i would like to know

[j r]

hello. i am african american with indian ancestry. i would like to know how i can trace my blackfoot great grandmother's roots. she married my greatgrandfather. his name was nathaniel graves a run away slave turned union soldier. they lived around the turn of the century in jeffersonville indiana. i imagine she would have been living in the kencky-indiana region. she is not a figment of my imagination. i saw a picture of her and her features run strong through my mom and aunts.
any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.
thank you

[Tom]

Hello Jr. , Because your folks were civil war people start with the national archives and have them locate your families civil war records, you will need to contact the state where he mustered in and mustered out, that way you will have the dates when he enlisted, the company and the unit that he served with, ie Co.K 6th Indiana artillery etc. Then send for the forms from the National (your state library may have them) archives and if you are lucky someone will have filled for a pension , even luckier the widow will have filled and that will give you a good grounding.
Next locate as many state records as you can including road maintanence from the early court records, will/estate, vital stats etc. Good Luck and hang in there, good to see you're here! best to all , Tom.