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A Selected Resource List on the Cherokee Indians
Melodie Sanders
12 February 1996
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I wish I could help all those who have written me, asking for help finding their elusive Cherokee (or other tribal) ancestor. Since I have neither the time, nor the energy to do this (I have to earn a living!), I will send this list of resources that will hopefully help you. Note that the Internet Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) can change very quickly. Also, sites are up and down, so if a URL does not work one day, try again on another day.
Family Historian Books has an 800 number... 1-(800) 535-0118. If you plan do spend *any* time doing Cherokee research, I strongly recommend buying and reading Gormley's book from cover to cover!
Gormley, Myra Vanderpool. Cherokee Connections: An Introduction to Genealogical Sources pertaining to Cherokee Ancestors. Tacoma, WA (207 S. 119th St., 98444): Family Historian Books, 1995. ISBN 1886952553.
U.S. Dept. of Interior. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Answers To Your Questions About American Indians. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970. Stock no. 2402-00030.
Mooney, Thomas G. Exploring Your Cherokee Ancestry: A Basic Genealogical Research Guide. Tahlequah, OK: Cherokee National Historical Society, 1987. LCCN: 91- 139625. 58 p. Available from the Cherokee Museum.
The microfilm produced by the National Archives can be purchased at $23.00 or $10.00 per roll (depending on the roll). The microfilm is also available from the American Lending Library (P.O. Box 244, Bountiful, UT 84010), at the Family History Centers, and at some large libraries.
For citizenship in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, you must prove direct descent from the Dawes Commission Rolls. For the Eastern Band of Cherokee, you must prove descent from the Baker Rolls. Both sets of rolls had residency requirements, which is why many people won't find their ancestors in them.
Blankenship, Bob. Dawes Roll "Plus" of Cherokee Nation "1898." Cherokee, NC (P.O. Box 525, 28719, (704) 497-9709): Cherokee Roots, [1994]. ISBN 096337434. 216 p. Alphabetical order by surname. Includes accepted, but not rejected rolls.
United States. Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory, (As Approved by the Secretary of the Interior on or Before March 4, 1907, With Supplements Dated September 25, 1914) [Also Known as Dawes Commission Rolls]. Washington, DC: National Archives, 1961. 3 reels of 35 mm. microfilm. Series: National Archives Microfilm Publications, T529. Contents: Reel 1. Choctaw and Chickasaw Rolls -- Reel 2. Cherokee Rolls -- Reel 3. Creek and Seminole Rolls.
United States. Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. Enrollment Cards of the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914. [Also known as Dawes Commission Rolls Enrollment Packets]. Series: National Archives microfilm publications ; M1186, rolls 2-93. Washington: National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. 92 microfilm reels. Partial Contents: Cherokee by Blood [approved] (rolls 2- 15) -- Cherokee Minors by Blood [approved] (rolls 16-18) -- Cherokee Minors [approved] (rolls 19-21) -- Delaware [approved] (roll 22) -- Cherokee by Marriage [approved] (rolls 22-23) -- Cherokee Freedmen [approved] (rolls 23-26) -- Cherokee Freedmen Minors [approved] (rolls 26-27) -- Cherokee [doubtful/rejected] (rolls 27-32) -- Cherokee Freedmen [doubtful/rejected] (rolls 33-38) -- Choctaw (rolls 39-66) -- Chickasaws (rolls 67-76) -- Creek (rolls 77-91) -- Seminole (rolls 92-93).
Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee Roots. 2nd ed. Cherokee, NC: B. Blankenship, 1992. 2 v. Contents: v. 1. Eastern Cherokee Rolls (includes: 1817 Reservation Rolls, 1817-1835 Emigration Roll, 1835 Henderson Roll, 1848 Mullay Roll, 1851 Siler Roll, 1852 Chapman Roll, 1869 Swetland Roll, 1883 Hester Roll, 1908 Churchill Roll, 1909 Guion Miller East, 1924 Baker Roll, Enrollment Procedures of Eastern Band) -- v. 2. Western Cherokee Rolls (includes: 1851 Old Settler Roll, 1852 Drennen Roll by Family Name, 1898-1914 Combination Dawes and Guion Miller Rolls, Enrollment Procedures of the Cherokee Nation).
United States. [Baker Roll. Eastern Cherokees in North Carolina]. Series: National Archives microfilm publications; A-35. Washington: National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. [1?] microfilm reel.
The Guion Miller Rolls is an important roll to search as many people who were not eligible for the Dawes Commission or Baker Rolls, were eligible for the Guion Miller Rolls. Finding one's direct ancestor in this roll will *not* make one eligible for tribal membership in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma or Eastern Band of Cherokee.
United States Court of Claims. General Index to Eastern Cherokee Applications [of the U.S. Court of Claims, 1906-1909], vols. 1 and 2, Application numbers 1-145. Series: National Archives Microfilm Publication; M1104, rolls 1. Washington: National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. 1 microfilm reel.
Blankenship, Bob. Guion Miller Roll "Plus" of Eastern Cherokee. Cherokee, NC (P.O. Box 525, 28719, (704) 497-9709): Cherokee Roots, [1994]. ISBN 096337442. 216 p. Alphabetical order by surname. Includes accepted and rejected rolls.
Jordan, Jerry Wright. Cherokee by Blood: Records of Eastern Cherokee Ancestry in the U.S. Court of Claims, 1906-1910. v.1-<8>. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1987-. Contents: v. 1. Applications 1 to 1550 -- v. 2. Applications 1551 to 4200 -- v. 3. Applications 4201 to 7250 -- v. 4. Applications 7251 to 10170 -- v. 5. Applications 10171 to 13260 -- v. 6. Applications 13261 to 16745 -- v. 7. Applications 16746 to 20100 -- v. 8. Applications 20101 to 23800. Note that this title is projected to have more volumes.
United States Court of Claims. Eastern Cherokee Applications of the U.S. Court of Claims, 1906-1909. Series: National Archives Microfilm Publication; M1104, rolls 1-348. Washington: National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. 348 microfilm reels.
For other rolls see:
Name: American Indians [National Archives Microfilm Catalog] URL: http://gopher.nara.gov:70/0/about/publ/micro/amind/amind4.txt (note this site is linked on the home page) United States. National Archives and Records Administration. American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Series: Select Catalogs of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives Trust Fund Board. National Archives and Records Administration, 1984.
Other groups among the Cherokee:
Walton-Raji, Angela Y. Black Indian Genealogy Research : African American Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes. Bowie, MD (1540-E Pointer Ridge Place, 20716): Heritage Books, Inc., 1993. ISBN 1556138563.
Prevost, Toni Jollay. The Delaware & Shawnee Admitted to Cherokee Citizenship and the Related Wyandotte & Moravian Delaware. Bowie, MD (1540-E Pointer Ridge Place, 20716): Heritage Books, 1993. ISBN 1556137613. [130] p. Not indexed.
To prove Cherokee lineage, it is vital to practice good documentation and to know something of how to do genealogy...
Stevenson, Noel C. Genealogical Evidence: A Guide to the Standard of Proof Relating to Pedigrees, Ancestry, Heirship, and Family History. Rev. ed. Laguna Hills, CA (P.O. Box 2837, 92654): Aegean Park Press, 1989. ISBN 089412160X; 0894121596 (pbk.). [239] p. Indexed.
Eakle, Arlene; and Cerny, Johni. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing Co., 1984. LC 84-70206; ISBN 0916489000. 786 p. Indexed.
As I said at the beginning, I wish I could help all those who have written me,asking for help finding their elusive Cherokee (or other tribal) ancestor. As my limited spare time and full-time job allows, I'm am trying to write a more extensive guide, with a lengthy bibliography. Until that is published, I can only suggest that you explore the resources above.
If you should want to send me a listing of your family, I'll be happy to add it to my records and share it with others interested in your family (or notify you if I run across someone else). I will not pass on the information without your permission. So, please tell me what you'd prefer if you send the information.
Have fun,
Melodie
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= Melodie Sanders
= Opinions expressed are mine, not of the University of Tulsa (Oklahoma)=
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= This message has been provided for your personal use. It may be shared=
= with others for their personal use, *if* it is not published, =
= reposted, or reprinted without asking for permission. Please ask! =
= Copyright 1996 Melodie Sanders =
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