Oakley, growing up, I always had heard that our family was part Cherokee which was odd as we were truly part of the Creek nation. My great-aunt surely knew better as it was the family member she was closest too who went to court to joint the Creek tribe as they absorbed the Natchez members that were left (and that is where our roots truly lay). The only reasoning we could think of at the time was that the Creek often intermarried with slaves but that is conjecture as we later found out that some ancestors from that line were slaves as well.

We do meet the qualifications for membership in the Creek nation, as my great-grandfather's name is on the Dawe's rolls and we can prove direct lineage through birth certificates. Membership would also qualify us for the health services should that be a necessity in the future. I need to begin working on that and I do hope at some point to visit that reservation in OK.

Isn't that amazing, Oakley?!? And you another blond with green eyes, too! I've heard that for a long time, many people Back East were embarrassed by their Indian blood. Perhaps your mom and grandmother were, too. Sad, isn't it? You probably learned about DH's great-grandfather in school, if you went to school in Oklahoma. They named Love County, Oklahoma, after him: Overton Sobe Love. For those who don't know, Love County is the heart of the Chickasaw Nation. Overton was born in Mississippi and was forced to move to Indian territory (now Oklahoma) sometime in the 1840's. He became a judge and a well-loved and respected leader of his people. Smart man. Very kind, too. He ended up as one of the largest landowners down there. He personally paid for many, many Chickasaw youth to go to school so that they could help to lift their people up. Besides being a judge, he represented the Chickasaw Nation at Congress in Washington and was also appointed Treaty Commissioner for the Nation.

As for DH, he has the nose and very sculptured face of many Indians, but with his blond hair and green eyes, you'd never initially think of him as Native. But, like many Indian men, he couldn't grow a beard to save his life (LOL).

Do you and your DH get back to OU much for their home games? We should get together sometime if you do. Lynn

Tish, I'd love to be on one of the rolls, unfortunately. my grandparents had died when my mom was tiny, and no one really knows much other than my grandmother was full blood. I need to read up on the Creek Nation here. I've been to Osage county (where my DIL is from, and they filmed the movie in her town, Pawhuska,) and it is the prettiest county in OK. Lots of trees and rolling hills, then it turns into prairie...where the Pioneer Woman lives.

Lynn, since all of my family is from VA., except for me and my brother, I totally did NOT get into Oklahoma history in school. It didn't interest me in the least. Joke was on me, huh? lol. I'm familiar with Love Co., but didn't know about Overton Love. I'll try to look him up.

My mom and her twin, her twin's daughter all have the sculpted nose. I used to until sinus problems took over my life and it's not as pretty anymore. heh.

The embarrassment would explain why mom didn't tell me. It angers me though. Her sisters obviously told their children. Mom was blonde and blue eyed, and was very into her looks. But still....

I have AOL, and a month ago it lost half of my Favorite Places which had the name of the tribe. UGH!!!! So I need to ask a cousin for the info.

My guess would be embarassment is also only a part of it. My great-grandfather who was half, was run out of the town of Estancia, NM with threats of being tarred and feathered for being married to a white woman. That would have been in the 1920s and the emotions surrounding such things tends to linger.

An interesting aside, was that his mother was once hidden on Belle Star's ranch as she was wanted for murder in Canada (and I have no idea of how she got up there). She was engaged to a white man and he was found stabbed to death with a hat pin and she was known for wearing hats. She promised to tell the granddaughter that she was close to whether or not she did it before she died but she did not get the chance.

Oh my gosh, Tish, you sure have a colorful and fascinating family history! Somebody should make it into a movie.
It surprises me, that with the prejudice that was very prevalent back then about "Whites" marrying anyone but another "White", that multiracial couples could live anywhere peacefully. Those poor people, in love and just wanting to be together and have a happy life!
DH's great-grandfather (or great great) was an Englishman who came to this country to be a cowboy. He married a full-blooded Chickasaw woman. I've often wondered how they made it and what prejudice they had to endure to be together . . . from both sides. DH's father was orphaned around age 4 and not a whole lot of that kind of information made it to him as he grew up. Life sure is interesting, isn't it?
Lynn

**DH's father was orphaned around age 4 and not a whole lot of that kind of information made it to him as he grew up.**

Same with my mom. I think she was around 3 or 4 when her parents died, separately. The only memory she had of her mom was "all in white." My GM was in a TB sanitorium.

Therefore, none of my GM's kids know anything about her childhood.

Oakley, I'm descended from the Cherokee who escaped the Trail of Tears, and hid out in the hills and hollows of eastern Tenn/KY. Both of my father's parents had Cherokee blood, something that everyone in our family appreciated. One of my brothers, and one of my daughters, have those beautiful, dark, dark, Indian eyes and gorgeous, golden-brown skin. When younger DD was little, she reminded me of a Curtis portrait.

Many of those who settled in Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky share Cherokee ancestry, and still carry the physical traits.