This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: paynengineering Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.ethnic.natam.nations.choctaw.choctawnat/2847.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: My people are Choctaw. We all came from Mississippi. My Mother's from Philadelphia, Mississippi. My Father's from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. My Father's people were Choctaw Freedmen (and women, of course ;-). They all originated as Slaves of the family of Benson's/Hendrix's. The Benson and Hendrix were all of full quantum at that time (1830-1870). When the War of Northern Aggression began, Missie Hendrix offered to allow the "slaves" of their family to go north......she actually had found jobs for them in one of the factorys in CT. They refused to go, said they were better off being part of the family and cared about, instead of going up north. So, they stayed, and were granted their munumition (freedom). Now, because they were "kept" (the folks around Ocean Springs, the Choctaws, they never did really "get" the concept of "owning" someone) they just made the people that had stayed with them, well, part of the family. Anyway, it was different, different times, different ideas. The Benson's owned several sawmills and a large trading post. The Hendrix's, a lot of prime cotton land. They were "very well off" as my Grandparents were fond of saying, and, in turn, the Freedmen became "well off, also". Anyway, some moved to the Choctaw Nation, some stayed in Mississippi. Some of my folks (me included) are what is called Mississippi Choctaw, some of my folks (me included) are of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and some of my folks (me...well, you get the picture by now) are Freedmen. And, fer gosh sakes, DO NOT ask me to separate all this out to be understandable. I've got all this genealogy "computerized" and have the "family trees" all printed out here somewhere.....just before the computer blew a fuse ;-)! Anyway, I've got a "white card" that I haven't looked at in years.......all I need to know is that my folks (me, too) are what we are, and I don't need to try to convince anyone that I'm Choctaw.........heck, I eat fry bread for three meals a day! BTW, The Wife just got through getting her "white card"...she is 50 y.o. and everyone had always said that her Mother's people were Indian.....I always told her, "yeah, right Blondie". She hasn't quite let up on me about that, yet. Gotta keep takin her to the stomp dances....! Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.