For many years my family and I have been in search of
grandparents. They were told to have married cousins,
possibly distant at that. The only time we find this
grandmother is on the 1860 census being remarried. Her
name was told to be Mary Ann Proctor born possibly 1823
in Tennessee but so uncertain, she went by Minerva
Proctor Sloop on the 1860 census showing her children as
Proctor children. Minerva married George Sloop in 1858
either in Arkansas or Missouri. She had six children at
that time and we have always been told the husband she
had her children by was William Proctor.
It has been passed down they were of Cherokee descent
and both were married several times. We have also
been told by family William died around 1850. We were
told she had her children in Tennessee or possibly
Missouri but uncertain of this although some of them are listed as being born in Tennessee but have never found any records
as them being there. She had 2 sons who served in the
Civil War and one Silas who died and is buried in
Vicksburg. Other children setteled around Scottsville,
Dover, Russellville, in Pope County, Arkansas.
William is a real mystery and Minerva even a bigger one
since she went by many names. We once saw a census of her
in 1850 we think in Ozark, Missouri. The only census we
have any proof of is in 1860and her being married to
George Sloop. We have unrailed many of her children's
lines but so far none have their parents listed on their
documents. We were also told William may have been
several years older than Minerva. The names passed down
in our family are James, William, John, George, Frances,
Nancy, Mary and Rebecca. It has been told by old family
members that Mary "Minerva" was a descendant of
Chief Black and her mother was from the Davis family
line; William was married at the same time to another
Indian woman who was a Chief's daughter. Our William we
were told was from the Nicholas Proctor line born around
1794 but we are not certain. But who really knows; we
are in hopes of someone coming along with the same story
someday and helping us solve this long awaited mystery.
If anyone has any information you are willing to share
we will most appreciate it.

so much.