Aunt Bobbie

On July 2^nd, 2011,  the last surviving member of Gail’s parent’s generation passed away in Muskogee, Oklahoma at the age of 96.  “Aunt Bobbie,” the wife of Robert Owen Johnson, was born in Gideon, Oklahoma on January 1^st, 1915 and except for the past year or so, lived an active life.  Her real name was Katie Ballard Ross and she was the youngest of the five children born to Commodore Ross and Emma Still.  Commodore’s father, George Lowery Ross was the nephew of John Ross (1790-1866), Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828 to 1866 and known as the “Cherokee Moses.”

Cherokee Chief, John Ross

Before marrying into the Johnson clan, Katie had been married to Charles M. Pitchlynn, a man whose ancestry is also linked to one of the five civilized tribes.  Charles’ great, great grandfather was John Pitchlynn, one of the earliest pioneers on the Mississippi frontier.  When John’s father Isaac died, John was raised by the Choctaw Indians and learned their language.  Later, John established a trading post on the Tombigbee River in Mississippi and acted as Indian Agent and interpreter for George Washington during his presidency. He served in the capacity of presidential advisor until at least 1820.

In 1804, John married Sophia Folsom, a woman of mixed heritage.  Her father was Ebenezer Folsom and her mother was a mixed Choctaw/Anglo woman named Natika.  Sophia has the distinction of having the oldest known grave in Oklahoma.  John and Sophia had a total of ten children, of whom Peter Perkins Pitchlynn is the most renowned.  Peter was the Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation from 1860 to 1866.  As a side note, Peter’s younger maternal cousin, Frances Folsom (1864-1947) married Grover Cleveland in the White House.

Choctaw Chief, Peter Perkins Pitchlynn

A trip to Oklahoma always included a visit with Aunt Bobbie and she never ran out of interesting stories to tell.  I’m glad I had a chance to get to know her and hear those stories.