January 10, 2008

I'm not sure if you got my last email regarding Jane R. Shay Heath.

If she was American Indian, I believe that she was probably 25%. Her father was James Shay and her mother was Margaret Mayberry.

Those surnames have Irish and English roots. It was uncommon at the time for white women to marry Native American men. Usually Native American women married White men and integrated into their culture. I believe it is very plausible that Jane Shay had a grandmother who was full blooded American Indian. I believe this probably came down from her maternal side...mixed in somewhere with the Mayberrys from Kentucky.

James Shay was born in Ohio and I believe his parents came from NY or PA. I do not believe it mixed into there.

In the 1700's to early 1800's, there was a lot of interracial marriages between Kentucky settlers with Cherokee Indians. I read an article once that said 1 in every 4 Kentuckians have Cherokee blood in them from these marriages 200 years ago. Most to all of Kentucky's Native American population was Cherokee. Unfortunately Kentucky records from the early 1800's are a little scarce especially concerning African Americans or Native Americans. Also it is very possible that the female branch that is American Indian changed their name to something more English/American. Let me know what you think.

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Thank you so much for your reply. Your earlier email was received; however, the message area was blank.

I shared your current email with my sister and she concurs with you that it was more likely Jane Shay's grandmother that was American Indian. My sister recalls our grandfather (Ira Seeley) talking about our grandmother's (Katharine) relatives - one being Native American and a "medicine woman" -- she would collect herbs and wild plants, etc., for medicinal salves, etc.

My father talked about going out to Missouri to the old farmstead as a young man. Would you happen to know where this might have been?

I was quite pleased to see your family chart on Ancestry. It is amazing that George Heath's wife came from Woodhull, NY. I'm originally from Campbell - just over the "hill" from Woodhull. Both my sister and I remember George - he would visit our Uncle Bill's quite frequently and attended our family reunion.

At one time, I had our family history website on the Internet but I took it off. I'm hoping to have it back up within a month or two.

I'm currently putting together a photo album of our family reunion book - a mixture of pictures and the history.

The Herbert A. Seeley family has a family reunion every year - I will send the details if you would be interested in attending.

Again, thank you for your response to my email. I would certainly like to continue our emails regarding our family history.