Angela: Greetings.

I'm going to offer an opinion on Mary Jane's Native American heritage; I hope you don't mind. I'll explain why I offer the opinion.

The chances of her being half blood and in Jackson County in 1899 are pretty slim. Chief John Ross, probably the best known Cherokee in this area, was 1/8. Alexander McCoy, the last Chief at New Echota, was 1/16. Most of the inter marrying occured prior to 1800. Of course that does not mean that there were not other Cherokee of higher blood but I truely believe that the vast majority went West in the early 1800's.

I have a hobby of trying to find people in Jackson County that I can prove (to my satisfaction) have Cherokee ancestry. It's pretty hard to do. That is why I even comment on your ancestor. I look forward to following the search.