How can I prove I am 1/4 Cherokee?

Question

My gandmother was from a Cherokee tribe, but when she was alive, it was not a good thing so she didn't want to leave any trace of it. There are no government records of her that I can find. I have read that only males can prove this but I am female. Is this true? If it is possible to prove, how can I do it?

Answer 1

Go to www.cyndislist.com and check her Native American section. If your Grandmother's name ( or even her mother's name or other family member) is listed on the DAWES ROLLS--a plan begun in 1893 in negotiation with the 5 Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, & Seminole) to convince them to agree with an allotment plan and do away with the reservation system. To be listed, a person had to be a CITIZEN BY BLOOD (including newborn and minor citizens), a CITIZEN BY MARRIAGE, FREEDMEN (former slaves of Indians, including newborns and minors), or Delaware Indians adopted by Cherokees (were listed as a separate group within the Cherokee). Over 250,000 people applied, and the Dawes Commission enrolled another 100,000. The Rolls were closed by an act of Congress in March 1907.
To prove membership to the 5 Tribes, you must prove descent from a person listed as a citizen in the FINAL ROLLS. The government uses these rolls today to determine one's status to receive a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB). The applicant must provide birth certificates showing their descent from their BIRTH ancestors, not adoptive; and it can show only the blood degree of ONE tribe or the total degree from all tribes in the filer's ancestry. The EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEES (who did not go on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma) require at least 1/16th degree of Eastern Cherokee blood.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How can I prove I am 1/4 Cherokee?
My gandmother was from a Cherokee tribe, but when she was alive, it was not a good thing so she didn't want to leave any trace of it. There are no government records of her that I can find. I have read that only males can prove this but I am female. Is this true? If it is possible to prove,...

Answer 3

Your first reply doesn't hang out here much.. we have MANY people here who are happy to help you learn how to do research, sometimes even do "look ups" for you.
It is very possible that the records you have searched don't show what you need, but there are also many other records that you never heard of or used.
An example of Cherokee lineage is my husband's line. I was skeptical of mother in law's claims. Her grandmother is said to have come to Arkansas via the Trail of Tears. Since she married someone of German lineage, her records do NOT back this up (but are in line).
She did have a known/proven sister, however... who, in 1850, was living with another family, was identified as Indian, AND the family she was with, is a well documented Cherokee family, one that does show up on the Dawes rolls.
I consider this to be adequate evidence of the family history, although I cannot label it as "proof".
The approach is to learn all you can, and document everything you can. Being on the Dawes rolls is technically required for tribal acceptance. Not everyone is going for enrollment. Nothing in genealogy is "guaranteed", until you actually run down all the possible records.

Answer 4

If your direct line of maternal ancestry is native, it's very easy to prove with an mtdna test that costs about 100 to 200 dollars. I had mine done by family tree dna and I think they're very good. However to prove you're a full quarter would be harder without any records, unless you get a complete gene test which would be quite expensive.

Answer 5

Try around the Oklahoma region and then back to the south eastern US. For you to be 1/4 Cherokee, one of your parents would be HALF, as you say, your Grandmother would be full. Try birth certs, baptism records. SURNAME registries, Great Register of voters. What is your great- grandparent's surnames etc., etc., etc., keep going back until somewhere there will be some agent writing what tribe they are. We hope. Good Luck

Answer 6

I'm just taking a shot at this, but, maybe if you went and got a blood test or something similar to that. I realize that this may not be an option for you because some people cant do that but I am just trying to help and it's an idea right?

Answer 7

You would prove it by getting a copy of your grandmother's birth certificate, then contacting the Bureau of Indian Affairs and requesting a copy of her (and her parents') registrations.

Even if your grandmother shunned her tribe, the odds are that her parents didn't. You just keep requesting records on every preceding generation until you find those who were tribal members.

Answer 8

This is the Official Cherokee Geneology site link. You don't have to be a member of the site to read through and explore it.

http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=services&service=Registration&ID=PT53HNS8Hg0=

Answer 9

have you done a family tree search, to look at me you would say there is not a one drop of native american blood in these veins. All my life my mother would say my grandmother was 1/2 native, not until I saw a family tree was I convinced.
I m female , do you have any male cousins or record ?

Answer 10

Get on line to a genealogist, this will cost you money, but they do your whole family history for you, they chart your whole family. You have to know all the names of the members of your family. There's no way that someone would do this for free, there's a lot of work involved. Good luck, bye. P.S. Just go on google and type in genealogist and you'll have plenty of sites to go to.