This is based on the fact that the person providing the
following information was born in 1940, for younger individual you will need
additional generations.
Here is a short check list you might want to look over
before submitting your papers. It is a guide to help you, help them!!
When I say you need birth, death and marriage certificates these need to be
Official state certified records - not copies.
Your full name, address, telephone number and birth
certificate, and marriage certificate.(born 1940)
Your parents full name, birth, death, and marriage
certificate for both of them. (You need both, after all they are
your parents, so you need both of them to prove who you are, even if the
Native American heritage is only on one side.) (born 1915-1921)
Some kind of proof where this family lived for the past
50 years. (This isn't necessary but helpful.)
Baker Roll ~ 1924 (For
Eastern Cherokee, must prove relationship to person on this roll)
Census records, wills, property ownership
Your grand parents full name, birth death and marriages
certificates for both of them. (born 1890-1895) Now the research
becomes harder!! In many states there was no birth, death and
marriage registration prior to 1900. You can use tribal roll
records, census records, probate records, baptism records. Again you
will need to know where these people lived and census records are your
best source. Except for Native Americans, who hid, lied, and avoided
the census taker all together.
Final Rolls (Dawes) These will not be of any use to your
unless your family was living in Oklahoma between 1898-1914.
Final Rolls Census packets. If you know your
family was in Oklahoma and you can find them on the
Dawes
Roll, by all means, send for the census packet. This packet
can contain additional information on your direct ancestor and related
ancestors. It also may tell you no more than you presently know.
Census packet how to order.
A list of rolls that may be of assistance during this
time period. You will need to know which tribe.
If you are still researching at this point, then you are
doing it for your own personal satisfaction, that you are Native American,
and there should be more people like you!! At this point unless your
family intermarried with another Native American you are only 1/128, this
is not a high enough blood quantum to be excepted by many tribes.
Good luck and let us know if these pages helped you in your
research.