Is there anyone that can sort through the confusion of this family. I am a desendant of this union through Francis Marion Tidwell and Ann Gravitt, and their son John "Jack" Tidwell. I have heard the story of John Langley being the son of Ozwell Langley, living on the Chestete River. (Whites Among the Cherokees), But I need somekind of direction on where to find records. Was there a Census of Cherokee Lands before 1830? Does anyone know where "Old John Tidwell" came from? I've checked the surrrounding counties and have come up with nothing. On the Guion Miller Rolls, John "Jack" Tidwell claims Cherokee decent from Sallie & John Langley. Is there any other record of these two being together? I know they were probably not married. Please Help. Any tidbit of information will help. J.S. Hughes

Hello. Sallie and John Langley are in my family. She is Sallie or Sarah Parris and she married John F. Ronnell Langley 29 July 1837 in Forsyth County, GA, then married Susannah Daugherty, a Cherokee woman, I believe.

I have quite a bit of information on this and if you want to send me your email address, I will forward it to you. I am not sure where your Tidwell comes in, but maybe you will see a connection with one of the children.

It is nice to meet another Langley researcher.
Regards, Leslie

Lisa
According to Don Shadburn's records and books ("Cherokee Planters in GA" & "Unhallowed Intrusion") and my own family records, Sarah "Sallie" Tidwell was at one time married to John Sanders Jr. and that's where she picked up that "Sanders" name-- but she was a Tidwell. According to a sworn affidavit filed by John Langley, he denied being the father of any of her children.

Her sister, Celia Tidwell, was the one who was ("sort-of") married to Aaron Parris (as well as Luke Gravette and a couple of others), but some of her children was raised by her sisters- Sarah and Winnie.

Jerri Chasteen
Claremore OK

Jerri,
Do you know where I can find this sworn affidavit or any other documents that might shed some light on this situtation? I have read the accounts in Don Shadburn's books(History of Forsyth, Cherokee Planters, and Unhallowed Intrusion) but I still have questions. Anything you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

J.S. Hughes
Adairsville, GA

What "affidavits" and "situation" are you talking about, J. S.?

Most of the information as to their ancestry I have was gathered from the 1896 Citizenship and the 1909 Guion Miller applications. The 1896 applications are contained on 54 rolls of microfilm and the Guion Miller applications are contained on 346 rolls of microfilm.

Jerri

J. S.
If you have access to the series of books: "Cherokee By Blood", you might want to look at report #2554 (vol 2, page 188) which was the official determination by the Guion Miller Commission as to the reason that Tina and all other descendants of this family (Sarah Tidwell/John Langley) were rejected. In their report they said that their descent from John Langley could not be proven because Langley (himself) denied it and at the time of the births of Sarah's children, he was married to another woman. I haven't seen the actual application and do not know if the Guion Miller Commission included such an affidavit or not.

In addition. although John Langley was married to two different Cherokee wives (Sallie Parrish and Susannah Dougherty) he was fully documented in other records (including Siler and Chapman Rolls) as being "white", the son of Noah Langley. Since Sarah Tidwell was "white"-- and John Langley was "white", these descendants HAD no right to participate in the Guion Miller payments, or any rights to tribal citizenship.

Jerri C.