Cherokee GenealogyWritten by Trevor Dumbleton
For those of Native American descent, one of easiest genealogies to trace is Cherokee genealogy. Thanks to Cherokee being one of most Anglicized of nations, they put down much more of their history in writing than many other nations.As Cherokee lived along and near Eastern Seaboard, had much more contact with white settlers and thus picked up many more of white settlers ways. Included among these ways was habit of obsessively writing down their births, deaths, and parentage. Though other nations certainly kept track of such things, Cherokee actually put their genealogy down on paper, allowing later generations to trace their lineage. Thus, Cherokee genealogy is most complete of all Native American nations. However, just because it is easiest lineage to trace does not mean that it is actually easy. The record is not entirely complete, after all, and there are many other problems involved. Not least among this is fact that many Native Americans used two names in their dealings with other people. One was name to tribe. The other was an Anglicized name that included a surname. It is very difficult to trace one particular person, just because one name might show up on one document, and other name on another document. Unless a person knows both names that person went by, this habit could chop off family tree at a person whose Anglicized name shows up as a parent, but whose birth certificate cannot be found, simply because Native name was used. Thus, Cherokee genealogy searches often come up with dead end of a mysterious name.
| | Creating a Family TreeWritten by Trevor Dumbleton
Creating a family tree is a fun and educational pastime that will allow you to delve into history of your family, your ancestors, and all those people who have branched out into large collection of people known as your extended family. These easy to read and easy to create charts of your genealogy are engaging ways to begin your studies of your own family. And, by creating a family tree, you can add your own piece to your family's historical record.When creating a family tree, easiest place to start is with person you know best: yourself. Write your name in a rectangle on a sheet of paper. Draw a vertical line from that rectangle. Then draw a horizontal line at tome of vertical line such that it forms a T-shape. Draw rectangles on right and left ends of cross of T. In left rectangle, put your father's name, and in right, your mother's. The next step in creating a family tree is to draw a horizontal line extending across base of T. Draw as many vertical lines from this horizontal line as you have siblings. At end of each vertical line, draw a rectangle. In each rectangle, write a sibling's name. The family tree for your immediate family is now complete. Now you can go further in creating a family tree. From both your father's and mother's rectangles, draw T-shape and rectangles that you drew above your own rectangle. Put names of your father's parents on your father's side and your mother's parents on your mother's side. At base of each T, put horizontal lines with vertical lines extending down for each of your father's siblings and your mother's siblings. Place required rectangles at ends of lines and fill in your aunts and uncles.
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