Author Archives: Roberta Estes

About Roberta Estes

Scientist, author, genetic genealogist. Documenting Native Heritage through contemporaneous records and DNA.

Native American DNA Projects

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Roberta Estes

I’m often asked about DNA projects at Family Tree DNA that are for or include Native American or aboriginal DNA results. Please note that different project administrators have different criteria for admission to a project. Some require definitive proof of descent, some require … Continue reading →

Posted in Aboriginal, Acadian, Algonquian, Cherokee, DNA, Lumbee, Micmac, Piscataway, Shawnee, Tuscarora, Waccamaw | 9 Comments

History of Halifax Co., NC

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Roberta Estes

Halifax county was formed in 1758 from Edgecombe County which in turn was formed in 1741 from Bertie County which in turn was formed as Bertie Precinct in 1722 from the part of Chowan Precinct of Albemarle County lying west … Continue reading →

Posted in Chowan, Coree, Croatoan, Machapunga, Mattamuskeet, Meherrin, Pungos, Tuscarora, Yeopim | 4 Comments

Powhatan Treaty, October 1646

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Roberta Estes

This information is from the Virginia Memory project at http://www.virginiamemory.com/online_classroom/shaping_the_constitution/doc/treaty In 1646, two years after Opechancanough ordered coordinated attacks on English settlements that killed about 500 people, the government of the colony and Necotowance, on behalf of the Powhatan tribes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Powhatan, Treaty | Leave a comment

Seminole Chief Osceola, Billy Powell

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Roberta Estes

State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/4370 Osceola was named Billy Powell at birth in 1804 in the Creek village of Talisi, now known as Tallassee, Alabama, in current Elmore County. “The people in the town of Tallassee…were mixed-blood Native … Continue reading →

Posted in Creek, Seminole, Traders, Treaty | 48 Comments

Surviving a Scalping

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Roberta Estes

Scalpings on the frontier were legendary, often thought of in terms of Indians scalping Europeans. While that certainly did happen, they didn’t have exclusive right to scalping. Frontiersmen did it too, as did Scythians and European tribes such as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Brule, Comanche, Ho-Chunk, Iroquois, Mohawk, Sioux | 7 Comments

Jenny Wiley, Captive White Woman

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Roberta Estes

Denise Smith has researched the story of Jenny Wiley, a white woman who was captured and held by the Shawnee Indians. How long Jenny was held and what happened is a story that has many versions. Denise tells the story, attempts to … Continue reading →

Posted in Shawnee | 57 Comments

Wakarusa River – Blue Jacket’s Crossing and Home of the Shawnees

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Roberta Estes

Carlyle Henshaw has been generous again and has shared his BlueJacket family research, this time about Blue Jacket Crossing. The three Bluejacket brothers that establish Bluejacket Crossing were George, Henry and Charles. Henry was my great-great-grandfather. The three brothers were … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA, Shawnee | Leave a comment

William Hatcher, Indian Trader

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Roberta Estes

William Hatcher of Virginia and his sons were Indian traders. Of course, those words come with a whole passel of baggage. That meant that they provided much needed services between the Native people and the colonial settlers. It also meant … Continue reading →

Posted in Traders | 4 Comments

South Carolina Indian Traders 1750-1754

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Roberta Estes

The study of traders is important to the study of Native American tribes and ancestors. Most, if not all, traders established Native relationships, and by that, I mean marital or intimate relationships. What that means, exactly, depends on the culture … Continue reading →

Posted in Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Savannah, Traders | 22 Comments

1765 North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia Map

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Roberta Estes

This 1765 map of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia shows the locations of Native tribes and villages. Georgia 1765: Mintz, S., & McNeil, S. (2013). Digital History. Retrieved 26 Feb. 2014 from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ Hat tip to Yvonne for this … Continue reading →