Clarissa Leech

Clarissa was part-French and part Choctaw. Daughter of Louis LeFleur, a French trader, and Nancy Cravatt. Nancy was daughter of another French trader, John Jean Cravatt, and his wife Rebecca "Nahomtima" Cole, a Choctaw.

Some believe that this Nahomtima is the same woman as Chief Pushmataha's sister, but others believe that she was of a different district in the Mississippi Choctaw Nation.

Clarissa's first husband was John James Wilson, born about 1785 and died about 1829. He is said to have migrated from Kentucky to the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi. Was he a trader, a soldier, a missionary? Those facts are lost to time.

John and Clarissa were married around 1816 at Frenchman's Camp, Natchez Trace, MS. They were reputed to have at least 5 children - no supporting evidence that I know of for these names/dates: -William "Willie", b.1819 -Edward, b. 1820 -Raphael Franklin "Rafe", b. 1822 -Mary Ann, born 15 Apr 1824 -John, born 24 Mar 1827

Another researcher, Alma Mason, descendant of Mary Ann Wilson Gardner, says that there were six children, identified as: -Charles Louis, first born, emigrated to Oklahoma Indian Territory in 1832, according to Emigration Rolls, traveling with his uncle, Forbis LeFlore and two slaves -David, second born, emigrated to Oklahoma Indian Territory in 1833, according to Emigration Rolls, traveling with a first cousin, Capt. Willis Harkins -Ellen, born ? -Mary Ann (Polly), born 15 Apr 1824; emigrated ??? -William, born 1825 -John, born 24 Mar 1827; emigrated in 1837

Mary Ann "Polly", 1824-1912, married William A. GARDNER and lived in the Bennington area, Blue County (now Bryan County, OK); listed as family #354 on the 1855 Choctaw Censes

-John WILSON, born at the Wilson Stand, Old Robinson Road, near present-day Louisville, MS on 3-4-1827 and died 9-7-1892 in Goodland, Choctaw Nation, I.T., while visiting his grandchildren. He married Jane JAMES (Chickasaw), daughter of Rutha and Dace James, on January 31, 1850 near Wheelock, Indian Territory, Oklahoma.

On December 23, 1832, Winston County became a county. Clarissa stayed in Mississippi even though her children took the "Long Walk" to the new Indian Territory in the year 1837. She cashed in her allotted lands and started a new life with her second husband, Alfred Leech, whom she officially married on November 17, 1838. Clarissa was the owner of 11 Slaves and 200 acres of land.

Earlier sometime prior to 1832 Alfred Leech had a Choctaw marriage ceremony to Clarissa Wilson. Her two oldest sons (presumably Charles and David) did not approve of the 'un-official' marriage and thought the two were living in sin. The boys hired one of her slaves, Sampson, to kill Alfred Leech. They loaded the shotgun with buckshot and showed Sampson where Mr. Leech was. Sampson shot through the boards on a shed and hit Alfred in the neck and face. Mr. Leech lost one eye, but was not killed. The boys fled to parts unknown. The slave, Sampson, became the first man ever hanged in Winston County, Mississippi. Soon after Alfred's recovery, Alfred and Clarissa were officially married.

Clarissa LeFlore Wilson Leech's daughter was Mary Perninah Leech Ball, born 1834, later the wife of John Nimrod Ball, and mother of six girls: Clarisa Jane, born Dec 3, 1852 Mary Lucinda, born Nov 12, 1854 Martha Ezell, born Oct 25, 1857 Frances Estell, born Oct 25, 1857

• Lenora Ann, born June 11, 1861 Emily Louise, Born Nov 13, 1866 Their son John died in 1873 at age 4.
• Lenora married Cyrus Breckenridge Ray, and their son, Theodore Ray married Georgia Belle Massey. Their son was Guy Wilson Ray. Inscription: Wife of Al Leech
• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial by SmartCopy: Mar 14 2015, 0:58:34 UTC