Category Archives: Military

William H. Thomas’s Cherokee Legion of the 69th NC Regiment of the Civil War (Confederate)

William H. Thomas was the only known white Chief of the Cherokee. http://www.cherokee-nc.com/index.php?page=65 His legion of 400 Cherokee men was a part of the larger 69th North Carolina regiment and fought bravely in the Civil War. They did not own … Continue reading

Posted in Cherokee, Military | 2 Comments

Atteanis and Attean – Revolutionary War to WWI

Sometimes decisions about how to use one word Indian names is difficult.  When the names are hyphenated, such as the Seneca name, Dah-gis-wus-heh, I don’t use the name.  Chances of someone finding this name as an English name are pretty small. However, … Continue reading

Posted in Military, Penobscot | 4 Comments

Indians in the Revolutionary War – Choosing Sides

Who fought in the Revolutionary War?  Which side did the Indians choose, and why? For many Indians, in particular, the Shawnee, Creeks and the very large and powerful Cherokee and Iroquois, the British seemed like a better bet.  The British … Continue reading

Posted in Maine, Military, St. John's Indians | Tagged | 4 Comments

Forgotten Patriots – The DAR Publications

One of our blog followers sent me a wonderful link.  It’s not even hidden, but I have never found it before.  There is much power is collaboration.  Hat tip to Elaine for this wonderful link! The DAR has really modernized … Continue reading

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The Names, They Are A ‘Changin

I just love the Native names.  Working with these old records, we often see the names in transition from being Native in the Native language, then Native using English translations, then entirely English.  An example of an “in transition” name … Continue reading

Posted in Michigan, Military, Potawatomi | 5 Comments

Exemptions

The WWI draft registrations included a question where it asks the registrant if they claimed an exemption.  Exemptions came in three flavors: 1. Dependency – It’s amazing how many of these people had dependent parents.  Of course, wife and children … Continue reading

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Mexicans

There are a surprising number of people born in Mexico who registered for the WWI draft.  East of the Mississippi, they are found mostly in large cities.  Surprisingly, Chicago seems to be the hot spot for Mexican immigration, although at … Continue reading

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Indians, West Indians and East Indians

The word Indian itself has caused some confusion.  Indian, the way the designation was meant to be used for the WWI draft registrations, means American Indian, but things aren’t always as cut and dried as they seem. Many people carrying … Continue reading

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Robert John Gordon M.D.

Many of the Indian draft registrants who lived in major metropolitan cities were laborers.  Often Indian registrants couldn’t write their own names and signed with an X and a witness.  After seeing thousands of these, it’s easy to draw generalized conclusions about … Continue reading

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The County Named Miscellaneous

As I work my way through the various states, I couldn’t help but notice that some people were registered in the county called Miscellaneous, in their respective states.  Now, to the best of my knowledge, there is no county named … Continue reading

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