Captain Henry Anderson Family

A while back I posted about the Henry, Jacob, Josiah, and Jesse family.

Well, ultimately, I know this should be the correct family based on the DNA circles on Ancestry.com.  Although the thrulines all show Henry Cook as the father of our siblings.

I don't think they take into account that there were other unknown siblings, or the ages of the family members.  In the photo of siblings to the left, you can see Jacob was born when Henry Cook was three, Ruth when he was only six.  It makes no sense for it to be him.  But, he does fit nicely as the oldest brother.

The Dawes application in one place states that Aunt Nancy was "Robert Marion ANDERSON's" aunt.  Which could possibly be Nancy BALLEW , sister of Henry Cook's wife.   Again, making Henry Cook a sibling.  Margaret BALLEW, his wife, was undoubtedly Cherokee.  However, the only spouse I can find for that Aunt Nancy was a Montgomery, not an Anderson.

Then there's Nancy Anderson who married Francis BALLEW.  Who would certainly be Cherokee by marriage.  And, since it is Robert's aunt, Nancy should be a sibling of Jesse.  I have found a lot of stories and information, but not a sibling Nancy.  And, Francis and Nancy were not in Missouri.  But, it would make a whole lot of sense that if Henry Cook married Margaret, his sister Nancy married Margaret's brother Francis.

Nancy, Francis, and Margaret BALLEW's grandmother on one side was Diana LIGHTSKY, and on the other Charity LIGHTSKY.  Literally, both Indian Princesses.  Daughters of Chief Leyestisky, AKA Chief George Robert Lightsky.

But here's another confusing part.  Nancy who married Francis was an Anderson, Henry who married Margaret was an Anderson.. but the information I am finding have them from two different Anderson lines.

Now, this is possible... but, seems more likely that the families were together and married.  Other trees on Ancestry are showing Nancy descended from James ANDERSON, but ours descended from Henry ANDERSON.  And, I see no place where these two lines meet.  It's going to take a lot more research because I have no proof either way, and I "lean" towards her being in our line.  But, I do have the Bilyeu line in the tree also, which is sometimes Ballew - and they are two different lines.  It can become quite confusing.

In most places, it states that Aunt Nancy was Jesse's aunt.  So, I am not 100% certain where Aunt Nancy fits, but I plan to go back through the testimonies and see if I can narrow down the facts a little better than I have.

Testimony of Andrew Smith

I do wonder if Alexander ANDERSON, could be the father of our group.  I wonder this because of the testimony given, and the way it was worded.  I've read that Henry Sr. had other children, and Andrew Smith states that he knew Alex Anderson and Nancy Anderson. 

This is the only place I've heard of Alex.  Why would he even mention Alex if it wasn't of importance to the family in the case?  Perhaps I should investigate into Andrew Smith's family and see who he was living near.

It would make sense that if he were speaking of the aunt of the children, that he would also address the name of the father.  "Yes, I knew Alex and Nancy Anderson", is how I see this.  I just can't find an Alex under Henry ... or anywhere else, YET.

Regardless of the path to get there, the line does seem to go to Captain Henry ANDERSON b. 1731 right now.  However, this is based off the combination of the DNA matches and those matches family trees.  If the matches have inaccurate information, the line is wrong. 

It does seem that some of the branches off Henry on ThruLines have more documentation, so therefore their trees are proven.  So, assuming they are proven, and DNA matches... would get around to ours 'must be' here somewhere.  For now, I 'assume' this is correct.  Which one of his son's, I am not sure of, but... much, much closer!