Position:Home>Genealogy> Lucy Belle Maritn, born 24 March 1868, died 1943. Help me prove she is cherokee?
Question: Lucy Belle Maritn, born 24 March 1868, died 1943!. Help me prove she is cherokee!?
My grandmother and her sister both say their grandmother Lucy Belle Martin was full blooded cherokee (this is a very strong oral tradition)!. The issue is I only find the family in Louisianna during the Dawes Roll period, ect!. I believe the tradition, being so very direct (they would know if your grandmother who didn't die untill you were in your 20's was indian), but I have been unable to find proof!. As far as I can connect it, I know of Choctaw marriages by cousins, and the families seemed to follow the indian migration up to the time they came to Louisianna!. But again I haven't found proof, in document form!. Any help besides "check Dawes" would be very welcome (since they weren't in indian terriotry during the early 1900's they aren't on Dawes)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
The Dawes Rolls was between 1898-1906 (some additions added until 1914) To apply you did not have to live in Indian Territory!. Many applicants were from other parts of the United States!. Those tribe members whose applications were accepted were entitled to an allotment of land, usually as a homestead, in return for abolishing their tribal governments and recognizing Federal laws!. It is possible that the family is on the Dawes Rolls (Lucy would have been between 30 and 38)!.
I would suggest the Census, but it appears that the family is listed as white!.
Was this her family!?
Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation
William H!. MARTIN Self M Male W 49 GA Farmer
Father's Birthplace: SC Mother's Birthplace: SC
Nancy H!. MARTIN Wife M Female W 42 AL Keeping House
Father's Birthplace: SC Mother's Birthplace: SC
William H!. MARTIN Son S Male W 19 LA Farm Lab!.
Lilla A!. MARTIN Dau S Female W 17 LA Assists Mother
Allen MARTIN Son S Male W 14 LA At Home
**Lucy B!. MARTIN Dau S Female W 12 LA At Home
Effie R!. MARTIN Dau S Female W 10 LA At Home
Martha L!. MARTIN Dau S Female W 7 LA
James H!. MARTIN Son S Male W 4 LA
May MARTIN Dau S Female W 10M LA
You could look for the father on the Old Settler's Roll!.
Louisiana is not usually considered Cherokee state!. The Eastern band of Cherokees are located in North Carolina!. Could your family be actually of the Coushatta Indians!.
The Coushatta (also Koasati) are a Native American people living primarily in the U!.S!. state of Louisiana!. Most Coushatta live in Allen Parish, just north of the town of Elton, Louisiana, though a smaller number share a reservation near Livingston, Texas with the Alabama people!. There is also an Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town in Oklahoma!.
The Coushatta were traditionally agriculturalists, growing maize and other food crops, and supplementing their diet by hunting game!. They are also known for their skill at basketry!. In the 20th century they began cultivating rice and crawfish on tribally owned farms!.
The Coushatta language, in the Muskogean family, is still spoken, although in the early 21st century fewer young people are learning it!.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, some of the Coushatta (Koasati) joined the emerging Creek Confederacy, where they became known as part of the "Upper Creeks"!. They were said to be closely related to the Alabama Indians!. They had moved from eastern lands under pressure of Euroopean settlers!.
If this is true then you might want to look into Creek records!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Lucy Bell MARTIN was born on 26 Mar 1861 in Washington Co, Ky!. She died on 7 Dec 1937 in Washington Co, Ky!. She was buried in Beech Grove Cemetery!.
Both the Surname Names Belle and Martin are on CHEROKEE Records!.Your Grand Mother May have missed the record or maybe she did not wish to be on it,this was a time of severe persecution!.Keep your family oral history ,I have found it to be far more accurate than any of the Government records!.
1880 Cherokee Census
Total Records: 1 Number Surname Given Middle Nativity Age Sex Division
425 Belle Minnie N CHEROKEE 2 F CooweescooweeWww@QuestionHome@Com
Your best bet is to do a DNA test
http://www!.genebase!.com/
http://www!.doi!.gov/benefits!.htmlWww@QuestionHome@Com