	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 > indian ancestry

Genealogy - indian ancestry

Expert: Edward Young - 1/23/2009

Question
QUESTION: My ggggandmother was Hettie (cherokee ) she was with the eastern band of cherokees and I was told that she was the ggggrandaughter of chief powhatan. I can't find out any information on her. Hettie was born abt 1780-1800. Any help will very welcomed

ANSWER: Donna,

I am afraid that my knowledge is more confined to those Cherokees in Oklahoma with connections to the old Settler's Rolls, Dawes, and specifically those family clusters around Mayes county, OK and the Georgia census clusters of 1835.

I actually had an overhill (Tennessee Cherokee) ancestor back at 1760. However, I found the trace from Emmett Starr's fameous work on "Old Cherokee Families" that really are tracing back Oklahoma Cherokees as a rule. A copy of that exists for use in the University of Tulsa library.

Your problem is that the really good records were kept on those who got the worst end of the deal and had to march the Trail of Tears. As you may know, your people are the ones who helped seal our fate and got to stay back east. For you I would only guess that there would have been a North Carolina census of those Cherokees living in those western counties.

Hitting on anything prior to the 1830's would be a real find indeed. You may ant to contact the eastern band or the Univ NC Ashville library to see what early rolls may exist. As far as Powhaton is concerned, I would let that go as everyone always wants to claim some indian princess royalty and such connections almost never exist in reality.

I don't recall ever seeing a "Hettie" on rolls that I have seen. You must painstakingly work it backwards if you ever hop to get lucky. Hope this helped.....Ed

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Ed,
Thank you so much for the information,one thing I wanted to ask is that Hettie's name may have been Hettiah or Hettaih and she was listed in roane county Tennessee census 1830. she married a Edgecomb Merritt. Hettie,s grandaughter Sarah Merritt married a White. My dad said they went to Oklahoma to claim land and Sarah didn't like it and wanted to go home to Missouri. Sarah's sister Permetie Pryor I think also claimed land with the Hutchinson,s in Oklahoma. I don't know if you can lead me in a better direction.

Thanks a million
Donna

Answer
OK,

If Hettie actually was found on a TN census and then later made it to the CN West and did register with the army on dates when everyone would get in line to declare their families and it was done prior to 1898, then she could appear on a high quality microfilm roll in a family cluster. The main rolls were the Old Settlers Roll in the 1850's, the Drennen Roll in the 1880's and the Dawes Roll commissioned in 1898 and finalized in 1902 as I recall. The final Dawes roll is the best to be found on because it qualifies you as a citizen due to your connection to an original enrollee. This was the roll that was used to assign lands for allottment. If your ancestor appears on the Dawes roll, it also is extremely likely that she and her family members were allotted 20 acre plots of land somewhere in the 14 county area. Just remember that there were many who refused to get in line and give their names. Some of the full bloods suspected that the information would be used against them and never registered. If she arrived after 1902, it was too late. Even if she did enroll, once these indians sold their land to the sooners out of desparation, they soon became destitude and many did leave and just blended into the American fabric. Allotment maps can be accessed at the BIA office in Muskogee, OK
Federal Archive Records can be found in Kansas City, Dallas, and in Laguna Niguel, CA as well as Washington DC. You have a lot of searching to do. Good Luck.

Add to this Answer Ask a Question