Ancestory Expert Needed! I'll try to make this brief. My mother was born in the 1930's and recently passed.

Question

Growing up I was always told I was part Cherokee indian but my mom never got into it to much cause she was a b*****d child. I don't know much other than a last name of the supposed father and the city she was born in. I am trying to confirm the indian in our bloodline for my son, cause I was told if we can confirm this, there may be some financial assistance with college. Can anyone tell me the best place to start with this? How to find her fathers name cause it's not on the birth certificate. HELP!!

Answer 1

I can't see how you can ever prove who the father was without his name on the birth certificate.  Of course, on the other hand, a name on a birth certificate is no guarantee of parentage, either.

Who was your grandmother living with in 1930?  Any clues there?

Answer 2

Concentrate on finding what info you can. You may be able to verify Native lineage through dna testing, however that is NOT accepted by tribes for enrollment.  Since dad's name is not on the birth certificate, your 'paper' documentation stops right there.

Answer 3

Hi Ozzy,

Good luck trying to locate your mother's father.  Without a name I'm afraid it will be a difficult task.  In regards to college funding for American Indians, that funding is reserved for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes or those who have registered with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and have received a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB).  Assuming you learn the name of your mother's father, you would then have to identify which Cherokee tribe he descended from.  There are just 3 federally recognized Cherokee tribes and he or his ancestors must appear on the tribe's base roll in order to confirm his assumed Cherokee heritage. If he does appear on a base roll, you and your son may or may not be eligible for enrollment as some of the Cherokee tribes require a minimum blood quota in addition to being a lineal descendant of a person on the base roll.  Assuming you have all of your paperwork in order and qualify for enrollment, the tribe can take as little as a few months to up to many years to actually enroll you and your child.  Only once your child is enrolled will he qualify for tribal funding, usually from the tribe of enrollment but sometimes from other organizations such as universities, social clubs and non-profits.  Proof in the form of a tribal enrollment card or CDIB is typically required as these funds are not based on race or heritage but on citizenship in a tribal nation.  Funding is not guaranteed, tribal citizenship only opens the door to these funding opportunities.

Answer 4

Got about 100 USD? DNA

There are LOTS of websites.

Answer 5

Brings Light is correct--to be a recognized officially as a member of either the Eastern or Western Cherokee, one has to be either be a descendant of someone who registered with the Baker Census (1924) for the Eastern band of Cherokee (must be 1/16 Cherokee) or the Dawes Roll  for the Western [Oklahoma] Cherokee (1906), which requires direct linear descent but no particular percentage of Cherokee blood.  

How about a sports or academic scholarship?  It might be easier to obtain!

Answer 6

You have to be 1/4 Indian to receive a scholarship for Natives.

Check the websites for minority scholarships.

Answer 7

Do you have access to ancestry.com?  That would be the first place I would look.

If you want to list your mother's name here, or her mother's name, maybe someone could help.

Have you tried to get your mother's birth certificate?

Good luck on your search.