Hi Suzanne and thanks for the post. No "sorry" neeeded though:) Genealogy is a search for the facts so if there no indian blood out there I'm just as ok with that as if there is. Finding the truth is where I get my kicks.
There was a great article in a recent NEGHS mag about the "indian princess" subject and how it is just a myth for the vast majority of families. I've passed that around to my relatives trying to dampen expectation but with many their grandmother told them this and they can't let go of it. So..since this is a search for the truth I'll continue to neither believe or disbelieve it until I get the facts in my paws:) Oh and the alledged Indian was Caroline's mother so its still plausible that she is a Stillwell of English decent but her father did marry an Indian.
Thanks for the tip on Stilwells and Merigold's being loyalists and from NJ/NY areas. Interesting as I have lots of conflicting info on that subject- Several census records for Bessie V. Merigold list her as German and one handwritten record from one of her kids lists her father as French! so the story and mystery continues:)
Thanks again,
John R. Fisher of the Sandwich Fish
www.allaboutnhre.com/familytree(fyi- if anyone has interest in it I got a copy of a pic of Bessie Merigold and would be glad to share it.)