Hello folks, I hope I'm not too late to get in on the topic of Indian heritage that has been discussed while I was on vacation. I read each with interest and you don't know how grateful I was that it has surfaced. It was addressed without negativity or bias towards periods of our past history that could bring up heated discussions and opened what I hope may lead to the piecing together of some of our families history. I started a new post as it would be messy trying to reply to the old ones. Please pardon my attempt at trying to jump in and the best way I could think of was to take a few quotes with authors names from just a few that got me to thinking. All were excellent by-the-way and backed up with interesting sites for further reading and better understanding of the subject topics. I will start with why I'm pleased to take part in this discussion. I come from the Crowe/Winebrenner families of present day Garrett County. The Crowe's arrived before the Revolution and the best I can figured out so far is that Morris Winebrenner Sr. who many think is the patriarch of most of the Winebrenners in both counties may have arrived at that time also. Those with an interest in these lines may contact me personally as I don't want to get off the subject to far. To cut to the chase there is I believe Indian blood in both families from Jacob Crow/Crowe and Margaret Winebrenner down. Why do I think this? My father told us kids when we were adults. Why did he wait so long? I think it was well put in the comment from Todd; “One has to remember that until recently anyone who was less than white was considered a non person and so the Descendents of the original east coast Indians married into white families and assimilated to rise in social class and acceptance. I believe that about 90% of the old families which reach back to the 18th century have Indian blood. Not all of the tribes moved west or died out but many married into white families. They often took very common English names so you can't trace them by the names and the fact that they were Indian or half-breed was covered up. There was even a movement to call people with darker skin a free person of color and with that deny them the right to vote. This is the untold story of a large population of the Appalachian Mountain people.” Todd Dad's comment was "it was something you didn't want known about your family tree". Dad was born in 1921. You may read for yourself about the Eugenic Law movements. This site is just one example. http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/html/eugenics/essay7text.html Before I continue I would like to say I am not a historian or some super sleuth and my approach may be awkward. I'm not trying push my opinions on anyone and that I truly hope I don't come off offensive. I was excited to see on the previous posts people putting their heads together trying to piece together a "family legion" rather than brush it off. Could not a legion become a legacy if investigated by people sharing information and ideas? I am not replying to anyone in particular below from this list. I have been asked all these questions in the past 3 years trying to get a better understanding of my complete family history. I was discouraged at first but not anymore. Some may think I'm what I have seen termed as a "Wanabe" well I guess in a way I am. I "Wanabe" able to tell my grandchildren who they came from to the best of my knowledge. Family legion or hear say, well sure both and a picture of my grandfather. Yes he had dark skin but he was a miner not a farmer. Can I provide something in writing... no just notes from other cousins about the legion but no one knew where it came from. will I ever have written proof? Most likely not unless I can prove we hail from one of the few who made history. I hardly think so. We are part of what I think of as the "invisible people" those who intermarried with mainly German families of emigrants ( my line) and later it became necessary to lay low. My ancestors were of the few Algonquin or possibly Ojibwa ( known as Chippewa in the U.S) who remained with the Shawnee and did an excellent job of blending in and not getting mentioned in writing as far as I have found (not to say they aren't mentioned somewhere) in the histories of the area that I have read. Where did I get a tribe name from? Lots and lots of correspondence and tracking down other cousins for clues and then going out and meeting folks. I was not looking for anyone who would have been on an Indian Roll as I doubt they were looking in the back woods of Western Maryland for families to relocate. By then the family would have been mixed and claiming white on the census anyway . My dad said our ancestor was Algonquin and a cousin says her grandmother said Ojibwa, both were Algonquin speaking as were the Shawnee who I found were the most referred to people of the area so far. Western Maryland was used as a hunting ground for different tribes I guess they could come that way on one of the many trails that weave down from up north and Canada where both Algonquin and Ojibwa/Chippewa were indigenous to. I found this in a history of Pennsylvania; "In the latter part of the 18th century there were temporary villages of Wyandots, Chippewas, Missisaugas, and Ottawas in western Pennsylvania." I found it encouraging to see Chippewas mentioned. A few months ago I put an inquiry on this board asking about Little Brown Lake. I was looking for anyone who may know about some of the family history of this area. I had a feeling it was important. I received some wonderful maps and directions on how to find it, thank you. The property that was once owned by some of the Crowe family and Morris Winebrenner's land in Midlothian were separated by this lake. Both families married back and forth a lot. A Crowe cousin told me her father mentioned seeing Indians near the lake when he was a child of about 10. This would be about 1928. How come these folks were never mentioned? The last issue of the Allegany magazine says the Indians were pretty much gone when either Will or George died. Sorry I don't have my copy to look up which chief that was. But basically accounts say the Shawnee were the last to leave a very long time ago. I just returned from 8 days in Western Maryland. My husband and I were treated to a guided tour by my cousin from the John Crowe and Emily Warnick line. We drove from the Crowe cemetery located above Little Brown Lake which is on his property up to a place called "Highway to Heaven" back down to the Savage River Dam and past that Broadwater Chapel too. Hope I didn't get those directions mixed up, it was an awesome afternoon. It would have taken us many trips to have found all these cool places without him. All the while he pointed out where families lived and told some great stories. I was able to confirm from him that Indians were back by the lake . On their old family homestead that was owned by his father Edward Loar Crowe there is an area they called the chopping block . It was a stone in the ground used to sharpen tools and I guess make arrow heads. He said after a heavy rain they would find lots of arrow heads sticking up out of the mud near this place they called the chopping block. His sister who is 94 told me the names of the two tribes she knew of that later left for Pennsylvania...Shawnee and Algonquin ! I guess you might say I still can't provide any "concrete" proof about the legion of the full blood Algonquin Grandmother dad mentioned but I have my eye on one of the wives of Morris Winebrenner. “I have been watching this interesting discussion on native American ancestry and thought I'd mention that if descendants of the native American person in question are living, some pretty advanced DNA testing is available that will show the percentage of probability of an "Indian" connection. Although the cost can be pricey it would certainly lay to rest some of the speculation.” Best regards...Eileen I tried this 3 years ago. I called the lab and was told I needed someone to test from the direct line of females if I thought the Indian blood came from a grandmother. I couldn't test as I was from the male Crowe side. I got the cousin but what I wasn't told at that time was that the test I paid for was not going to provided me with any Indian heritage. I guess I needed the super duper job. You know what, I could careless if I do it over now. A piece of paper could not replace the excitement of the quest I have been on now. Go with the legions and see where they take you. You may just find yourself on another kind of Highway to Heaven. Carol