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Tahlequah, Oklahoma - On March 29 and 30, the Cherokee Heritage Center will offer a genealogy conference. Unlike last year’s conference, which focused entirely on researching Cherokee ancestry, this conference will have a more historical flavor. Still, its basic purpose remains genealogical.

We often think of the Civil War as being something played out on the battlefields of the Old South. It was an event, which also held major consequences for the inhabitants of Indian Territory.

Opening the conference will be Dave Fowler with the Fort Gibson Stockade. He will give an overview of the Civil War as it affected Indian Territory and the Five Civilized Tribes. Established in 1824, Fort Gibson was at that time the western most outpost of the United States Army. It was initially built to provide stability among the various Indian tribes. During the ante-bellum period Fort Gibson hosted a number of young officers who would later gain fame in the Civil War. These men included: J. E. B. Stuart, a young lieutenant named Robert E. Lee and a host of other men who distinguished themselves in the Civil War.

Also speaking on the Civil War and Indian Territory will be Witt Edwards from the Oklahoma Historical Society. Edwards is the author of a book on this subject and will discuss inaccuracies in historic records. He will reinforce the need to carefully examine your sources and never fully trust any record.

Mary Belle Chase, who spoke at last year’s conference, returns to speak on Stand Watie and the Indian Home Guard. Chase, a resident of Tulsa, is the author or compiler of several books relating to the Cherokee genealogical research.

Finding your ancestor will be the subject of a talk by Murray Stewart of the Tulsa Civil War Round Table. Although this conference will lean toward discussions of events in Indian Territory, we cannot fully ignore the broader picture. Stewart will also discuss records outside Indian Territory.

There are numerous chapters in the United States that accept people based on their descent from either a Union or Confederate ancestor. Stewart will discuss the types of documentation needed to join these organizations and offer suggestions on how to get your application approved with the least effort.

Because this conference will be discussing the use of Civil War records for genealogy, it will be of benefit to everyone. Civil War records offer some excellent means to locate information about your ancestor.

This conference will be held at Northeastern State University and will teach the participants how to get one more piece of their genealogical puzzle together. Cost for the two-day event is $40 to the general public. Members of the Cherokee National Historical Society may attend for $35. Registration for the conference begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and conference hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Tom Mooney at the Cherokee Heritage Center, phone: 918-456-6007 or visit the CHC website.