The 1924 Baker Roll and Cherokee Genealogy

The 1924 Baker Roll is one of the best sources for Cherokee genealogy, and is the basis for membership in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians today.  The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is one of three Cherokee tribes or bands recognized by the U.S. government.  Applications for inclusion on the Baker Roll contain a wealth of family history information, even for those who were rejected.  It seems there was some confusion about who could be included, and so many applied who probably shouldn’t have.  This was bad news for the government agents taking the applications, but good news for Cherokee family historians!  And, many of the applications were rejected, not because the applicants couldn’t show Cherokee ancestry, but because they had no association with the band living in North Carolina. This makes the Baker Roll a definite “go to” source if you had a Cherokee ancestor living in the southeastern United States in 1924.

Information Found on the 1924 Baker Roll

1924 Baker Roll Application
Baker Roll Application

Information requested on the application is shown below, and from it should be easily seen why the Baker Roll is so important to Eastern Cherokee genealogy:

*current name and name prior to marriage,
*age and birth place,
*places of residence,
*degree of Eastern Cherokee blood,
*name and relationship of Cherokee ancestor,
*applicants’ descent from the ancestor,
*both parents’ names, date of marriage, and residences,
*all four grandparents’ names, including maiden names,
*other relatives who were previously enrolled,
*spouse’s name, and names/ages of children.

The 1924 Baker Roll can be found on microfilm at the National Archives branch in Morrow, Georgia; or online at the paid site Ancestry.com.  If your ancestor is on the roll itself, then you are eligible for membership, but there may be other requirements to meet.  Follow this link for more information about The Eastern Band of Cherokee.  If your ancestor is not on the roll, then she still may have applied.  Check the applications which are in alphabetical order.

Other Cherokee Rolls

If you still can’t locate your ancestor, don’t give up – he may be found on an earlier Cherokee roll.  Another good source of Cherokee genealogy is the Guion Miller Roll of 1909.  This roll includes both eastern and western Cherokees, and like Baker, includes the applications with information similar to Baker applications.  The Miller Roll includes separate indexes for eastern and western Cherokees, so make sure your check both.  Other rolls dealing with the eastern Cherokee include the Hester Roll of 1883 and the Chapman Roll of 1852.  You must have a Cherokee ancestor living during the times of these rolls to have a chance of finding her there.

If you think your ancestor may have been associated with the western Cherokees (Oklahoma), then he may have been enrolled on the Dawes Roll of 1898-1914.  This roll is the basis for membership in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, another federally-recognized Cherokee tribe or band.  Follow this link for more information on the Cherokee Nation.  A final Cherokee tribe recognized by the U.S. government is the United Keetoowah Band, also based in Oklahoma.  The 1949 Base Roll is the basis for membership in this group.  To view this roll, and for more information, go to the UKB website.

DeepRootsInTheSouth has access to all of the rolls mentioned above, and we would be happy to help you with your Cherokee family history.

DeepRoots

51 Comments

  1. Hello! Just the other night I discovered my 5th great grandparents were both full blooded Cherokee! In my 30+ years of genealogy, I’ve NEVER heard mention of Cherokee ancestors. They were Howell Cobb Brewer (1790-1886) & Nancy Louisa “Emily” (Little Deer) Short (1793-1834). Their daughter Martha “Patsie” Brewer/Brooks/Isaacs (1818-1820–1918; her 1st husb. Thomas Brooks was my 4th grt.grndfather) was my 4th great grandmother. It APPEARS they were “taken in” or adopted by “English/White” families…?? (I find NO evidence either of their parents were Cherokee) Howell’s father was Ambrose Brewer (a Whig loyalist) and I’m wondering if he was of Scots-Irish descent. Emily’s father was James Short. What’s the best place to start to learn info on them. I was considering contacting the Eastern Cherokee Nation’s but wasn’t sure… Any other Brewer descendants here?

  2. My wife’s John Thomas Brown roll number 5567. Found him on the Guion Millet Roll of 1909. One of his daughters was Elsie Cordelia Brown (Martin) 1901-1933 or 1834. Is she on any roll? If so what is her roll number? Thank you.

  3. I’m looking for my grandmother in snowbird robbinsvilles NC I’m eastern band of Cherokee Indians Cherokee nc 28719 her name is Ida teesateskie and I’m a Smoker

  4. I am looking for more information about Noble Anderson who was said to be 100% Cherokee,
    Noble’s son Ambrose, Nancy J Brown, Samuel Brown and Ada B (Brown) Wright. All of these made application to the Eastern Band and show up in the 1928 Baker Roll except Noble. Does that mean they were actually of Cherokee blood and how?

  5. I just discovered that I am the 5th great grandson of Chief George All (Golden Hawk) Sizemore on my father’s side. I have confirmed it on Dawes Site and on the 1924 Baker Roll. He was also part of The Trail of Tears. How can I document this information.
    Also, my grandmother, Carrie Wooton, was part of the Eastern Cherokee tribe and her mother was on the reservation.

    • Hi Anthony, I have the same descendant as you. George Sizemore is my 6th Great Grandfather. His Granddaughter, Martha Adeline/ Adaline Sizemore avoided the trail of tears by migrating with her Grandfather, (which we believe is George) in 1835. They also had her name on the Eastern Cherokee application which I have viewed through a source that uploaded it on the familysearch.org site. Interestingly enough, I too would like to know how it can be documented. Also, nice to meet you!

  6. Delila Ellen Leonard
    Married to
    James Anderson Baker

    Lived on Cherokee Nation
    Indian Territory OK
    Are they on Baker Roll?

  7. Im trying to trace my indian heritage I know that some of my relatives are on the baker roll Im trying to get more information on My Grandfather Joseph Hobert Runion

  8. I’m trying to do this family search stuff, but its hard. My great grandmother was born in Clay county NC. She has roll numbers, but there are several people with the same name and close birth dates. ugh How do I know which one she is? Most people in her era couldn’t tell you the year they were born and there are no birth records for NC in the 1870’s.

  9. Yes, I read in an earlier comment there was no Hester’s on the Baker roll, my grandmother’s name was Lula Hester and her name is there. #1528. Just wondering what to do from here to find out about our native history, she was a Whitmire before marriage. Please advise. Thank you.

  10. Looking for info on Edith Irene Bailey and/or Dessi Bailey (Pope)
    Possibly having Cherokee Heritage.

  11. Hello looking for several Cherokee relative’s: Josephine Roberts and her husband Jasper Mankins, Dotia Mankins married to Samuel Mankins are Jasper Mankins parents. Josephine’s mother Rachael Riggs and father William Roberts, his father is David Williams and his son Johnny Williams who’s wife is Sarah Sallie Roundtree. Are any of these names on the 1924 Baker Roll. I was told Josephine Roberts is listed. I recently found more family that may be on any of the lists. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

  12. I am looking for any descendants or info on E. Tassel Coody? She was my 8th grandmother? I cannot find anything on her parents. And is she in the bakers roll?

    • Didn’t find this name in an index for the 1924 Baker Roll. (Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee Roots Volume 1: Eastern Cherokee Rolls. 2d ed. Cherokee, North Carolina: Bob Blankenship, 1992.) You might still find her on other Cherokee rolls/records.
      DeepRoots

    • Didn’t see any Caughorn in a 1924 Baker Roll index. Could still be in other Cherokee records.
      (Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee Roots Volume 1: Eastern Cherokee Rolls. 2d ed. Cherokee, North Carolina: Bob Blankenship, 1992.)
      DeepRoots

    • Didn’t see those two names in a 1924 Baker Roll index. Could still be in other Cherokee records.
      (Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee Roots Volume 1: Eastern Cherokee Rolls. 2d ed. Cherokee, North Carolina: Bob Blankenship, 1992.)
      DeepRoots

  13. Looking for billistine Campbell was a great grandmother wondering if she is on the Baker rolls.

    • The only Campbell I see in an index of the 1924 Baker Roll was a Callie Campbell.
      (Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee Roots Volume 1: Eastern Cherokee Rolls. 2d ed. Cherokee, North Carolina: Bob Blankenship, 1992, 141.)
      DeepRoots

  14. My Grandmother is on the Native American enrollment cards, #10494. Looking for information about her and her parents. Raised by S. John Tremains and his wife, Elizabeth. I would like to find out who her birth parents were. Her name was Nancy Bixler. Raised as Nancy Anna Tremains.

  15. My paternal grandmother (1877-1927), Nancy Bixler was a Cherokee. I am interested in finding out her history. She was raised as Nancy Anna Tremains by S.J. Tremains and his wife, Elizabeth. The lived in Ohio and Missouri. She signed up in the Native American enrollment card on Sept. 1,1902 and was then 25 years old. Her census # is 10494.

  16. I was told my great grandfather was full blooded Cherokee. His name is William Mecalf wife was Teresa Haseltine. My grandmother was Eva Metcalf.

  17. Looking for information on my great grand father john Hester he was a full blooded Cherokee chief he was born in Texas

  18. Hello. I am looking for information on Sara Elizabeth Hicks. I believe she died on February 23, 1906. She was married to Amos Weddle. I think she would have been eastern Cherokee. Thank you for any information you have!

  19. Hi my grandfather is on a one of the rolls but im not sure which one.His name was Mack Walker.I have a copy of a roll that a friend got from ancestry.com but it doesnt say which roll it is.I do believe he was 18 or so then.Im trying to find out how much of Cherokee i am.I know my mother was born on the Nation in Cherokee Co.Could you please help?

    • Didn’t find any Croom in an index for the 1924 Baker Roll. Could still be on other Cherokee records.
      (Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee Roots Volume 1: Eastern Cherokee Rolls. 2d ed. Cherokee, North Carolina: Bob Blankenship, 1992.)
      DeepRoots

  20. Dove marimiskeet or machapunga Perry, married Andrew Lamber. She was born in 1710 to Unity Dawn Pathfinder ((captive woman married to Isaac Perry . She died in Georgia at the age of 67.

  21. I was told as a child that my great grandmother was full blooded Cherokee. I have limited information on my family tree and in VA it is famous for not keep good records in the 19th century and into the early 20th century.

  22. I am looking for my Great Grandmother, Mary Adair, she died in 1954 and was born in 1864. She lived to be 101. I’m struggling because there are so many Mary Adairs’.

  23. Are the last names of Wages or Booker on the list? My family has a verbal history that claims that my great great grandmother Anna Wages Booker, who is from the area of Salisbury North Carolina, is half Cheerokee. I do not have a record of her parents names or of her birth certificate…unfortunately.

  24. I see relative James n. Bates on the baker roll would like to have access to view the application. Also another relative Lela Odom and lula Stewart.

    Would like to see information on these applications

  25. I know that my grandmother is listed on the Baker Roll, just not sure which one. Her name was Hester Powell. They made a mistake and listed her as a male tho.

    • Norma,
      I did a quick check for you and didn’t find a Hester on the Baker roll. There is a Hester Powell on a rejected application for enrollment in the Five Civilized Tribes (Oklahoma). Her parents are listed as Charles and Ella (Ross) Powell. Is this your family?
      DeepRoots

  26. I would like to know if there is anyone I could talk to ref:Hollinghead from North Carolina or Georgia

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