Genealogy Research Requests

 

Many people contact the Penobscot Nation asking for information from tribal records that might establish or prove Penobscot ancestry.  In some instances, their inquiries are documented with solid background information but many are based only on a family tradition of Indian blood. For example, there has always been a family story that great great grandma was a full-blooded Penobscot princess.

Please note that, at the very least, there is some minimum information that we need in order to search our records.  Please have this valid information prior to contacting the Nation.

 

 

We request: 

1.   Full names of the ancestor in question.  Please include the maiden name of any female ancestors in question.

2.   Dates of births, deaths and marriages.  Or at the very least a time period to search.

3.   Places of birth, death or marriage.

 

Eligibility for an enrollment:

You should note that every tribe has different qualifications for enrollment.  The Penobscot Nation requires that:

1.    The applicant possesses at least one-quarter degree Indian blood; and;

2.    Is not an active member of any other Indian Tribe or Indian Community: and; is either:

         a.      Eligible by birth or Birthright which birth eligibility shall include siblings and first cousins in the same Penobscot Indian Natural Biological line of descent as members who were listed on the Tribal Census dated January 14, 1981, or

  b.      Has been duly adopted into the Tribe.  (This has it’s own set of qualifications.)

 

 

Helpful Hints: 

All genealogical research must proceed from the known; you and your parents, back to your grandparents, great grandparents, etc… There is nothing more futile then trying to jump from the present to a remote ancestor!

Organize your records.  Use public records such as birth, death, marriage, wills, deeds, federal and state census records; church records such as baptism, marriage, confirmation and burials; family records such as Bibles, old letters, diaries and obituaries.

And remember to always document your source of information. 

Note:  The Penobscot Nation will only check our records for Penobscot ancestry.  We do not research ancestry of other Native American tribes.  Also, the burden of proof is on the applicant to prove his/her Penobscot ancestry.

If you wish to contact the Penobscot Nation concerning your genealogy request, please contact:

Carole W. Binette, Historical Researcher

Census Coordinator, Ext. 7378