Individual Details
Sarah Halfmoon
(Oct 1839 - 7 Dec 1934)
http://lenapedelawarehistory.net/mirror/bioh-l.htm
HALFMOON, Sarah - Sarah Halfmoon was born on the Delaware Indian Reservation near Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in October of 1839 or 1840. Her mother was Eliza Conner, the daughter of Mekinges and granddaughter of Ahkechelungunaqua of the Turtle Clan, matrilineal descent. Sarah's father, Bill Halfmoon, died either shortly before or after her birth. Her stepfather was George Bullette, a man of French and Lenape heritage. During the final removal of the Delaware in the late 1860s, she moved with members of her family to lands along the Verdigris River, Cooweescoowee District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory (Nowata County, Oklahoma). She was noted for her eccentricities, including the fact that she would speak only Lenape of French and pretend not to understand English. Sarah could not abide fools and often advised others not to trust anyone who didn't like horses or dogs. She was officially a full-blood Delaware. She was married several times to mixed-blood Cherokee and Delaware men. She apparently already had two children by the time of her first marriage to Albert Compston. (See the Biography of their daughter Ella Eliza Compston, just below) Tradition holds that she was a great supporter of the Dalton Boys, often giving them, food and shelter when they were fugitives. After their violent death on the streets of Coffeyville, Kansas, an ordinance was passed making it a crime to decorate their graves. Ignoring the law, Sarah continued to place flowers on the outlaws' graves until she died. She was a devout Baptist for over 80 years. She died in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, on December 7, 1934, the oldest member of the Delaware Tribe.
(For documentation, comments, or questions, contact Descendant Laurence D. Heady lenapelh@hotmail.com with an information to Editor, swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net Larry has additional personal information that he will share with family members.)
1. COMPSTON, Ella Eliza was the daughter of Sarah Halfmoon and Albert Euing (or Ewing) Compston, described above. Ella was presumably born on the Verdigris River, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory in 1970. She went by the name "Ella". Ella married Joshua Bonaparte Heady, also known as "J. B" or "Bud" Heady, sometime after legal charges against her mother, Sarah Halfmoon, were resolved. J. B. had been the deputy U.S. Marshal who was dispatched from Fort Smith to arrest her. Apparently he was born in Green County, Missouri, in 1858 or 1859, and lived in Missouri and Arkansas for much of his early life. He was the son of Eli P. Heady and Mary Ann "Polly" Presley and was of undocumented mixed Cherokee and Anglo-American heritage. He first wife was Elizabeth Berlew (1860-1929) and he had two or three children of that union. It is unknown under what circumstances J. B left his former wife and children. He served as a deputy United States marshal for the Western District of Arkansas--the district of "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker of Fort Smith. J. B. was among the marshals that maintained peace and order in the lawless Indian Territory immediately after the Civil War. He swore oaths of office in 1887, 1889, and 1895, all signed by Judge Parker. He was probably an Indian Territory "posse man" prior to 1887 and he rode with Frank Dalton and others. J. B. served as a deputy U. S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas--the district of "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker of Fort Smith. J. B. was among the marshals who maintained peace and order in the lawless Indian Territory after the Civil War. He swore oaths of office in 1887, 1889, and 1895, all signed by Judge Parker. J. B. Heady and Ella (Compston) Heady maintained a large house in Watova, Cooweescoowee District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, that still stands today. There are many stories about J. B.'s adventures as a marshal and as an oil company agent. He wasn't beyond making whiskey during the Prohibition or hiding a fugitive who was a friend of the family. J. B. died in Nowata County, Oklahoma, in 1935. Ella has been described as a very warm, loving and long-suffering woman, simply referred to as "Mother". She is on the Dawes Roll No. 31501, along with her children. and is listed as one-half Delaware blood quantum. Ella died in Nowata County, Oklahoma, in 1949. She and J. B. had nine children:
1. Alba Heady married Chance
2. Frank Heady, named for Frank Dalton
3. Ada Heady
4. Leona Heady, also known as Princess Wyhnemah, was born in Cooweescoowee District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, the daughter of Ella Eliza Compston and James Bonaparte "J. B." Heady. Leona was a screen actress of some notoriety. Princess Wyhnemah was her screen name. She played in numerous B-movies of the period and was a founding member of the Indian Screen Actors Guild. She apparently was a good friend of Indian actor Jay Silverwheels. She spent most of her life in Southern California pursuing her acting career. She was loving and supportive of her younger siblings. Her brother Euing [James Euing] Heady was much influenced by her and spent much time with her in California. Leona Heady died in California, but was buried in Nowata County, Oklahoma.
5. Oneida Heady
6. Clay (for Henry Clay) Heady
7. James Euing Heady was born in Cooweescoowee District Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, in 1901, the son of Ella Eliza Compston and James Bonaparte Heady. He appears on the Dawes Cherokee Roll, No. 31508, along with his mother Ella and all her other children. He was of dark complexion and very handsome. Toward the end of World War One, Euing enlisted in the army and was attached to a cavalry unit stationed in Southern California. According to oral history, Euing got homesick for a girl in Kansas and rode a horse all the way from California to Kansas. He married an unknown woman in Kansas, but the marriage was later annulled. There was one child of that union. Sometime later he married Violet May Hightower and had two children, Zelda Heady and Edythe Wyvonna Heady. He then married Sylvia Remington Price. They had one child, Arthur Euing Heady who was born 1930 and who died in 1959. He married Pauline Anita Babb (living). They had two children, Laurence D. Heady and Cathy Lynn Heady (both living). He was later estranged from Sylvia, but apparently they didn't divorce. Later, he had a common-law marriage with Eva Althea Young. Karee (Heady) Hada was the only child of that union. Euing role the rodeo circuit for a while, during which time he met Eva Althea. Euing spent much of his life in and out of hospitals while being treated for tuberculosis, and he died in 1949 in a Veterans Administration hospital in Southern California. After hearing of Euing's death, his wife, Sylvia took her own life.
8. Blanche Heady
9. Ruth Heady
(For documentation, comments, or questions, contact Descendant Laurence D. Heady lenapelh@hotmail.com with an information to Editor, swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net . Larry, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians from Mi9nnesota, has additional personal information that he will share with family members. He is the son of Arthur Euing Heady and the grandson of J. B. Heady and Sylvia Remington Price.)
HALFMOON, Sarah - Sarah Halfmoon was born on the Delaware Indian Reservation near Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in October of 1839 or 1840. Her mother was Eliza Conner, the daughter of Mekinges and granddaughter of Ahkechelungunaqua of the Turtle Clan, matrilineal descent. Sarah's father, Bill Halfmoon, died either shortly before or after her birth. Her stepfather was George Bullette, a man of French and Lenape heritage. During the final removal of the Delaware in the late 1860s, she moved with members of her family to lands along the Verdigris River, Cooweescoowee District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory (Nowata County, Oklahoma). She was noted for her eccentricities, including the fact that she would speak only Lenape of French and pretend not to understand English. Sarah could not abide fools and often advised others not to trust anyone who didn't like horses or dogs. She was officially a full-blood Delaware. She was married several times to mixed-blood Cherokee and Delaware men. She apparently already had two children by the time of her first marriage to Albert Compston. (See the Biography of their daughter Ella Eliza Compston, just below) Tradition holds that she was a great supporter of the Dalton Boys, often giving them, food and shelter when they were fugitives. After their violent death on the streets of Coffeyville, Kansas, an ordinance was passed making it a crime to decorate their graves. Ignoring the law, Sarah continued to place flowers on the outlaws' graves until she died. She was a devout Baptist for over 80 years. She died in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, on December 7, 1934, the oldest member of the Delaware Tribe.
(For documentation, comments, or questions, contact Descendant Laurence D. Heady lenapelh@hotmail.com with an information to Editor, swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net Larry has additional personal information that he will share with family members.)
1. COMPSTON, Ella Eliza was the daughter of Sarah Halfmoon and Albert Euing (or Ewing) Compston, described above. Ella was presumably born on the Verdigris River, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory in 1970. She went by the name "Ella". Ella married Joshua Bonaparte Heady, also known as "J. B" or "Bud" Heady, sometime after legal charges against her mother, Sarah Halfmoon, were resolved. J. B. had been the deputy U.S. Marshal who was dispatched from Fort Smith to arrest her. Apparently he was born in Green County, Missouri, in 1858 or 1859, and lived in Missouri and Arkansas for much of his early life. He was the son of Eli P. Heady and Mary Ann "Polly" Presley and was of undocumented mixed Cherokee and Anglo-American heritage. He first wife was Elizabeth Berlew (1860-1929) and he had two or three children of that union. It is unknown under what circumstances J. B left his former wife and children. He served as a deputy United States marshal for the Western District of Arkansas--the district of "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker of Fort Smith. J. B. was among the marshals that maintained peace and order in the lawless Indian Territory immediately after the Civil War. He swore oaths of office in 1887, 1889, and 1895, all signed by Judge Parker. He was probably an Indian Territory "posse man" prior to 1887 and he rode with Frank Dalton and others. J. B. served as a deputy U. S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas--the district of "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker of Fort Smith. J. B. was among the marshals who maintained peace and order in the lawless Indian Territory after the Civil War. He swore oaths of office in 1887, 1889, and 1895, all signed by Judge Parker. J. B. Heady and Ella (Compston) Heady maintained a large house in Watova, Cooweescoowee District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, that still stands today. There are many stories about J. B.'s adventures as a marshal and as an oil company agent. He wasn't beyond making whiskey during the Prohibition or hiding a fugitive who was a friend of the family. J. B. died in Nowata County, Oklahoma, in 1935. Ella has been described as a very warm, loving and long-suffering woman, simply referred to as "Mother". She is on the Dawes Roll No. 31501, along with her children. and is listed as one-half Delaware blood quantum. Ella died in Nowata County, Oklahoma, in 1949. She and J. B. had nine children:
1. Alba Heady married Chance
2. Frank Heady, named for Frank Dalton
3. Ada Heady
4. Leona Heady, also known as Princess Wyhnemah, was born in Cooweescoowee District, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, the daughter of Ella Eliza Compston and James Bonaparte "J. B." Heady. Leona was a screen actress of some notoriety. Princess Wyhnemah was her screen name. She played in numerous B-movies of the period and was a founding member of the Indian Screen Actors Guild. She apparently was a good friend of Indian actor Jay Silverwheels. She spent most of her life in Southern California pursuing her acting career. She was loving and supportive of her younger siblings. Her brother Euing [James Euing] Heady was much influenced by her and spent much time with her in California. Leona Heady died in California, but was buried in Nowata County, Oklahoma.
5. Oneida Heady
6. Clay (for Henry Clay) Heady
7. James Euing Heady was born in Cooweescoowee District Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, in 1901, the son of Ella Eliza Compston and James Bonaparte Heady. He appears on the Dawes Cherokee Roll, No. 31508, along with his mother Ella and all her other children. He was of dark complexion and very handsome. Toward the end of World War One, Euing enlisted in the army and was attached to a cavalry unit stationed in Southern California. According to oral history, Euing got homesick for a girl in Kansas and rode a horse all the way from California to Kansas. He married an unknown woman in Kansas, but the marriage was later annulled. There was one child of that union. Sometime later he married Violet May Hightower and had two children, Zelda Heady and Edythe Wyvonna Heady. He then married Sylvia Remington Price. They had one child, Arthur Euing Heady who was born 1930 and who died in 1959. He married Pauline Anita Babb (living). They had two children, Laurence D. Heady and Cathy Lynn Heady (both living). He was later estranged from Sylvia, but apparently they didn't divorce. Later, he had a common-law marriage with Eva Althea Young. Karee (Heady) Hada was the only child of that union. Euing role the rodeo circuit for a while, during which time he met Eva Althea. Euing spent much of his life in and out of hospitals while being treated for tuberculosis, and he died in 1949 in a Veterans Administration hospital in Southern California. After hearing of Euing's death, his wife, Sylvia took her own life.
8. Blanche Heady
9. Ruth Heady
(For documentation, comments, or questions, contact Descendant Laurence D. Heady lenapelh@hotmail.com with an information to Editor, swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net . Larry, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians from Mi9nnesota, has additional personal information that he will share with family members. He is the son of Arthur Euing Heady and the grandson of J. B. Heady and Sylvia Remington Price.)
Events
| Birth | Oct 1839 | Leavenworth, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States | |||
| Marriage | 1868 | Ewing Compston | |||
| Marriage | 8 May 1880 | Oklahoma, United States - Zachory Taylor Fields | |||
| Death | 7 Dec 1934 | Bartlesville, Washington, Oklahoma, United States |
Families
| Spouse | Ewing Compston (1840 - 1870) |
| Child | Ella Eliza Compston (1871 - 1949) |
| Spouse | Zachory Taylor Fields (1855 - 1920) |
| Father | William "Bill" Halfmoon (1815 - 1840) |
| Mother | Elizabeth Ella "Eliza" Conner (1818 - 1877) |