Author Archives: Roberta Estes

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About Roberta Estes

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

Orange Co., NC Free Families of Color 1790-1840

In the article, The Jeffreys and Day Families, Cabinetmakers, we discovered that Thomas Day of Caswell County, NC was connected with the Day and Jeffreys families who lived in Orange County, NC, a group of people who were of mixed … Continue reading

Posted in Census, North Carolina, Ocaneechi | 7 Comments

Call To Action – Native American Veterans Monument in Washington DC

Steve Bowers, a Native American Seminole tribal member and veteran is spearheading an effort to install a memorial to Native American soldiers in Washington DC.  While thousands of Native Americans have enlisted over the decades, at a much higher rate … Continue reading

Posted in Comanche, Military, Navajo | 2 Comments

The Jeffreys and Day Families, Cabinetmakers

In the article about Indian Cabinetmakers in Piedmont, NC, by Dr. Patricia Phillips Marshall, reported recently on Lisa Henderson’s Fourth Generation Inclusive blog, we learn several interesting things. First, Dr. Marshall shows a map with Greensville County, VA, which borders … Continue reading

Posted in North Carolina, Ocaneechi, Ohio | 1 Comment

Lewis Larsen’s Extensive Native American Reference Library to be Auctioned

From the People of One Fire newsletter, the following: Lewis Larsen’s Extensive Archaeological Library to Auctioned Off “Extensive American Indian related reference library from the estate of noted Georgia Archaeologist, Dr. Lewis H. Larson, Jr. over 400 Volumes”   To be … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology | 2 Comments

Mary Jemison, White Indian of the Genesee

As I’ve been extracting the surnames of the New York Indian tribes from the Indian census (1888-1893), which consist of the Six Nations, Jemison, Jimerson, Jemerson and variant spellings are found in all of the tribes.  It’s a very unusual name otherwise, … Continue reading

Posted in Delaware, Iroquois, Seneca | 20 Comments

Women of These Hills – Amanda Swimmer, Cherokee

Produced in 2000, three Appalachian women in their 80’s share their stories of growing up in the rural regions of the Appalachian mountains. Take a glimpse into their lives as they share their memories of growing up not only as … Continue reading

Posted in Cherokee | Leave a comment

Bowen Family of Columbus County, NC

Lisa Y. Henderson on her Fourth Generation Inclusive blog lists the following Indian information: Catherine Jackson. Died 7 July 1932, Waccamaw, Columbus County. Indian. Widow of David Jackson. Born 12 April 1858 in Columbus County to J.A. Bowen of Columbus … Continue reading

Posted in Census, North Carolina | 10 Comments

1000 Subscribers, A Milestone

Over this past weekend, the Native Heritage Project blog hit a milestone, 1000 subscribers.  Thank you one and all.  Not bad for just under 15 months since the blog was created! You’ve probably noticed thank yous and hat tips to … Continue reading

Posted in Laws | 5 Comments

Using Tax Lists to Identify People of Color

Recently, Ancestry.com put indexed Tennessee tax lists from 1783 to 1895 online.  Tax lists weren’t required to be saved, so these records are sporadic at best, but extremely valuable when they are still available. http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=2883 I’ve been using tax lists … Continue reading

Posted in Tax Lists | Leave a comment

Indians and the Census 1790-2010

Census enumerators had a big influence on our genealogy records.  These people we don’t know decided who was of what race and recorded the family as such.  Most of the time, those records were sacrosanct.  I only know of one … Continue reading

Posted in Census, History | 12 Comments