The Chickasaw were once part of the Choctaw Tribe whose language is virtually identical, and their name means "they left as a tribe not a very great while ago." When encountered by De Soto in 1540, they were living in present-day Mississippi, although their legends speak of their having migrated from the west. As De Soto discovered first hand, they had a reputation as skilled warriors. Their record of victories during the 18th century is exemplary of the skill that made them a leading military force in the lower Mississippi valley: they defeated the Shawnee in 1715 and 1745, the Caddo in 1717, the Cherokee in 1768 and the Creek in 1795.

Despite their hostility to other tribes, the Chickasaw traded extensively with the English throughout the 18th century and signed a treaty with the newly formed United States in 1786. In 1837 the U.S. government decided to remove the Chickasaw to Indian Territory, where an agreement had been reached to settle them on Choctaw lands and to give them Choctaw citizenship. In 1855 a new arrangement was made granting them their own land within Indian Territory, on land formerly part of the Choctaw Nation. The capitol of this new Chickasaw Nation was named in honor of the late great Chickasaw chief, Tishomingo, who had died on the journey west in 1838 at the age of 102.

The governments of the two nations were suspended during the Civil War and re-established in 1866. The governments of all the Indian Territory tribes were dissolved in 1906 prior to the entry of Indian Territory into the United States as part of Oklahoma. The Chickasaw Tribal Protective Association was formed in 1929.

The population of the Chickasaw Tribe was 2290 in 1780, down from an estimated 3300 at the beginning of the 18th century. In 1890 there were 6400 Chicksaw, and 5350 still lived on the Chicksaw reservation in Oklahoma in 1944. In 1985 the Ardmore Agency of the Chickasaw tribe in Oklahoma had a population of 9020.

During the Civil War, both (Choctaw and Chickasaw) nations allied themselves with the Confederate States of America, and formed military units that fought with the Confederacy in Arkansas and Indian Territory.

Mom, my brother Dave, me, and my sister Pam

My Gramma Jessie and Chickasaw Great Gramma Eula

---

It is our belief that Nancy's family came along to Tennessee on the Trail of Tears, but we haven't proof of that as the records are so askew. We do know for a fact that one of our native ancestors fought in the "white man's war" for the south and died in battle in 1865.

It's a difficult task to join family when they didn't have any last name to go by. We finally found Nancy on the Dawes Rolls (they usually only list by head of household). We knew Elijah's name, but he was listed with two other women, and we didn't know which one was Gramma Eula's rightful mother.

It has taken me 10 years of genealogy research for the Native American portion of my family, and it has been an emotional journey. I still have about 50 years of missing information, as the courthouse burned in Oklahoma and the native records are destroyed. Hmmmm!! I have often "wondered" about that, but it's most likely my suspicious nature and not some "whiteman's witchery". One can hope.

My native ancestors were granted land in Texas, and up until the early 1960's they held the land rights. Somewhere along the way the land was taken back, and an oil refinery now sits where my family once held land. Most of my ancestors have passed now, but those that remain (except myself, my sister and brother) still reside in Tishimingo, Oklahoma and some surrounding areas, Enid, Oney, Wannette, Purcell, and Oklahoma City. Some are buried in Potter's field in Oklahoma City.

Now that the new 1930 census is released, I plan to work from there back in time to see if I can make the connection I am missing. Part of my family is listed on the rolls. I am not, nor was my mother. But as my family liked to say, "It's not how much blood you are, it's that you are." And knowing my heritage is enough for me....