My great grandmother was full blooded Cherokee. She died when my grandmother was only 6 yrs old from pneumonia. I do know her name was Hester Louise Lail (married last name was Arney). Her husband’s name was Robert Arney. I would just like to find out more information about her. Also, I feel sure she was on the tribal roll (possibly Baker roll). But, I can’t seem to find her name on there. How would I find out for sure if she was on it?
Hester Louise Lail Arney’s death certificate from 1921 gives her birth as August 13, 1889 in Lincoln County, NC. Her parents are listed as John Lail and Vinie Bivens. Spouse: B. T. Arney.
You can find Hester and Robert Arney on the 1910 Census from Icard, Burke County, NC. Listed just above household is Luvinia Lail (head of household). She is listed as a widow, age 47. Her children are: Besse A (age 19), Lulu S. (15), John W. (13). There is also a Sally Bivens (25) and George L. Bivens (26) living in this household.
The entry just above Luvinia Lail is the household of Sydney Lail, age 66. He is married to a Mary A., age 64. They have a daughter named Luvenie, age 38.
There is obviously a close connection between these Bivens and Lail families and they are fond of the name Lavinia, Lavina, Luvinia, Vinie, Vonie, etc. This Sydney may have been John Lail’s close relative. A Sydney (age 17)and John Layle (age 7) are found in Burke County, in the 1860 Census, living with their parents Henry and Sarah Layle. However, we’d need to find an extant document confirming John’s parentage. Unfortunately, we also don’t have a record showing Hester living in her parent’s household to make this solid connection.
In the 1920 Census, Hester is listed next to John R. Lail, age 21. Above this entry a George Bivins, age 36, is listed.
There is a William Bivens that shows up in the records in Icard, NC about the same time period (abt 1900-1930s). He has a daughter named Vonie. This may, in fact, be the brother of Luvinia Bivens Lail. They show up together on the 1870 Census in Laurel Hill, Lincoln County, NC. It is about 15 miles between the towns of Icard and Laurel Hill. This is also the same county where Hester was born in 1889.
There are no Lails (Layle, Loyle, etc) or Bivens/Bivins/Bevins listed on the Hester Roll or 1885. And there are no families with these surnames associated with the Eastern Band on the Baker Roll of 1924. It doesn’t appear these families where associated with the eastern Band community. They were not enrolled as such.
There is indication that the Lail and Bivens families had been living in Lincoln, Catawba and Burke Counties for a while. I’d posit that Lavinia Bivens Lail may have been the daughter of William Bivens (1820 – 1871) and Mary Kanipe (1822 – 1884). However, you’d have to keep digging up records to confirm or debunk this theory.
All of these individuals are listed as White in records and are found in White communities. If there is a Cherokee connection it is not apparent in Hester’s own lifetime. For her to be a full blood, she’d have to be born to two full blood Cherokee parents. This doesn’t appear to be the case. The Bivens and Lail families of Burke and Lincoln Counties were apparently not fullblood Cherokees. Lineage further back still needs to be established, but at least this may help you get started in your research.
If you want to build an accurate tree and are in the vicinity, I’d recommend visiting various local archives and genealogical societies in those counties. North Carolina death certs are readily available for 1920s onward. Between 1913 and 1920 they can be a bit spotty and before that time period it is very hit or miss. Some records have not been published and you’d have to find local, primary sources. And of course, the further back you go, there are less standardized records. Some families didn’t leave much of a paper trail. However, families tended to move in clusters and spread out with some family relationships intact. So, you’ll usually see related individuals buried in the same cemeteries or living close to one another over the generations. The Lail family of Burke County apparently came from a number of brothers who moved there from Catawba County. It is also tricky when families recycled names over the generations. This can confirm a general family connection, but it makes establishing specific branches of a lineage harder to narrow down. Good luck with your search.