Reparative Genealogy Initiative · Freedmen Descendant Documentation Project
We are identifying and documenting families descended from Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes. If your family carries one of the surnames below, you may be connected to a historically documented lineage.
Surname Discovery
Every surname below appears in the Dawes Freedmen Rolls for the Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) Nations. Variant spellings are shown where documented. Click any name to auto-populate the intake form.
The Research Process
This is not general ancestry research. Every engagement follows a structured four-phase model built around the Genealogical Proof Standard.
We match your family surname and any known ancestor names against the Dawes Freedmen Rolls and screen for geographic and surname alignment across Cherokee and Creek records.
A professional researcher reconstructs your lineage back to a Dawes ancestor using the Genealogical Proof Standard. You receive a formal report with a structured confidence score.
Genealogical findings are transformed into a narrative family history, with optional publication as a professionally formatted book and digital storytelling assets.
With your consent, verified lineages contribute to the Freedmen Descendant Archive — a living dataset linking Dawes Roll ancestors to documented living descendants.
Express Your Interest
You do not need a complete paper trail. Even one name and one place is enough to begin. A researcher will contact you within 5–7 business days.
This form is for genealogical research and documentation purposes only. We do not assist with or represent individuals in tribal enrollment applications. All information is held in strict confidence and used solely for lineage reconstruction purposes.
About this project
This initiative is led by Kellie Marie Farrish, Founder of Reparative Genealogy — a consultancy dedicated to lineage reconstruction, historical recovery, and reparative research practices.
Beginning with 5,000 surnames drawn from a 34,000-name database of Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) Freedmen Roll records, this project proactively identifies potential descendant families, reconstructs their lineages to the highest professional standard, and builds the first large-scale verified archive of Freedmen-descended genealogies.
The project responds to a critical gap: while the U.S. GAO estimates between 146,400 and 395,400 living Freedmen descendants as of 2022, no comprehensive system exists to identify, document, or connect them. This initiative transforms that historical record into a living, expanding body of documented lineages.