What was John Denver's ethnic background on his mother's side? - father's name seems German- wonder about moms

Question

-he was born in New Mexico - mother's name is Erma Louise Swope, b.1922, and I would like to know if she has American Indian descent at all. The family also lived n Arizona, and a grandmother, Anna Elizabeth Koop was b. 8 Aug 1907 in Cordell, OK (Washita County) & d. 26 Dec 1985 in Clinton, OK -- all of these areas have high numbers of American Indian families...... I wonder if that could be part of John Denver's connection to the land - he remarked at one point that he felt a connection with Indigenous peoples-- and his nice eyes really have a American Indian look to them, but maybe they didn't think it was a good career move to announce it because of all the things that happened with AIM, Wounded Knee, etc during the 70s........... I'd really like to know about this- any genealogists out there who know the answer, or are challenged to seek an answer, to this?

Answer 1

Although Wikipedia lists John Denver's mother as Erma Louise Swope (born in 1922), the 1930 US Census only lists an Ora Louisa Swope. Ora Louisa was born in Cloudcroft, Otero, New Mexico, about 1922, the daughter of Dave A. Swope (born in New Mexico in 1897) and his wife, Est[h]er V. (b. 1900). Dave (or David) is the son of Jack A. Swope born in Texas in 1867, whose parents came from Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. Dave's wife, Ara, was born in 1880 in Texas; her father came from South Carolina and her mother from Georgia. An Erma Louise Swope (b. 1922), however, did attended high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to a high school annual, so this could possibly be her as well.

Ancestry.com shows no other historical records, and Denver's mom is listed as a "Living Swope" on all public family trees, so no further information is available about her.

According to public family trees found on Ancestry.com, John Denver's father, Henry John Deutschendorf (1920--1982), was the son of John Henry Deutschendorf, who was born in Russia in 1895, and Anna Elizabeth Koop, who although she was born in Oklahoma in 1907, was the daughter of Heinrich Koop and Elizabeth Janzen who were both born in Russia in 1870 and 1874, respectively.

Sorry, but I don't find any record of Native Americans in John Denver's background.

Answer 2

You won't unless they were stupid enough to trust the government. Any documentation of Native Americans is by them signing the land away in treaties or rolls. I do have Cherokee ancestors who are on the Rolls, and none of my ding bat relatives by marriage, could find a "Connection" either until my Aunt did DNA. We have no Russian ancestors yet we have Northern Siberian dn a. We are lucky though because England documented their history with the Native Americans, and didn't slaughter them and destroy their history and steal their gold like the Spanish. German and Moravian missionaries have been in the United States around the same time as the Scot Highlanders and intermarried with the Cherokee and other tribes. We will never know unless someone gets his dn a. I believe Kevin Costner is part Cherokee, if you can trace your ancestors from Tennessee/North Carollina area, and they migrated to Oklahoma. It is possible. Moravian missionaries protected much of the Cherokee artifacts. There are some lumps of rocks here and there with mysterious writing on them, and bits and pieces, mounds here, mounds there. Got more than the Hindu's in Afghanistan.

Answer 3

John Deutschendorf

Answer 4

There was a study about this and I am sorry I do not remember where I read it but it stated that biracial children raise by a black parent had a better rate of adjustment. It went on to say that black mothers tend to educate their children on their heritage and background which allowed them a better feeling of acceptance. This in turn help them adjust to their lives and their mix culture. I know this does not appy to everyone but I found the study itself very interesting.

Answer 5

My mother was born a Swope and she always told me it was German ancestry and it was translated from the German word Schawb, same as the stockbrokers. :-)