American Indian Genealogy Help Center
Essential Native American Indian Genealogy Sources
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Francis Parkman
The Conspiracy of Pontiac and the Indian War after the Conquest of Canada
Destined to melt and vanish before the advancing waves of Anglo-American power, the Indians of North America saw the danger, and, let by a great and daring champion, struggled fiercely to avert it.
This classic and comprehensive study examines the catalysts, personalities, places, battles and consequences of Pontiac's War. In his unique narrative style, Parkman describes the various tribes, the effect of the advance of French and English colonization, the interrelationships and rivalries, the wilderness environment, the attacks on Detroit and Michilimackinac, Bradstreet's army on the lakes, the battle of Bushy Run, and the death of Pontiac. Several appendices add interest to the narrative, including Robert Rogers' play, "Ponteach."
Reprinted from the attractive "Frontenac Edition" which appeared 19 years after the first edition, this landmark 2-volume set incorporates material that was found in the intervening period, the most interesting of which were the important Bouquet and Haldimand papers. These papers contained hundreds of letters from officers engaged in Pontiac's War, and among the startling facts which they bring to light are the proposal of the Commander-in-Chief to infect the hostile tribes with smallpox, and that of a distinguished subordinate officer to take revenge on the Indians by permitting an unrestricted sale of rum. (1901) reprint, 2 vols., 928 pp., illus., maps, index, paper, $38.95 #P2309R ISBN#0-7884-2309-6
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Charles Henry Lincoln, PhD., ed.
Correspondence of William Shirley, Governor of Massachusetts and Military Commander of America, 1731-1760
French and Indian war researchers will find in these pages nearly 450 primary documents relating to both the Five Years' French and Indian War (1744-1749) -- sometimes known as Governor Shirley's War -- and the more important Seven Years' French and Indian War 91755-1763).
The first volume covers the years 1731 to 1750, and the topics include Shirley's early political appointments, the building of forts on the frontier, raising of troops, defense of Nova Scotia, prisoner exchanges, movements of the French, the expedition against Louisbourg, plans for an expedition against Crown Point, and more. Much of the correspondence during this period is between Shirley and Benning Wentworth, William Pepperrell, the Duke of Newcastle, and George Clinton.
The correspondence in the second volume, 1750-1761, is especially fascinating. Most of these letters were written in 1755-1756, the critical early years of the final French and Indian War, while Shirley was Military Commander of America. These papers deal with Indian conferences, the need for the colonies to unite, the Crown Point and Niagara expeditions, Braddock's expedition and defeat, the Battle of Lake George, fortification of Lake George and attack upon Ticonderoga, garrisons for the Indians and provisions for independent companies, troops at Forts William Henry and Edward, enlistment of indented servants, the strained relationship between Shirley and Loudoun, and more. Correspondents include Benjamin Franklin, William Johnson, John Bradstreet, and the earl of Loudoun.
With two fold-out maps and profuse annotations, these volumes constitute essential reading for a greater understanding of this important period in colonial history. (1912) reprint, 2 vols., 509 + 621 pp., maps, index, paper, $86.50 #L2340R ISBN#0-7884-2340-1
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Rachal Mills Lennon, CGRS
Tracing Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes, Southeastern Indians Prior to Removal
Stories about Indian ancestors in the family tree are common among both black and white families whose roots go deep into the American Southeast, especially those with links to the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole (the Five Civilized Tribes). If the accounts of family elders can be believed, those ancestors lived in the not-too-distant past. Yet despite the strength of family convictions--and the prized portraits of forebears whose features suggest Indian heritage--most researchers who pursue these traditions feel they are chasing a phantom.
This new work, Tracing Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes, is designed to eliminate speculation and help you determine the truth about your Indian ancestry. It focuses on the toughest period to research--the century or so prior to the removal of the Southeastern nations to Indian Territory, the point at which records were regularly maintained. It provides the cultural, genealogical, and historical background needed to turn family stories into proved lineages. And it outlines a method of research that can carry you from the colonial period to the great tribal rolls of the mid-to-late nineteenth century, using the unique records kept by American, English, French, and Spanish governments.
THE AUTHOR
Rachal Mills Lennon traces nineteen branches of her family tree through five North American Indian tribes, although one of her more intriguing ancestors--the "Choctaw Princess" of family lore--remains a shadow among the pines at Dancing Rabbit Creek. She has been a Certified Genealogical Records Specialist since 1985 and is the author, editor, and compiler of five books, including Some Southern Balls and Florida's Unfortunates, as well as Southeastern ethnic case studies in the major genealogical periodicals.
Paperback, 156 pp., 2002, ISBN 0806316888
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Stuart E. Brown, Jr., Lorraine F. Myers
Pocahontas' Descendants
The Pocahontas Foundation, based upon information furnished to it, has compiled a tentative list of the descendants of Pocahontas, a list set forth in the consolidated volume described below. This present volume, the third involving additions and corrections to the existing canon, contains more than 130 pages of changes and revisions, with a fifty-six-page index of well over 6,500 names. The name of the spouse of a Pocahontas descendant is indexed even though that spouse is not a descendant of Pocahontas, but the name of a parent of such a spouse is not indexed unless, of course, that parent is a descendant of Pocahontas. This new volume is an indispensable adjunct to contemporary Pocahontas scholarship.
197 pp., indexed, cloth. 1997. ISBN 0-8063-1542-3
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Stuart E. Brown, Jr., Lorraine F. Myers, and Eileen M. Chappel
Pocahontas' Descendants, A Revision, Enlargement and Extension of the List as Set Out by Wyndham Robertson in His Book "Pocahontas and Her Descendants (1887)"
Combined with two volumes of corrections and additions.
John Rolfe and Pocahontas (m. 5 April 1614 in Jamestown) had a son Thomas, who fathered Jane Rolfe and (possibly) Anne Rolfe by different wives. Jane subsequently married a Bolling and Anne an Elwyn, from which unions issued an enormous progeny, numbering today in the tens of thousands. This present work, published under the auspices of the Pocahontas Foundation, is a revision, enlargement and extension of the lines as set out by Wyndham Robertson in his celebrated book "Pocahontas, Alias Matoaka, and Her Descendants. It builds on the work of all the best authorities, cites all available evidence, and arrives at scholarly and impartial conclusions about Pocahontas' descendants. With its updates and revisions it is truly the last word on the subject.
Starting with the Bolling lines, which include the "white", "red" and "blue" Bollings, the book carries Pocahontas' descendants down to the present time, incorporating all the latest research on the subject. Such evidence as the "Volta List," the "Price List," and the "Blair Bolling List" is impartially presented, along with the Elwyn connection propounded by Mrs. Florence Carson. In addition, manuscript and printed sources were used in compiling this list of descendants, for each of whom there are given dates of birth, marriage and death and names of spouses and children (if known).
In this definitive edition of "Pocahontas' Descendants," the two volumes of corrections and additions of 1992 and 1994 have been appended to the base volume of 1985, resulting in a consolidated volume of more than 700 pages, with indexes containing over 30,000 names! Given the breadth of its scholarship and the importance of its subject, genealogists will soon come to regard this work as a foundation stone in Virginia genealogy and a major contribution to our knowledge of old Virginia families.
716 pp., illus., indexed, cloth. (1985, 1992, 1994), reissued 2003, ISBN 0-8063-1407-9
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John R. Swanton
The Indian Tribes of North America
This is the definitive one-volume guide to the Indian tribes of North America, and it covers all groupings such as nations, confederations, tribes, subtribes, clans, and bands. It is a vast and impressive digest of all Indian groups and their historical locations throughout the continent. Formatted as a dictionary, or gazetteer, and organized by state, it includes all known tribal groupings within the state and the many villages where they were located.
Using the year 1650 to determine the general location of most of the tribes, Swanton has drawn four over-sized fold-out maps each depicting a different quadrant of North America and the location of the various tribes therein, including not only the tribes of the United States, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and Central America, but the Caribbean islands as well. According to the author, the gazetteer and the maps are "intended to inform the general reader what Indian tribes occupied the territory of his State and to add enough data to indicate the place they occupied among the tribal groups of the continent and the part they played in the early period of our history"
Accordingly, the bulk of the text includes such facts as the origin of the tribal name and a brief list of the more important synonyms; the linguistic connections of the tribe; its location; a brief sketch of its history; its population at different periods; and the extent to which its name has been perpetuated geographically. As far as possible each tribe, or group, is treated as an independent entity, but the work as a whole forms an absolutely comprehensive picture of the Indian tribes of North America, and leaves no question unanswered about any tribal grouping, big or small.
Along with the bibliography and index, and the imprimatur of its original publisher, the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of American Ethnology, Swanton's book is an authoritative digest of the Indian tribes of North America, and it is the one book that you'll need as a desk reference in your Native American research.
726 pp., maps, indexed, cloth. (1952), repr. 2003. ISBN 0-8063-1730-2.
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Emmet Starr
History of the Cherokee Indians and Their Legends and Folklore
Whatever may be their origins in antiquity, the Cherokees are generally thought to be a Southeastern tribe, with roots in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, among other states, though many Cherokees are identified today with Oklahoma, to which they had been forcibly removed by treaty in the 1830s, or with the lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokees in western North Carolina. The largest of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, which also included Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks and Seminoles, the Cherokees were the first tribe to have a written language, and by 1820 they had even adopted a form of government resembling that of the United States.
It is a lesser known fact that there was considerably more intermarriage between Cherokees and whites than any other tribe, so they have a genealogical significance far out of proportion to their historical numbers. There is also a great deal of genealogical data on the Cherokees, mostly in the form of census records and enrollment records. All of which is to point out the abundance of sources available to Emmet Starr when he came to pen his classic "History of the Cherokee Indians and Their Legends and Folklore."
Not to diminish Mr. Starr's contribution in writing about the early Cherokees, their constitution, treaties with the federal government, land transactions, school system, migration and resettlement, committees, councils, and officials, religion language, and culture, and a host of other topics upon which he writes eloquently, but his stated purpose in writing the History was "to make it as near a personal history and biography of as many Cherokees as possible." And in fact more than half the book is devoted to genealogies and biographies, of which there are several hundred. The biographies in particular, each averaging a paragraph or more, are noteworthy for their focus on the genealogical events of birth, marriage, and death over a period of several generations, naming thousands of related individuals in a classic roll-call of family members.
Although written in 1921, Starr's pioneering work has never been superseded, and we are delighted to make it available to a new generation of researchers.
672 pp., illus., indexed, cloth. (1921), repr. 2003. ISBN 0-8063-1729-9.
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Myra Vanderpool Gormley
Cherokee Connections
CHEROKEE CONNECTIONS is an introduction to genealogical soures pertaining to the Cherokee nation, and it is designed specifically for researchers who are trying to prove their heritage for tribal membership as well as for those who are simply interested in investigating family legends about Cherokee ancestry. It includes a thumbnail history of the tribe that is both fascinating and informative. In addition, the book elaborates on such famous topics as the "Trail of Tears," the seven clans, and tribal divisions. CHEROKEE CONNECTIONS also examines some of the myths and folklore surrounding this famous Native American tribe.
64 pp., maps, indexed, paperback. (1995), reissued 2003. ISBN 0-8063-1579-2
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Lewis Preston Summers
Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800
Although Mr. Summers' genealogical masterpiece covers the territory west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including areas now in Kentucky and West Virginia, the work focuses primarily on the Virginia counties of Botetourt, Fincastle, Montgomery, Washington, and Wythe, including the present-day West Virginia counties of Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Greenbrier,, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mason, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Putnam, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, and Wyoming. Documents featured in the Annals include minutes of the county courts, marriage licenses, abstracts of deeds and wills, surveys of lands, and lists of soldiers. In addition, there is an exhaustive list of Revolutionary War soldiers from Southwest Virginia, compiled from the most reliable sources. Numerous illustrations and three large fold-out maps add to the book's considerable authority. The unusual length of the work--1,757 pages plus numerous unnumbered illustrations and maps--has compelled us to reprint the work in two parts rather than in a single, ungainly volume.
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Antoince LeClair, U.S. Interpreter, and J.B. Patterson, Editor and Amanuensis
Autobiography of MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAK, or Black Hawk
Autobiography Of MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAK, Or BLACK HAWK, Embracing The Traditions Of His Nation, Various Wars In Which He Has Been Engaged, And His Account Of The Cause And General History Of The BLACK HAWK WAR OF 1832, His Surrender, And Travels Through The United States. Dictated By Himself. Also, Life, Death And Burial Of The Old Chief, Together With A History Of The Black Hawk War Antoine LeClair, U.S. Interpreter, and J. B. Patterson, Editor and Amanuensis. Black Hawk was born in a Sac village on the Rock River in 1767, and matured into a distinguished chief and spokesman for the rights of his people. "With his tribe he had great personal influence and his young men received his counsel and advise, and yielded ready acquiescence in his admonitions. With other tribes he was held in high esteem, as well as by English and American soldiers, who had witnessed his prowess on the field of battle." After reviewing the narrative with his interpreter, Black Hawk stated the "it contained nothing but the truth, and that it was his desire that the white people in the big villages he had visited should know how badly he had been treated, and the reason that had impelled him to act as he had done." An account of Black Hawk's final years, detailing his removal to the Des Moines River and the Black Hawk Tower, augments the autobiography. The last portion of the volume provides a detailed account of the Black Hawk War. Three illustrations, an appendix, and a new fullname index add to the value of this extraordinary book. (1882) reprint, c214 pp., illus., append., new fullname index, paper.
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A.G. Bradley
The Fight with France for North America, 3rd Edition
The Fight With France for North America, 3rd edition - A. G. Bradley. Beginning with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, and the conditions and characteristics of the British-American colonies in Canada in 1750, the author lays the background for the French designs against British expansion. He then proceeds to describe the various clashes between the two European powers in America, including the fight at Great Meadows, Braddock's Expedition, and Johnson's futile campaign on Lake George, that led to the formal declaration of war between France and England in May, 1756. The fighting continues through the battles at Louisbourg, Fort William Henry, Ticonderoga, Frontenac, and the Plains of Abraham as well as the deaths of Wolfe and Montcalm. The British triumphed in the end and the French surrendered Montreal and their possessions in North America to Great Britain. (1908) reprint, 391 pp., illus., maps, new index, paper, #B2331 ISBN#0-7884-2331-2
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James Hadden
Washington's Expeditions (1753-1754) and Braddock's Expedition (1755), with a history of Tom Fausett, the slayer of General Edward Braddock
Washington's Expeditions (1753-1754) and Braddock's Expedition (1755), with a history of Tom Fausett, the slayer of General Edward Braddock - James Hadden. The French and the English had both arrived at about the same time in North America. The French appeared mostly in modern-day Canada, and later, along the area bounding the Mississippi River. The English appeared mostly along the Atlantic coast from modern-day Massachusetts to Georgia, but soon felt the urge to press westwards. Both European powers wanted full control of North America. This volume describes the expeditions of George Washington and Edward Braddock, the initiatives of that great struggle between two powerful countries to decide whether America was to be an appendage of France or the land of an English-speaking people. (1910) reprint, 146 pp., illus., new index, paper, #H2337 ISBN#0-7884-2337-1
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Sharon Malinowski, Anna Sheets, Jeffrey Lehman, Melissa Walsh Doig, Editors
The Gale Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes
Volume 1, Northeast, Southeast and Caribbean
Every tribe from Abenaki to Wyandotte in the Northeast; Alabama to Yuchi in the Southeast; Arawak and Ciboney in the Caribbean. Wonderful informative articles about the histories and cultures of the tribes accompanied by complete bibliographical references and "Further Reading" on each tribal group. We tend to think in terms of a few tribal groups and that can limit our abilities as researchers to find the real facts. This encyclopedia will open horizons in our genealogical and cultural research.
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Paula K. Byers
Native American Genealogical Sourcebook
Big, beautiful articles by the best American Indian genealogists in the business such as Jimmy B. Parker, Mary Lynn Sharpe and George J. Nixon on topics such as: "Things to Know Before You Begin", "Basic Genealogical Research Methods", "Records Specific to Native Americans", and many others. When you ask the questions, "Where do I start?" and "What do I do next?", this book has sound answers for you.
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Barry T. Klein
Reference Encyclopedia of the American Indian
9th Edition available from:
Everything from addresses and phone numbers of Indian reservations, communities and tribal councils; to museums, media communications and financial aid. If you are a serious researcher, this book is a MUST HAVE. With a volume like this, you will be well-informed.
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Jerry Wright Jordan
Records of Eastern Cherokee Ancestry in the U.S. Court of Claims, 1906-1910
9 Volumes currently available from:
Order today. These volumes are essential in clarifying the applications of the Eastern Cherokee Claims (ECC) found on microfilm at the LDS Family History Library and in the National Archives and its branches. Jerry Wright Jordan is doing a wonderful service for researchers, extracting genealogical information from the depositions taken during the period of the ECC.
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Don L. Shadburn
Cherokee Planters in Georgia, 1832-1838; Historical Essays on Eleven Counties in the Cherokee Nation of Georgia
Pioneer-Cherokee Heritage Series, Vol. 2, 1989; Don L. Shadburn, Publisher
An intimate and timely look at the early land-holders of the eleven counties of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia, just before the Trail of Tears. This volume is a vital part of essential Cherokee historical and genealogical research. Written by a man who knows the Georgia records well and who loves the history of the people of the great Cherokee Nation.
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Loretto Dennis Szucs
Sandra Hargreaves Luebking
The Source, A Guidebook of American Genealogy
Revised Edition, Ancestry, 1997
Every type of U.S. record of genealogical value is covered in this marvelous volume which is an absolute necessity for every home genealogical library. All ethnic groups and periods of time are included. The authors have written clear and concise instructions at every level and included high quality examples and illustrations in every chapter. If you don't have this book on your shelf, you are probably not getting ALL of your research questions answered.
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E. Kay Kirkham
Our Native Americans and Their Records of Genealogical Value
2 volumes
The Everton Publishers, Inc., Logan, UT, 1980
A vital reference book for American Indian genealogical research. Mr. Kirkham provided a wonderful service to researchers by providing shortcuts to Indian records of the Family History Library (FHL) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. One vital part of the set is a list of tribes and the agencies where Bureau of Indian Affairs censuses can be found with their corresponding microfilm numbers for both the National Archives and the FHL.
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