Marvin Horton spoke to the Yalobusha County Historical Society on May 16 about “The Steens of Calhoun County.”
According to elder family members, one of his great grandparents was full blooded Native American, but no one knows which tribe. Marvin was told about an Indian mound in the Ellard area.
He traced that part of the family living in the Ellard area since the early 1800’s. It’s a long story, but according to a great aunt, “Indian” had been removed from the family records to keep them from being sent to a reservation. Marvin’s mother, Ethel Steen Horton, remembers older family members mentioning the bloodline when she was a little girl, but she was too small to recall much.
This would be the Steens of Skuna Valley. There is a census record listing Marvin’s great great grandfather as Mulatto, but no mention of Indian in any records.
The story told to Marvin by his late great aunt:
“Back in the late 1920’s and early 30’s the town of Bruce brought in Indians from somewhere to work on building the Bruce Co. Sawmill. Later, they began doing more drinking than working, so it was decided to send them back to whatever reservation they came from. My great aunt happened to be in town while they were being rounded up and was seized and in the process. While being loaded up, a German store owner named Mahan (an ancestor of the present day Mahans) intervened on her behalf, telling her captors she was not Indian.
He then conspired with my great grandfather Oscar to have the race on everyone’s records changed to Mulatto, Negro, or Black. There was no mention of Indian.”
Marvin Horton’s maternal grandparents were Cleve Steen Sr. and Ruby Isabel Steen.
Children in order of birth are:
Mabeline, Mary, Tommy, Ida, Ethel (Mama), John, Albert, Cleve, Jr., Annie, William, Artis, and Linda.
Marvin traced his mother’s family all the way to a slave owner buried in a cemetery in Paris, MS.
Please visit us again, Marvin.
Notes of interest:
Mike Ayers welcomed members and guests. Lawrence Litten voiced a prayer. Debby Hughes read the monthly financial report. Mike Worsham introduced the speaker, Marvin Horton.
Attending: Clayton Horton, Ethel Horton, Linda Steen Wilks, Lura Besinger, Lawrence Litten, Bettie Litten, Susan Williams, Herbert Hayward, Grady White, Elsie Harrison, Sarah Reeves, Wyomann Reeves, Eva Fultz, Carl H. Vick, Marvin Horton, Carl Ray Upchurch, Bobbie Hutchins, Bobby Hutchins, Chris Morgan, Tammy Beshears, Julia Fernandez, Kay McCulley, Debby Hughes, Pat Brooks, Gary Tippit, Joy Tippit, Mike Ayers, and Mac Dudley.