens County say about 1772. Hannah was born probably in Laurens County on 28 Sep 1750. James died in Laurens County on 18 Aug 1818. Hannah died in Laurens County on 10 Nov 1826.
      2. Joseph Adair was born in the Chickasaw Nation say about 1750. He married Sarah probably in Laurens County say about 1776. Joseph died perhaps in Laurens County after 5 Feb 1804.
      3. John Adair was born in the Chickasaw Nation say about 1754. He married first Ga-Ho-Ga of the Cherokee Nation probably in Laurens County say about 1780. Ga-Ho-Ga was born in the Cherokee Nation say about 1760. Ga-Ho-Ga died perhaps in Laurens County after 7 Feb 1789. John married second Jane Kilgore probably in Laurens County say about 1790. Jane was born probably in Laurens County say about 1773. John died in present-day Oconee County, South Carolina, after 4 Nov 1815 and before 4 Dec 1815. Jane died perhaps in present-day Oconee County after 4 Dec 1815.
      4. Edward Adair was born in the Chickasaw Nation say about 1756. He married first Margaret in Philadelphia on 7 Apr 1784. Edward married second Elizabeth Martin of the Cherokee Nation probably in the Cherokee Nation say about 1789. Elizabeth was born probably in the Cherokee Nation say about 1769. Edward died probably in present-day Oconee County after 3 Nov 1800. Elizabeth died probably in the Cherokee Nation after 13 Jul 1816.
      N.B. James and Eleanor had "children" in 1748; and a daughter lived in Georgia between 1788 and 1791."

      2. From Shawn Potter 6 Sep 2015 -- I asked him the source of the maiden name Elizabeth Martin. He responded with the following:
      Source 1: "Annie Walker Burns, "Military and Genealogical Records of the Famous Indian Woman: Nancy Ward," (Washington, D.C.: Published by the Author, P.O. Box 6183, Apex Station, 1957), 1-40. Edward Adair married a maternal-line granddaughter of ᎾᏅᏰᎯ (A-Gi-Gau) Nancy Ward (c. 1722-1822), Beloved Woman of the Cherokee Nation. Nancy's mother was a sister of Attakullakulla (c.1708-1778), First Beloved Man - Principal Chief - of the Cherokee Nation from about 1761 to 1777. When Nancy's first husband, Kingfisher, was killed in battle at Taliwa in 1755, she picked up his weapon and fought in his place. The Cherokee named her Beloved Woman in recognition of her courage and devotion to her people. After her husband's death, Nancy married Irish deerskin trader Bryan Ward. Their daughter, ᎪᏌᎢᏍᎦ (Go-Sa-I-S-Ga) Betty Ward, married Irish deerskin trader Joseph Martin. Their daughter, Elizabeth Martin, married Edward Adair."
      Source 2: "Emmett Starr, "History of the Cherokee Indians," (Oklahoma City, OK: Warden Co., 1922), 419. Elizabeth previously married James Vann, William Sparingston, and John Shepherd.
      Shawn comments on these two sources as follows:
      "Starr is consider to be a reliable source, but not as complete as one would like sometimes. From memory, I don't think Starr lists Elizabeth's parents, for example. But it seems to be accepted among Cherokee historians that Elizabeth was descended from Nancy Ward. Burns lists Elizabeth's descent from Nancy Ward. Burns is not so well known, so I can't speak about her reliability for certain, but her information seems to make sense.
      In regards to her later surname of Scott, Shawn responds as follows:
      "Edward was administrator of Walter Scott's estate. So some have speculated that Elizabeth either was Walter's daughter or widow. After Edward's death, Elizabeth applied for the pension of her son James Adair, who was killed in the war of 1812. She called herself in that pension Elizabeth Scott. This is all very confusing. Since we know Edward was married to Margaret during the time frame when Walter Scott Adair, son of Elizabeth, was born, we suspect Edward didn't divorce Margaret and did not marry Elizabeth in a church wedding. If Elizabeth had yet another husband, Walter Scott, and she kept his surname, at least after Edward died, this all makes sense. But we are not sure about Elizabeth's other marriages before or after Edward.