Tolliver White - A TwigTale

I've come to a brick wall with this man.  His name is Tolliver/Toliver White, and he was born about 1817 in Tennessee.  I've read many messages on boards that he had a trading post.  I've found no proof of that as of yet.

Marriage number one is to a Mary "Polly" Hicks sometime before 1837 in Tennessee.   Polly was born on May 8, 1818 in Tennessee and died around 1850.  She and Tolliver had 5 children that I can find; Sarah Ann, [Judith] Caroline, George [Washington], Mary Jane and Harriet.  Her parents were Isaac Hicks and Sarah Long Walker. 

In the 1850 Monroe County, Tennessee census,  Tolliver (farmer) and Polly are listed as 31 years old with the children; Sarah 13, Caroline 10, George 6, Mary 3 and Harriett, 4 months old.  Sarah Hicks, 57 years old, lived next door to Tolliver and Polly, so Isaac was most likely gone by then.  Sarah has listed in her household, Sarah 30, William 18, Jane 16, Caroline 5 and Margaret 2. 

Tolliver was supposed to have married a native American woman after Polly died.  They produced one child that I know of, my gr-gr-grandmother Matilda Marie White.  I have found many messages that state this is so with no hint of any source.  There is also an account that Matilda Marie, better known as Tilda, said she was raised by an indian woman, again with no name.  I believe they wrote that her mother died in childbirth.   Tilda was born in October of 1854.  She died in 1925 in Calhoun County, Alabama and is buried in Lloyd's Chapel Cemetery.  She married Reese Simpson Morgan, son of William M. and Sarah Serena Tallent Morgan.

Tolliver was not done with marriage.  His third marriage was to a woman named Nancy Carolyn LNU.  In the 1860 census for Monroe County Tennessee Tolliver is 43 and still listed as a farmer.  His wife, Nancy White is 26 and lists her birthplace as North Carolina.  They have 6 children in the household; G.K. 15, Jane 12, Harriet 10, S.E. 8, Matilda 6 and Adaline 7 months old.  (G.K. is male and most likely George Washington;  Jane is Mary Jane.) 

Nancy and Tolliver were said to have a Margaret I. in 1862 and Martha C. White in 1863.  I cannot place the S. E. female yet. 

I have been unable to find the family of Tolliver.  I would love to put a name to Matilda's mother.  My thoughts about that are mixed.  The more I look at the family, the more I feel there was no 2nd wife.  If Polly died giving birth to S.E. White in 1852 or most likely Matilda in 1854,  the story would still fit.  Tolliver would marry Nancy Caroline before 1858.  I have wondered if Nancy Caroline could be Polly's sister, Caroline Hicks, listed in the 1850 census with her mother, Sarah, even though the age is wrong.  I know that it is said that the Hicks line is Cherokee.  This would clear up many things.  I need to find the proof.

I've also read that Tolliver was murdered in 1867, and the only witness to that horrible act was my gr-gr-grandmother Tilda.  I would love to know more about this.

 Sheri