Martha A. Hughes' Deposition

Court of Claims, Eastern Cherokee Indians

Cherokee County Courthouse, Murphy, NC, July 15, 1908

Witness re: App. No. 222

Martha A. Hughes, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

I am 68 years of age; am the mother of 4746, William F. Hughes; was born in Cherokee County, NC. I claim my Indian blood through my mother, Mary Ann Blythe. The parents of Mary Ann Blythe were Jonathan Blythe and Annie or Nancy Blythe. My mother was born in South Carolina. Do not know just what part of South Carolina. She died about eight years ago. She was about 86 or 87 years old I think. I had four brothers and two sisters older than I. My oldest brother was about 12 years older than I am. My oldest brother was born in Macon County. I do not know how long my mother had been living there when my brother was born. My mother was married in South Carolina. I never saw my grandmother, Annie Blythe. I do not know if she was dead when I was born. In 1851 my mother lived in Cherokee County, NC. I was living there also. I never heard her say she was enrolled or received any money at that time. I never received any money as an Indian in 1851-52. If my mother had received any money for me or herself, I would have known it. My mother and father were known all around at that time. There was no reason why a government officer could not have found my mother. I do not know if I ever heard her speak of them enrolling people at that time. I have heard my mother say that we had Cherokee Indian blood in us and that has been thrown up to us many times by the people around. My people did not deny it and did not resent being called Indians. I do not know that I ever heard my mother say just how much Indian blood she had. I do not know that I ever heard her say how much Indian blood my grandmother had. My mother when she moved to North Carolina moved among the Indians. I have heard her speak of living out there where the Indians were down in South Carolina where she was married. The Indians she lived among were living in South Carolina. I never heard of her living amongst any Indians but the Cherokees and suppose she was living among the Cherokees in South Carolina. I have never before filed a claim for Cherokee money or land. I never heard of any opportunity to file before this time. The first time I had my attention called to it was about 25 or 30 years ago when James Taylor and Mrs. Lockwood came to me about it. All I did was to give her my name and the names of my children. I always heard that I had Cherokee blood but that was the first time I knew it would draw anything. After that time I let the matter drop until I filed this application.

Martha A. Hughes (typed name)

Subscribed and sworn to before me this fifteenth day of July, 1908.
Guion Miller (his signature)
Special Commissioner

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