[Hemingway's Ghost]

My dad and uncles claimed their Great-Grandmother was a “Cherokee Indian Princess”.

I'm sure it's a fairly common claim in the United States. First of all, it's romantic. Second of all, it's not easily verifiable.

[muawiyah]

And she probably was. Before they were Christianized many American Indian groups got a new husband or wife every year in the Spring. One of those princesses, if she stayed in good health, could well leave 20 descendants behind in 20 different (male lineage) family lines.