Hello my extended family! I'm back after taking a year off from researching my genealogy to get married. My last name was Eastin, for those of you who knew me.

I know that research has been done and there is no paper trail identifying us as Italian or Native American but please hear out my theory and tell me what you think.
Joseph Costlow appears in the 1850 Swan Taney Co census. Swan Twp Taney co. is listed as being an early Osage Indian Village. Joseph must be indian, why else would these fierce indians allow a white man to live in their village?
At www.Migrations.org, Robin mentions the possibility that Joseph is indian based on his living pattern and lifestyle.
Could it be a coinsidence that the chief of the Mattaponi Tribe spells his name Custalow?
Is it possible that Joseph was originally from the Mattaponi tribe and when he migrated to MO he lived among the Osage indians?
Maybe these 2 tribes were friendly or related to each other somehow. Or does one tribe allow another tribe member to live amongst them? Who can I ask this question to?

And finally, where did Jimmie Maples go? I am unable to locate any of my notes from him or find him as a source of information on Rootsweb.com

Thank you to anyone and everyone who can help me answer these questions.