Jacob Trammell and Polly Hogshe(a)d

I had another genealogy moment.

It may or may not be something of value.

My g-g-g grandmother was Polly Hogshed. She was a Cherokee Indian. She was married to my g-g-g grandfather Jacob Trammell. They lived in Macon County, NC.

Polly drowned while working her fish baskets in the Little Tennessee River probably between 1850 and 1860. She is on the 1850 Census but not on the 1860 Census.

I was looking over the 1820-30 Census of Macon County and found Jacob Trammell’s family. Before 1850 the census only shown the head of house hold and the number of males and females. Next door to the Jacob Trammell household was the William Trammell household. William fought in the Revolutionary War and his arm was sliced off during the Battle of Kings Mountain (NC).

I didn’t know until today this but on the other side of them lived a George Hogshed. George was the same age bracket as Jacob Trammell. So, I think there is a strong possibility George and Polly were siblings.

George’s age of that census was between 30 and 40. The only other person in the household was a female between 20 and 30. They are not on the 1850 Macon County census. I think likely they were herded with the other Native Americans on the Trail of Tears.

When Jacob acquired the property only Indians could own property in that particular area. But he and Polly could have jointly owned the property. Then, later on during the Trail of Tears wives of white men were excluded. You might say in those two legal maneuvers they had a symbiosis relationship.

Now, to find out what I can about George in Macon County… it may unravel something of the Cherokee Indian Hogshed family.

I noticed in some of the documents Polly’s surname is spelled Hogshed and other times Hogshead. Is it a Hog’s Head or a Hog’s Shed?