Information about this group of people could be found just about anywhere. Trying to find more info on James Langley and wife Meliney Emily Simpson. Census records show James to have been born in Missouri in 1829 and Emily born in Kentucky in 1834. Family stories passed down say that James claimed to be Cherokee and Emily claimed to be Chickasaw. Other family stories say that at least one of James and Emily's children distrusted most white people and slept with a shotgun in bed with her and that she spoke a native (possibly Cherokee) language much of the time. Little is known about Emily Simpson's family other than possibly her fathers name was Robert Simpson and her mothers name may have been Lucinda last name unknown. Also unknown if she had siblings. On the other hand passed down stories say James Langley's family goes all the way back to Pocahontas. My brother in law to date has not put this connection into their family data, though I HAVE found the connection in an Ancestry World Tree posted by George Jackson with "some" documentation for some parts of the family bu not all. So for these families trying to find more info about either family and to prove or disprove the Native American connections to any and all families.

If you have a line of males and someone who can afford the bucks, DNA testing can prove Native American ancestry. I wrote a little more about testing providers on my resources page.

We are getting the test to see if the name change at Ellis Island kept us in the same surname group. Results will be interesting.

Women can get mtdna showing migratory patterns from like a thousand years ago, you need the male Y chromosome that only men can pass down to prove actual lineage in 300-500 years or less.

Are you just looking for the connection? Or are you trying for membership into the tribe? This is one of the hardest tribe to provide proof too. It has taken me close to 10 years however I did finally get membership but not on their rolls since I am only something like 1/8000 powhatan.

Here is a link to the tribes FAQ section http://www.powhatan.org/powfaq.html

Mostly just trying to find more info on the families. See if others have heard some of the stories we have heard. Probably never will find anything out for sure. I believe it was James Langley (Possible Cherokee) as the story goes was an indian infant found along a river bank by some white people after a clash between a group of indians and some white folks. It is said the people who found him found a home for him and he was raised as a member of this Langley family. I We dont know much about the Simpson side at all. I have only heard bits and pieces of the story so cant give any more detail thn that. This is my hubbys side of the family. It would be nice to know and if he chose to he could later try to enroll but that isnt what we are looking for right now. More to try to prove or disprove the stories. James Langleys girls all have their own stories. Hubbys gg-grandmother, is dark skinned with dark eyes and hair in the photo we have of her. Other stories say one of her sisters only spoke Cherokee language and slept with a shotgun because she distrusted white people so much. always just enough of a story to make you want to know more and if it is all true.

As far as the DNA testing goes its cool that you can get proof that way. BUT its too expensive for anyone in the family to get done. And it wouldnt be that high on the list of importance right now. I want to know the stories and history much more.

I have to agree....the history , facts and the stories are way more important to me than "proving" the DNA line

I agree, knowing people and stories is best, but we have no leads to go on to find who we are related to on my Dad's side, and he really wants to know. You still have to figure out the connections using traditional genealogy because otherwise the results are just what the lab says.

But David Cohen is an extremely common name, we haven't even been able to identify him for sure in the passenger lists, and my dad decided to splurge. I have friends who have found it an incredibly helpful adjunct to their research...and NO, I don't own stock in any dna company.

Unfortunately, all the older people on dad's grandfather's side are gone, and they didn't like talking about the old country, so there's very little to go on. Not even old photographs or bibles on that side.