Re: Searching for Native American (Cherokee) Ancestery in Harrell Family
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In reply to:
Searching for Native American (Cherokee) Ancestery in Harrell Family
Jeriah Bowser 7/07/11
I made a comment elsewhere about the assertion of Cherokee blood in the Harrell line and this is a followup.
Some of my relatives moved to Oklahoma and opened the first Indian school on the Cherokee strip. I have no record of any Harrell marrying a Cherokee and one of the Harrell's that raised me denied there was anyone with Cherokee blood in the family (I asked). The fact there was Harrell's in Oklahoma interacting with the Cherokees does not preclude the possibility that a Harrell married a member of this group. Love has no boundary.
On the other hand consider this - this was during a time when a lot of folks were quite prejudicial towards people of color, or for that matter, people from ethnic backgrounds other than the one associated with your family. The Irish at one time were despised in the early part of American history, as well as Italians and so on. To admit that someone in the family married outside of the group - may not have been cool.
I have family pictures that definitely show individuals with almost Black (negroid) skin, quite a contrast to the majority of the lily white members of my family, and myself (I am redheaded and Irish on my paternal side). Are these people of Indian heritage? I don't have a clue. It would make no difference to me if they were, a relative is a relative, in spite of any color or ethnic background.
Times change and interracial marriages are more acceptable now. We are all one family.
More Replies:
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Re: Searching for Native American (Cherokee) Ancestery in Harrell Family
James Neill (Sparks) 11/12/13