Our Somers Family Heritage

3rd Great Grandmother Mary Ann Jones, 2nd Great Grandmother Nancy Jones Wright, Great Grandmother Maggie Lenoa Wright Weaver, Grandmother Lillian Mae Weaver Somers with oldest daughter Mamie Irene. Taken in the 1920's, Clay Co, Arkansas By Angela Wittman Some of my earliest memories are of my parents talking about our native ancestry, and I grew up with stories of being part Cherokee and how my Grandfather lied about his native ancestry to avoid discrimination. It was always taken for granted by my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. on the Somers side that we are part Native American. So, when a cousin (now deceased) and I began looking for a “paper trail” of the Cherokee ancestry approximately 25 years ago and we couldn’t find documentation, I continued the research. I believe there is evidence that will lead to our native ancestry and I hope to present some of that evidence here. Henry Francis Somers I’ll begin with physical appearance: My Great Grandfather, Hen...

As recorded in the Somers Family Bible: Father's Name: William Henry Somers (Born August 2nd, 1894 - Tuckerman, Jackson Co., Arkansas - Passed Away March 7, 1976, Poplar Bluff, Butler Co., Missouri) His Father: Henry Francis Somers (Recorded as Henry Summers in the 1860 Jackson Co. Tennessee Census) His Mother: Cotna (Cotney) Lisbeth (Elizabeth) Cole (also listed as Harris and Tidwell) Henry Francis Somers Family Line Father - Abraham Somers (Birth: Approximately 1820, Jackson County, Tennessee) Mother - Darcus Somers (Birth: Approximately 1824, Listed as both Alabama and North Carolina) Grandfather - John Somers (Birth: Approximately 1782, Caswell County, North Carolina - Death: Approximately 1856, Jackson County, Tennessee) Grandmother - Rebecca Wright (Birth: Before 1786) Great Grandfather - Captain John Somers (Revolutionary War) (Birth: September 7, 1750 - Death: April 1, 1803 Caswell County, NC) Great Grandmother - Catherine Arden (Birt...