Can we find better sources for Cherokee Chief Donnahoo ?

Question

This profile makes reference to seemingly authentic sources, but the citations are lacking. Can you help strengthen this profile with better sources?

Comments

I came across these researching and I am not  wanting  to research them. I thought you might want to take a look. The date sets him about 1800, I have come across new information so I will continue to look into this for the time being.

Answer 1

He can't be documented because there is no evidence he ever existed.  

The Eastern Cherokee applications in that group were all rejected since there was no evidence any of the applicants had any Cherokee ancestor.  Miller said in his report that it appeared from the testimony that the family had an ancestor "of Indian extraction" from a Virginia tribe at some time before the Revolutionary War.  The testimony said that Betty Pledge Poindexter, who lived in Louisa County, Virginia, and died in 1816, was the daughter of a woman named Betty Donahoo, who was the daughter of an Indian Chief.

The Cherokee never lived in Virginia or had anything to do with the Powhatan.

There is no historical/contemporary document which names a "Chief Donahoo" - the local Native Americans on the James River  (Pamunkey, Rappahanock, Nansemond, etc.) and were wiped out by 1700 or reduced to tiny reservations.  Miller noted that the family had been recorded as white and lived as white back into the 1700's.  

Some members of this family had tried to get Cherokee citizenship in Indian Territory in the 1890's and were also rejected.

Comments

When I read the bio, the first thing that stuck out to me was the Junakusky. I believe someone was trying to appropriate a genuine Cherokee name (Junakuska) to bolster an argument.

Phil Donahoo, er... I mean Donahue would have loved a story like this one.

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Thank you! The narrative made it sound like there was documentation; I'll add your details. Thanks, Kathie!

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OKay, I've updated the profile. If there's anything you can do to improve or clarify-- or cite more specific sources-- that would be awesome. Thanks again!

Answer 2

Found the marriage record for Betty Pledge Poindexter, supposed daughter of "Chief Donahoo".  It clearly states that her father was a man named WIlliam Pledge -  she was underage and he wrote a letter granting permission.  I added the information to her profile, but did not detach her parents.  It appears there is more documentary evidence for this family should anyone care to search and post it.  If there was an Indian ancestor, he or she was much farther back.

Comments

Thank you!

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There is considerable evidence that the wife of William Pledge was named Ann Redford [Redford-374].  William and Ann Pledge witnessed a deed in Goochland County in 1755 (Deed Book 7, p. 52).and William was connected with the administration of the will of John Redford, Ann's father.  Donnahoo-1 appears to be a duplicate of  Pledge-16.

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"Chief Donahoo" has been detached from Elizabeth Pledge, who is not related to him.  A merge between Donnahoo-1 and  Pledge-16, her duplicate with correct family relationships,  has been initiated.

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It appears you are confusing Betty Pledge Poindexter and Elisabeth Donahoo as the same person. It is understood that Elisabeth Donahoo was supposed to be the daughter of Chief Donahoo and mother of Betty Pledge Poindexter, thus making Betty Pledge Poindexter the granddaughter of Chief Donahoo, not daughter. It is supposed that Elisabeth Donahoo was the first wife of William Pledge, while Ann Redford was the second wife.

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Crystal, this thread is a few years old. Could you please provide your sources for the relationships you describe? Thanks.

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I just re read what has been compiled about "Chief Donohoo."  There is no contemporaneous documentation of his existence. Have you found something, Crystal?

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"Chief Donahoo" did not exist until descendants and other relatives of Betty Pledge Poindexter filed applications for a share of the 1907 Eastern Cherokee (Guion Miller) payment.  There exists a persistent story that Elizabeth Pledge was part Cherokee and/or that  her mother was the daughter of Chief Donohoo and a white woman named Mary (others say Elizabeth) Wentworth. William Pledge, father of Elizabeth was married to a woman named Ann Redford, but the possibility that he had an earlier marriage to the first wife named Elizabeth cannot be ruled out. Other children ascribed to this earlier and illusive Elizabeth include Francis "Frank" Pledge, John Ayers and Junalusky. [John Ayers & Junalusky seem to have been made up.  There was a famous - and well-documented - Cherokee chief named Junaluska who has no connection to any of these people.] Eventually some 1500 individuals attempted to claim Cherokee bloodlines from these four "children" of Elizabeth, daughter of Donohoo & Mary Wentworth - Case #664 in the Guion Miller Cherokee Rolls. All claims were rejected as a group at the time, as no one could prove Chief Donohoo was actually Cherokee, ever lived with that tribe, or had existed.

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Nothing new at this time, but was referring to the above comment: "Found the marriage record Betty Pledge Poindexter, supposed daughter of "Chief Donahoo". It clearly states that her father was a man named William Pledge - she was underage and he wrote a letter granting permission." I'm pointing out that Betty Pledge Poindexter was not the one believed to be the daughter of Chief Donahoo, but rather her "mother" Elisabeth Donahoo, which the stories present as another wife of William Pledge. The above comment seemed to be merging two women, Betty Pledge Poindexter and Elisabeth Donhahoo. Thus, attributing some level of fact to the stories, that Betty was in fact the daughter of William Pledge.