Where’s my Native American?

Native American ancestry is a story told in many, many American families.  There’s still some myth attached, that if you can prove it there’s some kind of benefits and money coming your way, or just the romance of it all.

Odds are, there is NOT any that’s going to show up, even if your family stories have a hint of truth.  Your ancestors circa 1780 are many generations diluted by this point,  it needs to be prevalent in the last 3 or maybe 4 generations to show up in you.

I have done my adopted dad’s DNA.  He is 87% UK – no nuance, pure English and Scottish.  Except for the 4% Native American and 2% North Africa.   I found his grandmother’s family, included her grandfather called “Injun Joe” on the Dawes rolls.  The rejected Dawes roles, but a fully written out story, about an English soldier and his Native American bride, 2 sons, who were orphaned in the 1830’s in Kentucky.  But no documentation for Joe to prove it, and he was rejected.

Now does that entitle anyone to anything now?  Of course not.  Mostly, people were trying for free land in the Indian Territories. That’s how many of these myths start, greed.   And it’s why people like Elizabeth Warren are reluctant to test, because it’s very likely so diluted by time, generations and recombination and randomness, it’s not going to show up.