A Joel M. Keith listed in the 1850 census of Georgia was born in South Carolina in 1813 and was married to a Mary----, also born in SC. in 1805. They had four children one born in SC. and three in GA. One was a Joel M. born in GA. in 1847. [The Keith Bible records Joel's birth as August 4, 1839] (His Bible record would have been the right age to marry Susan McClure, who was born September 20, 1845.)
In 1850 the Keiths were living in Forsyth Co., GA. Forsyth Co. is in the area that was the Cherokee Indian Nation at one time. William Freeman Keiths's birthplace as Walker County. La Fayette is in Walker County and is also in the Cherokee Territory. The McClure family could have lost their farms in North Carolina during the reconstruction period after the Civil War and moved to Walker County. Joel Keith could have met Susan McClure in Walker County and married her sometime around 1869.
James L. McClureA guide to the Indian Tribes of Oklahoma, by Muriel H. Wright, U of OK press. page 58, said; "170 North Carolina (or Eastern Tribe Indians) moved to Indian Territory in 1881."
The McClures and William Freeman Keith must have left before this group of 170 indians. William said they followed the same route as The Indians took in 1838/9 on the "Trail of Tears". He said they sent scouts ahead, they hunted game. When the scouts had game and a place to camp they would stop for the night.
We must assume the Keith and McClure wifes, sisters, small children and/or slaves had run the farms and plantations with great difficulty while their men were away fighting. The Confederate Army needed supplies during the war and had drained many farm and plantation of much of their food and live stock. Much of what was left was stolen or destroyed by the invading Union troops, in many cases the slaves had remained loyal and stayed and helped the families, other slaves ran away and fought for the Union. In short, the south and our ancestors property had probably been devastated by the war. What money they had was in Confederate dollars and worthless.