Unlocking Chetco Lineages: Connecting Amelia Welsuni Shute ta Na and Bessie Brown Lafayette Part One
Unlocking Chetco Lineages: Connecting Amelia Welsuni Shute ta Na and Bessie Brown Lafayette Part One A recent post in our Siletz Facebook group sparked an exciting research breakthrough. A descendant of Amelia Welsuni Shute ta Na reached out seeking information linking Amelia to the Ben family line. Reading that inquiry reminded me of recent breakthroughs I'd had with my own direct ancestors after being introduced to FamilySearch, so I decided to search for Amelia and her family to see what might turn up. Once again, FamilySearch delivered game-changing records and breakthrough information—this time through the testimony of Amelia's son, Samuel Van Pelt. By cross-referencing his sworn statement with primary Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) estate records, I was able to connect the dots between Amelia (b. 1835 – d. 1922) and her bloodline sister, Cheet-tra-you, anchoring them directly to Bessie Brown Lafayette’s Smith River family line. Because the primary historical story passed...
