Moma_Porcupine:
I'm not going to attempt to reply to everything you posted, which includes a lot of quotations from myself and others. Trying to format such a mess into a reply would take days and days. I'll just post a reply which addresses some of what you can't seem to understand, no matter how many times I say the same thing, here.
In 1887, the Sand Hill Indians compiled a list of Indians then living in the State of New Jersey, with whom they were connected by blood, by marriage, or by proximity--and, in all cases, socially. This list was kept by the Sand Hill Indian council until 1953, when the Monmouth County band, disbanded. Afterwards, this, subsequent lists, and all other Sand Hill Indian records were kept by one of the last council members. When he died, all these things passed to Jim Revey, who kept them on file at the New Jersey Indian Office, from which office he administered the affairs of the Sand Hill Indians. The 1887 list was a list of individuals, but it has never been published. Only some of the surnames of the people on this list--along with surnames on other lists among the Sand Hill Indian records--have been published. The sources for all this are found in published works by Jim Revey, C.A. Weslager, David Oestreicher; and, in private correspondence and phone conversations between Jim Revey and myself (and, perhaps, others).
The New Jersey Indian Office was a single small office, in a building at 300 Main Street, Orange, NJ, which was maintained by Jim Revey. He had no staff. Its purpose was to document and provide assistance, generally, to all indigenous Indians of New Jersey, who could prove 1/4 American Indian BQ; and, to educate the public on the Indians of New Jersey. Evelyn Stryker Lewis wrote: "Jim was a man who took his native heritage very seriously, tirelessly working for NJ's native population through the NJ Indian Office which he manned singlehandedly and which he supported out of his own pocket. He was the state's contact in all matters of Indian reburials. He was dedicated to educating the public about Lenape history and culture and addressed thousands of school children, historical groups, and the general public over the years" (post to ASNJ List, 9 Mar 2009). In addition to this, he administered the affairs of those Sand Hill Indians who looked on him as their leader. Since the contents of his office were his private property, I assume it all went to his next-of-kin, sometime after his death. The fact that he asked Sam Beeler to take on the work and chairmanship of the NJIO, did not entitle Sam Beeler to Jim's property. Sam never occupied the office in Orange. Regular probate procedures would dictate settlement of his estate. So, whoever got those things, also got the 1887 list and all other Sand Hill Indian records. Only some of the surnames on that list, and other lists, have been published--the ones in Weslager's book, and those at Sam Beeler's website. Appeals for release of these records have fallen on deaf ears, so, the published lists and private communications with Jim are all I can tell you about these other families. (Of course, members of those families know who they are!) Since Claire Garland is such a close family member of Jim Revey, why not ask her who has these Sand Hill Indian records? I sent her an e-mail quite a while ago, but she never wrote back, so I didn't pursue the matter with her.
I'm not going to take too much time responding to your ridiculous attempt to slight people's heritage by using hyperbolic expressions like someone's "gr gr gr gr gr gr gr gr great grandfather" was an Indian, which deliberately exaggerate the degree to which they married outside their race. I'd wager these people have an average Indian blood quantum higher than 80% of the CNO. Some have a lot, some have a little, but this is no different than any lineage-based federally recognized tribe.
In the end, it's a matter of whose definition of Sand Hill Indian you accept. You obviously accept Claire Garland's definition, which is fine with me. I've layed out the case for the other definition, and I think those people have a good argument. BTW, Sam Beeler's Sand Hill Indians also had, and have, Reevey and Dickerson members, so where does that leave this dispute?
Finally, if you do believe in sovereignty, then you will allow a tribe to make up its own mind about who is or will be eligible for membership. The federally recognized Mashantucket Pequots allow people from their neighboring unrecognized Narragansetts to join their tribe. There is a much closer connection among the families included in Sam Beeler's Sand Hill Indians--which NEVER excluded Claire Garland's group, but invited them to join, when her folks had NO organized tribe. She declined--which is certainly her prerogative--but, this is where the matter now stands. I understand both arguments. In the end, though, that means I understand why Sam Beeler's tribe calls themselves Sand Hill Indians. If you don't understand that, by now, then I don't see how you ever will. As I've said before, I'm satisfied that I've made the points I wanted to when I began this thread.
