Martha W. Harmon

(My sincere thanks to Beverly Birdwell for the information she contributed on this family.)

Martha W. "Mattie" Harmon was born in February or March 1872, in Ridgeway, Gallatin County, Illinois, the daughter of Wilson Harmon and Elizabeth Endicott.

Mattie appears with her family on the 1870 Gallatin County census. She is listed as five months old. Between 1875 and 1879, Mattie's family moved toward Indian Territory of present day Oklahoma.

 Mattie, age 9, appears on the 1880 Boone County, Arkansas census with her family in Carrolton Township. The family appears to have settled right along the Arkansas and Indian Territory border, in either Sebastian County, Arkansas, or present day LeFlore County, Oklahoma.

Mattie first married ______ Tidwell, about 1891, by whom she had two sons.  (Some family members say she was also married to a Chaney.)

Mattie then married William Thomas Looney. Information provided by Beverly Birdwell says that William Looney was Cherokee Indian. Census also indicates he was Indian.  Thomas Looney was born about 1865, the son of William Looney and Elizabeth "Betsy" Woolard.  William Thomas Looney was listed for enrollment by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, on August 29, 1900, as a Cherokee citizen by blood. According to a statement in the enrollment application dated 1900, William's father had been dead about 25 years and his mother had been dead about 2 years.

The 1880 Canadian District Cherokee Nation (McIntosh Co, OK) census shows Betty Looney, 40; Alice, 21; William, 15; and Henry, 8 years old (all native Cherokee).

The 1890 Canadian District Cherokee Nation (McIntosh Co, OK) census shows Bettie, 51; William, 24; and Henry, 17 (all native Cherokee).

William Looney first married Queen Crittenden, who was also Cherokee Indian. William and Queen had a daughter, Pearl Looney, born in May 1899. Queen died soon after the birth of her daughter. Pearl was about one year old when William married Mattie.

The 1900 Indian Population Township 11 North, Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma census shows William Looney, Indian, widowed, born in Indian Territory, father and mother born in Indian Territory, a farmer who owned his farm; Pearl Looney, daughter, Indian, 1, born May 1899 in Indian Territory, father born in Indian Territory, mother born in Illinois; William Woodward, uncle, Indian, 69, born September 1830 in Tennessee, father and mother born in Tennessee; Mattie W. Tidwell, white, 28, widowed, born March 1872 in Illinois, father born in Illinois, mother born in Indiana, had given birth to 4 children, 3 children living; Ernest Tidwell, white, 8, born July 1891, in Indian Territory, father born in Texas, mother born in Illinois; and John Tidwell, white, 6, born July 1893, in Indian Territory, father born in Texas, mother born in Illinois.

The 1910 McIntosh County, Oklahoma census shows the family living in Beck Township. The census shows: William T. Looney, Indian, 46, married 1 time for 12 years, born in GA, both parents born in GA, he is Cherokee as well as both his parents, he is listed as 1/2 Cherokee; Mattie Looney, wife, white, 38, married 2 times, had given birth to 9 children and 8 of them were still living, born in IL, father born in IN, mother born in IL; Pearl Looney, daughter, Indian, 10, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee; Maggie Looney, daughter, Indian, 8, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee; Thomas Looney, son, Indian, 7, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee; James E. Looney, son, Indian, 6, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee; Maud Looney, daughter, Indian, 3, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee; Jesse Looney, son, Indian, 2, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee; and Gertrude Looney, daughter, Indian, 1 month, born in OK, 1/4 Cherokee.

William's daughter Pearl died soon after the 1910 census. She was a little over 10 years old.

The 1920 McIntosh County census shows the family still living in Beck Township. On this census they are all listed as white instead of Indian. The census shows: William M. Looney, 54, born OK; Mattie, 45, born MO; Tommie, 17, born OK; James, 16, born OK; Maud, 12, born OK; Jesse, 10, born OK; Gertie, 8, born OK; Sadie, 6, born OK; Josephine, 4 yrs, 9 mos., born OK.

 William and Mattie settled at Muskogee, Oklahoma around 1929, according to information in her obituary. On his death certificate, William is listed as a farmer.

The 1930 Muskogee County, Oklahoma census, Brewer Township, shows William Looney, rented, Indian, 65, first married at 30, born in Oklahoma, mixed blood Cherokee, farmer; Mattie, wife, white, 57, first married at 16, born in Illinois, father and mother both born in Indiana; Thomas H., son, Indian, 27, born in Oklahoma, mixed blood Cherokee, farm laborer; James E., son, Indian, 25, born in Oklahoma, mixed blood Cherokee, farm laborer; Gertrude, daughter, Indian, 10, born in Oklahoma, mixed blood Cherokee, farm laborer; Sadie, daughter, Indian, 16, born in Oklahoma, mixed blood Cherokee; and Josie, daughter, Indian, 15, born in Oklahoma, mixed blood Cherokee.

William died March 18, 1943 at Muskogee and is buried in Elm Grove Cemetery.

 Mattie's brother, Andrew Jackson Harmon, lived with Mattie for a time before his death in 1955.

Mattie died February 2, 1957, at Muskogee, after a lingering illness. She was 84 years old. She is buried in Elm Grove Cemetery at Muskogee.

Children of Unknown Tidwell and Mattie Harmon

Children of William Looney and Mattie Harmon