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Subject: [StL-Metro] Re: Native American Question
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 22:35:55 -0600


A week or so ago, I queried the list regarding Native American Research.
My question was, I have found the family in various census records, but
how do I verify if they were Native American or not? The Dawes Rolls
will verify if Native American's were living in Indian Territory during
the time that the Dawes Rolls were taken.

Well, in a round-about way, I believe I found at least part of the
answer, and wanted to share (in case anyone else had the same question).
I was able to go to the library today, and they had a copy (in book
form) of the Guion Miller Roll (Eastern Cherokee Court of Claims
documentation). Below is part of what was posted in the front of the
book written by Carol Anne Buswell, MA.

.........3. Look up your ancestor's name (checking ALL alternate
spellings) in the main Vital Information section of this book.
4. Obtain a copy of the original application (see directions below) in
order to add brothers, sisters, children, aunts, uncles, parents and
grandparents to your record...or more if you are really lucky!
5. If your ancestor was a child between 1906-1909 and does not appear
in the Surname/Maiden name index, look up the name of his/her parents,
since children were often included on their parent's application. The
only children included in this volume were those who were the actual
applicants.
6. If you do not have the name of the parents, check all applicants
with the same surname as your ancestor, living in what you know to be
your ancestor's geographic location. Check the original applications of
these surname-matches for lists of minor children.
***7. Since there is no way to estimate how many Cherokees applied to
the Roll, it is possible that YOUR ancestor will have avoided this
application process altogether. However, SOMEONE in your ancestor's
family may have applied (money was involved after all). The best
technique for finding one of these remote ancestors is to use normal
genealogical techniques (U.S. census, home sources, cemetery records,
military records, etc.) to take your family back in time as far as
possible. THEN come FORWARD in time to 1906-1909, collecting the names
of all possible descendants of your ancestor. Check all those names
against the Index in the same way indicated above. The may seem
tedious, but often is the only way to identify an ancestor as Cherokee.
You will then have an ancestral name to use in the search for other
Cherokee documents, necessary for definitive proof.

I wish that I could print her whole introduction here. It was very
informative reading. The Treaty of Echota in 1835 "resulted in the
infamous "Trail of Tears" in which thousands of Cherokees were forced to
march from their homeland in the Southeastern United States to "Indian
Territory"." ......."Between August 27 , 1906, and May 18, 1909, nearly
forty-six thousand applications were completed by Guion Miller."
(Here's the good part)....."In order to fulfill the major requirement
for admission (which consisted of an ancestral connection to someone who
had signed the 1835 Treaty of New Echota) extensive genealogical
information was required. At least two generations of family
information was included, which often included aunts, uncles, brothers
and sisters."....."There were no geographic limitations imposed on the
applicants, as there had been in the Dawes Commission enrollment.
Therefore, NON-RESERVATION Cherokees could apply."......"Only those
whose direct ancestor actually participated in the Treaty of New Echota
were approved."

Anyway....thought someone else might be interested in this information.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Michelle


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