Jim Lee Presents: Native American Genealogy and Family Histories

Shawnee tribal member Jim Lee talks about researching his family history - including how to go about researching Native American genealogy, specifically Shawnee. Jim and his wife Jeri, have spent many days in Kansas City, Topeka, Oklahoma City, Fort Worth, Virginia, Ohio and West Virginia researching records and sites where his Shawnee family lived over the last several hundred years. In addition to his Shawnee family history, Jim has researched his non-native family and found some incredible ties between his Euro-American ancestors and his Shawnee ancestors. Jim is a direct descendant of Silver Heels, brother to Cornstalk and Nonhelema, who were both leaders of the Shawnee Tribe during the mid-1700’s. During his research, which includes DNA matching, he has found ties to many of the Shawnee families such as Ellick, Pitcher, Captain, Barnes, Dushane, Bluejacket, Chouteau, Larkin and others. Jim is a cousin to Yvonne Chouteau and Moscelyne Larkin, two of the famous Native American ballerinas who were also Silver Heels descendants. Jim will describe his research over the last 40 years, and how an individual can research their Native American ancestors, and their family history. He has examples of documents which are available on Native American families including Dawes Cards, census and land records as well as interviews with tribal members who moved to Indian Territory back in the late 1800's.

[@annapassenier_maagleijn1529]

Love to see this presentation of Jim, So glad I know him.

[@cheryldrouin5486]

Great presentation!

[@stephengaren2219]

Jim is a cousin through the relatively recent DNA study (Dorene, Debbie... He knows them). Interesting that he too has ancestors that were attacked by the Shawnee, as do I. My theory is that my ancestors built their homestead on Shawnee burial grounds unknowingly. Later excavations of the land found many many many Shawnee remains there.

[@annapassenier_maagleijn1529]

Love your information.

[@stephengaren2219]

I've never met him, just know of him through photos shared by my cousin Debbie. Mitchell Clay and Phoebe Belcher Clay are my ancestors that were attacked by the Shawnee. An aleged haunted amusement park was built there in the 70's. A park for my ancestors was built there back in the early 2000's. There's also a plaque honoring the Shawnee that are buried there. If you search my ancestors' names, their story about the attack is there. I descend through their daughter Obedience Clay French. My grandmother descended from them and her husband/my grandfather was descended from Cornstalk. Both his parents descended from both of Cornstalk's grandchildren. One the grandson, the other the granddaughter. Debbie got to meet Bobby Bluejacket (RIP) and the descendants of Tecumseh, both related to my line as well. I currently correspond with a Tecumseh descendant that Jim also met (Saundra... Absentee Shawnee). We call each other Cuz. I have also corresponded with Chief Glenna Wallace about the DNA study and the Shawnee park they are finishing construction on that is not too far from where I live, near where Tecumseh was born. She said she had heard about the DNA study results, that I should be proud of my Shawnee ancestry and that she hopes to meet me one day. Cuz Saundra says that in her opinion I am native but I don't think that way. I am of Shawnee descent but not native. I'm just glad, as well as honored, to be accepted as family by the Shawnee. I'll take Cuz any day of the week. Saundra and I help each other fill in the blanks and she has shared with me things from her personal life as well, as if we have known each other all our lives. It's truly been a blessing.