Creek Nation, OK, Testimony of Z.T. Berryhill for John J. Wills (Dawes
Commission)

Submitted by David Morgan dmorgan@efn.org

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Zachary and Martha (Wills) Berryhill took their children and moved to Indian 
Territory in 1882. Martha (Wills) Berryhill died in Dustin, Creek Nation, 
Indian Territory, in 1882. Zachary applied for Creek Nation citizenship. He 
and his children became citizens of the Creek Nation. In Okmulgee on 
5 August 1896, Zachary gave the following statement for John J. Wills,
brother of Zachary's deceased wife, Martha J. (Wills) Berryhill.


								Creek Nation

I know John Wills. I have known him ever since he was a boy. He was
acknowledged as citizen the same time I and Alfred Self was. That is, he
was here and left several years ago and has been down in Texas somewhere
and came back a short time ago. I don't know anything about his
children. I have not been at his home since he came back. 

Q. What was John's mothers name? 

A. Georgia Ann Wills. 

Q. Was Mrs. Wills and her children admitted the same time you was at the
District Court? 

A. Yes. 

Q. Have you been recognized as a citizen since the action of that 
court? 

A. Yes. 

Q. What relation are you to John Wills? 

A. I don't know.

After Martha (Wills) Berryhill died, Zachary Taylor Berryhill married Martha's 
sister, Susan Evaline (Wills) Burnes. They married in Indian Territory about 
1890. Susan Evaline Wills was born in Rusk County, Texas, in November 1854. She 
was called Evaline and was the widow of Isaac "Ike" Burnes, by whom she
had four children. 

---
The Story of John Berryhill and Elizabeth Derrisaw and Their Descendants

This is an unpublished manuscript done by Thelma Nolen Cornfeld before
her death in 1996. Her daughter Barbara gave me permission to put her
research online.

David