This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: CelesteHolly51 Surnames: Hooker, Lawson Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.lawson/6860.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Yes, many early white males who first came alone into the area of southwest VA did marry Cherokee women (there are many reports of this), but the male Cherokee marrying the female white lady was not as rare as you might believe. The VA colonial legislature had a bill introduced by Patrick Henry to encourage whites to marry with Native Americans - land was going to be granted to them if they did so! Probably this was to assimilate and maybe "subdue" the N/A. The early US policy (George Washington's) was also along that line - it was not until later (early-mid 1800s) that it became a "bad" thing to intermarry with Native Americans. Also, those early histories were very slanted/biased - one has to look at factual info like the treaty where the Cherokee sold that area of southwestern VA to the British (which I described above in 1761). And maps on-line showing the Cherokee lands in the 1700s which go into southwest VA and later, after 1761, go from the VA/NC line to Ga to Tn to AR. There were thousands of Cherokee in that area from the late 1700s-1835. Also, one of the leaders of the Cherokee in the early 1800s married a white lady - his name was John Ridge - from his father's Cherokee name "He who walks on the mt. ridge." And the Cherokee chief in the early 1800s, John Knox was only about 1/4 Cherokee! His father was white and the mother only 1/2 Cherokee. Celeste 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.