Sign In Sign-Up

Welcome!

Close

Would you like to make this site your homepage? It's fast and easy...

Yes, Please make this my home page!

No Thanks

  Don't show this to me again.

Close

 Indian Blood of Aaron Askew (1781-1862)

 My grandmother, Eunice Belle Daniel, was listed on the 1907 final Choctaw Dawes Commission Roll as being 1/32 Choctaw.  The Choctaw lineage in our family can be traced back to the late 1700’s through her great-great grandfather,  Aaron Askew.    Aaron  claimed to be ½ Choctaw Indian, his mother being a full-blood Choctaw Indian with the last  name of Frazier.  This information I found  in the Dawes Commission’s testimonials of his grandchildren in the late 1890’s and early 1900’s.   

Aaron was born about  1781  in  North Carolina,  and died  in 1862 in Lauderdale County, Alabama.  It is unknown the exact county of his birth however I believe him to be connected to the Askews of Bertie  and Hertford Counties in  North Carolina.   The Askew families of Bertie County arrived there in the early 1700’s, moving from Isle of Wight, Virginia.  Most  of them are the descendants of Nicholas Askew and Sara Olglethorpe.  Aaron is possibly a grandson Nicholas but I have not found positive proof.  The earliest census records I have  found that show Aaron  in Hertford County, North Carolina in 1810.  This record shows the only Aaron Askew of the correct age in North Carolina with one son that is of the correct age as his first child.    

Aaron married a woman named Elizabeth, known to the family as “Lovey” about 1810,  probably in that Bertie County.  Their first son, Quinton, was born there in 1810.    Shortly afterwards the family  relocated to Maury or Williamson County, Tennessee, where their second child, my great-great-great grandfather, Murrell was born in 1811.     By 1819 Aaron had moved to  Lauderdale County Alabama, where he lived until his death in 1862.   Lovey lived well into her 90s and was last found in Kaufmann County, Texas in 1880 at age 96, living with her daughter Eliza and son-in-law William Atwell.  

Aaron was a Baptist Minister  and church  records indicate he was  baptized at the Mill Creek Baptist Church, Lauderdale County, Alabama,  in 1819 and in 1829 was ordained a minister of the  Baptist faith.  He served as pastor of the Cedar Grove Baptist and Gabriel Butler Baptist Churches in Lauderdale County.  He was a well respected member of the county and held the office  of county tax collector  from  1852- 1856.  He unsuccessfully ran for Tax assessor  in 1856. 

Although Aaron's children and grandchildren testified in the Dawes Commission trials as to Aaron being Indian,  sometimes I have doubts he was, but all the evidence points that direction  as court testimonies,  by people who knew Aaron Askew from Lauderdale County, Alabama and Oklahoma,  to the Dawes Commission,  do indeed  indicate  Aaron was Choctaw Indian.  One testimony I read said, from a witness in Lauderdale County, Alabama,  “Aaron had a dark complexion, dark black hair, often wore moccasins,   had the ways of an Indian and  was fluent in an Indian language thought to be Choctaw ”. Since Aaron was tax collector  in Lauderdale county, I find it hard to believe that a half- Indian would become an  elected official as  unlike today, back in that  era,  being an Indian wasn't sometimes in your best  interest.    But, it’s highly likely that Aaron’s grandfather was a Scottish Indian trader with the last name of Frazier, I will talk about shortly.    

The testimonies of Aaron’s grandchildren do not say much about the “Frazier” woman said to  be Aaron's mother.  Frazier is indeed  a common name among the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian tribes.  The earliest Frazier Indians date back to the mid 1700' s when two Scottish Indian traders, Mark and Alexander Frazier,  intermarried among the Choctaws and Chickasaws.  Alexander was said to have married the sister of Chief Tobaca Apukshunnubbee of the Chakchiuma branch of the Northern Choctaws.   Some interesting facts I have found is that  there is an Alexander Frazier living very close to Aaron Askew on the 1810 census of Hertford County, NC.    Also, there is an Alexander Frazier listed on the 1831 removal list  of Choctaws that had “white” names.   If Alexander Frazier is indeed my relative, which I highly suspect, he is most likely Aaron Askew’s father-in-law, his daughter being the “Frazier” woman, talked about by Aaron’s descendents in the Dawes court hearings.   The Dawes Commission court hearings for the Askew family state that a C. H. Frazier, a Choctaw Indian,  testified that he was of direct blood relation to the  descendents of Aaron Askew.  I believe this person to be Campbell H. Frazier, listed on the 1885  Indian Territory Choctaw Census.

 Chief Apukshunnubbee,  born  about  1740 in Mississippi,  was chief of the Northern Choctaws,  from 1802 until his death in 1824.  The  three arrows on the Choctaw Nation Seal, represent three great Choctaw Chiefs - Apukshunnubbee, Pushmataha, and Mosholatubbee,  who all signed the treaty of Doaks Stand  with Andrew Jackson. The Chakchimuas Choctaw, meaning "red crawfish" in Choctaw, inhibited the Yalobusha Valley of Mississippi in the early 1700's.  After the Choctaw Civil War of the 1740's  most of this band fled finding refuge among the Chickasaws.  The few remaining Chakchiumas were absorbed into the Northern Choctaws

Based on dates and evidence I have collected,  Apukshunnubbee’s  father, is possibly Aaron Askew’s grandfather as to the dates of their births.  Aaron being born about 1780  would put Aaron’s mother born from about 1740-1760, just the age to be the sister of Apukshunnubbee.    

Some of the descendants of Aaron Askew, specifically  my 3^rd great grandfather,  Murrell’s children,  made the  Choctaw Indian Dawes Rolls, however, others, such as the descendants of  Aaron’s son Thomas,  were denied  Indian tribal membership although the court records indicated they should have been admitted to the tribe. .

Another possible connection of the Askew family to the Choctaw Frazier family is this record I located in  Maury County, Tennessee.  In that county lived a John Askew who married a woman named Alpha  Pace about 1824.   I have found family that claim Aaron had a brother named John.  Alpha Pace's mother was Sarah Frazier, daughter of William Frazier, a full-blood Choctaw Indian. William was said to be one  of the negotiators of the “Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek”, which effectively gave all Choctaw lands east of the Mississippi to the Federal government and forced the Choctaw removal to Oklahoma.    If there  is an Indian Frazier connection to Aaron Askew, this John Askew could be related to Aaron Askew and Sarah and William Frazier could be related to the Frazier Indian woman said to be Aaron's mother.  This group of Fraziers were  indeed in the area where  Aaron Askew  lived in shortly after 1810. 

After 1880 all of Aaron’s children, still living,  left  Alabama.  Children Thomas, Moses, Quinton and Cleopatra and possibly Mary,  had died prior to 1880.   His son Murrell was the first to move to Oklahoma with his family in 1878 or 79, settling near Lebanon in Chickasaw  Indian Territiory.  Several of  Murrell’s brother Thomas’s children also moved to Marshall and Love Counties in about 1890.   Children of  Aaron’s daughter Cleopatra Rhoades, came to Pontotoc County, near Ada about  1888,  and later moved to Love County.   Another daughter, Elizabeth Douglas and her family were in  Love County, Oklahoma.  Daughters  Eliza Atwell and  Matilda Hill both settled in Texas with their families.  The children of Aaron’s son Moses, who was killed in the Civil War,  settled in Baxter County, Arkansas. 

                                                                        The Askew Surname 

The name Askew, is derived from the  Norse words "ask skog".  The o is pronounced as oo (food) even now in Norway and Sweden,  thus Askoog.  Old English (Norse) was still spoken in northern England in the time of King John  (1197)  when, according to Burke's LANDED GENTRY, and accepted by all scholars as certain, a tract of land near Viillom covered with ash trees in that time called Askoog (ash Forrest) was given to a certain Thurston, later called Thurston de Bosco (from the forest).  Perhaps according to advice at the local historical museum in Millom, he, as a Norman or a local also of Norse descent, accompanied the Lord of Miliom when he led men of the area to the Holy Land on the Crusade of William the Lion Hearted and was given the ash Forrest by which he became a yeoman ('land owner).  At least, when later some Askew men were knighted, they chose to place on their coat of arms a sword held aloft holding an infidel's head.  This tract of land was listed by the name Askoog in the Domesday Book, a land census lifted by agents of William the Conqueror in 1085-1086.  The name Askew, thus, is a place name.  The children descendants or born on the land were called, as customary, Mary of Askoog, John of Askoog, etc., until, since, few people could read or write, the name was an noted variously as heard and finally after centuries, standardized written as Askew.  By the fifteen hundreds the members of the Askew family were sparsely scattered over England but were mostly concentrated near its place of origin from Bootle on the coast across the lower Lake Country along Morecombe Bav over to Bedale past Lancashire into Yorkshire.  There the name is well known.   Another interesting note,  is that the founder of the Quaker religion, George Fox, married a Margaret Askew.  It is not known what branch of the Askew family of  Margaret belongs to. 

                                 Murrell Askew (1811-1883)  

Murrell Askew, son of Aaron, is my great-great-great grandfather.  Murrell was born  March 4, 1811 in Williamson County, Tennessee.  He died  January 4^th, 1884, in Lebanon, Oklahoma Chickasaw Indian Territory.    Murrell Askew claimed 1/4 Choctaw Indian blood through is father Aaron.  Like  his father he was a  minister of the Baptist faith and  was the first pastor of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, located in Lexington, Alabama in Lauderdale County near the Tennessee border.  He started this church in 1854 and served as pastor until 1859.    He also was a school teacher  for  many of his  years in Lauderdale County,  For 20 years he was president of the Macedonia Baptist Association and was chosen chief speaker of the conventions, which assembled in Memphis, Tennessee.  He lived at an age when ministers and laity as well believed that the power of the preacher was in his ability to make long speeches.   Acting under this impression at one of the conventions in Memphis, he spoke for six hours and twenty minutes.   Leaving the Baptist denomination he became a preacher of the Christian Church, after which there was at one time a complete conversion of a Baptist congregation of 400 members to the Christian Church under his guidance.

 The old settlers declared that no man ever lived in Northern Alabama who had a better memory than Murrell Askew.  He came to the Indian Territory  believing that it was his duty to labor in this mission field.  Before his death, which occurred four years later, there had been 53 active congregations of the Christian Church, established by Murrell Askew.   Governor Benjamin Overton, of the Chickasaw Nation, was one of his first converts to Christianity in Oklahoma.   Murrell is buried in the graveyard at the Burney Institute Indian School, where he served as a minister.  (see photos below)

                                                    Below is an abstract from the history of Lauderdale County, Alabama: 

“The leading of these brotherhood journals did take it’s toll amongst the  Missionary Baptist of Lauderdale County.   A brother Murrell Askew had left the  Missionary Baptist in 1876.  Askew was for sometime considered one of the Mission’s foremost preachers.  About the year 1863 some of his brethren  concluded that he was tinctured with that they termed “Campbellism,”  and threatened to prefer charges against him for teaching baptism, because he determined that a sinner could not claim the promise of pardon of his sins  unless through baptism. He had proposed an investigation with any man or  committee of subjects in the controversy.   They refused. At the association in 1874 they charged him with preaching Campbellism.  When questioned about what he taught, he answered according the New Testament.  They requested him to  quit teaching the doctrine. He told them he would quit preaching “alien baptism during the next year if they would then discuss the subjects of the controversy, they still refused and in September 1875, when the Association met, hey would not let him be heard on the subject, because the church where his membership was sent him as a delegate, and sent it’s letter under the name of the “Church of Christ: without the Missionary Baptist added to it.  The association withdrew fellowship from the church, because it kept Askew as pastor.  The other three churches , for which he preached, also divided, and adopted the name Church of Christ.  They agreed to take the Scriptures as the only authority.  Upon this action these four churches, under Askew’s guidance, left the Indian Creed Association and became New Testament Churches.   The lading congregation of these four was Union Grove, where Askew was enrolled as a member.   This congregation survives today in the name of the North Carolina Church of Christ”.       

Burney Institute   Established 1854 by Chickasaw Council Daugherty Colbert Chief, David Burney, Joel Kemp, George James, A. V. Brown, school trustees.  Opened as a school for Chickasaw girls in 1859 under supervision of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  Rev. Robert S. Bell and wife, teachers, Name changed to Chickasaw Orphan Home and Manual Labor School in 1887.

Location of Murrell Askew’s grave as I found it in 2002. Marker leaning against tree. . Reads: Rev. Murrell Askew March 4, 1811, Jan 6, 1884. Gone but not forgotten.

          Mary Jane “Belle” Askew Hendrix (1852-1930)

        About 1930 in Ninnekah, OK             Taken in Roff, Oklahoma in about 1905

                                                          Mary Jane Askew, my great-great grandmother, known as “Belle”,  was born 1852 in Lauderdale County, Alabama and died in 1930 in Ninnekah, Oklahoma.  She is buried in Ninnekah Cemetery.    Belle married  Joseph Jasper Hendrix in 1872 in Lauderdale County.   She moved with her family about 1879 to  near Wapanucka, Oklahoma Indian Territory.   The Hendrix family later moved to near Hart, Oklahoma, in Pontotoc County about the year 1901. 

(left) Elizabeth “Eliza” Wright Askew, Belle’s mother.  (1824-1900) Wife of Murrell.  She is buried in Lakewiew Cemetery in Marietta, OK..  Although  Eliza did not claim to be Indian, her appearance is as such.  The Wrights were from Scotland and settled in Moore County, NC and later in Lauderdale County, AL

                                        Askew Family in the Civil War

Several of Aaron Askew’s children and grandchildren served in  Confederate Civil War units from North Alabama and Southeast Tennessee.  Three  of Aaron’s grandsons,  William Quinton,  31^st Alabaman Infantry,  Murrell Washington and Newton,  both were in Company K, 7^th Alabama Infantry, CSA.   Aaron’s son Moses was in the 19^th Tennessee Cavalry , and died  in 1863 while in service.

William Quinton) Askew  (left)  (1835-1910) and wife   Martha Stutts . Son of Thomas Askew.   William in buried in Lexington, Oklahoma. 

Among the  descendants of  Aaron Askew,  who still have the Askew name,  I have had the privilege of  meeting while doing this research are:  Wendyl Askew, Willis, Oklahoma who descends from  Aaron’s son Thomas.  Dr. Julius Bolden Askew,   Houston, Texas, who descends  from  Murrell Askew through his son Baliss Bolden.  Neil Askew, Aiken, SC,  who descends from Murrell’s son Aaron.  And finally  Bart Askew,  Dallas, TX,  a Marine Corps pilot like myself, who descends from Julius Sydney, a son of Murrell.  

AARON ASKEW  was born 1781 in North Carolina and died in 1862 in Lauderdale County,  Alabama.   His wife was named  Elizabeth but they called her "Lovey".   Her last name is not known.   She was born about 1790 in Tennessee , and died about 1890 in Kaufman County, Texas.   They married in 1809 in North Carolina. Aaron and Elizabeth  moved to Williamson County, TN   in 1811 where their second child, my great great great Grandfather, Murrell, was born.   In 1818 they moved to Lauderdale County, Alabama..

1.             MURRELL ASKEW                                                                                 
2.             MATLIDA ASKEW
3.             MOSES ASKEW
4.             ELIZABETH ASKEW
5.             LOVEY ASKEW
6.             THOMAS ASKEW
7.             ELIZA ASKEW
8.             QUINTON ASKEW
9.             MARY ASKEW 
10.             AARON ASKEW

MURRELL ASKEW   was born March 4, 1811 in Tennessee, and died  January 6,  1884 in Lebanon, Marshall  County, OK , Indian Territory.  He married ELIZABETH "ELIZA" WRIGHT on March 9,  1845 in Lauderdale County Alabama, daughter of NICHOLAS WRIGHT and BARBARA JONES.   She was born  May 9,  1824 in Lauderdale County, AL, and died June 11,  1900 in Marietta Love County, Oklahoma, Indian Territory. 

2.  MARY JANE BELLE   ASKEW    (MURRELL³, AARON², ASKEW¹)  was born 1850 in Lauderdale County, AL, and died about 1928 in Ninnekah, OK. She married JOSEPH JASPER HENDRIX  August 6, 1873 in Lauderdale County, Alabama,   son of EDWIN HENDRIX and JANE JAMES.   He was born 1853 in Kentucky,  and died about 1917 in Roff, Oklahoma.

Children of MARY ASKEW and JOSEPH HENDRIX are: