There were five census rolls taken for the Cherokees in 1851-1854.

• The Siler, Chapman and Act of Congress Rolls were taken in states east of the Mississippi River
• The Drennen Roll in Indian Territory for Cherokees who emigrated at the time of the Removal and prior to 1851.
• The Old Settler Roll for Cherokees who had emigrated to Indian Territory prior to the Removal

Where did your family live during the 1850-1855 time period?

• East of the Mississippi?

West of the Mississippi?

Did your family live in any of the following states?

• North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, or Harrison Co, KY? Yes? No?

If your family lived West of the Mississippi River you will want to check for their names on one of the following rolls:

• Old Settler's Roll
• Drennen Roll

Neither of these rolls are online at this time. Both have been published and you will find the publications listed on my Suggested Reading. Or you can view both of them on microfilm the film is M-685, Reel 12.

Did your family live within the shaded area of the map below?

There were four other locations included on the Siler and Chapman rolls, ie. Harrison Co., KY (1 family), Washington, DC (1 individual) , Nashville, TN (1 family), and Savannah, GA (4 families).

These two 1851 Eastern Cherokee Rolls are online. Visit both sites and look for your family's name.

Siler Roll

Chapman Roll

Act of Congress Roll

There were a few families who were omitted from both the Siler and Chapman Rolls who were added to this small special roll ordered by an Act of Congress. This roll is online and you should check the roll for the person or family you are looking for. You will find this roll online at the following web site:

Act of Congress Roll

 What now?

If your family did not live within the boundaries in the map above then you will need to bring the entire family forward to the early 1900's and proceed with checking the records suggested for that time period.  The reason for this is your ancestors HAD to be on one of those early rolls described above. IF THEY WEREN'T you will want to find someone who might have applied to the Guion Miller Roll of Eastern Cherokees. This roll would have been the FIRST opportunity for families living outside the limits of the Cherokee Domain to attempt to establish their Cherokee connections.

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This page created September 1998 by Jerry Wright Jordan

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