> > Two more genealogical truths: You can't determine relationships by > > how a name is spelled. And you can't determine ethnicity by the > > relative position of cheekbones or the color of hair! <g> > > > > "Richard A. Pence" <richardpence@pipeline.com> > > what about skin color Richard? > > "Dena" <dena@dbnetmall.com> I guess my answer is, "What about it?" I suspect, Dena, that among the descendants of the Native American you KNOW you have, there will be as many or more with "fair complexions" as their are with "dark complexions." IOW, skin color won't be a determining factor in establishing Indian ancestry, either, at least among those whose Native American ancestry is so nebulous that it could be anywhere from 5 to 15 generations back. What I tried to convey in my previous message is that in almost every instance the only way to find an Indian (or any other specific ethnicity) is to work backward one generation at a time until you turn up some possibilities. THEN you need to know what the sources are for determining whether or not the person is or isn't a Native American. If you have reached that point, then share the details and I'm sure there are some experienced researchers here who can advise you on your next steps. Until then, you probably will remain a member of what the Oklahoma Genealogical Society's magazine once called the largest tribe in America: the Wannabees. Regards, Richard "Richard A. Pence" <richardpence@pipeline.com>