Vacation 2014: Cherokee Connection
Wilma Mankiller when she was Chief My government card, issued by the Department of the Interior, states that I am 1/256 Cherokee. That is what family members have proven. It is said I have native ancestry on my father's side, also. I have Cherokee and Scots-Irish roots in Tennessee. Both of my parents were born and raised in northeastern Oklahoma and Cherokee history was of great interest to my mother. She would talk about how interesting it was to learn about all the tribes in Oklahoma history class. As soon as my Aunt Betty had done genealogical research, my mother applied for our Indian cards. She also joined the tribe. Wilma Mankiller, pictured above was Chief at that time. Our Cherokee ancestor, and my ___th grandmother is Nanyehi, or Nancy Ward . She was a Beloved Woman of the Cherokee; she was able to sit on councils with the Chief and was credited with sparing the lives of several people with just her word. While in