Was he a scoundrel??

I’ve had one of the best researchers in Cherokee genealogy tell me that my ancestor wasn’t Cherokee, but I can’t figure out whether he tried so hard to be Cherokee because he thought he was or whether he was just another yoneg trying to get free stuff.

His name was William Lincoln Ragsdale and claimed to be born in Flint district in 1863 to John C (aka “Judge”) Ragsdale and Thanie Green Ragsdale. He and witnesses claimed his father John served briefly in the Civil War, but left when his wife died. He took his kids to Morehouse, MO and remarried, then died himself, leaving kids with their step-mother. She remarried and sent them to an orphanage.

William grew up and moved his wife and kids to Indian Territory around 1887 where he had been born (ostensibly).

He was rejected by the Dawes for jurisdictional/admin reasons, since he could not prove he was he son of John R. the Indian. He was rejected by the Miller payment roll, because he was an Old Settler descendant.

Can someone help me prove or disprove (by naming his actual parentage) his connection to John C. Ragsdale and tell me what can be found regarding his mother Thanie Green Ragsdale?

If I can nail down who his family WAS, then I can finally put to bed who they weren’t. This would better help me decide his motives, I think. If it looks very close that he might’ve believed some family story, then I can tell the family.

Thanks!