“Indian Makes Attempt to Kill”. That’s the newspaper article heading I mentioned a few years back in the Facebook group, “Indian Territory and Oklahoma History” in order to share about my Uncle Cicero Coley shooting through the window of his white guardian’s house in an attempt to kill him for stealing his land allotments.
I had come to what I thought was the end of my years of research about my Coley family members and I hoped that perhaps this last-ditch attempt might spur some interest. Wouldn’t you know, it worked! A distant cousin of mine reached out to me and introduced me to another cousin, uncovering some missing pieces to my family story puzzle.
(I’m still looking for more Coley family members so if you know of any Choctaw Coleys, please reach out to me!)
Tracing lineage and finding the history and stories of our American Indian ancestors is quite the challenge. But today my guest is here to bring you (and me) some hope. Meet my guest, Gwen Takes Horse, a Genealogist at Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma who’s here to help us understand how to trace our Native roots!
The information Gwen shares is not just for Choctaws – it can apply to several other tribes. And she also has some good tips for us in general that can apply to anyone.
Take a listen, y’all and feel free to share your family stories with us if you’d like – we love to hear them!
If you’re Choctaw, the Choctaw Nation Genealogy Department can be reached by emailing genealogy@choctawnation.com or 800-522-6170 (ask for the Genealogy Department).
Check out the group I mention in the episode: Indian Territory and Early Oklahoma History, 1800 - 1957: https://www.facebook.com/groups/687213838053719
Tracing your Native American roots:
National Indian Law Library: https://narf.org/nill/resources/roots.html
Ancestry.com Research: https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Researching-Native-American-Ancestors
Dawes rolls: https://www.okhistory.org/research/dawes
American Indian Records & Resources: https://www.okhistory.org/research/americanindians
Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com/
Newspapers: https://www.newspapers.com/
Fold3: https://www.fold3.com/?group=1
Family Tree: https://www.familytree.com/
Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast
All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/
S4, E4, Pt 2: “Mary Little Doe: The Story of Dodie Rogers (Choctaw), Daughter of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans”
S4, E4, Pt 2: “Mary Little Doe: The Story of Dodie Rogers (Choctaw), Daughter of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans”
S4, E4, Pt1: “Mary Little Doe: The Story of Dodie Rogers (Choctaw), Daughter of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans”
Season 4, Episode 3: “Three Cheers for the Yurok Tribe’s Linda Cooley, CEO of Mad River Brewing Company!”
Season 4, Episode 2: “Chairman Andrew Alejandre (Paskenta) and the Story of How an Indian Taco Sale Contributed to a Tribe’s Restoration of Sovereignty”
Season 4, Episode 1: “The Story of Little Bird with Author, Mary Ruth Barnes (Chickasaw)”
Season 3, Episode 10: “The 3 Native Sopranos (or 2 Sopranos & a 3rd Wheel): Dr. Kirsten C. Kunkle (Muskogee) & Kate Raquel Morton (Cherokee)”
Season 3, Episode 8, Pt 3: “W. Michael Farmer on Geronimo, Fort Sill and The Life of the Apache Warrior”
Season 3, Episode 9: ”Kindred Spirits: Seth Fairchild (Choctaw) on the Irish Potato Famine, a Choctaw Gift, & an Irish Bond with Guest, Claire Green Young (Choctaw)
Season 3, Episode 8, Part 2: “W. Michael Farmer on Geronimo, Fort Sill and The Life of the Apache Warrior”
Season 3, Episode 8, Pt 1: “W. Michael Farmer on Geronimo, Fort Sill and The Life of the Apache Warrior”
Season 3, Episode 7: ”The True and Nearly Unknown Story of the Final Choctaw Removal with Deanna Byrd, Choctaw”
Season 3, Episode 6: “How DOES She Do It? Lacey Horn (Cherokee) on Her Rise to Success & How to Balance It All.”
Season 3, Episode 5, Part 2: ”Nan Awaya Farmstead and The Mighty Bison with Ian (Choctaw) and Amy (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole & Creek) Thompson”
Season 3, Episode 5, Part 1: ”Nan Awaya Farmstead and The Mighty Bison with Ian (Choctaw) and Amy (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole & Creek) Thompson”
Season 3, Episode 4: “Dr. Art Martinez (Chumesh Tribe) on American Indian Generational Trauma and Healing and Hope for Our Communities.”
S3, E3 Heroes of WWI Nuchi Nashoba (Choctaw) and Judy Allen (Choctaw) on Our Choctaw Code Talkers
S3, E2: “Say Her Name: Karissa Hodge (Choctaw & Caddo) on Our Missing Murdered Indigenous Women–Chahta”
S3, E1: The History of the Issuba Ominili Tvshka (Choctaw Lighthorsemen), Ryan Spring and Nick Wallace (Choctaw)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Dairyland Frights
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL