William Chester Henry

Chester Henry
Born	November 22, 1885(1885-11-22) Putnam, Tennessee, USA
Died	January 17, 1934 (aged 48) Monterey, Putnam, Tennessee, USA
Spouse	Cressie Elizabeth, or Cerisie L. Robinson
Children	Ethel Nora Henry Carol W Henry Haskel T Henry Dortha L Henry
Parents	John Morgan Henry Olive "Ollie" Howard

Note: It appears from the 1900 census that Chester's full name may be William Chester Henry.

• Chester's middle initial may be "A".
• The book "Trail of Tears" tells how some of the Cherokee were driven out of Tenn. From what I have found there are 7 clans of Cherokee and I am not sure yet which clan would refer to our relatives.
• The Cherokee family would have moved [...] to Oklahoma, courtesy the US government (User:Jim.lindstrom: I have not verified that the Henrys were Cherokee, but according to census records below, the family did move from Putnam County, Tennessee to Chickasaw County, Oklahoma between 1910 and 1920.)

Rumored Native American Heritage

Arguments for:

• The Henrys did live in the historically Cherokee area of Putnam County, TN is near the start of the Trail of Tears.
• The Henrys later moved to Oklahoma, less than 10 years after it had been Indian Territory
• Members of the Henry family and Howard-Farley family have distinctive physical characteristics and bear some resemblance to known Cherokee (such as Elizabeth Stephens).

Arguments against:

• There are a number of census records of the Henry family. Several identify the individuals as white. None indicate "Indian"
• Although the Henrys live in historically Cherokee areas (Putnam County, TN is near the start of the Trail of Tears), they live there well after the Cherokee Removal timeline.
• When the Henrys moved to Oklahoma, they appear to have moved to former Chickasaw land, which seems at odds with the presumed Cherokee heritage.

Historical Records

• Chester is in his father's household in Putnam County, Tennessee in the 1900 Tennessee Census.
• Nora is in William's and Crysie's household in the 1910 Tennessee census, in Putnam County, Tennessee. Mother Crysie is listed as born in Texas, and both maternal grandparents are listed as being born in Tennessee. Father William C is listed as born in Tennessee, along with both paternal grandparents. William Jr is an infant (< 1 year old). William Sr. is listed as a farmer and owns his home.
• Chester (age 35) is in the 1920 Oklahoma census, in Pontotoc, Chickasaw County, along with wife Cerise L Henry (age 23), Ethel Nora Henry (age 11), Carol W Henry (age 10), Haskel T Henry (age 8) and Dortha L Henry (age 6)
• Chester (age 45) has moved back in with his parents (J Morgan and Oliva H, both age 67) in Putnam County, Tennessee, in the 1930 Federal Census