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Through the process of becoming Americans, most Euro-Americans have lost their ethnic connections to their countrys of orign and are searching for a nexus to those who came before them. I am no exception.
While my Germanic last name is Eoff, I can no longer say I'm German. My ancestory is too diverse to say that I'm only German. I'm also French and Irish and Scottish and English (and who knows what else?) too. That's one of the things that makes me an American. The Eoff Family has participated in the history of this Country from nearly the very beginning. Our ancestors faught the British in the Revolutionary War and faught against each other in the Civil War. Some followed the Oregon Trail. Some left Tennessee for Texas and faught Maximillian. Eoffs were there for many of the significant events that make up American history. This should be enough for anybody shouldn't it?
Not for me. I still yearn to know more about my German ancestors. I have a void that needs to be filled. Many feel this way about there Native American ancestory eventhough they would lose all of their Indian blood if they cut themselves shaving. In Indian Country, this is a joke because most "searchers" claim to have Cherokee blood. While working for the Delaware Tribe of Indians, a tribal member told me these people are referred to as "Fuquawees" in Indian Country, or "what the Fuquawee."
I don't mean to minimize anyone's Native American status. I'm sure there are some Eoff's out there that can legitimately claim Native American status. One day while I was working at the Delaware Tribe, we had a meeting with two BIA representatives. Both of these men are members of the Choctaw Nation. One of them took me aside and asked me if I have any Indian blood. I told him that I have heard family stories about how we may have some Indian lineage, but I've never researched it. He said that I should check it out and I might be suprised by what I learn. Indeed, by reading the Eoff Family GenForum I have learned there are some Eoffs whose mother is Native American and they left Arkansas and went to Eastern Oklahoma. I believe they are buried in LaFlore Co. located on the same land that the Choctaws were relocted to. By the way, anyone who can document their lineage to someone on the Dawes Roll of 1905 might be eligible to legitimately claim membership in an Indian tribe.
[The Eoff's originally settled in the Deleware's traditional homeland in New Jersey and have followed their western migration ever since.]
But the next time someone asks me what tribe I am from, I think I will say that I am Suebi or Alemani. We faught Julius Ceaser and his Roman legions during his conquest of Gaul. For movie buffs we were the "Barbarians" (that's Julius Ceaser's perjorative, not mine) wearing animal skins that got whooped by Russell Crowe at the beginning of "Gladiator". A more historically accurate depiction might be "Druids" with Christopher Lambert. Nevertheless, our ancestors were there even before we called ourselves Off, and before Christianity and the birth of Jesus. They ultimately prevailed over Rome and expedited its downfall.
The region of Germany that Jacob and Hans and Magdelena are from is Schwabia or Schwabisch, which is German for Suebia. It seems at least probable that the Eoff's tribe is Suebi. But how can we check it out?
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Randell Eoff
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