Hi Bill, I sent the below to Jean BEFORE receiving your message. Interesting how we agree on several point? Larry Scott San Antonio, Tx --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 22:26:08 -0600 Subject: Re: Native Americans in southern Illinois Greetings Jean, Not sure I can help you much but to give you some circumstantial evidence. On Sat, 20 Jan 2001 21:22:26 EST [email protected] writes: > I know one of the Trail of Tears routes went across the southern tip > of Illinois not far from Williamson Co. Connection to the Trail of > Tears seems more logical than the alternative explanations This has been my theory too. Appreciate your confirmation. I agree completely with this scenario. I have connected my Daniels ancestors there in So. ILL to Indians who ended up in Oklahoma. In fact, I have connected to a living descendent of the Oklahoma Daniels. Before we contacted, he had already proven his Indian blood in 3 of his four grand parents. He is a member of an Indian tribe today. The fourth is the one who is connected to me, a Daniel. These Daniel(s) ancestors of his came to Oklahoma from So. Ill. and settled on the reservation. We know that one of them married an Indian there so I am convined that he too was Indian. Here's my theory on how this came about. Along the way, it appears that some of the Indians decided to split off from the group and setlled in various areas. (So. Ill. being one of them) In some cases they were successful in merging into the society where they stopped. However, in the case of some of my relatives, they eventually decided to follow the earlier group(s). So, some of them stayed in Illinois and some moved on to AR and OK. > But herein lies my problem. My Cherokee ancestor was in Illinois by > his marriage date of 1825. His grand children have roll #s. > Can anyone recommend any books that might point me in the right > direction for learning the history of the native Americans in southern Illinois? I am very interested in any response/information you find so please let me know. Larry Scott San Antonio, TX