Genealogy Wise

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Hi, I just joined this website.  My name is Charlene and I've been researching my family tree for about two years now. I'm trying to track back to my 4th paternal G.G. who was possibly born in Europe (England or Scotland) or may be an American Indian? I don't know is first name (unknown Walker) but his son's name is John Curtis Walker (1797-1869) born in Hopewell, Somerset County, MD. He married Lydia Whaley (born 1810) in either MD or VA. Their children are: Henry (John), Hester A., Zachariah, Nathan, Sarah Jane and Ferlilia, all born in Somerset County, MD., living in Brinkleys District, Somerset County, MD. I hope you can help. I am at a dead-end in my line. It's been passed down in my family that we are of American Indian descent. I'm not sure if I can't find this Walker because he may be an Indian?  I hope someone out there can shed some light on my family tree.

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It's difficult to trace Native American roots.  I've hit a brick wall for years, and I know the name and birthplace of my great great grandmother.

Some ideas that may help you chip away at those walls.  Find out what tribes lived in the Somerset area.  Contact their enrollment office and see if they'll help you.  Note that some tribes are wary, with good reason, some people want to trace their Native American "roots" because they think they can somehow cash in to scholarships and the like.  But the enrollment office would still be your  best bet.

You might want to contact the town or county historian in Hopewell.   If  nothing else, s/he may be able to confirm that Walker is or is not a common Native American name in the area.   The historian should be able to tell you  something about early settlers of the area, including the European countries from which they came.  It's been my experience thatt town historians love to help genealogists.   If there is no local historian, try a local library or museum for help.

A question for you--what on-line sites are you using to research?

Also, if you come into the forum next time you're on, people there might have some more ideas.

Good luck.   I hope this helps.

Thanks so much.  I've been using Ancestry.com but just canceled my subscription.  It wasn't helping me anymore.   I did just join World Vital Records (they seem really good) and I'm also on Genealogywise.  Sometimes I have better luck "googling."  I've also noticed on sites like Ancestry that there are a lot of errors and I've had to be really careful with the hints they've sent me.  I appreciate your ideas.  I will give the town historians a try.

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