Summary of some documents filed in the West family's case to be granted Cherokee citizenship: Affadavit of Joseph Riley - May 25, 1885 Downingville or Vinita, Cherokee Nation. Riley aged about 70 resides in Cooweescoowee District States knew Millie Gentry within her lifetime, that she was Cherokee and spoke both Cherokee and English. Affadavit of Mary Riley - May 25, 1885 Downingville or Vinita, Cherokee Nation. Riley aged about 68 resides in Cooweescoowee District States knew Millie Gentry within her lifetime, that she was Cherokee and spoke both Cherokee and English, and that Gentry lived in the Cherokee Nation East of the Mississippi River in the Hiwasee purchase. Affadavit of Wm. Howell - Aug 26, 1896 Northern District, Indian Territory Howell aged 48 of Oseuma, I. T. a Director of the Oseuma Cherokee free school States in Cherokee nation since 1864 and that Isham L. West was his neighbor in 1874-1875 has known Scott Trimble since 1887 & Trimble resided in Cherokee Nation since that time. States enrolled Trimble children in Oseuma free school as Cherokee citizens. States Miss Nannie McCoy was teacher and Trimble's children attended for several terms until Cherokee authorities discontinued the school. Permit issued to Perry West April 12, 1884 Delaware District, Cherokee Nation Permit as Cherokee citizen to employ J. McGinness as a laborer for three months. Affadavit of George W. Williams - Aug. 29, 1896 I. T. Williams aged 52 Cherokee citizen resides in Delaware District, Cherokee Nation States in Cherokee Nation about 30 years met Perry West in the Cherokee Nation in 1864 and has known Isham L. West since 1874. Affadavit of Peter B. Long - Sept. 20, 1888 Tahlequah, I. T. Long aged 63 resides in Seqouyah District, Cherokee Nation States first acquainted with Perry West in 1858 in Cedar County, MO, states attended same denomination of religion with Perry. States Perry is a son of William and that Perry is known as Kinch. States was with Perry often during the war. States(about himself) on cross examination has been living in Cherokee Nation about two years moved from Sebastian County, AR. Affadavit of J. M. Richmond - Nov. 7, 1885 Delaware District, Cherokee Nation Richmond aged 48 States knew William Y. West and Isham West in Dade County, MO about 40 years(assuming this means he first knew tham about 40 years prior) and knew Perry to be a son of William. Affadavit of R(epsey) B(edford) Cox - Sept. 20, 1888 Tahlequah, I. T. Cox aged about 67 or 68 resides in Delaware District, Cherokee Nation States knows Perry West and knew father William Y. West. Cox states Wests would speak of being Cherokee to Cox upon Cox's speaking of trips made(by Cox) to the Cherokee Nation. States William West known as "Horsefly" West and Perry West known as "Kinch" West. States first acquainted with William West about 1840 about three years after (Cox's)migrating to Missouri. States William West came to Dade County, MO after he(Cox) did and believes West came from W. Tennessee. States never heard anyone else in Dade County, MO claim to be Cherokee. Affadavit of Thomas Gaunt - Sept. 20, 1888 Tahlequah, I. T. Gaunt aged 51 residing near Webber's Falls, Cherokee Nation States acquainted with Perry West for forty years and acquainted with Perry's father William Y. West known as "Horse Fly" West. States Perry West was and is known as "Kinch" West. States has been living in Cherokee Nation about 20 months came from Dade County, MO states William West came to Dade County, MO about time of affiant's(Gaunt) birth. States Wm. West was killed in time of war. States there as no other connection in Dade County, MO that claimed to be Cherokee. States about 180 or 190 miles to Dade County, MO. Affadavit of James R. Lamar - Aug. 29, 1896 Indian Territory Lamar aged 66 resides Delaware District citizen of Cherokee Nation States has known Isham L. West since 1875 was a neighbor of West at that time in Delaware District. States has known Perry West since just after the late rebellion states Perry West was living in the Cherokee Nation at that time and lived in the Cherokee Nation from that time until his death which occured last spring. States heard Perry West was in the Cherokee Nation during the war. States Perry West lived near Echo in Delaware District and owned an improvement about twenty years previous at the Mud Springs near Carry's Gap in Delaware District and West sold the improvement to a Cherokee by blood named Trott, probably Ose Trott, and Lamar afterwards bought the place from Trott. Affadavit of Caleb Conner - Aug. 29, 1896 Indian Territory Conner aged 57 resides Delaware District citizen of Cherokee Nation States lived in Delaware District 38 years and have known the Wests in the Cherokee Nation since 1863. States has lived near Perry & Isham West a number of years. Affadavit of Thomas Gaunt - March 29, 1888 Webber's Falls, I. T. States personally knew William Y. West in Dade County, MO and Perry West and Isham L. West, sons of William Y. West. Affadavit of Sallie Poindexter - July 20, 1896 Vinita, Cooweescoowee District, I. T. States knew brothers Sam and Isham Gentry and each had a son Nattie or Nathan and they were Cherokee by blood. States her(Poindexter's) mother was a daughter of Sam Gentry. States Millie Gentry was a daughter of Nattie or Nathan Gentry and granddaughter of Isham Gentry. States Mille Gentry married Jeptha West. States knew Isham and William West to be sons of Millie Gentry nee Millie West. States Isham L. West is a grandson of Millie Gentry and a son of William West. States the above named people lived near Hiwasee river in the old Nation. States was(herself) born in the old nation in 1819 in Kentucky near the Cumberland River. States her(Poindexter) mother came from Hiwasee in the old Nation. Affadavit of R(epsey B(edford) Cox - July 14, 1896 Northern District, I. T. Cox aged 74 resides Delaware District, Cherokee Nation, United States citizen States that he(Cox) emmigrated from Tennessee to Missouri about 1838 and settled in Dade County, MO and lived there until going to Texas in 1863 and remained there until 1873 when he came to the Indian Territory and has continuously resided in Indian Territory since that time. Staes was well acquainted with William Y. "Horsefly" West in Dade County, MO and his brother Isham West. States William and Isham West came from Tennessee to Missouri in 1840. States is acquainted with all of William West's descendants and with some of those of Isham West, brother of William. States Perry West, commonly known as "Kinch", Isham L. West, Matilda West, Malinda E. West, Louisia T. West, C. D. West Willie C. West and Emily West are all children of William Y. West. States Nancy West, Repsy West, Celia L. West, John A. West, Ida G. West, Melvina West, Charlotte West, Ruby R. West, Isham L. West Jr., and Kinchen Y. West dec'd are all children of Perry West. States Ruby L Allen is a daughter of Nancy West. States Celia L. Nail and Lottie M. Nail are children of Celia L. West. States William T. Webb is a child of Ida G. West. States Allie M. West and Almeda E. West are children of Kinchen Y. West, dec'd. States Willey L. E. West, William P. West, Dolley E. West, and Walter W. West are children of Isham West. States Eldee Burris, Charley M. Burris, and Wm D. Burris are grandchildren of Isham West. States Urias O. West is a child of C. D. West. States John T. Cantrell, Florence Ledbetter nee Florence Cantrell, James D. Cantrell, Willey P. Cantrell and Emlie Cantrell are children of Malinda E. Cantrell nee Malinda E. West. States Thomas J. Cantrell is a grandchild of Malinda E. Cantrell. States Robert L. Bailey, James F. Bailey, William J. Bailey, Nora C. Bailey, Mary L. Bailey, John A. Bailey, Nancy Whitmire, Maggie Nelms and Florida Roberson are children of Lousia T. West. States Cinderella Trimble nee Cinderella Cantrell and Mary E. Hunt nee Mary E. Cantrell are children of Matilda E Cox nee Matilda E. West. States William N. Trimble, Berry A. Trimble, Bessie E. Trimble, Amos W. Trimble and John R. Trimble are children of Cindrella Trimble. States John R. Hunt, Ezra N. Hunt, Luetty G. Hunt, Thomas W. Hunt and William E. Hunt are children of Mary E. Hunt. States Willey Almedia Cox, David S. Cox and Nancy A. Hunt nee Nancy A. Cox are children of Willey C. West. States Pearl Co, Ora Mable Cox, Bessie Almedia Hunt and Tressie M. Hunt are grandchildren of Willey C. West. States Iva Slagle, Lee Slagle and Dot Slagle are children of Emily Gaunt nee Emily West. States Clarinda J. Jones nee Clarinda J. West and Mary F. Poindexter-Colvin-Farrier nee Mary F. West are children of Isham West brother of William Y. West. States Ida M. Jones, Charley V. Jones, Mary E. Poindexter, W. J. Poindexter, Carry T. Colvin,. John W. Farrer, David P. Farrer, James B. Farrer, Jasper E. Fairer and Mary E. Mosley are children of Mary F. Pondexter. States has known West family continuously since 1839 or 1840. States saw Perry and Isham L. West in the Cherokee Nation during the late rebellion. **Affadavit of Matilda E. Cox attesting to the truthfulness of R. B. Cox's affadavit. Affadavit of Wat Christie - July 15, 1888 Tahlequah, I. T. Christie aged about 70 resident of Goingsnake District, Cherokee citizen States "I have Jeptha West" near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line about 50 or 55 years ago or longer. States Jeptha West's wife was named Sewache. States Jeptha West and Sewache had Ice and Willie West and two smaller children. States Jeptha West lived on the Tennesee side of the state line as did he(Christie) near the Hiwasee. States did not know if Jeptha West continued to live in Tennesee after the emmigration and last saw Jeptha West about five years prior to the emmigration. States Jeptha West was half Cherokee and Sewache was mostly Cherokee may have been a little white. States he(Christie) was about grown the last time he(Christie) saw Jeptha West. States he(Christie) was about the same age as Ice and William West. States his(Christie's) Uncle Nap Peak lived close to West and heard Nap Peak say Jeptha West had four children. States he(Christie) came to the Indian Territory in the year of the detachment with Peter Hilderbrand but did not know what year that was. Affadavit of John E. Welch - Aug. 15, 1896 Northern District, Cherokee Nation, I. T. States is an attorney, Cherokee Nation citizen by blood, and well acquainted with Wat Christie. States Christie is reliable and a Cherokee Nation citizen by blood residing in Tahlequah District, I. T. Affadavit of F. W. Crocker - Aug 17, 1896 Northern District, Cherokee Nation, I. T. Crocker states is a claimant for Cherokee citizenship. States Wat Christie and John Ross are reliable and trustworthy citizens. States Ross resides in Flint District and Christie resides in Tahlequah District. Affadavit of Arch Morris - Jan. 5, 1885 Dade County, Missouri Morris aged 71 States acquainted with William Y. West and Isham West for over 36 years. States knows Perry West to be a son of William Y. West. Affadavit of W. W. Hastings - Oct 1, 1896 States personally acquainted with Perry West, commonly known as Kinch, and that west was known all over the district as a dangerous man, and was more widely known for that than any other reason. States it was a commonly known fact that West was a claimant for Cherokee citizenship and not a recognized citizen. States he(Hastings) was once Superintendent of the Schools of the Cherokee Nation and during that time, while it was a violation of the law, allowed children of non-citizens to attend National schools if no objections were raised and it was in an area where there were no prejudices against non-citizens. States did not know if children of any West family attended Oseoma school or not. Affadavit of Sam Morris - date unreadable, I. T. States has known Watt Christie since he(Morris) was a small boy. States is steward of an Insane Asylum and Christe visited him at the asylum during the previous July or August(not clear if this means Christie was a resident or not). States admonished Christie to be cautious and make only truthful statements about Cherokee citizenship. States Christie admitted not knowing a Pleasant Cumiford or whether he(Cumiford) was a Cherokee or not and that when he(Christie) was admitted before the Adair Court to testify for Cumiford that Cumiford gave him(Christie) a horse worth $100 to get him(Christie) to testify. States Christie in general did not know what he(Christie) was testifying to and that the attorneys would have Christie sign affadavits which he(Christie) could not read and did not know the contents of. Statement of R. F. Wyler and J. Thompson that they know the reputation of Watt Christie, John Ross, T. J. Taylor, John R. Gourd and William Tackett for truth and veracity in the neighborhood where they reside and that it is bad and they are known as "Standing Witnesses" in Citizenship cases, and that the affiants would not believe them under oath. Statement of Ellis W. Buffington, Thomas L Rider and Jay Clark that they know the reputation of John Ross, Tom White and Watt Christie for truth and veracity in the neighborhood where they reside and that it is bad and they are known as "Standing Witnesses" in Citizenship cases, and that the affiants would not believe them under oath. Testimony of R(epsey B(edford) Cox - Feb. 8, 1896 Vinita, I. T. States age 76 and has lived in the Cherokee Nation for 26 or 27 years. States born in Grange County, TN. States has known Isham L. West since Isham was a child and knows Isham's siblings and knew Isham's father, William Y. West & his uncle Isham West. States Matilda E. Cox was a sister of Isham as was Melinda E. Cantrell. Davis West was a brother of Isham. Willie J. Warren was a sister of Isham. Clarinda J. Jones was a cousin to Isham L. West and a daughter of old Isham West. States doesn't recollect Mrs. Farrier. States first became acquainted with the West family in Barry County, about 1839, about a year after he(Cox) came to that county. States has known Isham Liberty West, Mrs. Warren, Perry West, & their families living in the Cherokee Nation. States thinks one or two of the West children(presumably Isham L. West's children) were born here in town(Vinita?) and the rest on Horse Creek. States know children of Perry West, brother of Isham L. West. States knows Mrs. Frankie Farrier as Poindexter. States knew West family in the Cherokee nation 12 or 15 years ago & all known as having Indian blood has heard them say so and has heard Uncle Isham & Uncle Billy say so time & again. States first came to the Cherokee Nation about 1840. States met the mother of Isham L. West & Mrs. Warren in Spavinaw where they moved in 1863, she lived there with her children and stayed some time and next went to the Choctaw Nation and after the War closed they came back. States a man was not thinking of getting a home there then, he was more anxious to save his life. States I saw Isham L. West in Spavinaw in 1864, after he returned from California. Testimony of Mrs. Willie C. J. Warren - Feb 8, 1896 Vinita, I.T. States lives in Catoosa, Cherokee Nation, aged 49 or 50 years, born in Dade County, MO. States William Y. West was her father & Willie West(nee Perry) was my mother. States her father always said they were Cherokee & mother always said on the maternal side they were Cherokee and mother said she was a member of the Saunders family. States Isham L. West is her brother, Matilda E. Cox is her sister, Mary E. Hunt is her niece, Malinda E. Cantrell was her sister but has died since this application was made, C. D. West is her brother, Louisa Hughes is her sister, Telitha Burks is her niece, Repsie B. West is my brother Perry West's child, Clarinda Jones is my cousin she is the daughter of Isham West as is also Frankie Farrier, Mrs. Ben D. Smith is my cousin. States first came to the Cherokee Nation in 1863, her mother came with her also Louisa Hughes, Millie Starr(nee West), Jeptha West, Jesse West, John West & Perry West. States stopped at Spavinaw and thought they would stay but times were so squally on account of the War they had to leave. States her mother was ordered away from Missouri and 'we went where they drove us "Rebels"' finally stopping in the Choctaw Nation on the Texas line. States she came back a few years after the close of the war, her brother Perry started before she did but did not come to where they were until they settled at Corey's Gap on Horse Creek. States has always lived in Cherokee Nation since that time & most of her children born in the Cherokee Nation. States her brother Perry West lived here all the time after he came back and most of his children were born in the Cherokee Nation. States never saw Isham L. West in the Cherokee Nation until after she came back from the Choctaw Nation, but knew of his trip to California. States her mother said Isham came to the Cherokee Nation in 1866 to get a place for the family to go to. States her husband William O. Cox was about 20 years ago and brother Isham L. West came and stayed with her about a year and she has seen him off and on since then and he has lived in the Cherokee Nation since then as far as she knows. States the children of her family have always attended Cherokee schools and no question was made about it to her knowledge. States was never notified of any trial of their rights by the Cherokee Nation, nor of any of the family having their rights tried by the Cherokee Nation. Cross Examination: States Perry West applied for citizenship and told her he could never get any hearing, she doesn't remember the year but it was several years ago. States she never made application prior to the application to the Dawes Commission. States was recognized as a Citizen of the Cherokee Nation and married a Citizen after her first Man died. States none of her Cox children have ever drawn money from the Cherokee Nation. States after they moved from the Choctaw Nation she has heard people say they were not Citizens. States the only way they were recognized by the Cherokee Nation was in allowing their children free access to the schools. States never had to pay anything for their tuition. States her children went to the Ballard school and Freeman was one of the teachers. Testimony of William A. Poindexter - Feb 8, 1898 Vinita, I. T. States age 55 and lives 12 miles northwest of Vinita. States first came to the Cherokee Nation in May of 1860 and remained in the Spring. States was back in the Cherokee Nation in Nov. or Dec. of 1860 and was back in 1862, '63, '64, & '65. States was in the Army. States has known the family of William Y. West sincs has known anything, first knew them in Dade County, MO states Mahala Le Force(?)(nee West) was the first member of the family to come to the Cherokee Nation, in 1856 or 1857, she was Isham West's daughter. Perry West and his mother and her children were the first of William Y. West's family he saw here. States saw Perry in 1861 and his mother in 1863, he thinks. States has known Isham L. West since he can remember states saw Isham L. West in Texas in 1863 & Isham was talking of coming back to the Cherokee Nation to live. States understood that Mrs. Warren came back to the Cherokee Naiton just after the War. States it was the common understanding that the mother of Isham L. West came with her family to the Cherokee Nation just after the War. States Perry West's home was here during the War and he held some kind of an office in the Cherokee Nation. States Mrs. Warren was in the Cherokee Nation a short time during the War. States most of Perry West's children were born in the Cherokee Nation. States saw Isham L. West in the Cherokee Nation in 1863 or 1864 after Isham's return from California and understood that Isham was making his home in the Cherokee Nation. States knew of Matilda E. Cox and Mrs. Cantrell in the Cherokee Nation for a few years. States Dave West was in the Cherokee Nation pretty soon after 1861. States Clarinda E. Jones was in the Cherokee Nation after the War but he doesn't know when Clarinda came. Cross Examination: States Isham West(not Isham L. West as the initial L. is scribbled out) told his mother that he was a Cherokee. States his mother was related to Isham and they were discussing family history. States his father was then living in Dade County, MO and his father was a white man. Stricken Note from Cross Examination: States saw Nancy Anderson(nee Gentry? hard to read) his grandmother and his mother's name on the Roll of 1835. States his mother was enrolled as a 16 year old daughter of Nancy Anderson and states that's the only time they were recognized as Cherokee. Testimony of Mrs. Matilda E. Cox - Feb. 9, 1896, Muskogee, I.T. States is 60 years old and lives in the Delaware District near Afton in the Cherokee Nation. States is an appellant and one of the applicants for citizenship in this case, and verifies the names of herself and her family in the application made to the Dawes Commission to be correct. States her father was William Y. West and her mother Willie West. States her mother's maiden name was Perry. States she knew her paternal grandfather, Jeptha West, but did not know her maternal grandparents. States was known in her family that her father, William Y. West, was a Cherokee Indian by blood, and that the Cherokee blood came from his mother, Milla Gentry, who was reupted to have been recognized and a member of the old Cherokee Nation. States she is the oldest member of her family now living in the Cherokee Nation. States her father died during the Rebellion, and her mother died around 1870 but she doesn't remember the precise date. States her mother came to the Cherokee Nation in the early part of the Rebellion with her(Matilda's) younger sisters and brothers: Willie C. J. Warren, Milla West who after ward married James Starr, Louisa West who afterward married Henry Hughs, and Jeptha West. States the Burks in the application are descendants of Milla Starr, except Riley Burks who married Milla's daughter Talitha. States Perry West was her brother and he came to the Cherokee Nation before her or her mother, states thinks she came to the Cherokee Nation in 1864 and found her brother living in the Cherokee Nation occupying an improvement between Grand River and Horse Creek with his family there living with him. States she and Mrs. Willie C. J. Warren and Isham L. West were here along with other members of her family besides siblings. States cousin Mrs. Clarinda J. Jones and sister Malinda E. Cantrell who has died since this application was made were bother here in the Cherokee Nation. States cannot tell when her brother Davis or C. D. West came to the Cherokee Nation, but it was right after the War. Testimony of Isham L. West - Feb. 9, 1896 Muskogee, I. T. States age 59, lives in Illinois District, Cherokee Nation, and is a son of William Y. and Willie West. Verifies the names of family members listed in the application. States he went to California in 1859 at age about 21 and never saw his father again, but had lived at home up until that time. States was commonly known in his father's family and among family connections that his father was a Cherokee Indian by blood, derived from Milla Gentry, his(Isham's) paternal grandmother. States he first came to the Cherokee Nation in 1864 after his mother had. States he didn't remain long in the Cherokee Nation due to dangerous conditions because of the war but moved south into the Choctaw Nation near the Texas line. States came back to the Cherokee Nation with the purpose of "looking out a home" in the Cherokee Nation for his mother and with the intention of making the Cherokee Nation his home. States he didn't remain long because of troubles between old and New Cherokees and troubles that were following the war. States went to Arkansas to learn blacksmithing and married there and returned to the Cherokee Nation about five years later but did not bring his family. States within a year or two to Arkansas and brought his family to the Cherokee Nation and since that time the Cherokee Nation has been his home. States did not intend to stay so long in Arkansas but took longer to learn his trade than expected. States when he came in 1864 his brother Perry West and his family was living on Spavinaw. States was told his mother went South, and he went and found her in the Choctaw Nation along with Milla West who became Mrs. Starr, Willia C. J. West now Mrs. C. J. Warren, Elisa T. Hughs, Jeptha West, and C. D. or Davis West living with her. States his mother died in the Choctaw Nation. States does not know when these family members moved back to the Cherokee Nation, but when he returned he found them all except Jeptha West who had died. Testimony of Mrs. Clarinda J. Jones - Feb 9, 1896 Muskogee, I. T. States age 51. Lives on the Neosho River in the Cherokee Nation. States is a daughter of Isham West, a brother of William Y. West. States first came to the Cherokee Nation in 1875 and stayed awhile and moved into the Cherokee Nation with her family in 1884, and has lived there ever since, except for a few years when she went back to take care of her mother and father. States during the entire time, even while away caring for her parents, she continued to own property in the Cherokee Nation. States that the mother of Isham L. West moved into the Cherokee Nation in 1868, bringing with her Milla West now Mrs. Starr, Mrs Willie C. J. Warren, and Louisa T. West now Mrs. Hughs, and further states that understands that Mrs. Hughs and her family lives in the Cherokee Nation, knows that Mrs. Warren and her family are living in the Cherokee Nation, and understands that Talitha Burks, daughter of Milla Starr, and her family are living in the Cherokee Nation. States heard her father claim and it was a matter of general knowledge that he was of Cherokee Indian blood.