- This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 2 months, 2 weeks ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I grew up with the info from my dad that there was Indian ancestry on his side of the family. He originally said it was Blackfoot but when I got in to genealogy research I thought he was wrong because we had no connections to the northern plains or Canada. Last week at a reunion I learned some new info. I had looked for NA ancestry on his father’s side because a cousin in an adjacent line had some info on that line and we are certain there is a connection in that line. Now I have learned that my dad’s mother’s mother was supposed to have been a Blackfoot Indian. When I went on line this week to research Blackfoot history, I found this forum and learned about the “other” Blackfoot. My great grandmother was Alice E. Smith, born about 1856 in Indiana. Her son listed her parents on her death certificate as Preston and Anna Smith. I cannot find Alice on the census until after she was married to Manville “Will” Brown in Rush County, Indiana in 1872. A Preston and Hannah Smith are on Rush County census lists. He is listed as from Virginia, but they seem too old to be Alice’s parents and she is never listed with them. In the other line, the NA has to be either my great-great grandmother (Elizabeth Woods) or great-great-great grandmother (Mary __________). They are both listed as born in Ohio on census records. Mary married Ovid Youngs by 1809, probably in Ohio or Kentucky. Ovid and Mary settled finally in Franklin (later Fayette) County in Indiana. Elizabeth married their son Thomas Young (dropped the “s”) about 1845. They settled in Franklin County, Indiana. I have found no marriage record for either couple.
Also, my husband has family buried in the Blackfoot Cemetery in Pike County, Indiana. He has Corn, Walker and Royalty relatives in that vacinity. I have seen those surnames mentioned on this forum related to Pike County.
I have a picture of my great grandfather, son of Thomas and Elizabeth, and his features support the idea of NA ancestry on my grandfather’s side and some of my dad’s borthers and sisters have features that indicate there is NA ancestry somewhere.
Thanks for any help anyone can give. Alice has been a brick wall for years.
Welcome Paula,
I have been on vacation and am catching up with this forum. Most folks are likely traveling for the annual get-together, but since I am still on my way back from Colorado and SD, I will not be there.
Anyway, if you post specific information about this ancestor, when Bill gets back, he will likely help you.
Techteach
Hello,
I am also trying to find Blackfoot origins of the Smiths who came to Indiana. Recently, another Smith descendant and I have discovered some common ancestry.
Hopefully our Smiths are connected, as well, and we can make some progress.
I would be happy to compare notes.
Sue
Hi Sue.
I would be glad to share what I have. My great grandmother, Alice E. Smith, was born in Indiana according to census information. She was married in Rush County, Indiana and lived there while raising her family. I do not find her on the census until after her marriage. Where in Indiana were the Smiths you are researching?
Paula Gail
Paula,
Have you seen the 1870 census for Preston’s family, showing a 16 y/o female “Ama E.” living with them? The index has her as “Arne E.”.
I think both are misspellings.
Bill
Thanks for the reply, Bill. I looked at the 1870 census again. It is not impossible that the name could be Alice, but that is not the only question. Why isn’t she listed with them on the 1860 census? Preston and Hannah are a bit old to be her parents. In 1900 the census has Alice’s parents born in Indiana but in the 1930 census her parents birthplaces are kentucky. If you follow Preston and Hannah through the censuses, there are other questions around their ages and birthplaces.
Yes, they’re too old to be her parents…..
Is she, and maybe also the ones above and below her on that 1870 census,
adoptees?? That would close a lot of doors.
Look at the Rushville (?) Twp Soldiers and Salilors Orphans Facility List for SMITHs. (not certain which Twp that I found that in, that had a couple Smiths with the same naming patterns – just a suggestion)..
It does not constitute proof, but it does raise a relavant question as to whether she was adopted by Preston and Hannah/Annah Smith during/after the war. I’d suggest trying to find a Smith male from a Union unit from Rushville that was a KIA and then trace them back… but I was unable to do it.
Just a thought.
Bill
Thanks for the suggestions, Bill. I will check out those possibilities. I have wondered about adoption, but did not know where to start looking.
The children that went to the residential schools that used to be known as “Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ Homes” were not always orphans. Our Smith line (my grandmother and her sisters) went to the one in Knightstown in 1934, which changed it’s name to “Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home” in 1929. They called it “The Home”. Their mother and father were alive (divorced and living apart) when they went. Going there may have been the worst day of my grandmother’s life.
__________________
The names, situation and locations are familiar.
Marriage record for Alice Smith marrying Manville Brown 10 Oct 1872 Rush County IN
The Sharia-Amy Hammond- Keables tree on Ancestry.com has their full names as: Alice Elizabeth Smith and Manville Buck Cummins Brown.
Trees have Manville Brown’s father as Emanuel Brown born 1827 Kentucky, and are brick-walled there. Mother is listed as Mary Magdalene Stamm born 1827 Pennsylvania.
The lindajfox32 tree on Ancestry lists Mary Stam (born 1791 Ohio) as the mother of Mary (wife of Ovid Youngs). It has an attached 1850 census record in Fayette County Indiana with her as head of household with 23 yo Sarah Young and 3 yo Edilly Sears.
__________________
My grandmother and her sisters are the grandchildren of Dora M.C.S. Smith his first wife (who he did not have known children with) was Addie Brown whose father John Brown was born 1857 in Kentucky. On the 1870 census in Boone County Indiana, 12 year-old John Brown is in the John Cloud household, possibly also an adoptee. Presumably the Buck middle name came from an ancestor’s surname. Dora’s grandfather Benjamin Brower married Isabell Wiley Buck. The Smith line came from Clinton County Ohio before Indiana.
I will research this line more as time allows.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
