Native Americans – On Granny's Trail

“Navajo Medicine Man”, Edward S. Curtis [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Navajo_medicine_man.jpg

I guess this post could be more aptly named, “Native American Research at your nearest National Archives regional facility,” but would you have have dosed off? I nearly did just writing it.

I have mentioned in other blog posts my love for the National Archives website, and today I noticed they have really pumped up the section on Native American research, so I thought I would give you an idea of what you might find. I hope you will want to venture farther and explore the links there, as there are some fascinating records to be found. And if you don’t have any Native American ancestry, don’t stop reading here!

If your ancestors made their way Out West, the chances are very high their lives intersected with the native population (land ownership issues, water rights, commerce, schools, employment, etc.), and this generated records. Some of the most valuable genealogical records I have for my non-native Arizona and New Mexico ancestors come from records held by the BIA, or Bureau of Indian Affairs, or Record Group 75 at NARA (the National Archives). Continue reading “Native American Research Out West” →

The Montana Historical Society Research Center in Helena, Montana, can be found online at:

http://mhs.mt.gov/research/

They have what is called the Montana Memory Project. These memory projects are beginning to crop up for other states, too. Just “Google” [state] Memory Project and see what you find for the state where you are researching.

Significant digital collections (Montana Memory Project):