Sarah Pleasant (Bushyhead) Lasseter (1759 - 1817)

Born Feb 1759 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina

Wife of Tobias (Lasseter) Lassetter — married 1775 in Nash County, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 18 Oct 1817 at age 58 in Greene County, Georgia, USA

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Biography

Some believe that Tobias Laseter's wife, Sarah "Pleasant Sally" was a Cherokee Indian. One of Sarah and Tobias's sons was Benjamin Laseter. Benjamin's son-in-law, Lindsay Holland, gave a legal deposition testifying to Benjamin's ancestry and his belief that Benjamin had Native American ancestry. Sarah had been dead for about 90 years by the time of the deposition in 1907. No mention is made of Benjamin's mother. Just that Benjamin appeared to strongly resemble other Cherokee and dressed in a manner similar to the tribe.

Eastern Cherokee Court of Claims records

9 Oct 1907

Carroll County, GA

Affidavit of Lindsay Holland, #41938 .Benj. Lassetter and his father, Tobias Lassetter, were on the Government Rolls in Rutherford County, N.C. as registered Cherokees and that they had been returned on the U.S. Census Returns as being of 1/8 Indian blood.

Complete affidavit below:

Cherokee Claims Letter

Posted 12 Dec 2018 by atacree

Cherokee Claims - Lassetter, et al

Affidavit of Lindsay Holland #41938 and others claiming a share in the funds in Court of Claims as to the Cherokee origin of Benjamin Lasseter and Tobias Lassetter.

In person appeared before me, M. D. Watkins a .... in and for said County, Lindsay Holland whom I certify to be a citizen of high refute and worthy of full credit who being by me duly sworn, says:

I was well acquainted with Benjamin Lassetter. I became acquainted with him about January l, 1835. I married his daughter, Elizabeth, on December 19, 1841. After my marriage with his daughter I was closely and intimately acquainted with him to the day of his death which occurred at his home in Carroll County, GA., August 23, 1869. I knew every member of his family and whom each of his children married. He had seven daughters and four sons as follows:

1. Sallie married Bassett Northern
2. Maria married Wesley Camp
3. Hannah married Benjamin T. Watkins
4. Ferraby married Wm Boone
5. Nancy married Jesse Boone
6. Polly married Wm. Hendon
7. Elizabeth married Lindsay Holland
8. William F. married Parthen Brown
9. Jas. H. married Amanda Lasseter
10. Benjamin married Celia Goolsby
11. Cheedle married Martha Mullins

Every one of them is dead. I am the onlly survivor of them all. I was intimate with them all and their families, and I know that all descendants from any of them were the legal descendants of Benjamin Lassetter. I was familiar with all the peculiarities of the ancestor, Benjamin Lassetter, and the points and traits that marked him as of Indian origin.

There were many Cherokees scattered over the county when I first knew him, and my conviction that he was descended from them was based to a great extent on his general resemblance in many respects to the Cherokees, both in his appearance, habits, tastes, etc. When I first knew him he was rather tall and erect - straight as an arrow - being of age left its mark on him. He wore his hair long - sometimes nearly to his waist. His hair was black, straight and glossy like an Indian's. His nose was straight, long and had the peculiar shape comon to that tribe. He had high check bones. He loved the solitude of the woods and was an ardent and successful gunner and trapper and fisherman. General tradition was that he was about one - fourth Cherokee Indian of the Notoway tribe or branch in Rutherford County, N. C. He was said to have been born there Dec. 23, 1778 as gathered from the family records, and to have married Elizabeth Hill 5 of May 1801. It has been handed down as a well established tradition from that day to this that when he married he wore his long black hair plaited to his loins and robed and dressed in Indian trappings. He has often told me about this himself, and prided himself with his oft repeated boast that he didn't know the exact amount of Indian blood in his veins, that it might be one forth or more or less, but that he was glad that he had some, for thought that it was the best blood in him, and was proud of it to the day of his death.

Honesty was a virtue in his makeup. He was faithful to his friends, his promises and the truth. To illustrate: he was an "upright and most intelligent man", and although he didn't know a letter, he was in the Grand Jury Box and was called to serve on the Grand Jury in Henry Couty, GA. Now Mr. Lassetter had been out "shining" several nights, and always got the right game, others killed cows, calves, etc., but with true Indian instinct, he never made a mistake. It was always a deer. A law had just been passed making it a crime to shoot deer by firelight. The judge charged the jury especially on their sworn duty to find bills against any violators, as the cattle and stock were being killed nightly. When the ury retired, he said he was gulty that he didn't know it was against the law but he did now, and that he wanted his case disposed of, so he could act in good conscience on others that might arise. On his insisting they found the True Bill, and he carried it to the judge himself. The judge was astonished: "Are you not the man, Mr. Lassetter?" "Yes, your honor, but I want to plead guilty. I have killed lots of deer that way, but I didn;t know it was against the law till you told us. I want to pay a fine, for I don't feel like voting against my neighbors till I clear my own skirts." The judge was so carried away with his frank, honest statement that he said, "Mr. Lassetter, your case is a very unusual one. I wish all thej urors in my circuitmwere like you. We'd put a stop to shooting people's stock. I wish I could get out of imposing a fine on you, but the law says I must. The minimum fine is $5.00. Mr. Clerk, collect a fine of $5.00, inclusive of the costs, from Mr. Lassetter. This circumstance is a true index to the character of Benjamin Lassetter for honesty and love of truth for truth's sake.

Another circumstance to corroborate the statement of Benjamin Lassetter as to his Indian origin is this. I visited him with my wife in the spring after we were married. Two well dressed young men passed on horseback. "Law, law, law", he exclaimed(a favorite expression). "How different. Look at them boys, Lindsay. I never haad a hat nor shoes, nor pants till I was over 18 years old." I asked him how he got along without shoes in winter. "I wore moccasins made of buckskin." "How did you get along without a hat?" "Oh, I wore an Indian bonnet." "And you had no pants?" "No, I had a slip or robe. It had a hole for my neck, and was all in one piece. It came below my knees and had a band round it. I plowed many a day in one, and barefooted. I was raised by Indians and lived among them and this was the way they dressed. I never went to school a day and don't know one letter from another, but I know how to be honest and tell the truth."

When asked for his daughter he said, "Lindsay, I have but one objection. You are both too young." I told him that "we were young, but we suited each other and we thought we could pull together, and get along, and the sooner, the better." He replied that, "there was another fact he wanted to tell me." He said if he gave his daughter away he wanted me to know that I was marrying a girl with right smart Indian blood in her veins and that now was the time for me to find out, so that I could back out now, if I wanted to, and not wait till I married her and then abuse her for what she couldn't help. He sai he had told every one this, who had married his daughters, when they asked for them. Said he wanted suited me, Indian blood or no Indian, and so we were happily married, and I never had reason to regret my choice.

These circumstancesl, and every other fact connected with his life and conduct causes me and everyone who knew him to have implicit confidence in his oft-repeated statement and boast that he was a "Cherokee." There are very marked traits of the Indian in mnany of his descendants, the Boone and Lassetter children especially. It has been understood all along that Benjamin Lassetter and his father, Tobias Lassetter, were on the Government Rolls in Rutherford County, N. C. as registered Cherokees and they had been returned on the U. S. Census Returns as being of 1/8 Indian blood. The Records of N. C. are reported to have been burned years ago, and the aid of the Census Records is involved to show the Cherokee Indian origin of Benjamin and Tobias Lassetter, of Rutherford County. N.C. I am not personally interested as I have no claim (my wife being dead) but my children and grandchildren are." Lindsay Holland

The foregoing affidavit, sworn to and subscribed before me, and I certify that the contents of the same were fully made known to the witness before he signed it and that I have no interest in the results of the claims mentions.

M.D. Watkins NP

Carroll County, GA

Oct. 9, 1907

Lassiter-Hill_AC_08081909

TobiasLasseter_Legal_AugChron_18Aug1810

Bible record of Benjamin Lasseter of old Campbell County and Carroll County, Georgia

Posted on: LASSETER Bible Records

Surname: Lasseter, Lassiter

Bible record of Benjamin Lasseter of old Campbell County and Carroll County,

Georgia

Benjamin Lasseter son of Tobias Lasseter and Sally his wife was born December12, 1778.

Elizabeth Hill first wife of Benjamin Lasseter was born Feb. 17, 1785.

Divine Embry second wife of Benjamin Lasseter was born Sept. 20, 1786.

Elizabeth Lasseter first wife of B.L. departed this life July 14, 1852.

Divine Lasseter second wife of B.L. departed this life December 10th, 1862.

Benjamin Lasseter departed this life August 23rd, 1869.

Benjamin Lasseter was married to Elizabeth Hill his first wife May 5, 1801.

Benjamin Lasseter was married to Divine Embry his second wife Feb. 19, 1854.

Sallie Lassetter married Bassett Northern.

Maria Lassetter married Wesley Camp.

Hannah Lassetter married Ben Watkins.

Ferraby Lassetter married William Boone.

Nancy Lassetter married Jesse Boone.

Polly Lassetter married William Hendon.

Elizabeth Lassetter married Lindsey Holland.

William Lassetter married Parthena Brown.

James Lassetter married Amanda Laster.

Benj. Lassetter married Celia Goolsby.

Cheedle Lassetter married Martha Mullens.

Sally Lasseter eldest daughter of Benjamin Lasseter and Elizabeth his wife was born August 9, 1803.

Maria Lasseter second daughter of B.L. and Elizabeth his wife was born June 30th, 1805.

Pherabee Lasseter third daughter of B.L. and Elizabeth his wife was born Feb. 3rd, 1807.

Hannah Lasseter fourth daughter of B.L. and Elizabeth his wife was born March 10th, 1809.

Sally Northern eldest daughter of B.L. and Elizabeth his wife died January 4, 1856.

Maria Camp, second daughter of B.&E. Lassetter died May 5th, 1893, the

widow of Hon. Wesley Camp of Campbell Co., Ga.

Hannah Watkins, fourth daughter of B.L. & Elizabeth his wife departed this

life -----.

Polly Lasseter fifth daughter of B.L. and Elizabeth his wife was born Feb. 9, 1811.

Nancy Lasseter sixth daughter of B.L. and Elizabeth his wife was born Feb. 4, 1813.

John H. Lasseter first son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter was born May 10, 1815.

James H. Lasseter second son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter was born

Oct. 11, 1817.

John H. Lasseter son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter departed this life

Sept. 17th, 1836.

James H. Lasseter second son of Benjamin & Elizbeth Lasseter departed this

life (next line) 1864.

William Lasseter third son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter Laset (sic) was born March 6th, 1820.

Benjamin H. Lasseter fourth son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter was

born Aug. 1st, 1822.

Elizabeth Lasseter seventh daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter

was born Nov. 16th, 1826.

Cheadle C. Lassetter fifth son of Benjamin Lasseter and Elizabeth his wife

was born Nov. 14th, 1826.

William Lasseter third son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter died Feb. 15, 1888.

Elizabeth Holland, seventh daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lasseter

died November the 2nd, 1855.

It appears from the above and foregoing record that Benjamin Lasseter has had born unto him by his wife Elizabeth 12 children, 8 of which are now in life. He also asserts that he has had 182 grand and great grand children born. 142 is now alive. October 10th, 1857.

(Following noted attached, signed "B.N." ~ apparently Benjamin Lasseter's son-in-law Bassett Northern:)

Benjamin Lassetter departed this life Aug. 23rd 1869, at the residence of his son on Snake Creek, Carroll County, Georgia, in the 91st year of his age, leaving an immense generation of six children and two hundred and twenty grand and great grandchildren and one great-greatgrandchild to mourn his loss. He outlived six of his own children and seventy four grand and great grandchildren, making his descendants at the time of his death amount to the astounding number of three hundred and seven and all the offspring of his first wife. He lived sixty years a constant member of the Baptist Church and most of the time a deacon. He was an affectionate husband, a kind indulgent father, a humane master, a worthy citizen, an esteemed neighbor and one of the noblest works of God, an honest man. Born 1778 in North Carolina.)

Cherokee Claims Letter

9 Oct 1907

Carroll County, Georgia, USA

Sources

• Eastern Cherokee Court of Claims records, US and International Marriage Records, 1790 US Census (with Tobias Laseter).