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spirithorse
05-31-2004, 11:09 PM
Hello,
I am so excited to find your site! I have been trying to trace the ancestry of my great-grandmother, who I have been told was the daughter of an indian chief. So far I have not been able to officially document the indian heritage, so I have been studying the native american history of Ohio and WV, where my ancestors are from, to hopefully get some clues. We have been told by an indian acquaintence (who we had never met before) that the spirits told her that my father was part Seneca and Sioux. My father was always told by his mother that his grandmother was Seneca, so that was the first we had heard about the Sioux. For all I knew, the Sioux was in the West. Then, I was told by a Mohawk Valley historian and artist that there was an Eastern Sioux called the Tutelo Sioux, some of which were adopted into the Iroquois. Upon further research, I found that the Tutelo Sioux and Seneca where neighbors. Naturally, I was ecstatic to find your info. on this site about "Blackfoot the other Seneca." I was wondering if my g-gma's maiden name, Boyce, is an eastern Sioux and/or Seneca name? She was born in Jackson Co. WV in 1872. Her father was Marcellus Boyce, who was born in either Taylor or Preston Co. WV in 1843. A distant cousin could only trace his lineage as far back as his parents, Mary and Joshua Boyce. Apparently they showed up in the 1850 census. No info. has been found yet as to when and where they were born. All that is known is that they died of typhoid fever after drinking contaminated water - not sure where she got this info. Since little is known about Marcellus' parents, I am guessing that this may be where the native american ancestry comes in, if it is there. Marcellus married Catherine Atkinson (from Monroe Co. OH) in 1866. Catherine's lineage has surnames Atkinston (Northumberland PA - this line traces back to 1700s Ireland) Van Buskirk (Ohio 1822), Brown (Greene Co. PA 1778), Cross (Halifax Twp. PA 1736). I realize I may need to travel to Preston or Taylor Co., WV to find info. on Mary and Joshua Boyce. However, if anyone can give me any clues as to how I can document my ndn heritage that seems so elusive, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a bunch! And thanks for this great site! :D

Linda
05-31-2004, 11:21 PM
Welcome, Spirithorse, glad you found the site. Have you found any of these names to occur among the Seneca? The Brown name is the only one familiar to me in this connection. Perhaps others will know more than me.

The Seneca and the VA/NC Siouan feuded for so long and adopted so many captives from each other, in the end there were more VA/NC Siouan with the Seneca than there were at home. By the 1740s the Siouan cried uncle, I'd suppose you'd say, ironically, since at this point they did in fact have a lot of Seneca uncles.

There are several Ohio Saponi groups you may be able to refer to for information. Some are on this board.

spirithorse
06-01-2004, 10:36 PM
Hi Linda,
Thanks so much for your quick reply! I am new at this native american genealogy stuff. Do you know how I would find out if any of my ancestors names were common to Seneca? I have had a hard time finding anything on the internet about Seneca ancestry. The Seneca Nation in NY charges $50 just to look up a name, which I think is ridiculous. Do you know of any chat groups or other sites that might help?

Thanks again!

techteach
06-02-2004, 06:45 AM
Spirithorse,
I have seen the name Van Buskirk as I have looked at my PA ancestors but do not seem to have the name in my line. However, I do seem to have Cross who marries into my Green line when then move on to OH.

Techteach

spirithorse
06-02-2004, 04:16 PM
Hi Techteach!
In my line, John Cross married Mary (don't have maiden name). They lived in PA. Mary died in Dauphin Co. in 1806. Don't have dates for John. Do you remember if the Van Buskirk you saw was ndn or other? I am showing Alice Van Buskirk, born in 1922 in Ohio. Don't have info. on her parents.

Linda,
I also found the name of Eleanor Lytle in my line, she married a Matthew Brown. No record of dates for them, but their daughter, Mary Brown was born in 1778 in Green Co. PA and died in 1859 in Wood Co. WV. Does the Lytle name sound familiar at all?

Thanks!

spirithorse

techteach
06-02-2004, 04:48 PM
SpiritHorse:

Dauphin County is the location of my some of my folks. Most of this group ends up going to Licking County, OH, near Columbus. Cross enters the family in Licking County. They are not in my direct Green line. However, you might be interested in knowing that one (Basil) ends up in Upper Sandusky, OH and a couple of his children go on to Oklahoma. Some of my direct ndn ancestors go to Kingfisher too. Others of Basil's children head to Iowa, although only one is somewhat close to my Iowa folks. If you want more information, email me and I will send you my Green stuff.

Van Buskirk, sorry, I could not tell you. I just saw the name as I was looking at my folks. It caught my eye, because I thought I remembered it from home in Iowa.

Techteach

spirithorse
06-02-2004, 05:33 PM
Hello again!
I've sent you an email regarding the Green family. Maybe we have some info. to share??