Family History of James O. McAulay
The Garden Path to Twilight
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HARLOW HOLLY FAMILY
McAULAY'S TO SPRINGFIELD, IL
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The mystery woman, Twilight Morningstar

This page is not going to have a family genealogy chart.  It is going to be a one sided conversation.  I am going to try to talk about the logic of getting from Martha Isabel Surate to Greenbury Surate, and tell about my father's story regarding Twilight Morningstar and where she is suppose to fit in the Surate family. Of course, if you have any clues, hints, tips or facts, please don't be shy, it never hurts to have another perspective after looking at something as long as I have.
 
Dad always told us the story that Twilight Morningstar, was a Cherokee Indian, who was part of the Trail of Tears,  that she met up with Francois Surate, a fur trader, in Canada.  And that she and Francois were gr grandparents(number of greats not known). This story was also repeated with similarities by one of Dad's sisters.
 

Here are the pieces:

Martha Isabelle Surate died Mar., 1904, survived by 2 sisters and 2 brothers (in addition to husband and children)

Harlow Holly dies in 1899

W. O. and Martha Vaughn are in 1880 Hannibal, MO census with Harlow Holly listed as father in law

Harlow and Mary Holly are in 1870 census, no daughters at home, 3 or 4 sons-Walter, William, Charles, George?

Harlow and Susan M. Holly are in 1860 census with Sarah F. age 10, Martha I. Age 7, and Walton, age 1.

Harlow Holly married Mrs. Mary S. Surate on Oct. 14, 1857 in Scott Co., IL

John and Susan Sarrath are family number 613 in the 1850 Brown Co., IL census.

Crossman and Amanda (dau of Greenbury Surate) Carter are family number 612 in the 1850 Brown Co., IL census. G..and Frankey Sarrath are family number 611 in the 1850 Brown Co., IL census.

John Green Seratt married Mary True, Jan. 23, 1850 in Brown Co., IL

My analysis of these pieces:

Susan Sarrath is the Mary True that md. John Green Seratt in 1850. John Green Seratt disappears between 1850 and 1860 census. No death record found as yet. John and Mary True had Sarah F., abt. 1850(after census) and Martha I. 1853. Sarah and Martha are listed as students with surname Suratt in a school record. Mrs. Mary S. Surate is most likely Mary/Susan True, who was married to John Green Seratt , and 2nd to Harlow Holly. Sarah F. and Martha I. Are not listed as "Surate" in the 1860 census, but both appear to be born before Harlow and Susan M. were married in 1857 and both were married as "Surate"

Mary True alternates between Mary Susan and Susan Mary- Susan Sarrath, Mrs. Mary S., Susan M., Mary, and finally as my father recalled hearing her referred to as Polly Holly.

The Holly boys who were born after Harlow and Mary got married gives us some brothers that Mary Holly was survived by in Mar., 1880.

None of the John Surratt’s living after 1860 appear to match John Green Seratt-but still have no death record for him. G. above is Greenbury(wife’s name matches other research). I have not been able to tie him in to the info on Paul Sarratt’s web site, have not found a marriage record, Frankey died before he did and he appears to have remarried(Kesiah Morris) in 1857 and died in 1860. There is no mention of a son John in his probate info.

 

Because Martha Isabelle Surate was not daughter of Harlow Holly, but of Mrs. Mary S. Surate, my line does not go back through the Holly’s.

Twilight Morningstar and Francois Surate just don’t fit in this puzzle anywhere. But I still think it is possible they are another generation or two older that Greenbury.