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- There is no recorded data except what is found in the Indian Rolls. In the Roll of 1831, in Nosholi-tubbi District, one of the three districts in Mississippi, "Nathaniel Folsom, Father of All Folsoms" lived near Robeson road, and his family consisted of six people.
Nathaniel ran a trading post, located along an ancient Indian trail that later became known as the Natchez Trace, and although that was more than three hundred years ago, a marker still stands to show where the trading post, called "Pigeon's Roost," was found along the Natchez Trace, the main north-south trail to and from the southern parts of the country.
Nathaniel married not one Choctaw bride, he married two. At that time, multiple marriages were common in the Choctaw Nation. He married two sisters, descended from a line of high chiefs among the Choctaw. Their names were I-Ah-Ne-Cha and Ai-Ne-Chi-Hoyo. These two wives bore 24 children, 14 of whom lived to adulthood.
Nathaniel's son David helped him run the trading post, along with his other enterprises, until he had a family himself, and he still made sure his father was taken care of. In time, however, David traveled a great deal for the tribe, went to tribal negotiations, and did many good works for people, so his time was limited.
As Nathaniel's family grew, the older children married within several prominent Choctaw families: the Pitchlynns, the Impsons, the Hamptons, the Nail family, and others. As these families grew, the sheer number of this expanded family was huge.
Nathaniel remained the head of the family until his son (Col.) David Folsom, took over. When David took the entire family to Indian Territory, Nathaniel was still living, and was taken along with them, very old now... he must have been approaching 80 years of age. He made it to Mountain Fork, and grew too sick and weak to continue, and it was here he stayed. Nathaniel died October 9, 1833 at Mountain Fork, Indian Territory.
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The following statement (printed in "A History of the Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natches Indians , by H. B. Cushman, 1899") made by the eldest son, is the only information so far found about the life of Nathaniel Folsom:
Memoirs of Nathaniel Folsom; the oldest of the three brothers who cast their lot in their morning of life among the Choctaws, and became the fathers of the FOLSOM HOUSE in the Choctaw Nation, as related by himself to the missionary Reverend Cyrus Byington, in June of 1828, and furnished me by his grand-daughter Czarena Folsom, now Mrs. Robb.
"I was born in North Carolina, Rowan county, May 17th, 1756. My father was born in Massachusetts, or Connecticut. My mother was born in New Jersey. My parents moved to Georgia, and there my father sent me to school about six months, during which time I learned to read and write . My mother taught me to read and spell at home. My father had a great desire to go to Mississippi to get money; they said money grew on bushes! We got off and came into the Choctaw Nation. The whole family came; we hired an Indian pilot who lead us through the Nation to Pearl river, where we met three of our neighbors, who were returning on account of sickness. This alarmed my father, who then determined to return to North Carolina. We came back into the Nation to Mr. Welch's, on Bok Tuklo (Two Creeks), the father of Mr. Nail. At this time I was about nineteen years of age. At that place we parted. My father knocked me down. I arose and told him I would quit him, and did so by walking straight off before his face. I do not remember what I did, but I always thought I was not in fault. My parents then moved into the Chickasaw Nation. I entered into partnership with Mr. Welch, and could do many things for him. In the Chickasaw Nation my brother Israel ran away from my father and came to me. He died at the age of eighteen near where Mr. Juzon now lives. He was a good young man. My parents moved again to Fort St. Stephens. My brother Ebenezer visited me several times; he also sent me word to come and move him up into the Nation. I did so. He lived with me two years. Still he wanted to go to Mississippi and wished I would raise a guard and send him there. I did so. Brother Edmund and two sisters went with him, and there my father died, on Cole's creek, Mississippi. I really believe my mother was a pious woman."
He also stated that his mother died at Fort St. Stephens, Miss. about 1776.
Note; Between 1743 and 1755 a colony of people (Baptist Society) from New Jersey, about 400 families, with horses, wagons and cattle emigrated to North Carolina, taking up land in Rowa n County. This company of New Jersey people became known as the "Jersey Settlers," and their land was described as lying "on the waters of the Atkin or Pee Dee" and on "Potts Creek" which creek passes near the village of Linwood, within a mile of the Jersey ohurch, and enters into the Yadkin not far away. The History of Watauga County, NC. states that "H. E. McCullough, of England, had secured grants to large tracts in North Carolina, tract No. 9 containing 12, 500 acres, including much of the land of the Jersey Settlers." It is said an agent was sent down from New Jersey who secured a grant of 10 square miles of excellent farm land for this colony. Nathaniel Folsom may have gone to Rowan County with the Jersey Settlers and there married, as the son in his statement said. "my mother was born in New Jersey."
In a statement, made in 1828, Nathaniel, he said: "I traded a long time in the Nation (Choctaw), sometimes taking up three or four thousand dollar's worth of goods. I followed trading about thirty years. I lived principally at Bok Tuklo, 15 miles this side of Juzon's (ie. north). There was a great town of about four hundred Indians. The French King lived there. (This French King was, no doubt, Bienville, or one of his officers.) I learned the Choctaw language very slow. I was never perfect in the language. But after ten years I could do any business with the Choctaws. I bought a Bible of Robert Black about twelve years ago. This is the first Bible I ever owned. Before that I cared nothing about the Bible. I first heard a sermon by Mr. Bell at the Pigeon Roost about 12 years ago. I heard Lorenzo Dow pray once . About this time I began to have serious thoughts. Before this I had none. My mind was affected by what the missionaries said, who came from the North. Soon after my son Edmund died. One Sabbath I had a great conflict in me. I heard a sermon at the Pigeon Roost. My friends thought I felt bad because my son died. But it was something else. At that time there was a great change in me, which has remained ever since. This was in August, 1824. I joined the church at Mayhew, October 1827, in my 72nd year. I have been the father of twenty-four children, fourteen of whom are living. I have lived to see six of them join the church, and three others sit on the anxious seat."
Though Nathaniel Folsom had acquired but a limited education, he was a moral man, and the good example he set before the people of his adoption, and with whom he had cast his lot, won their respect, confidence and love, which he reciprocated to the day of his death. He left a manuscript history of the Choctaws,--the customs, habits and manner of living, describing conditions during the first years of his living with his adopted people. Letters he wrote to the Rev. Mr. Byington are preserved by his descendants. (H. B. Cushman)
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Old Dead Relatives
1756 - 1833 (77 years)
