Hi Sarah, Don't get discouraged! We have the answers just have to put them together. I have brought this up to you before on the Finley's, but will run it by you again and maybe you can talk to Carmen about it. Wilma says that our James Finley was part cherokee and his mother was supposed to be full blooded. My ggrandfather Joel applied but was denied. Wilkes Co. was mostly Indian at the time our families were there, there were Finley's there also. Think it was in 1800 that a James Finley married an Elizabeth Love in Orange Co. NC feel that this James could have been the son of George Finley from that county. Found a will abstract for Hiram Love and in it he named his brother-in-law James Finley. James & Elizabeth named their 1st son George and their 2nd was named Hiram. Do not know what happened to George but think Hiram was killed in the Civil War. My guesses are different than yours, but one of us could be right. We just have to dig a little more. Agree with you that the James Finley mentioned in the Sevier Cert. is ours. But like you really do not have any information on him. Have went through the rolls but have not found any Finley marrying into the Cherokee tribe. I have the 1813 petition and there are other family members that signed from my grandmothers side of the family. Have a good day! Pat