User:LloydTaylor1/George Samuel "Golden Hawk" Sizemore

George Samuel "Golden Hawk" Sizemore new article content ...

George Samuel "Golden Hawk" Sizemore (1783-1864). Some say he was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died May 6, 1864 in Floyd County, Kentucky. Others say he was born in 1781 in North Carolina. He was also known as Gullen or Gulden early in life.

Parents and Ancestors

George was the 4th of 9 children born to George "All" Sizemore (1750-1822) and Agnes "Aggie" Cornett Shepherd (1753-1833)

Kentucky Pioneer

Several statues were erected in his honor. The latest was in 1999 in Magoffin County, Kentucky. He has three markers at his gravesite near the old R.C. Salyer and Finley Arnett home. He lived in the meadows section of Magoffin County, KY near the mouth of Oakley Creek. George Sizemore and his son William "Blackhawk" Sizemore were both reported to be legendary figures in the region of Kentucky in which they resided. George was a Cherokee later a member of the Whitetop Laurel Band of Cherokees. He escaped Trail of Tears. His family had to avoid the Indian census to avoid having their lands stolen. DNA links him to the Melungeon Indians.

From Thousandsticks a Leslie County, KY newspaper "The family history of the Sizemore family, among the first settlers of Leslie County, is taken from our files of February 1938. It was written by Judge L. D. Lewis, deceased. 'John "Rockhouse" Sizemore was the first man that ever had a residence at the mouth of Rockhouse Creek of the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River where the town of Hyden is now. He came here….about 1817, his wife was Nancy Bowling. He had a sister that married William Begley…..John Sizemore died about 1850. His wife …died about the year 1870. John Sizemore was related to George Golden Hawl Sizemore. George Golden Hawk lived and died somewhere in or near the Floyd County line. John Sizemore the ancestor of all these people was perhaps half Cherokee born in North Carolina ca. 1781; died in KY on 6 May 1864; married first Sallie Anderson who reportedly died ca. 1842. Researcher Judy Salyer has reported on the Magoffin Co, KY Sizemore genealogy website that Perry Co, KY records show the marriage of a George Golden Hawk Sizemore to Mary Ann Womack on 15 May 1826. George is reported to have fathered 13 children by Polly Womack, but Eastern Cherokee Applications indicate that he and wife Sallie Anderson had children as late as ca. 1837. He also was the father of at least six Sizemore children by Alethia (Richardson) Goodman, and in one court case is reputed to have said that he was the father of a total of 55 children. He is referred to in different records as "Gulden", "Golden", "Goulden", "Golden" and "Goldenhawk". I am not aware of the source of his nickname Goldenhawk or Golden, nor have I determined the source of the nickname of his son William "Blackhawk" Sizemore. This George Sizemore and his son Blackhawk were both reported to be legendary figures in the region of KY in which they resided."

Sizemore Indians struggle for survival and acceptance

A group of Indians escaped the Trail of Tears. They were taken in by a family named Sizemore in the Whitetop Mountain area of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. They took the last name of Sizemore. The Indians now known as Sizemore intermarried with the Cherokee Indians in the area. Sixty years after the Trail of Tears they became known as the Whitetop Laurel Band of Cherokees. They were never registered in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Census. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians denied the applications of 2175 Whitetop Sizemores to apply for Cherokee Nation funds. Some said they belonged in the Muscogee (Creek) Indian nation. They avoided the Indian census both to avoid having their farms stolen and because they were passing for white in Kentucky. [2] Other Sizemores joined the Metis and the Melungeon.

Many Sizemores applied for government funds with Eastern Cherokee enrollment applications ECAs. Most were denied because they were not on previous a census. More detail is on ECA #10133, #12477, #5113

The last name Sizemore comes from the English name Sismore

Wives and Children

George was 1/4 Cherokee and fathered 52 children.

Brought before a Floyd County, Kentucky circuit court for having too many wives, told the judge "If I was as pretty a man as you I'd of had more."

Different researchers allocate the children differently among the wives.

George and Mary Ann Womack (1806-xxxx) on May 15, 1826 in Perry Co., Hazard, KY. 13 children:

Edward Sizemore;
Jenny Sizemore b: 1828 in Kentucky;
Catty Sizemore b: 1833 in Kentucky;
Henry  Sizemore b: 1835 in Clay, Kentucky;
Syrena Sizemore b: 1858 in Kentucky;
Mary Sizemore b: 1862 in Kentucky, USA

George married Sally Sarah Anderson (1792-1850) in 1810 in Hawkins County, TN.

Elizabeth "Betsy" Sizemore b: 1813 in Floyd, Kentucky, married 1. Goodman, 2. Reuben Salyer Morgan 3. William Wiley Arnett;
John Sizemore(1815-1862) born in Floyd, Kentucky, maarried Esther; 
William "Black Hawk" Sizemore (1818-1874) born in Kentucky, married 1. Martha Milum, 2. Rebecca Griffey;
Nancy J. Sizemore(1821-1902) born in , Floyd, Kentucky, married John M. Hoover;
Susannah Sizemore (1823-1882) born in , Floyd, Kentucky, married Jacob Wireman;
Malvina Sizemore (1825-1869) born in , Floyd, Kentucky;
Florence Sizemore (1826-1911) born in , Floyd, Kentucky, married John B. Wireman;
Sarah Sizemore 1828-1913) born in , Kentucky, married Fielding Wireman;
Jake Sizemore b: 1832 in Floyd, Kentucky;
Catherine Sizemore (1835-1907) born in , Floyd, Kentucky, married Samuel Montgomery;
Granville "Poke" Sizemore b: 1835 in Magoffin, Floyd, KY, married Tracy Taza Minix;
Amanda Sizemore b: 1835 in Floyd, Kentucky;

George married Althena "Allie" Kendo Goodman-Richardson (1791-1873) in 1820 in KY. 6 children:

Calvin Goodman Sizemore b: 1816 in Hawkins, TN;
Mary Polly Goodman Sizemore b: 1822 in Kentucky, married Daniel Hayes
Rachel Goodman Sizemore (1822-1892) born  in Floyd, KY, married Anderson Hayes;
Elizabeth "Betsy" Goodman Sizemore (1823-1856) born in Floyd, Kentucky, married N. Hunter;
Agnes "Aggie" Sizemore (1824-1916) in Floyd, Kentucky, married Silas Montgomery;
Winifred "Winnie" Sizemore (1827-1900) born in , Floyd, Kentucky, married 1. N. Martin, 2. Robert Begley, 3. L. Sibley; 
Lydia Goodman Sizemore b: 1827 in Tennessee;
George B. "Goshen" Sizemore b: 14 Jul 1829 in , Floyd, Kentucky;
Florinda "Clarinda" Sizemore b: 1830;
Stokely Sizemore (1831-1865) born in Floyd, KY;
George B. Sizemore (1829-xxxx) born in Floyd, KY married Francis Patton;

George married unknown spouse. Children:

[Agnes Sizemore] b: 1833 in , Floyd, Kentucky;
[Jeff Sizemore] b: 1834 in , Floyd, Kentucky; 
[Henry Sizemore] b: 1835 in , , Kentucky;
[Catherine Sizemore] b: 3 Sep 1845 in , , Kentucky;
[Mary Sizemore] b: 1862 in , , Kentucky;
[Martha Sizemore] b: 1863 in , , Kentucky;
[Manerva Jane Sizemore] b: 1868 in , , Kentucky;
[Catty Sizemore] b: 1871 in , , Kentucky

References

• Obituary of DOUG HAYES (b. 23 Apr 1877 d. 30 Aug 1957): "Doug Hayes was the son of the late Lewis Hayes and Margret Everege. He was born at McPherson, KY (now known as Hindman). He was the grandson of Golden Hawk SIzemore who was 1/4 Cherokee and the father of 52 children."
• ECA # 14255 filed in Jan. 1907 by Wood Sizemore gives his ancestry as: Wo od Sizemore, son of William "Blackhawk" Sizemore and Martha Milam, s on of George Sizemore who was a brother of Ned Sizemore, Henry Sizemore a nd John Sizemore. He then makes a statement that Ned and Henry Sizemore we re brothers to George Gulden Sizemore.

• Eastern Cherokee Applications: ECA # 37626 filed in Aug. 1907 by George B. Sizemore says he was born in 1829 and gives his parents as George Sizemore and Alethia Ritchison. He lists 13 brothers and sisters including Katie Montgomery whose ECA is listed next below. George B. also says he is a brother to Black Hawk and uncle of Wood Sizemore. ECA's # 37627-37630 filed by children of George state that George B. Sizemore's wife was Frankie Patton, daughter of David and Sally.

• ECA # 14720 filed by Catherine Montgomery identifies her parents as George Sizemore and Sally Anderson, stating that they died in 1863 and 1842, respectively. Catherine states that she was born 1831, and she names 10 brothers and sisters born between 1817 and 1837. Says that father who died in 1863 was living in Magoffin County, KY in 1851. This ECA then created confusion by giving the parents of George Sizemore as Henry Sizemore and (Swirup?) Anderson. Other ECA's seem to confirm that this George Sizemore was a brother to the Ned and Henry Sizemore.

• ECA # 32924 by William Sizemore of Water Gap, Floyd County, KY, born 1839, son of William Hawk Sizemore and Mattie Milem. Says his grandparents were George Gulden Sizemore and wife Sally Anderson who was born in Hawkins County, TN. Lists his grandparents children as Elizabeth, Susan, Nancy, Sarah, Florence, Catherine, Aggie, Vinia, William Hawk, John, and Granville Sizemore. Lists his brothers and sisters as John, Susan, Hiram and Woodson Sizemore. Says his father died in May 1874, and his mother in Nov. 1 865. Says grandparents George Gulden Sizemore and Sally Anderson were residents of Floyd County, KY in 1851. Also lists his own 7 children born between 1866 and 1887.

• ECA # 32577 by Alexander Montgomery of McNeal, Boyd County, KY, born 1856 in KY, daughter of Samuel Montgomery and wife Katy Sizemore. Lists one grandparent-George Montgomery, says "blood comes from Black Hawk Indian Chief." Names three children of unnamed grandparents, ie. Katy Sizemore Montgomery, George Sizemore and Granville Sizemore.

• ECA # 25138 by Syrenna Matney of Hallsville, McDowell Co, WV,age 49 (thus b. ca.1858), daughter of George and Polly Sizemore. Says that her father and mother were born in GA or NC, and that their dates of death are unknown. Names siblings as Rachel, Polly, Caley, Jenny, and William Sizemore, and names her four children.

• ECA # 37401 by Lena Strublen of Ashland, Boyd Co, KY, born 1875, daughter of John R. and Alifair (Prater) Patton, and wife of Edward Strublen age 43. Says her grandparents were Allen and Jenny (Sizemore) Patton, and Newman and Montia Prater. Names children of her grandparents as Floridnida Patton Allen, Minton Patton, Rebecca (Patton)Prater, Betty Whitt, Katie Stenbo, Wesley Patton and Bunyon Patton. Says her father died 1900 and mother is living. Names five siblings.

Bibliography

• Pioneer Families of Leslie County (KY)
• Thousandsticks a Leslie County, KY newspaper

External links

• http://www.kentuckykinfolkorganization.com/jimmaddix.html
• http://www.melungeons.com/articles/melungeondnaproject.htm#Surname Index