redkimba

I want to get into this. My mother was doing the family research because she wanted to prove our Cherokee heritage.

My brother has her research. I might talk to him about looking at it again.

amandasgramma

Born2Sew!!!!! 10,000!!! I thought I had a lot when I had 300!!!! WOW! My father talked about the Ropers and my mother talked about them...I remember asking if they were related and mom said "no, your father doesn't have any Ropers". I thought I was screwed up....WELL -- yip, both sides have Ropers that trace back to South Carolina....same county!!! Mom always put down dad's side of the family --- made my day to call her and tell her we had inbreeding and were related!!! LOL

Charlee --- I'm on Ancestry, too!! I actually didn't find what I needed there....but I did a google for Sarah Belle and found that she was on Ancestry/Geneology. I believe that unless you're in the right "department" on Ancestry you won't find what you need. Now I google everyone and find TONS!

earthwalker --- we MAY be related!!! LOL

I DO believe this can be timeconsuming!!! I've now set myself up to do a few hours of research and a few hours of quilting. Good thing I'm retired!! I actually caught myself not wanting to go to the Home/Garden Show yesterday -- and it was MY idea!!!!!

Charlee

Cherokee heritage is HARD to prove, if you don't have a clear, already proven lineage...i.e., tribal memberships.
Many of the Indians of the "Five Civilized Nations" would not admit to being Indian, but instead called themselves "Black Dutch", because once they registered on the Dawes Rolls as Indians, they had to move to the reservation onto land that the government gave them, and often they already had land that was worth more that what Uncle Sam would have put them on. To register on the Dawes, they would have had to give up that land that was worth more to the government and take the lesser value...it wasn't worth it to them.

I wish you lots of luck...when you DO find a connection it's great! :)

amandasgramma

I forgot to mention -- I'd been told since I was a kid that I was part Blackfoot.......and that's another reason I was researching. But so far, I can't find ANYTHING that proves or even hints at it. Dad had said it was hush-hush and he didn't want me to try to "register". Now, given he was a southerner and a fisherman --- I'm wondering if it was a tall tale. OR it was something the family was embarrassed by. I thought maybe a rape or kidnapping in the old days. I think the tall tale is more likely - knowing my dad! LOL

LBryan13790

Not genealogy research, but I had to find my mothers bridesmaids from 50 years ago. I only had maiden names and location they lived at before coming to college. YIKES.

I have a private detective friend who did not have any luck - but I FOUND them!!! If you ever need to do this, PM me and I will share some tips (and I didn't spend any $).

Boston1954

I haven't gotten into it myself but both of my parents were genealogists and historians. One of my ancestors was Benedict Arnold. Yikes!!

Charlee

Being from the south, it's likely the family was embarrassed.

William's great aunt Vera told me that she didn't tell anyone in her family that Uncle Odis was half Choctaw...(now keep in mind that Auntie Vera is 99 years old, and her language is "normal" for her, that she means no disrespect and *I* certainly don't either)
Anyway...Auntie Vera told me that she didn't tell her family who lived in another state about Uncle Odis because at that time in the south, being married to a "half-breed" was worse than being married to a "negro"...and a full blooded Indian would have been worse. (only she didn't say "negro"!! I was so shocked until I considered the source)

That would also be a part of the reason that it's hard to prove NA ancestry...it wasn't always cool to be Native American!

Barb_MO

I have not gone back too far in my research, only to the 1700's. My goal was to research my dad's ancestors as far as I could go. I found a Rev. War Patriot, joined the DAR and then concentrated on finding as many descendants of that person as I could. I also research my mother's line and my daughter-in-laws family. I don't think I have 4,000 names in my file...it takes so much time to verify everything with a source or two, and then to get in the genealogy program. I do have a books started on my dad's family that is nearing 650 pages. It is now so big I'll probably never have the money to print it out.

amandasgramma

Charlee -- my mother said the exact same thing...it was worse than being part negro to be indian. Isn't that a shame!!! I'm SO glad that attitude has change. And btw, dad would have been 92 this year...so yes, it WAS the times!

Barb -- 4000 -- I can't imagine that many!!! And I'm already thinking of spreading out to my DIL's family, too! My exSIL's last name was Wright and we have those in my family, too. OMG - I'm not sure how I'd feel if I were related to him in any other way!!!

Chasing Hawk

Our family has researched the family wigwam back to just before Columbus arrived. I am the direct decedent of 6 Chiefs of our tribe. It's quite fascinating, on my Dad's side we found the Dalton gang hiding out or should I say hanging out (LOL) among the branches on his side.