TIP #483 GRANDPA SAID I'M DESCENDED FROM POCAHONTAS! One of the most frequent questions I have been asked over the year deals with people attempting to prove that they have Native American (or commonly called, Indian) blood in their veins. It is a most difficult subject and sad to say, many times cannot be proven. Oral tradition or Grandpa's stories of his mother or father being a full blooded Native American brings up wonderful visions, but many times the heritage cannot be proven. Rather than give you my feelings on the subject, this tip will be simply references for you to look up on your own, taken from various sources. If you think that you do have a connection - here are some places that you can check out. First of all - it has been stated many times that the most prominent early Indian tribes in Kentucky included the Cherokee, Chickasaws and the Shawnees. Most of these tribes were out of Kentucky by the early 1800's - either being killed in battles with the settlers or being resettled. No separate records were kept for people with American Indian blood. Check out: "Native Races" section of the United States Research Outline (30972) for suggestions on how to research American Indian ancestry. If you are searching for American Indians in Kentucky, search the same types of records used to research non-Indians. Or: McConnell, Michael Norman. A Country Between: The Upper Ohio Valley and Its Peoples, 1724-1774. Lincoln, Nebr.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992. (FHL book 977.1 F3m. This book contains a very thorough history of Indians in the upper Ohio Valley, (Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.) In order to prove, with the required supporting evidence, your family tradition, you need to: 1. Determine the time period. When did your Native American ancestor(s) live here? 2. Determine the tribe. 3. Determine the location. Was this tribe in Kentucky? To help you do this check out: Swanton, John R. The Indian Tribes of North America, 1952, reprint. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974. (FHL book 970.1 Sm69b No. 145; computer number 68353.) Waldman, Carl. Atlas of the North American Indian. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985. (FHL book 970.1 W146a; computer number 451994.) 4. Check out local resources for the area of interest through libraries. 5. Learn as much as you can about the tribe. Where did they migrate? What were their marriage customs? What was their relationship with churches or government agencies? What were their naming patterns? 6. Try to determine if records were kept on that tribe and if they are available. The following will help: American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. 1984 ed. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995. (FHL book 970.1 Un3a; fiche 6125472; computer number 361359.) Hill, Edward E. Guide to Records in the National Archives of the United States Relating to American Indians. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1981. (FHL book 970.1 H551g; computer number 154874.) 7. Does the Family History Library have records on file? You can search by the tribe, or a general search of Indians in America. I recommend you read the following found at: http://www.comanchelodge.com/chickamauga-cherokee.html http://www.cyndislist.com/native.htm Cyndi's List of Native American Genealogy http://members.aol.com/rarebk/tut.html- How to trace your Cherokee ancestry. http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!3D!69!B1078426DAE8/jcastorena/THEODDANDSTRA NGE/page2.html - many Native American sites linked http://www.abcgenealogy.com/Ethnic/Native_American/ - ABC Ethnic http://nativenet.uthscsa.edu/archive/nl/9503/0071.html - Original inhabitants of Kentucky http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Ethnic-Native/ - lists all the Rootsweb lists one can subscribe to for various tribal genealogy and general information I thank many Native American research sites on the web for most of these references! (c) Copyright 18 March 2004, Sandra K. Gorin Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html SCKY surname registry sites: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/reg.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/forms/SCKYreg.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/