[Genealogy] Clusters of maternal ancestors in Virginia and West Virginia

Up to 5 generations on the maternal side, the vast majority of my direct ancestors lived in Virginia and West Virginia. I was born about 25 miles from the West Virginia border, in fact. Out of this cluster, most of them lived in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.

Meet my great grandparents!

Last night I put a crow feather into my hair. Forgot to take it out while I slept and it was still in my hair when I woke up. My hair was all mussed and I mentioned how I forgot to take it out of my hair last night. Tara said, "You look Indian!"

What she said made me smile, because my great grandmother on my birth mother's side, Lucy Anetta Ray, was Tuckahoe Cherokee (as confirmed by Norma Gray Ellis, the family historian/genealogist).

The vast majority of my DNA is Northern European, but at least someone sees the Tuckahoe Cherokee shining through, even if it's a little bit. :-)

Below is a pic of my great grandmother and grandfather. You can definitely see the Cherokee/Native American in my great grandmother's facial structure (high cheekbones)—and her neck looks long, too! Their daughter, Mary Dilley, was my grandmother (my birth mother's mom).