	AllExperts > Genealogy
	Search

About Edward Young
Expertise
In the realm of genealogy, my knowledge would be limited to the following.......... 1. Help with big picture approach to the Dawes, Old Settlers, and the 1835 Georgia Census rolls. 2. What is required to obtain tribal membership in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. 3. How to track down ancestors in NE Oklahoma based upon scant information. 4. How to access adoption records as a Native American in Oklahoma. 5. Knowledge of the history and residents of Coosawattee village in N. Georgia 1830's. 6. Family clusters and allotments near Mayes/Cherokee county border in OK 1890-1920.

Experience
Research at National Archives, family history, independent study, personal experience.

Organizations
Educator, Chaffey Joint Union HSD. Board Member-CREEC Network Region 10 California. Tribal Citizen-Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Member, California Native Plant Society. First Families Member, Cherokee National Historical Society.

Publications
http://www.teacher-us.com/young
http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:ctmEgTIvLmsJ:wwwstatic.kern.org/gems/region10/NewsletterMarch1.doc edward young creec network&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:JJcucFgLevAJ:creec.edgateway.net/CompPDFs/acknowl.pdf compendium ed young california&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us

Education/Credentials
BS Biology, Univ Central Oklahoma Post Bac University of Arizona Clear Life Science Teaching Credentials in both California and Arizona

You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Genealogy > Genealogy > NE Oklahoma lookup

Genealogy - NE Oklahoma lookup

Expert: Edward Young - 8/13/2008

Question
Hi,
I would like information on a relative that is buried in Garland Cemetery in Haskell County,Oklahoma. Her name is Martha Copeman & she died in 1916. Her gravestone consisted of just a rock with the word "Cherokee" on it until approximately 4 years ago when a real tombstone with her name & date of death replaced it. We're wondering if she was an Cherokee Indian. I've researched everything I can find with no results. I do know she had a daughter named Lida Mae Rogers born 12 Aug 1892 & who died 16 April 1931, also buried in Garland Cemetery. We would also like to know who Lida Mae's father was. Was he John F Rogers of Missouri? I can trace Martha from the 1910 census when she was married to Ira Preston but not the years before.Any help would be very much appreciated. Lana

Answer
Hi Lana,
Let me begin by saying that I am not a genealogist and don't do genealogical research for others, but I do try hard to tangentially direct folks with circumstances like yours as best I can. You do have some things to work with here. On my period map from 1892 I see that Garland was already a pioneer community within the boundaries of the old Choctaw Nation. On my modern sectional maps, I notice the cemetery and it is clearly what my family always called an indian cemetery. Although whites and mixed bloods got buried in these cemeteries, it was usually because they had married indians. These cemeteries were established by the wealthier indian families living in those settlements. Since white settlers usually had their own separate cemeteries and generally not welcome in indian cemeteries, I feel pretty confident that she was indeed native or the spouse of an indian.

This graveyard is likely of Choctaw origin, but probably filled with old Cherokees since it is only a mile south of the river. This area was far from the seat of Choctaw happenings, but just across the river from the bustling Cherokee rail communities of Vian and Sallisaw. Prior to the allotment period 1898-1902, when those who signed up got their land, indians commonly lived and intermarried across tribal boundaries so the geography is not a big deal. In looking through Cherokee family clusters over the years, I don't recall seeing the name "Copeman". It is a logical guess that just like my grandmother from the same period, Martha was a Cherokee that married a white or a Choctaw by the name of Copeman. By 1916 when she died, the Indian Nations were dissolved by congress and protocol went out the window. People got buried where ever there was room especially during the flu epidemic of 1918.
I've seen the upwardly standing rocks you are referring to. These people were extremely poor by our standards and hand scripted Cherokee headstones were often in Cherokee script since written fluency was common in the mid to late 1800's. Since she was buried as late as 1916, I'll bet her loved ones were white or half bloods and wanted others to remember her heritage. In our family cemeteries in Mayes county, Cherokees didn't need to distinguish who they were because they were all Cherokee. Moreover, and sadly, most half bloods wanted desperately to be thought of as whites rather than Cherokees in 1916 so ironically, she would probably not have approved of her headstone. It wouldn't surprise me if Martha's half blood kids put that marker there at the time of her death. It is also logical that her grandchildren today still live in the area and are the ones who know who she was and placed that upgraded stone where it is now. It is a BIG no no for indians to be messing with graves in any way and doing so violates federal law to boot, so its got to be a local descendant.
The daughter's name is very interesting as Rogers is a very old Cherokee name. The original allotments that went out to families with the name "Rogers" are mostly from the county of my grandmother's allotment--Mayes Co. My grandmother actually performed with Will Rogers as a barrel racer in the Mayes County fair ironically around the same time as your ancestor's death. Today there are thousands of them clustered around Claremore and the Oolagah resevoir. Obviously, if you have a white Missouri connection with John F Rogers, then the name connection is just a coincidence, but I thought I'd mention it.
In summary, I'd darn sure place adds in the newspapers that service Stigler and McCurtain. I would even place adds in the papers that service Vian and Sallisaw on the other side of the river. I'd mention the names of Copeman and Rogers in bold print and ask if anyone has information as to local folks with those names or who may know something. Beyond that, I'd call information for numbers of people in the area around Stigler who have those last names and start calling. Someone is bound to know something. If that fails, you could find out from neighbors to the cemetery as to who cuts the grass and see if any local church or historical society has cemetery information.
One last thing. There is a 1900 Indian Territory census. There could be some useful information there. There is a section for each of the Five Tribes and so you might want to look through the Cherokee AND Choctaw sections. They list the kids names and who was married to who and their respective birth dates as well as place of birth for everybody. It is an overlooked resource. Unfortunately for you, the closest Federal archives building is in Ft Worth, but I know you can go to the BIA building in Muskogee and find allotment maps for those sections around the old Garland settlement. Who know, some of those names on those alottment maps might just jump out at you. Also, you can always walk into the Tribal headquarters office where highway 62 and 82 meet there in Tahlequah and go in the registration office. They always have a public copy of the final Dawes roll sitting there on the table. Keep digging.

Add to this Answer Ask a Question