630. Amanda⁵ Burney (Judge David Calhoun⁴, Margaret 'Peggy'³ Allen, Susan 'Susy'² Colbert, James Logan¹)⁽⁴⁷⁶⁰⁾ (#18) was born in Chickasaw Co., MS circa 1839.⁽⁴⁷⁶¹⁾ Amanda died 28 DEC 1875 in IT, at 36 years of age.⁽⁴⁷⁶²⁾

She married Benjamin 'Ben' McLaughlin in IT, before 1854. (Benjamin 'Ben' McLaughlin is #17.) Benjamin was born in MS.⁽⁴⁷⁶³⁾ Benjamin⁽⁴⁷⁶⁴⁾ was the son of Col. James McLaughlin and Liza. Benjamin died after 1860 in IT.⁽⁴⁷⁶⁵⁾ Benjamin's occupation: Judge in Chickasaw Nation, IT. Benjamin immigrated, 1844. Destination: destination unknown.⁽⁴⁷⁶⁶⁾ He was listed as a resident in the census report on '1855' Choctaw Roll, Chickasaw District, IT, DEC 1856. According to conflicting evidence, he married an unknown person in Woodville, Pickens Co., Chickasaw Nation, IT, 1857.⁽⁴⁷⁶⁷⁾ He was listed as a resident in the census report on Annuity Roll, Chickasaw Nation, IT, 1860.⁽⁴⁷⁶⁸⁾

"... on March 28, 1849, the tribe [Chickasaw] appointed Robert H. Love to escort seven more boys, including Holmes Colbert, Aaron V. Brown, Benjamin McLaughlin to Washington for studies." (Martini, "Chickasaw, A History").

Grant Foreman, in his book, "Five Civilized Tribes", says they went North to school in 1848.

From a series of letters written in 1849 and reprinted in, "Education Among the Chicasaw Indian" written by Carolyn Thomas Foreman, (Chronicals of Oklahoma, Vol. XV, p.139), we get a small view about Benjamin McLaughlin's education.

Letter from Agent A.M.M. Upshaw to Rev. Alvan Bond, dated March 28, 1849 --- "This will be handed to you by my young friends A.V. Brown, Holmes Colbert, and Benjamin McLaughlin; they are three of the seven boys that were selected by the Council to go to school at the North; You Sir will find them very interesting young men and anxious to get a good education, two of them were at Col. Johnson's School about two years, and they, as you will perceive made good use of their time. A.V. Brown could not speak our language when he went there; I am satisfied that you will put these young men at good schools, and I am as well satisfied that they will improve and be of good advantage to their people."

Letter from Rev. Alvan Bond to W. Medill, Indian Commissioner, dated May 14, 1849 --- .... "Benjamin McLaughlin will probably remain at the academy in Plainfield, [Windham Co., CONN, 16 miles N.N.E. of Norwich, CONN], as his cousin is there, [Sampson McLaughlin], & if so he will be placed in the family of Doctor Cogswell, who is the right sort of man to manage him, as he has been much indulged at home, & inclined to be, as we say, somewhat wild, and needs to be under a steady & strict family control."....

[Apparently, being a Chief's son had its advantages, because from the next letter we see that Rev. Bond soon learned that young Benjamin was not just your ordinary young Chickasaw, and Ben escaped the "steady & strict family control" of Doctor Cogswell.]

Letter by Rev. Bond to the commissioner, dated May 31, 1849 ---- "On learning that Brown and McLaughlin left home with the understanding, that they were to be placed together, and as a larger appropriation, as I am informed, was made for their support, than was voted for the other youth, [Holmes Colbert?], I have put them under the care & instruction of Mr. Morgan, an approved teacher of an English School in Norwich Town, about two miles distant from the city. Board, including washing, mending, fuel, & light, has been engaged for them in a respectable private family for two & a half dollars a week each. There tuiton will be six dollars each a quarter -- books & stationary, not over two dollars a quarter for both.

"As they are accustomed to dress more expensively than the other boys, I am not as yet able to intimate the probable amount of expense for the wearing apparel, including boots, shoes, hats & caps: but judge, that it will not fall below $75.00 pr. annum, nor exceed $85 or $90, for each"...

[It would seem Rev. Bond wants the commissioner to make sure he knows what "good care" he has taken for the two boys, so he makes them also write to the commissioner.]

Letter to Col. Medill by Aaron Brown and Benjamin McLaughlin in "Norwichton New London County, Connecticut June 12d 1849" --- "I was requested by you through Mr. Bond to write a few lines; to inform you of our Situation, & how we like the resurdence of this place, Myself & Benj. McLaughlin are here at Mr. Morgan's --- School, & so long as we have been here, we are very well pleased with our instructor, and hoping that we shall do better than we did at Col. Johnson's school. We have been & visited those boys at Plainfield, about two weeks ago & saw they they are getting along finly & well satified with their boarding, & all the arrangement which has been made for their educations.

"Mr. Medill We have not had much to say, We only write these few lines, merely for you to see & know how We will improve here after. And I will ask good advice from you. If any delegation from our nation should come to Washington City recommand them to visit us around. No more at present, But remaind your sincery & Your Chickasaw Indian Scholars."

Letter from Bond to Col. Medill, dated December 13, 1849 --- ..."A.V. Brown and B. McLaughlin, who have boarded in the upper village in this town, almost two miles from the City, have become so far advanced in their studies, in the Morgan's private school, that I have transferred them to the Academy in that Place, a highly respected institution, under the care of a graduate of Yale College of high standing as a scholar and a gentleman. They are much respected in the school, and by the citizens." ...

During a visit by members of the Council in 1851, it was determined to take many of the young men back home in May of 1851. Sampson McLaughlin was one of these.

Ben was probably not married at the time he went away to college, but probably married Amanda shortly after he returned. They had to be married by 1854 when Lottie was born.

Grant Foreman, (in "A Traveler in Indian Territory", p.116), states, "Benjamin McLaughlin became one of the most prominent men in Indian Territory. He was the most extensive cattle raiser in the Nation."

In 1857, he was serving as the Clerk for the Circuit Court of the Chickasaw Nation.

According to the rocords of Arthur Durham, grandson of Ben McLaughlin, "Ben died from wounds received in the Civil War fighting on the side of the South."

The 1860 Chickasaw Annuity Roll entry for the Benjamin McLaughlin family provides an interesting item. It indicates the following; 1 man, 2 women, and 4 children, for a total of 7.

We can assume that the one man is Benjamin, and one of the women is his wife Amanda (Burney) McLaughlin. Who is the other woman? Perhaps it is his sister, Jane? Of the children, we can be sure that they are his three known children Charlotte, John Duke, and Lucy, but that still leaves one child unaccounted for. Who is this fourth child? Could this fourth child be the James McLaughlin who married Corilla Malone and live in Panola Co., Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory? Or, is it just a border who is the child of the extra woman in the house?

She was listed as a resident in the census report on '1855' Choctaw Roll, Chickasaw District, IT, DEC 1856.

In the Permit Records for Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, there exist records dated January 25, 1872, and March 7, 1873, showing that Amanda McLaughlin was the employer of non-citizens in the Chickasaw Nation.

Amanda Burney and Benjamin 'Ben' McLaughlin had the following children:

+ 1566 i. Lucy⁶ McLaughlin.

+ 1567 ii. Charlotte 'Lottie' McLaughlin was born 31 MAY 1854.

+ 1568 iii. John Duke McLaughlin was born 26 APR 1858.

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