Susan, hi. This was blast from the past. I was just getting warmed up on the Internet in 2001 when I posted my questions. Cate Vann was a big help in giving info. At least for a while. We were emailing quite regularly and then she just quit. Illness, death, new career? Have no idea why. Have never heard from her again. I do have one up date on info received from some kinfolks in Oklahoma. They assured me that Mason Vann, father of Lavisa Jane, was included in the "Old Settlers" and there is a petition before the Indian bureau to have them recognized as of legitimate Cherokee blood. They were folks who came west before the Trail of Tears affair. Mason seems to have distanced himself from the Cherokees in Texas. After what happened to Chief Bowles and his bunch, I don't blame Mason a bit. I keep forgetting it was once a dangerous thing to admit to Indian ancestry. Now here we are trying to establish it! Ha!