I am searching to find my family I have founds names births and deaths, but what I am trying to find is if they were on the trail of tears, I am told that my Great Grandmother Laura Strickland who also married and was Laura Turney was, but that the family assimilated as White and that the Indian ancestrey was not spoken amoung the family as my Great grandmother had property that was not allowed for those of Indian ancestry. I was also told that many records were lost during this time. I think there names may have been changed once they came to Oklahoma. I have gotten alot of great information from people, I am not looking because I think I might get something other than knowledge, I just want to continue this that was started by my brother who passed away last year. I want to know my family. My mother,Lois Bratcher said that her mother who maiden name was Martha Wortman did not talk about her people, so it is all just a mystery as to why. and I want to know as I want my daughters to know. Any help as to how to go about this would be appreciated.

Sorry to disagree, but I have researched this family before!

First, Laura Ann Strickland did not come west on the 1838/39 "Trail of Tears". She was still living with her family in Alabama when her brother, John Anderson Strickland, was born on 10 June 1840 - (parents: Samuel Smith Strickland and Aetna Jane (Jenny) Robertson- both "white" and born in KY in 1807. They were married 28 July 1827 in Lawrence Co. TN.).

After stopping over in Mississippi for a couple of years, the Strickland family did not even come to Indian Territory (the termination point of the "Trail of Tears") when they did come west!- They went to Searcy County AR and are shown on all of my records from there--.

The best source on Searcy is James Johnston, Historian and publisher of many books and Newsletters on people and happenings in that area. Also check out http://www.argenweb.net/searcy/

Good luck--

Jerri (Rogers) Chasteen
Claremore OK