Ancestry Academy  > Education  >  Beginning Native American Genealogy

 

Join Nicka Sewell-Smith, a Senior Story Producer at Ancestry and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, in her presentation on beginning Native American research on Ancestry. This virtual event's key objective was to help guide researchers who have oral histories connecting them back to a First Nations, Native American, or Indigenous groups in the United States, Canada, or elsewhere, to the records that are critical for validation of those claims. Nicka stressed that researchers should always begin with sound genealogy research, starting with currently living generations and working backward to validate connections on paper. The goal is to naturally "run into" these connections, rather than attempting to "shoehorn" a family tree into a perspective solely focused on validating Native American ties.

 

The session provided a structural framework for research, centered on determining the nation, geography, and records. Key foundational questions for researchers include: How well researched is your tree? Which Native American nation is your family supposed to be connected to? And, which nations actually inhabited the area where your family lived during the time your family was there?. The presentation detailed various record types vital for confirmation, including federal records (like the US Census and specific Indian Censuses), state records (like marriage licenses and probates), and the crucial additional layer of tribal records (such as tribal roll and rolls, like those for the Five Tribes). Nicka used her own family history, tracing her connection to the Cherokee Nation through her great-grandfather, Cooey Vann Rogers, as a proxy to demonstrate the process. She highlighted that while genetic genealogy (DNA) can serve as a verifier, it is generally not sufficient for citizenship applications, which require paper trails tracing back to ancestors on specific roles as designated by the respective nation. A key insight emphasized the importance of accessing the Dawes Commission application packets (which correspond to the card number), as these contain detailed interrogatories and witness testimonies that contextualize and substantiate ancestral claims beyond what is listed on the Dawes card itself.

 

Chapters:

- Introduction

- Contextualizing Research

- Foundational Genealogical Steps: Time and Location

- Assessing Federal, State, and Tribal Records

- Case Study: Cherokee Nation

- The Dawes Commission Records: Cards, Applications, and Allotments

 

Focus on sound genealogy and you will soon run into your Native American ancestral connection in collections such as the Dawes Commission Records.