Who's Side?

[Paulm]

I was close to my maternal grandparents. My mom was an only child so we ended up close to the paternal side of uncles and cousins, since my dad was one of 9 kids! lol Never met my paternal grandfather as he had passed on, but recently found a pic of my paternal grandmother. OMG...I look like her! She was Cherokee.

cool. you should have a high blood quantum, have you ever calculated it or checked/traced your lineage back to the dawes roll ?......you could be tribal membership eligible.

 

[Paulm]

closer growing up to my mothers side. my dads family was in south georgia, and florida. we moved around, state to state a lot so wasnt around my fathers side much until my teen years and later.

 

[Donna K.]

My Grandmother on my Mother's side... my Paternal side hated me...

 

[Debi]

cool. you should have a high blood quantum, have you ever calculated it or checked/traced your lineage back to the dawes roll ?......you could be tribal membership eligible.

I've always known about the bloodline. My father requested we did not take tribal membership. He took a lot of grief over his heritage growing up and did not want his children facing the same.
Things were very different back in the day. I was just amazed I look so much like this grandmother.

 

[Paulm]

I've always known about the bloodline. My father requested we did not take tribal membership. He took a lot of grief over his heritage growing up and did not want his children facing the same.
Things were very different back in the day. I was just amazed I look so much like this grandmother.

thats understandable from back then. you could still go the Dawes roll route (which is a requirement for the Muskogee/Creek nation, not sure about Cherokee nation though, not too up to date on their requirements or quantum status) but it would be cool to Know/have for the grandkids and such.

 

[Lynne]

Definitely my Mother's side of the family.

My Mom was one of 7 children so I had lots of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Her Mother was one of 13 so there was also a very large extended family as well. Going to family gatherings was a major event and I had lots of Cousins my age to hang out and play with. This was also the Mexican side of the family so the food was great and plentiful, though I never really learned to appreciate the mariachi music.

My Dad's side of the family was much smaller. He was the one of three brothers, his Mother had one sibling, a sister, and his Father had siblings whom we never met. So it was a much smaller family, plus my Dad was the oldest brother so when I was born I was the only grandchild for several years. When there was finally a cousin I could play with he didn't really have much in common with me. Unfortunately he also turned out to not have very much in common with my Uncle who discovered that his Son wasn't really his, it was awkward. I never saw that "cousin" ever again and the next cousins to come along were all girls about my youngest sister's age. This was also the wealthy European side of the family, very snooty and WASP-y. They were my introduction to the phrase "Children should be seen and not heard". I had heard that it was a bit of a scandal in the Country Club when my Dad got married to a Mexican woman, but I was never at that club so can't say for sure.

The notable exceptions from that side was my Grandmother, who taught me to play cards, and her Brother in Law, who was a judge with a tough reputation but always treated me with the respect he showed any other adult even though I wasn't. He would play chess with me, discuss politics, history and literature and never once "dumbed down" the conversation even when I was 8 or 9. To this day it's a pet peeve of mine to hear adults using that "I'm talking to a little kid" lilt and tone.

I had to chuckle at the marring out of race thing. For me it was the opposite. I married into a Mexican family, but they did not accept me. They really expected the boys to marry Mexican women. I thought I was getting a family full of sisters, and they didn't like me. The brothers however were fine.

 

[Lynne]

thats understandable from back then. you could still go the Dawes roll route (which is a requirement for the Muskogee/Creek nation, not sure about Cherokee nation though, not too up to date on their requirements or quantum status) but it would be cool to Know/have for the grandkids and such.

Yes, a fun idea

 

[Selectric]

my Paternal side hated me...

family full of sisters, and they didn't like me. The brothers however were fine.

That's a shame when there are divisions with family. I've seen it within my own family. Can only hope one day those feelings or whatever are replaced with love and acceptance.