Would love to move back to OK (Lawton, Choctaw: rent, lease)

[chiefshan]

I have a question...What does your husband expect to benefit with a CDIB card? Is it just to fit in or is he a fan of Indian Health Services? It just seems an odd prerequisite for moving. Anyway, good luck with your search.

[chiefshan]

It's me again...sorry, I read in a previous post that it was due to housing and job benefits. It still seems odd to me though. It probably won't help him get a job at a power plant and, I don't know you, but Indian housing leaves much to be desired. There ARE benefits to be sure, but nothing so great as to be the determining factor of a major life change. If you knew his expectations you might be able to find out the realities of it and talk him out of having you perform such an awesome task...especially if you are unable to do it.
Best wishes.

[ReturningWest]

Rugratref:

I have recently done the DNA testing for Ethinicity (sp?). This will tell you a % of Euro, Sub Saharian, Asian, Native American. It will NOT tell you what your tibal affiliation might be. Mine cost $240. and from my stand point was worth it.

Your best bet would be talking with any living relatives and write everything down better yet tape or video any conversations. A piece of info might not mean anthing one day and then months down the road you might find it's a key to something else.

I've been doing my family geneology for quite sometime and had hit major road blocks. My goals were simple, to once and for all prove to myself that I have ndn heritage, which I do and a considerable amount. I was tired of being called a wanna be ndn. However, I would like to know my tribal heritage but not for the same reasons your husband does.

I will tell you there are plenty of freebee places on the net to do geneology searches, however, those who have ancestors that were not on rolls will be very difficult to find. In order to survive my gr grandparents, grand parents and parents LIED on their documentation such as birth afadavits. They claimed they were white. One branch is from the SE and those who escaped the removal lived lives in hiding.

My choice in finding out my ndn heritage has nothing to do with benefits, I would be concerned of taking $ from someone who really needed the small amount of benefits offered by most tribes. I can work and pay my own way, so IF I could prove my tribal heritage I'm not sure I would enroll unless I knew I could pass along any benefits to those truely in need, i.e. the elders, children, schools ect.

I do wish you luck, geneology is generally not something that happens over night. It is looking for that needle in the haystack many times. But in the end it can be very rewarding.

Peace

[jaada]

you need to find his grandparents last names, maiden names and track them through the dawes rolls you can find it online and see if any names come up from there. if they are on the dawes rolls you can contact the cherokee nation or the choctaw nation and have them send you out papers to fill out. you will have to submit proof with you papers.

[gonefishing]

Dawes Final Rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/dawes.php

[rugratref]

WOW! I apologize for not checking in here sooner...have had more responses than I ever imagined.
Thank you all who have given me valued information. I really appreciate your time in responding.
Now let me add, moving back to Oklahoma isn't something I just woke up one morning and decided I wanted to do! lol! It is something I've wanted to do for many years now. I have family and friends there, mostly in the Hugo area, and even more across the state line into Texas. Nothing against Hugo, it just isn't for me. I'd prefer something a little more...hmm, what’s the word I'm looking for? Progressive? Metropolitan? Currently I live 15 hours from family within Oklahoma. I’d much prefer a shorter distance than that…especially with aging parents and grandchildren living there. With Hubby being in the power industry, I’m sure there are jobs available…sadly, Oklahoma has coal burning power plants, something we are dead set against. I haven’t done extensive research, but I am certain there are other forms of energy produced in Oklahoma…we will just have to do our research when the time comes. My first goal was to prove Hubby’s NA heritage. That is something I’d like to do whether we move to Oklahoma or not. It is his great Grandmother that was Cherokee Indian. There are suppose to be others, but he isn’t sure about them. He is 100% sure she was Cherokee, but listed herself as white in the 1880 census. Which honestly broke my heart when I read that. How unfortunate that she felt she had to do that. I wish she could have worn her heritage with pride and honor. Hubby has had some contact with the Cherokee tribe in North Carolina. (Remember, we’re in South Carolina) They have been very welcoming and helpful. I assumed Oklahoma would produce better research, as that is where his great Grandmother lived. But, we may find resources through the NA’s in NC. I have been in contact with the Cherokee tribe in Oklahoma as well. They too have been really nice and helpful…now I simply need to take the time and find birth records and such to send to them. They charge $20 per hour to help with research…so needless to say I want to do as much as I possibly can on my own before sending them anything.
I also want to add that getting a CDIB card isn't the main goal here. I think Hubby looks at it as an added bonus. We do have a child in college, so not sure if there is any assistance there. If you've ever had a child in college you'll understand me saying, ANY assistance is a good thing! She has a partial scholarship as long as we remain in SC... so I don't see us moving anytime soon anyway. But would like for us to look at Oklahoma as a retirement possibility.
Thank you all for taking the time to respond. We’ve had illness and parent’s 50th wedding anniversary to deal with lately so I have been slow to read and respond here.
God bless!

[gonefishing]

Originally Posted by rugratref

With Hubby being in the power industry, I’m sure there are jobs available…sadly, Oklahoma has coal burning power plants, something we are dead set against. I haven’t done extensive research, but I am certain there are other forms of energy produced in Oklahoma…

Do you mean like the biodiesel and ethanol plants we have? (I admit I am totally stupid on this and this may not be what you are talking about at all.)

Green Country Biodiesel Chelsea, OK
Redland Industries Guymon, OK
Orion Ethanol Enid, Ok and Shattuck OK
Earth Biofuels- Durant
TexCom- Houston at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa

Then of course there are the "wind farms"....is this what you mean?

Originally Posted by rugratref

We do have a child in college, so not sure if there is any assistance there.

LOTS. I just found an incredible link on Native American scholarships. Will try to find it again for you. Do "google" keywords such as "native american" "financial aid" scholarships but don't limit yourself to those. Use "American Indian" college university in some of you keyword phrases.

And do go to scholarships.com They ask the questions about a person and then find all kinds of scholarships. It is free.

[BiBi73003]

I know I'm part Native American from my paternal great grandmother, but she wouldn't talk about it because she thought it wasn't fair to make differences...Can I track my record just from her name? Does anyone know where I can start just using my full name?

[Okie stuck in Texas]

I have lived in Oklahoma my entire life and just before my 16th b-day I got stuck in texas. I am getting ready to move out an dmove to amber or chickasha Oklahoma. So I can go home. have any advice on a good apartment complex? Please somebody answer.

[MelinPoteau]

Hi I thought that I would answer the power plant part. There is AES power plant in Shady Point Oklahoma , which is about a 20 to 30 minute drive from Poteau. There is also a college at Poteau- Carl Albert State College or 35 miles from here there is University of Arkansas in Fort Smith Arkansas.As far as Indian Heritage goes is there a roll number in your husbands family?You can go to the public library and search his ancestors to find out .Hope this helped some (((HUGS))) Mel