GENERATION

126. WILLIAM STILES was born on 26 Mar 1769 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.. William Stiles was living in Barren Co., KY by 1800 and lived at the mouth of Mulberry Creek on the Arkansas River east of Ft. Smith from about 1816 to 1818.

Thomas Nuttall, the renowned botanist, accompanied Major Bradford from Ft. Smith to the mouth of the Kiamichi River in Southeastern Oklahoma in May of 1819. In his journals Nuttall reports that as they traveled through the Arbuckle Mountains (Kiamichi Mountains) they came upon a wagon trail. When they emerged upon the prairie near Doaksville they discovered the camp of William Stiles, Sr. Stiles had his family (women and children) with him including his mother-in-law, Esther Vinson, "blind and 90 (98) years of age." (Her birthday was calculated to be 2-31-1722.) She died on 1-1-1820 being 98 years, 9 months and 1 day old. William was obliged to leave the mouth of Mulberry Creek in Arkansas when the area was ceded to the Cherokee Indians from Georgia.

William Stiles settled near present day Ft. Towson, OK. In 1821 he left this area since it was being ceded to the Choctaw Indians from Mississippi.

Thomas Nuttall and William B. Dewees recorded eye witness descriptions of the frontier settlement near Red River in the vicinity of Doaksville, OK. This is the settlement where William Stiles, Sr. lived from 1819 to 1821 and John Stiles lived from 1823 to 1828.

Thomas Nuttall F.L.S. of the Academy of Natural Sciences writes: "The width of the prairie to Red River might be about five miles, and the contracted alluvial lands, which by the crops of corn and cotton appeared to be exceedingly fertile, were nearly inhabited to their full extent. The wheat planted here produced about 80 bushels to the acre, for which some of the inhabitants had now the conscience to ask three dollars and a half per bushel, in consequence of the scarcity of last season."

"These people, as well as the generality of those who, till lately, inhabited the banks of the Arkansas, bear the worst moral character imaginable, being many of the renegadoes from justice, and as such have forfetied the esteem of civilized society. When further flight from justice became necessary, they passed over into Spanish terrirory, toward San Antonio, where it appears that encouragement was given to all sorts of refugees. From these people we frequently heard disrespectful murmurs against the goverment of the United States. There is indeed a universal complaint against showing unnecessary and ill-timed favors to the Indians. It is true that the Osages and Cherokees have been permitted, almost without molestation, to rob the people on this river, not only of their horses and cattle, but even occasionally of their house hold furniture."

William B. Dewees, a resident of the Red River country near Doaksville, OK in 1819 wrote in a letter to a relative in Kentucky: "But a few words now for the society that inhabits this new country. We are a motley crew, emigrants from all parts of the world, and of course have all kinds of people, good and bad! but the bad seems to predominate." He goes on to describe a camp meeting he had attended a few days previously at the mouth of Clear Creek across the river from Jonesborough. Three ministers had been in attendance and a very comsiderable congregation. Not all of those in the vicinity were intent upon salvation, however; quite close to the camp was located a spring around which a crew of drunken rowdies gathered to mock the prayers, sermons and shouting of the religiously inclined. Upon being rebuked by one of the mininsters, these sons of Belial scattered the congregation and cut down the rude pulpit. But frontier preachers trained in the school of Lorenzo Dow and Peter Cartwright were not to be outdone; they rallied the searchers after grace and drove away the scoffers; rebuilt their altar, and", as Dewees notes, "had a very successful meeting."

The above information was obtained from: descendant of John Stiles....
Lewis Stiles
Route 1 Box 576
Broken Bow, OK 74728

William Stiles was married to HETTY VINSON on 24 May 1792 in Elbert Co. Georgia.

127. HETTY VINSON.

Jesse Vinson deceased the 12th day of Jany. 1891
Esther Vinson, wife of Jesse Vinson, died 1st day of January 1820, being 98 years, 9 months & 1 day old.
Anne Stiles, wife of Richard Stiles, dec'd 14 March 1820, leaving 3 small children.
Solomon Stiles, son of Wm. & Hetty Stiles departed this life March 30, 1806.


William & Hettie's Children were:

i. RICHARD STILES was born on 8 Apr 1793 in GEORGIA; married 12-16-1811 to Anne Godby, then to Martha Brice. Settled in Shelby Co. after 1835

ii. ELIZABETH STILES.

iii. JOHN STILES was born on 19 Mar 1797 in BARREN CO. KY.. He married Sarah King Reed 7-17-1823 near Ft. Towson, OK. He died on 15 Aug 1854. In 1825 they moved across Red River, located north of Clarksville, TX. and remained there the rest of their lives.

John Stiles joined a company of volunteers from Clarksville and went to San Jacinto to join Sam Houston's army as reinforcements in the Texas War for Independence. This company arrived shortly after Sam Houston had defeated General Santa Anna and was on hand when Santa Anna was brought to Houston's camp as a prisoner. According to Stiles family legend, Santa Anna was camouflaged as a Mexican soldier, but was recognized by other prisoners in Houston's camp and his identity was revealed by the soldiers saluting him and saying "El Presidente". The feeling of hatred was very high among the Texans because of the massacres at Goliad and the Alamo. Santa Anna gave the sign of a Master Mason in distress.

General Houston needed to keep Santa Anna alive and unharmed to negotiate the surrender of Texas and the removal of Mexian troups from Texas soil. He asked an aide who was available and was told that John Stiles and a group of volunteers had just arrived from North Texas. He said, "Just the man I want to guard Santa Anna. Houston had become acquainted with John Stiles as he traveled back and forth from the Cherokee Nation to Texas and reportedly had spent the night with John Stiles on several occasions.

John Stiles, Isaiah Dedrick Lawson and William McCowen were appointed to guard Santa Anna. John Stiles said, "Over my dead body will he be taken." The Methodist Church at Whiterock in Red River County had been built by members of the Stiles family and others in their area. The top story was constructed as a Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge. These three guards were very likely all members of this lodge.

William McCowen married a full blood Cherokee girl in Alabama. She was reportedly a chief's daughter, and McCowen married her in order to get out of a jam. Their daughter, Mary Elizabeth, married Isaiah Dedrick Lawson. A daughter from this marriage, Elizabeth A., married John Stiles son, John Wesley Stiles.

Santa Anna was very grateful to John Stiles and later sent him a letter, his York Rite Masonic Apron, and a silk serape. These items were given to John's eldest son, William, for delivery to his father. John Stiles decreed that these items be handed down to the youngest Stiles (his descendants) who is a Mason upon the death of each recipient; The recipients have been: John Stiles' son, Lewis Cass Stiles; John Wesley's son, James Marion Stiles; Charles Dedrick's son, Robert Henry Stiles, and at this writing the Masonic Apron and silk serape are in the possession of Robert Stiles' son, Lewis Robert Stiles, Broken Bow, OK.

According to family legend, about 1817 the United States Goverment ordered a line surveyed due North from Red River to the Missouri line. A number of white settlers, among them John Stiles, had cleared some land and built homes that they thought were in Arkansas. The line run by the survey party would put the settlers in Indian country. John Stiles and his men armed themselves and went out to meet the surveyors, saying that they did not intend to be cut off in Indian country. when told the line due North had been ordered by General Jackson, Stiles replied, "It makes no difference to us, sir, from whom you got your orders. We have plenty of ammunition and we are going to kill every last one of you before we submit to our homes being cut off."

The surveyor asked permission to be allowed to camp until they could get word to General Jackson for further instruction. John Stiles answered: "We will house and take care of your party until you hear." After about six weeks, the men returned with the message from Jackson; "Run that line where those men show you to run it. They are the kind of people I want in my own country."

John Stiles and Sarah King Reed had 23 children including 3 sets of twins. Twelve of these lived to maturity. Only 18 are accounted for.

Above information from John Stiles descendant...
Lewis Stiles
Route 1 Box 576
Broken Bow, OK. 74728

iv. WILLIAM STILES JR. was born on 3 Apr 1799 in BARREN CO. KY.. He married Nancy Lawrence 2-1-1820 at Mansville, Tx. Nancy Lawrence Stiles was born 10-25-1803, daughter of Adam Lawrence. He died in 1875 in MANSVILLE, TX.. William and Nancy lived in Miller Co. Ar., Claiborne Parish, La., and Johnson Co., Tx.

v. SOLOMON STILES was born on 8 Aug 1802 in BARREN CO. KY.. He died on 30 Mar 1806 in BARREN CO. KY..

vi. NANCY STILES was born on 25 Aug 1804 in BARREN CO. KY.. Nancy married 1-31-1820 to Henry Jones near Ft. Towson, OK. Nancy and Henry lived at Fort Bend Co., TX near Richmond. They moved to this area with William Stiles, Sr. & family 1821-22. Henry Jones had a ferry on Red River above the mouth of Pine Creek. Jonesborough, TX was named for him.

Henry Jones was not kin to James Jones who married Nancy's sister Hetty.

Henry Jones and two hunting companions, Martin Varner and George Creason were camped near the mouth of Choctaw Bayou on the South bank of Red River on a bleak December night in 1816. At dawn this group of hunters was attacked by a considerable band of Osage Indians. Jones and Varner were seriously wounded, but all managed to escape although they lost all their camping gear and pelts.

vii. HETTY STILES was born on 27 Jan 1808 in Christian Co. Kentucky. Hetty married 8-18-1825 to James A. Jones (not related to Henry Jones, Nancy's husband). Hetty and James lived in Fort Bend Co., TX.

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