how do I learn which tribe grandma said she was born into?

Question

I have been told Grandma once drew a check from her tribe, but no one knows which one. Where do I search for details of my heritage with only her name, state of birth, and a partial marital history available?

Answer 1

People are making it much too complicated for you. Contact the National Archives for records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (part of the Department of the Interior) and request information on her through the Freedom of Information Act. Here's an overview: http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/075.html

Unless Grandma was alive in the 1800s, she's not going to be on the Dawes Rolls. At the same time, the Dawes Rolls only list members of 5 tribes...the other hundred or two aren't on there.

Also, see where your great-grandparents were born and match them up to local tribes. The odds are good that their family lived in that area for years and they were members of the local tribe. Each tribe has an office and the office has membership roll information.

No, the Secretary of State can't help you. Unless you're looking for her driver's license, the SOS isn't your office. You need the BIA.

Answer 2

Seems that you are wanting to find the "Indian" details, without doing the basics first. If she is/was on any rolls, it does not sound like you would be able to even identify her with any certainty.
So, number one is to work from most recent back, and start collecting documentation. (and NO, the state will not "issue" a birth certificate... if she actually had one, you can get a copy). Do you have when and where she died? If it was since 1960, you should be able to find her on the social security death index. If that is true, then you have her number, and can order that file. THOSE items will hopefully include her date of birth, and names of her parents. Keep in mind, that this is dependent on the informant having those facts, when she died.
Her maiden name is key, and the next step is to find her and parents in census records. Does anyone know names and details of any siblings? Normally, we zoom in on our direct line, but many times, the siblings records will have something 'lacking' in ours. Example.. you know Mary was her sister, and Mary died in 1980. Grandma might have been estranged from the parents, while Mary remained next door, and Mary's children grew up knowing the grandparents.
All of these are basic to your records, whether or not there is any factual basis to her having received a check for being Native American.

Answer 3

It takes some legwork, but tribal records are pretty extensive. I'd start my query with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and they can give you a list of tribal offices and phone numbers. The tribal offices, in turn, can take your grandmother's name and other information that you supply such as her partial marital history, maiden and married names, etc., and find matches in their tribal records. Of these, you can further research the ones that could have been your grandmother. Relatives of the people whose names match your grandmother's will probably supply other information to help you determine whether or not the lead is valid, and, when a valid lead develops, might offer further assistance. Good luck in hitting pay dirt!

Answer 4

If Grandma received a check, her name will be listed on the Dawes List. Only those eligible are listed:

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/dawes.php

Answer 5

http://www.ancestry.com/

Has many of the resources you need! Most tribes want a family tree and Census records in order to join.


Build your family tree on line.
You can use a paid site like:
http://www.ancestry.com/

OR You can do this for free on:

http://www.tribalpages.com/

Start with yourself, and then attach living family members.
Find out all you can about you family from living members, then attach it to your tree.
Now it is time to look for historical records and attach the info to your tree:

It is ALL about census records, and other historical records!

You might get lucky and others may have done some work on your family tree. Google family members names i.e. "Mary Smith" + "family tree"

Free sites:

http://www.searchforancestors.com/

http://www.censusrecords.net/?o_xid=27399&o_lid=27399

http://www.usgenweb.com/

http://www.census.gov/

http://www.rootsweb.com/

http://www.ukgenweb.com/

http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/

http://www.cyndislist.com/

http://www.findagrave.com/

Genealogy message board:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/messageboards/newguide/?board=history

http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ab-genealogy&nav=messages&lgnF=y&msg=90.1

http://boards.ancestry.com/

http://www.gensource.com/common/search.cfm

http://messages.yahoo.com/yahoo/Family___Home/Genealogy/

http://genforum.genealogy.com/

http://www.genealogyforum.com/messages/

http://www.progenealogists.com/messageboards.htm

http://messageboards.aol.com/aol/en_us/boards.php?boardId=56406&func=2&channel=aol+research+and+learn&refresh=true

http://boards.rootsweb.com/

ECT.
The time may come when you want more information than you can find for free. When this happens you can back up your "tribalpage" tree to your computer on a "GEDCOM" file
you can then go to (I think it is the best subscription site)

http://www.ancestry.com/

Upload your "GEDCOM" file
and start to work!
You might need to make a few adjustments to your tree to make it look better.

Answer 6

if you write to the secretary of state where she was born they will issue a birth certificate for a fee and you should be able to take it from there.

Answer 7

ancestry.com