Hulbert Family Genealogy    

        Benjamin Hulbert 1861-1950



        Benjamin Hulbert was the founder of Hulbert Oklahoma, which is located on the Indian allotment land of his Cherokee wife and their children. He was born in Glasgow Junction Precinct, Barren County, KY, the son of James E. Hulbert, born 1825 PA, and Nancy J. (maiden name unknown), born 1839 in KY.

        The 1860 Barren County KY District 2, dwelling 719, US Census:

          James E. Hulbert, male, white, age 35, farmer, born Penn
          Nancy J. (wife) female, white, age 21, born KY
          children:
          James J. (son), male, white, age 4, born KY
          Joseph E. (son), male, white, age 2, born KY.

        The 1870 Glasgow Junction Precinct dwelling 49, Barren County KY Census:

          James E. and Nancy N. Hulbert were enumerated with their children;
          James, age 13
          Joseph, age 12
          Benjamin, age 9
          Lizzie, age 7
          Elbert Hulbert, age 5

        Benjamin Hulbert came to Indian Territory and married Susan E. Wilkerson.

        The 1900 Indian Territory census shows Ben and Susan with three children:

          Clarence E. Hulbert (b) Sep 1895
          Nancy R. "Nannie" Hulbert (b) Feb 1898
          Norris B. Hulbert (b) Feb 1900

          In 1902 Susan (Wilkerson) Hulbert and her children registered for the Dawes enrollment of Cherokee Citizens in the land allotment. Ben opened a General Store on this allotment land and the area started to grow, developing into the Town of Hulbert.

          The 1910 Cherokee County OK census shows the family with the following children:

            Clarence E. Hulbert, age 14
            Nannie R. Hulbert, age 12
            Norris B. Hulbert, age 10
            Carlton M. "Carl" Hulbert, age 7
            Esther Hulbert, 4 months old.

          The 1920 Cherokee County census of the city of Hulbert (reference ED 12, sht 15a) lists Ben and Susan Hulbert with children;


            Norris B. Hulbert, age 19
            Carlton M. Hulbert, age 17
            Cornelice Hulbert, age 8

          Clarence E. Hulbert was 24 and married to wife Addie Hulbert age 27.

          Nancy R. Hulbert, age 21, was married 11 Mar 1916 to David Setser, age 23. In 1920 they had a daughter, Pauline Setser- age 9 months.

          Benjamin Hulbert died in 1950 and is buried at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery at Hulbert next to his wife, Susan E. (Wilkerson) Hulbert, who died April 22, 1922.

        Susan E. Wilkerson Hulbert 1872 -1922

          The ancestors of Susan Wilkerson were members of the Cherokee Nation and, as most Cherokee families, are well documented back into the mid 1700's. Susan was the daughter of James Monroe Wilkerson and Nancy J. Keys, locally known as "Monroe and Nannie" Wilkerson.

          Reference: Old Cherokee Families, Notes of Dr. Emmet Starr page 111:

            James M. Wilkerson born August 28, 1846, Going Snake District I.T. married March 26, 1871, to Nancy J. (Nannie Jennie) Keys born March 13, 1849, Tahlequah District, Indian Territory. James M. passed away April 27, 1886 after he and Nannie had children, Susan E. , Cornelia, and Esther Wilkerson.

            Nannie J. Keys Wilkerson remarried in Sept 1887 to John Lyman born March 25, 1845, and was enumerated on the 1900 Indian Territory census with Esther Wilkerson listed as step-daughter of John.

          1851 Cherokee Drennen Roll Tahlequah District. I.T. family number 128:

            Esther Lee Keys, enrolled with young infant Nancy Jane (Nannie) Keys on the 1851 roll. Nancy's father Riley Keys was not listed on the roll.

          1851 Cherokee Drennen Roll Going Snake District. I.T. family number 631:

            George Wilkerson Sr born 1816 and Susan Poorbear, born 1826 were the parents of. (1) John Wilkerson born abt. 1844 and married Rebecca Oglesby. (2) Riley Wilkerson. (3) James Monroe Wilkerson (listed above) (4) George Wilkerson, not listed on the 1851 roll. (5) Laura Wells Wilkerson and married Wilson Sanders. (6) Eliza Wilkerson and married John Andrew Ross.

          1880 Tahlequah District, I.T. Cherokee Roll #2739 - 2742:

            Monroe Wilkerson enrolled as head of household, age 34. Nancy Keys Wilkerson enrolled as spouse age 31. Daughters Susan E. Wilkerson age 7, and Cornelia Wilkerson age 19 months.

          1880 Tahlequah District. I.T. Cherokee Roll #2743 -2751:

            Oldest child of George Wilkerson Sr. (1) John Wilkerson enrolled with wife Rebecca age 36, and 6 children and one ward. Irene age 18, Laura age 14, James age 11, Elizabeth age 9, George W. age 7, John H. age 4. plus a Beatrice Wilkerson age 16 but listed as white.

          1880 Tahlequah District, I.T. Cherokee Roll #2734 -2736:

            George Wilkerson Sr. enrolled age 64, wife Susan listed age 54. It is believed the next enrollee is a daughter in law of George and Susan; Mary Wilkerson age 31, she registered two children- Susan Wickliffe, age 11 and Joseph Wickliffe, age 8.

          The parents of Nancy Jane (Nannie) Keys Wilkerson was Riley Keys (b) 1813 and Esther Lee.

          Riley Keys was the son of Isaac Keys born February 1, 1794, and Elizabeth Riley, born July 1794. Isaac Keys died May 19, 1863, and Elizabeth died March 1857.

          Elizabeth Riley Keys was the daughter of Samuel Riley and Gu-la-sti-yu. She was a member of the Cherokee Long Hair Clan.

          Samuel Riley came from Ireland in about the 1770's. It is believed that his brother John Riley also came at that time, for they both became trappers and traders in the Indian Nations at about the same time. Samuel married two sisters of the Long Hair Clan, became an adopted citizen of the tribe and settled down in the lands that was to become Tennessee. John Riley did the same thing in the Creek Nation just southwest of the Cherokee lands.

          Samuel soon added the title of Interpreter to his credentials as a valued member of the tribe. Between July 1801 and July 1804 he received income in the amount of $1051.16 in numerous payments from the Indian agents in return for his services. We know Samuel made visits into the Creek Nation, as he had to file for a passport to enter that nation. It is presumed those were visits to his brother's home.

          Samuel's reputation within the tribe implies that he was a dynamic and successful man. He settled near Southwest Point on Blue Creek, which was about a mile from the south side of the Tennessee River ferry of John Thompson. Samuel died soon after the treaty of 1817. (ref: National Archives Record Group 75 Cherokee Agency in Tennessee #1419)

          Cherokee Elders Council Home page

          Proctor Heights Housing Project, Hulbert OK

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          This brave family traveled a long way to move its future to what was to become Oklahoma, But, somewhere back in our minds, we left a part of us in our homelands in the east. With our ancestors still buried there, a part of all Cherokees, will always have Georgia on our minds.

            Communicate with us.

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