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Hi Dr. Standley: (Cherokee Genealogy)

How do I begin to research my Cherokee heritage. My family always told us about a tribesman killed by the townspeople and never found. This indian lived on the reservation and the other family lived in Asheville, N.C.

Sandy

Dear Sandy:

Thank you for the e-mail.

First you'd have to have the name of the person who has the most Cherokee blood in the family.

Then you can go online and look at the Baker Roll to see if they are actually on the roll. When a person is on the Baker Roll, then they have Cherokee citizenship (otherwise it is considered ancestry). My family and I are on the Baker Roll; therefore we have Cherokee citizenship and have voting rights in the tribe. Anchestry is different than citizenship meaning, someone may have German blood and may not be a citizen of Germany. Therefore, they have German ancestry.

Start there and see what you can find out. I hope this helps. E-mail anytime.

A bazillion blessings -- Dr. Standley

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