The Commission to the Five Tribes
This article originally appeared in "Native American Research" by Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA, FIGS, and George J. Nixon in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy
Contents
- 1 Overview
- 2 General Records of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
- 2.1 Index to Letters Received from the Department of Interior, 1907'1914
- 2.2 Register of Letters Received from the Department of Interior ('Special Index'), 1903'1914
- 2.3 Letters Received from the Department of Interior ('Departmental Letters'), 1901'1914
- 2.4 Instructions Received from the Department of Interior, 1900
- 2.5 Index to Letters Received, 1897'1913
- 2.6 Registers of Letters Received, 1908'1914
- 2.7 Registers of Letters Received from the Union Agency, 1906'1909
- 2.8 Letters Received ('General Office Letters'), 1900'1914
- 2.9 Letters Received by Commissioner Bixby, 1897'1906
- 2.10 Letters Sent to the Secretary of Interior, 1906'1914
- 2.11 Letters Sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1907'1911
- 2.12 Letters Sent ('Miscellaneous Letters'), 1895'1914
- 2.13 Letters Sent by Commissioner Bixby, 1902'1907
- 2.14 Annual Narrative Reports, 1894'1914
- 2.15 Index to Reference Documents
- 2.16 Reference Documents ('Miscellaneous Documents'), 1896'1904
- 3 Records Relating to All Tribes
- 3.1 Index to Enrollment Cards, 1899'1907
- 3.2 Index and Final Rolls, 1914
- 3.3 Enrollment Cards ('Census Cards'), 1899'1907
- 3.4 Duplicate Enrollment Cards, 1918'1919
- 3.5 Letters Sent Transmitting Enrollment Schedules, 1901'1907
- 3.6 Enrollment Schedules, 1900'1907
- 3.7 Report on Enrollment, 1909
- 3.8 List of Claimants, 1907
- 3.9 Index to Citizenship Docket
- 4 Records of the Dawes Commission Relating to Cherokee Citizenship
- 4.1 List of Rejected Claimants, 1878'1880
- 4.2 List of Persons Admitted to Citizenship
- 4.3 Cherokee Citizenship Commission Dockets, 1880'1984 and 1887'1889
- 4.4 Record of Births, 1897
- 4.5 Dawes Commission Dockets, 1902
- 4.6 Docket of Cases Appealed, 1896'1899
- 4.7 Lists of Applicants, 1902
- 4.8 Decisions of the U.S. Court, 1897'1899
- 4.9 Records Relating to Appeals, 1897'1898
- 4.10 Lists of Applicants as Freedmen, 1897
- 4.11 Applications for Enrollment as Freedmen, 1897
- 4.12 Index to Applications for Enrollment through Intermarriage
- 4.13 Applications for Enrollment through Intermarriage
- 4.14 Dockets to Rejected and Doubtful Applications, 1904'1905
- 4.15 Applications for Enrollment, 1898'1907
- 4.16 Transcripts of Testimony of Applicants, 1910
- 4.17 Record of Decisions, 1901'1902
- 4.18 Index to the Cherokee Final Rolls
- 5 Records Relating to Choctaw and Chickasaw Citizenship
- 5.1 Acts of the Choctaw National Council, 1893'1895
- 5.2 Lists of Applicants for Choctaw Citizenship, 1902
- 5.3 Lists of Persons Involved in Appeals to U.S. Courts, 1900
- 5.4 Indexes to Applicants, 1900'1906
- 5.5 Lists of Chickasaw Applicants, 1899'1902
- 5.6 Lists of Choctaw Applicants, 1899'1902
- 5.7 Lists of Pending Applications, 1902'1905
- 5.8 Dockets of Special Enrollment Cases, 1905'1907
- 5.9 Record of Decisions, 1902'1904, 1906'1907
- 5.10 Lists of Claimants, 1902
- 5.11 Index to Dockets, 1903
- 5.12 General Dockets, 1903'1904
- 5.13 Appearance Dockets, 1902'1904
- 5.14 Case Files, 1902'1904
- 6 Records Relating to the Identification of Mississippi Choctaws
- 6.1 Lists of Claimants under the Treaty of 1830
- 6.2 Index and Record of Testimony, 1899
- 6.3 Indexes to Field Cards
- 6.4 Indexes to Applicants, 1902'1906
- 6.5 Decisions of the Commission, 1902'1904
- 6.6 Roll of Identified Mississippi Choctaws, 1905
- 6.7 Lists of Identified Full-Blood Mississippi Choctaws
- 6.8 Lists of Persons Removed, 1904
- 7 Records Relating to Creek Citizenship
- 7.1 List of Applicants, 1895'1896
- 7.2 Citizenship Commission Docket, 1895
- 7.3 Record Books, 1885'1888, 1895'1896
- 7.4 Lists of Admitted Applicants, 1902
- 7.5 Indexes to Unenrolled Creeks, 1900
- 7.6 List of Unenrolled Creeks
- 7.7 Miscellaneous Indexes, 1902'1906
- 7.8 Lists of Applicants, 1900'1907
- 7.9 Index to Freedmen Enrollment Cards, 1898
- 7.10 Enrollment Cards ('Old Series Cards'), 1898
- 7.11 Record of Enrollment
- 8 Records Relating to Seminole Citizenship
- 9 References
- 10 External Links
Overview
The Five Civilized Tribes'the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole'were so called by the U.S. government because they were more advanced (literate) than many others and had adopted systems of government patterned after those of the United States.
An act approved by Congress on 3 March 1893 (27 Stat. L., 645) provided for the appointment of three commissioners to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes for the extinguishment of the tribal title and the allotment of lands in severalty. This commission was generally known as the Dawes Commission for ex-Senator Dawes of Massachusetts, who was appointed chairman. The commission reported directly to the secretary of the interior. In 1895, the number of members was increased to five. At that time, the work of the commission was limited to two fields: a change in the method of land ownership and the abolition of the tribal governments. The commission experienced little success in these endeavors, and on 10 June 1896 (29 Stat. L., 339), the scope of the commission's work was enlarged by an authorization and direction to 'hear and determine the application of all persons who may apply to them for citizenship in any of said nations,' and the commission was required to file the list of tribal members with the commissioner of Indian Affairs 'for use as the final judgment of the duly constituted authorities.'
On 28 June 1898 (30 Stat. L., 495), a law generally known as the Curtis Act was approved. The Curtis Act is the basis of all later legislation relating to the affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes. The main features of this act were: (1) the allotment of land in severalty; (2) leasing of tribal lands by the secretary of the interior; (3) the incorporation of cities and towns, the survey of town sites, and the sale of town lots to the lessees at half their appraised value; (4) the prohibition of any payment to tribal governments and provision for making per-capita payments directly to individuals; (5) provision for the payments of all rents and royalties into the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the tribe; and (6) the enlargement of the power of the U.S. courts and the abolition of tribal courts.
Agreements had been made with the Choctaws and Chickasaws on 23 April 1897, with the Creeks on 27 September 1897, and with the Seminoles on 16 December 1897. The Choctaw-Chickasaw and the Creek agreements were embodied in the Curtis Act of 1898. The agreement was confirmed on 24 August 1898, but the Creeks rejected it. The agreement with the Seminoles was ratified by Congress in the act of 1 July 1898 (30 Stat. L., 567).
A new agreement with the Creeks was made on 8 March 1900 and ratified by the act of 1 March 1901. The Cherokees were the last to accept the new conditions, but an act was ratified by the Cherokees on 7 August 1902 and proclaimed by the president on 12 August 1902.
The agreements provided for each member of the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations to receive 'land equal in value to 320 acres of the average allottable land,' out of which 160 acres were to be designated as a homestead, which was to be inalienable during the life of the allottee but not beyond twenty-one years from the date of the certificate of allotment. Lands not included in the homestead were to be alienable for one-fourth the acreage in one year, one-fourth in three years, and the balance in five years from the date of patent. Each freedman was to be allotted 'land equal in value to forty acres of the average allottable land.'<ref>Laurence F. Schmeckebier, The Office of Indian Affairs, Its History, Activities, and Organization (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1927), 131-35.</ref>
The Seminole agreement provided for the division of the land into three classes to be appraised at $5, $2.50, and $1.25 per acre, and for allotments so that each member should have an equal average of 120 acres. Each allottee was required to designate a tract of forty acres, which was 'made inalienable and nontaxable as a homestead in perpetuity.'<ref>Laurence F. Schmeckebier, The Office of Indian Affairs, Its History, Activities, and Organization (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1927), 131-35.</ref>
In the Cherokee Nation, the allotments were to be 110 acres of the average allottable land on the basis of the appraisal to be made by the Dawes Commission. Provision was made for a homestead of forty acres, which was to be inalienable and nontaxable during the lifetime of the allottee but not longer than twenty-one years. In the Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee nations, the freedmen (former black slaves of Indian slaveholders) received the same allotments as the Indians by blood.
The closing of the tribal affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes involved, among other tasks, the preparation of a correct tribal roll and division of the land among the members according to the varying provisions of the separate agreements. Applications for enrollment were received from approximately 250,000 people in all parts of the United States, but the final rolls contained the names of approximately 101,000, of whom approximately one-fourth were full blooded.
The enrollment records consist of the application made for enrollment together with all of the records, evidence, and papers filed in connection with the decision of the commissioner.<ref>Felix S. Cohen, Handbook of Federal Indian Law (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press), 433-44.</ref>
During the early stages of enrollment, appointments were made by the commission at various places in the different nations at which the Indians and freedmen appeared to apply for enrollment. At that time, the applicants were sworn before a notary public, but their testimony was taken orally and placed upon a card, with the exception of Cherokees. Written testimony was taken in all Cherokee cases. In a great majority of the early enrollments, except Cherokee cases, the only records shown are the statements personally taken from the applicants and placed on the cards, which constitute the enrollment record, together with any other evidence that may have been obtained. In a great many instances, where there was doubt as to the rights of the applicant to enrollment and the applicant could not be identified from the tribal rolls, the written testimony of the applicant was taken and made a part of the record. Additional testimony was also taken at later dates.
After the enrollment of all citizens, by blood or intermarriage, and freedmen, who were clearly identified upon the tribal rolls, was completed, written testimony was taken in all doubtful cases. Written testimony was also taken for all applications made for the identification of Mississippi Choctaws and in practically all other cases as the work neared completion.
The tribal rolls of the various nations came into the possession of the commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes. They were used for identification and as a basis for enrollment.
When the enrollments were completed, the names of all persons whom the commission had decided were entitled to enrollment were placed on the rolls. These rolls show the name, age, sex, degree of blood, and the number of the census card, generally known as the 'enrollment card,' on which each citizen was enrolled. A number was placed opposite each name appearing on this roll, beginning at 1 and running consecutively until the final number was completed. This roll was made out in quintuplicate and forwarded to the secretary of the Interior for approval. The secretary returned three copies for the files of the commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes. The roll thus approved was known as the 'approval roll' and was used as the basis for allotments, except in the cases of a large number of Creeks, to whom allotments were made before the approval of their enrollment. These allotments were subsequently confirmed by Congress.
The enrollment records consist of: (1) the census card'the card on which the applicant was listed for enrollment (in the early enrollment, some persons were listed on what is known as a doubtful card, and later on the names appearing on the doubtful cards were transferred to regular census cards); (2) all testimony taken in the matter of the application at various times prior to rendition of the decision granting the application; (3) birth affidavits, affidavits of death, and other evidence and papers filed in connection with the application made for enrollment; and (4) the enrollment as shown on the approved roll.
Many of the records of the Dawes Commission are still in the custody of the Muskogee Area Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Others have been deposited with the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City. The majority of these records have been reproduced on microfilm and are available at the Oklahoma Historical Society; the National Archives records center in Fort Worth, Texas; the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma; and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.<ref>Kent Carter, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Muskogee Area Office and The Five Civilized Tribes (1982).</ref>
General Records of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Most of the correspondence received prior to 1901 and copies of letters sent prior to 1906 are in the custody of the Oklahoma Historical Society. This correspondence can also be found in the records of the Indian Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior (Record Group 48) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Record Group 75).
Index to Letters Received from the Department of Interior, 1907'1914
This index is divided into chronological segments: 1907 to 1908, 1909 to 1910, 1911 to 1912, and 1913 to 1914. Entries are arranged alphabetically by subject and, thereunder, chronologically by the date the letter was written. Information given for each letter includes the date it was written, the file number assigned, and a short summary of the subject.
Register of Letters Received from the Department of Interior ('Special Index'), 1903'1914
Arranged chronologically by date of receipt. Information given for each letter includes the date written, the date received, the name of the sender, the file number assigned, and a short summary of the subject.
Letters Received from the Department of Interior ('Departmental Letters'), 1901'1914
Arranged numerically by file number assigned chronologically by date of receipt within each fiscal year. The letters relate to all phases of the commission's activities, including administration, enrollment, allotment, the leasing and sale of allotted and unallotted land, and the establishment of town sites.
Instructions Received from the Department of Interior, 1900
Carbon copies of letters received from the Department of Interior relating to enrollment and enrollment procedures, the leasing of allotted land, and the removal of non-Indians from allotted land; arranged chronologically by date of receipt and indexed by subject. Many letters transmit opinions of the assistant attorney general on legal issues relating to enrollment and allotment.
Index to Letters Received, 1897'1913
The index is divided into yearly segments. Within each segment, entries are arranged alphabetically by the first two letters of the sender's surname. Information given includes the name of the sender, the date the letter was written, the file number assigned, and a brief summary of the subject.
Registers of Letters Received, 1908'1914
Arranged chronologically by date of receipt. The information given for each letter includes the name and address of the sender, the date the letter was written, the date received, the file number assigned, a brief summary of the subject, and, occasionally, remarks about actions taken.
Registers of Letters Received from the Union Agency, 1906'1909
Arranged chronologically by date of receipt. The information given for each letter includes the date it was written, the date received, the file number assigned, and a brief summary of the subject.
Letters Received ('General Office Letters'), 1900'1914
Original letters and telegrams received from the U.S. Indian inspector for Indian Territory, the Union Agency, other Indian agencies, field offices of the Dawes Commission, including the land offices maintained for each tribe, officials of tribal governments, and the general public. The letters relate to all phases of the commission's activities. Arranged numerically by file number assigned chronologically by date of receipt within each fiscal year.
Letters Received by Commissioner Bixby, 1897'1906
Arranged alphabetically by name of sender until 1901 and thereafter numerically by file number assigned chronologically by date of receipt. The letters relate to the status of applications for enrollment or allotment, the sale and leasing of land, and applications for employment. Many of the books are marked 'personal and confidential.'
Letters Sent to the Secretary of Interior, 1906'1914
Press copies of letters sent to the secretary of the Interior through the commissioner of Indian affairs. Arranged chronologically by date sent and indexed by subject.
Letters Sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1907'1911
Arranged in rough chronological order and indexed by subject.
Letters Sent ('Miscellaneous Letters'), 1895'1914
Press copies of letters sent to the U.S. Indian inspector for Indian Territory, the Union Agency, other Indian agencies, field offices of the Dawes Commission, officials of tribal governments, and the general public. Arranged chronologically by date sent.
Letters Sent by Commissioner Bixby, 1902'1907
Press copies of letters sent by Commissioner Bixby from Washington, D.C., to Commissioner in Charge T.B. Needles in Muskogee and letters sent by Bixby from Muskogee to the secretary of the interior, the commissioner of Indian affairs, and members of Congress. Arranged chronologically by date sent.
Annual Narrative Reports, 1894'1914
Printed copies of the annual reports of the commission's activities submitted to the secretary of the interior. The reports provide detailed information about the activities of the commission. Arranged chronologically by date of report; (no reports for 1897, 1899'1903).
Index to Reference Documents
The index provides the category and file number of each document. The categories used are: A'Cherokee and Delaware; B'Choctaw and Chickasaw; C'Creek; D'Enrollment; E'Leases; F'Reports; and G'Miscellaneous. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Reference Documents ('Miscellaneous Documents'), 1896'1904
Correspondence, printed congressional documents, copies of agreements with tribal governments, rules and instructions issued by the secretary of the interior or the commission, receipts for rolls and other papers supplied by tribal governments, copies of documents filed in cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal courts, and lists of persons admitted to tribal citizenship by U.S. courts. There are also transcripts of hearings in citizenship cases. Arranged in three groups. Within each group, documents are arranged numerically by a file number assigned by the commission.
Records Relating to All Tribes
Index to Enrollment Cards, 1899'1907
Arranged by tribe and then by enrollment category. Entries within each volume are arranged alphabetically by the first two letters of the applicant's surname. Generally, the index provides only the number of the card on which the applicant's name appears, but some volumes also provide the individual's enrollment number. Many of the volumes include the names of persons listed on 'doubtful' and 'rejected' cards.
Index and Final Rolls, 1914
The index and final rolls are contained in separate volumes. Entries in the index are arranged by tribe, then by enrollment category, and then in roughly alphabetical order by the first two letters of the surname. Entries in the final rolls are arranged by tribe, then by enrollment category, and then numerically by the enrollment number assigned by the Dawes Commission.
Enrollment Cards ('Census Cards'), 1899'1907
These are original fourteen- by seven-inch printed cards annotated with information about persons applying for enrollment. Cards were prepared for each family group and used by enrollment parties traveling throughout Indian Territory to record information about the applicants and actions taken by the commission. The information given for each applicant generally includes name, enrollment number, age, sex, degree of Indian blood, relationship to the head of the family group, references to enrollment on earlier tribal rolls used by the commission to verify eligibility, and parents' names. The cards often include notations about an applicant's birth or death, changes in marital status, references to related enrollment cards, and actions taken by the commission or the secretary of the interior. The cards relating to applicants as freedmen also contain the name of the person who owned the applicant as a slave and the owner of the applicant's parents. These cards have been microfilmed. Arranged by tribe and thereunder by enrollment category. Within each category there are generally three groups: 'straight' (persons who were enrolled), 'doubtful,' and 'rejected.' Within each group, the cards are arranged numerically by a number assigned by the commission.
Duplicate Enrollment Cards, 1918'1919
Duplicate paper copies of the cards were prepared to reduce the use of the original cards and contain all of the information recorded on the original. There are no copies of Creek-, Seminole-, or Cherokee-by-blood cards. Arranged by tribe, then by enrollment category, and then by type of card (straight, doubtful, or rejected). Within each type, the cards are arranged numerically by a number assigned by the Dawes Commission.
Letters Sent Transmitting Enrollment Schedules, 1901'1907
Press copies of letters sent to the secretary of the interior through the commissioner of Indian affairs transmitting schedules of the names of persons recommended for enrollment and press copies of the schedules. The information given in the schedules includes the person's name, enrollment number, tribal district of residence, and the tribal roll used to verify eligibility. There are occasional remarks about relationships to other persons listed in the schedule. Arranged by tribe and then by enrollment category. Within each volume, the letters are arranged chronologically by date sent.
Enrollment Schedules, 1900'1907
Carbon copies of typed schedules of the names of persons recommended for enrollment. The schedules were submitted to the secretary of the interior in triplicate for approval, and one copy was returned to the commission for reference. The information given for each person includes name, age, sex, degree of Indian blood, and enrollment number. The schedules for the Seminoles also include the band name and a reference to an 1897 Seminole census roll. Arranged by tribal enrollment category. Names within the schedule are arranged numerically by enrollment number.
Report on Enrollment, 1909
A press copy of a report prepared by Joseph W. Howell on the enrollment of the Five Civilized Tribes, which was submitted to the secretary of the interior. The report provides a detailed description of the enrollment procedures, controversial decisions, and difficulties of obtaining records from the tribal governments. There are several appendixes that provide lists of tribal rolls used by the commission.
List of Claimants, 1907
A typed 'Departmental List of Persons Who Claim to be Entitled to Enrollment as Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes Prepared with a View to Remedial Legislation.' The list contains the names of 741 persons and includes the tribal affiliation claimed by each and a summary of the facts in each case. Names within the list are arranged alphabetically by surname.
Index to Citizenship Docket
Index to an unidentified citizenship docket that provides only a case number for each claimant under the heading 'Nation Number.' Arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the claimant's surname.
Records of the Dawes Commission Relating to Cherokee Citizenship
List of Rejected Claimants, 1878'1880
A handwritten copy of a list of persons whose claim to citizenship was rejected by the Cherokee Commission on Citizenship. The only information given for each claimant is the case number and the reason for rejection (by decree, by default, or withdrawn). Arranged chronologically by court term, then by the reason for rejection, and then by case number.
List of Persons Admitted to Citizenship
A printed 'List of persons admitted and re-admitted to Cherokee citizenship by the National Council and Commissions on Citizenship in the year 1880, and since that year.' The list covers the period from 1880 to 1899 and appears to have been printed for use by the commission. The only information given is the person's name and the date admitted. Arranged (roughly) in alphabetical order by surname.
Cherokee Citizenship Commission Dockets, 1880'1984 and 1887'1889
A record of actions taken by the tribal commission on applications for citizenship. Each docket entry generally includes the applicant's name, age, sex, names of attorneys, the text of the application, a summary of the proceedings held, and the text of the commission's decision. Arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened and indexed by name of applicant.
Record of Births, 1897
A record of children born from 1895 to 1897. The list appears to have been completed in 1897 and contains the child's name, date of birth, and parents' names. Most of the children listed were born in 1897. Arranged by districts of the Cherokee Nation.
Dawes Commission Dockets, 1902
A record of actions taken by the Dawes Commission on applications for citizenship. The information given for each application includes the date filed, the names of the persons covered by the application, the date the attorneys for the Cherokee filed an answer, the commission's decision, the date of appeal to the U.S. court, and the court's decision. Arranged numerically by case number and assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened.
Docket of Cases Appealed, 1896'1899
A record of actions taken by the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Indian Territory on appeals from decisions of the Dawes Commission on applications under the act of 1896. The information given for each case includes the names of the parties and their attorneys, a summary of proceedings and motions filed, and the decision of the court. Arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened. Indexed by name of applicant.
Lists of Applicants, 1902
Typed lists of persons admitted or rejected for citizenship by the U.S. courts for the northern and southern districts of Indian Territory. There are lists for the following actions: applicants admitted by the Dawes Commission and affirmed by the courts, applicants admitted by the court for the Southern District who had been rejected by the commission, applicants denied by the court for the Northern District who had been admitted by the commission, and applicants admitted by the court for the Northern District who had been denied by the commission. The information given for each applicant generally includes the Dawes Commission case number, U.S. court docket number, and Dawes Commission enrollment card number. There are separate lists for admitted and rejected applicants. Within each list, names are arranged alphabetically by surname.
Decisions of the U.S. Court, 1897'1899
Press copies of decisions of Judge William M. Springer of the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Indian Territory on appeals of decisions of the Dawes Commission on applications for enrollment under the act of 1896. The decision of the judge often includes a report on the case prepared by a 'special master' appointed by the court. Arranged in roughly chronological order by the date of the decision. Each volume is indexed by the name of the applicant involved in the decision.
Records Relating to Appeals, 1897'1898
Bonds for appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court from decisions of the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Indian Territory, petitions for appeals, and assignments of errors. These records appear to be copies that were filed with the court and subsequently given to the Dawes Commission for reference. Arranged by case number assigned by the date the case was opened.
Lists of Applicants as Freedmen, 1897
Lists of applicants for participation in an award by the U.S. Court of Claims to Cherokee freedmen who had not been included in the roll prepared for payment of the award. The lists include each applicant's name, roll number from the 1880 Cherokee census, roll number from the Wallace roll of Cherokee freedmen, an exhibit number that corresponds to the exhibit number in the Applications for Enrollment as Freedmen, district of residence within the Cherokee Nation, and, occasionally, remarks about other enrollments. These lists were submitted as evidence to the Dawes Commission by the Cherokee National Council in enrollment proceedings. Names within each list are arranged in roughly alphabetical order by applicants' surnames.
Applications for Enrollment as Freedmen, 1897
Notarized applications prepared on printed forms submitted by persons claiming a share of a payment made to Cherokee freedmen in accordance with an award of the U.S. Court of Claims in the case of Moses Whitmire, Trustee, v. the Cherokee Nation. The applications and supporting material were submitted by James M. Keys to the commissioner of Indian Affairs between 10 May and 30 June 1897 and may have been a part of the general correspondence of the bureau. It appears that the records were returned to the Dawes Commission for use in enrollment proceedings. The application provides the applicant's name, age, and district of residence in the Cherokee Nation, and the names and ages of other family members. Some letters from claimants and officials of the Cherokee tribal government are included with the application forms. Arranged numerically by exhibit number assigned in roughly chronological order by date of application.
Index to Applications for Enrollment through Intermarriage
A handwritten index to the applications for enrollment through intermarriage. The only information given is the application number. Arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the applicant's surname.
Applications for Enrollment through Intermarriage
Original applications submitted to the Dawes Commission for enrollment, which required any person married to a Cherokee citizen to apply for themselves and their children. The applications or petitions are notarized and provide the name, age, sex, and address of each child, and information in support of the claim to citizenship, such as date of marriage and enrollment on other tribal rolls. In addition to the applications, there are occasionally copies of marriage licenses, statements of witnesses to the marriage, notice of service of a copy of the application on the chief of the Cherokee tribe, and the answer of the tribal government generally rejecting the claim. The Dawes Commission held hearings on the applications at Fort Gibson, but no records of the hearings have been located. Arranged numerically by application number assigned in roughly alphabetical order by the first letter of the applicant's surname.
Dockets to Rejected and Doubtful Applications, 1904'1905
There is one docket for Cherokees by blood and one for freedmen. Within each docket are separate sections for doubtful and rejected applications. Within each section, entries are arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened. Each docket contains an index to names of applicants. This source also contains a record of actions taken on applications classified by the commission as doubtful or rejected. The information for each application includes the names of the applicants and their attorneys, the decision of the commission, the date prepared, the date forwarded to the commissioner of Indian affairs, and the date approved by the secretary of the interior. Many of the doubtful and some of the rejected applications were eventually enrolled, and there are references to enrollment card numbers. The case numbers in these dockets match the application numbers in the applications for enrollment and enrollment card numbers in the enrollment cards (census cards).
Applications for Enrollment, 1898'1907
Original applications for enrollment and supporting evidence submitted to the Dawes Commission. The records include carbon copies of the testimony taken at hearings held by the commission, notices and letters sent to the applicants and the attorneys for both the applicants and the Cherokee tribe, correspondence with the secretary of the interior about the applications, and copies of the commission's decisions. There are applications only for the following categories: doubtful citizens by blood, rejected citizens by blood, doubtful freedmen, rejected freedmen, and newborn freedmen. There are also some memorandum cases, which contain applications rejected under an act of Congress that restricted the commission's jurisdiction. Applications for the bulk of the Cherokee categories are still in the custody of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and have been microfilmed. Arranged by enrollment category and then numerically by application number assigned chronologically by date of application. There are numerous gaps in the applications, and some applications are missing.
Transcripts of Testimony of Applicants, 1910
Carbon copies of transcripts of testimony taken at hearings held by the commission. The majority of the applications relate to children of persons previously enrolled by the commission and persons listed on a roll of 'Eastern Cherokees' who were not enrolled. Arranged numerically by application number assigned chronologically by date of application.
Record of Decisions, 1901'1902
A record of actions taken by the commission on applications for enrollment. The information given for each action includes the names of the applicants, names of attorneys for the applicants and the Cherokee tribe, the nature of the decision, and a reference to the enrollment cards. Arranged chronologically by date of decision and indexed by applicant.
Index to the Cherokee Final Rolls
Two indexes to names appearing on the 'Final Roll of the Cherokees.' One index is contained in a single volume, and the second index is divided into two volumes (A through K and L through Z). The only information given in the index is the enrollee's Dawes enrollment number. Arranged alphabetically by the first two letters of the enrollee's surname.
Records Relating to Choctaw and Chickasaw Citizenship
Acts of the Choctaw National Council, 1893'1895
Handwritten copies of 'Acts of the General Council Admitting Parties to Citizenship.' The text of the acts includes the names of persons and the authority for admission. Arranged chronologically by date of passage.
Lists of Applicants for Choctaw Citizenship, 1902
A typed list of persons who applied for Choctaw citizenship. The information given for each applicant includes the Dawes Commission case number and a reference to the enrollment cards. The list is annotated with an A for persons who were admitted and a D for persons who were denied. Arranged alphabetically by applicants' surnames.
Lists of Persons Involved in Appeals to U.S. Courts, 1900
Lists of applicants for citizenship whose cases were appealed to the U.S. Court for the Central District of Indian Territory at South McAlester or the Southern District at Ardmore. There are lists for persons admitted by the court, persons admitted by the court who were previously denied by the Dawes Commission, and persons denied by the court who had been previously admitted by the commission. The information given for each person generally includes the Dawes Commission case number, the U.S. court docket number, and references to the Choctaw-Chickasaw Citizenship Court case number. There are also two lists of cases heard by the U.S. Court for the Central District. One is arranged numerically by case number and the other is listed alphabetically by the name of the first person listed in the appeal. Arranged by type of action taken by the court. The names within each list are arranged in rough alphabetical order by surname.
Indexes to Applicants, 1900'1906
Indexes to applications for enrollment under various acts of Congress, including Choctaws applying under the act of 31 May 1900; Choctaw and Chickasaw freedmen testifying at Atoka and Colbert between 4 and 16 June 1900; Choctaw and Chickasaw applicants under the act of 1 July 1902; Choctaw children applying after 25 September 1902; Choctaws also enrolled as Cherokees; Choctaw and Chickasaw applicants listed on rejected and doubtful enrollment cards; and Choctaws and Chickasaws found on earlier rolls who had not applied for enrollment. Each index generally provides only a reference to the enrollment cards. Arranged by type of application. Entries within each index are arranged alphabetically by surname.
Lists of Chickasaw Applicants, 1899'1902
Lists of applicants for enrollment by the Dawes Commission as Chickasaws, persons listed on tribal rolls who had not applied for enrollment, persons admitted by U.S. courts, and persons denied by the Dawes Commission. There are a few copies of marriage certificates and other documents submitted as evidence in enrollment proceedings. Some of the lists are annotated with enrollment numbers. Arranged in rough chronological order by the date compiled.
Lists of Choctaw Applicants, 1899'1902
Lists of applicants or potential applicants for enrollment by the Dawes Commission as Choctaws. There are lists of 'Choctaws on the 1896 roll'unenrolled by the Dawes Commission,' 'Choctaws not having appeared before the Dawes Commission by 28 October 1899,' 'applicants admitted by the Dawes Commission,' and 'parties on Choctaw cards who may be on Cherokee Cards.' The information given in the lists generally includes the person's name, Dawes Commission enrollment number, and a reference to one of the earlier Choctaw rolls used to determine eligibility for enrollment. Arranged in rough chronological order by the date compiled.
Lists of Pending Applications, 1902'1905
Lists of names of applicants whose applications were pending at the time the lists were compiled. The information given for each applicant includes name, age, sex, and enrollment card number. There are separate lists for Choctaws by blood, Chickasaws by blood, Choctaw freedmen, and Chickasaw freedmen. Within each list, the names are arranged numerically by enrollment card number.
Dockets of Special Enrollment Cases, 1905'1907
There is a separate docket for each type of case. Entries within each docket are arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened. The information given for each case includes the names of all applicants, names of attorneys, a chronological summary of papers filed and proceedings held, the decision of the commission, actions taken by the secretary of the interior, and references to related cases.
Record of Decisions, 1902'1904, 1906'1907
A record of decisions on enrollment applications made by the commission and forwarded to the secretary of the interior for approval. The information given for each decision includes the names of the applicants, enrollment card number, date of decision, action taken by the secretary of the interior, and date of notification to the applicant. There are separate volumes for Choctaws and Chickasaws. Within each volume, entries are in rough chronological order by date of decision.
=Records of the Choctaw-Chickasaw Citizenship Court
Section 31 of an act of Congress of 1 July 1902 (32 Stat. 641) established a Choctaw-Chickasaw Citizenship Court and authorized either tribe to file a bill of equity in the Citizenship Court to seek the annulment of the decisions made by the U.S. courts in Indian Territory under the act of 10 June 1896. Persons involved in those judgments were required to institute proceedings in the Choctaw-Chickasaw Citizenship Court to regain enrollment. Cases originating in the U.S. Court for the Central District of Indian Territory were heard by the Citizenship Court at South McAlester, and cases from the Southern District were heard at Tishomingo.
The Citizenship Court heard 256 cases involving more that 3,400 people and admitted 161 to citizenship. The case files of the court are still in the custody of the Muskogee Area Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Lists of Claimants, 1902
The information given for each person claiming citizenship includes name, sex, age, degree of Indian blood, Dawes enrollment card number, and some remarks relating to decisions of the Citizenship Court. Some of the lists described under 'Lists of Persons Involved in Appeals to U.S. Courts, 1900' have been annotated with case numbers from the Citizenship Court. There are separate lists for Choctaws and Chickasaws. Within each list, the names are arranged alphabetically by surname.
Index to Dockets, 1903
There is one index to the South McAlester docket, one index to the Tishomingo docket, and one consolidated index to both dockets. The information given for each person involved in a case before the Citizenship Court is the case number and the Dawes enrollment card number.
General Dockets, 1903'1904
There is one docket for cases heard at South McAlester and one docket for cases heard at Tishomingo. Entries within each docket are arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened; indexed by surname of principal party. Information given for each case includes the names of all parties involved, names of attorneys, nature of the case, and a chronological summary of papers filed and proceedings held.
Appearance Dockets, 1902'1904
There is a separate docket for cases heard at South McAlester and Tishomingo. Entries within each docket are arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened; indexed by the surname of the principal party. Information given for each case includes the names of all parties involved, the names of attorneys, and a summary of the orders, writs, and other documents filed with the court. The summaries in these dockets are more detailed than the summaries contained in the dockets described previously under 'General Dockets, 1903'1904.'
Case Files, 1902'1904
Original papers filed in proceedings held by the Citizenship Court including briefs, memorandums of argument submitted by attorneys for the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations, and opinions of the court. The majority of the cases were heard at South McAlester. Arranged by docket number assigned in chronological order by the date the case was opened.
Records Relating to the Identification of Mississippi Choctaws
The Dawes Commission was required by an act of Congress to investigate the right of the Mississippi Choctaws to enrollment and allotment. The commission received 24,634 applications from all over the United States before the deadline of 25 March 1903.
Lists of Claimants under the Treaty of 1830
Manuscript copies of lists of persons who remained in Mississippi under article 14 of the treaty of 1830 and claimed land. Each list generally includes the claimant's name, date of application, and the legal description of the land claimed. Some lists have been annotated with Dawes enrollment numbers and enrollment card numbers. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
Index and Record of Testimony, 1899
Copies of an index to Mississippi Choctaw applicants who appeared before the commission in 1899 in Carthage, Philadelphia, and Decatur, Mississippi, and typed transcripts of the testimony given by the applicants. Arranged alphabetically by surname of the applicant.
Indexes to Field Cards
Index to enrollment cards. The only information provided is the field number of the applicant's enrollment card. Arranged alphabetically by surname of applicant.
Indexes to Applicants, 1902'1906
Indexes to applicants for enrollment under various acts of Congress. The indexes include the following categories: identified and rejected; rejected and reviewed by the secretary of the interior; decisions during the year ending 30 June 1903; applications for children whose parents were rejected; and newborn and minor children. The indexes generally provide only a reference to the applicant's enrollment card number and occasionally an enrollment number. Arranged alphabetically by surname of applicant.
Decisions of the Commission, 1902'1904
Decisions of the commission on applications for identification as Mississippi Choctaws. The decision generally reviews the facts of the application. Arranged chronologically by date of decision. The first volume contains an index to all applicants covered by the decisions.
Roll of Identified Mississippi Choctaws, 1905
List of persons who were identified as Mississippi Choctaws. The information provided for each person includes enrollment number and enrollment card number. The names on the roll are arranged by enrollment card number; indexed by surname.
Lists of Identified Full-Blood Mississippi Choctaws
Information given for each person includes enrollment card number, age, sex, post office address, county or parish of residence, and date of removal to the Choctaw Nation. The lists have been annotated to indicate persons who were removed at government expense, refused to remove, could not be located, or died prior to removal to the Choctaw Nation. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
Lists of Persons Removed, 1904
List of persons identified as Mississippi Choctaws who were removed from Mississippi and Louisiana at government expense, and a list of persons who were identified but refused to remove. The information given for each person includes age, sex, post office address, county or parish of residence, and date of removal or identification. Names of persons who were removed are arranged alphabetically. Names of persons who refused to remove are arranged numerically by identified roll number.
Records Relating to Creek Citizenship
List of Applicants, 1895'1896
List of applicants considered by the Creek Citizenship Commission in 1895 and 1896. The information given for each applicant includes type of citizenship claimed, date of application, date of judgment, decision rendered, and a reference to a 'Record Book.' The list has been annotated with the field numbers of Dawes enrollment cards. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
Citizenship Commission Docket, 1895
A record of cases heard by the Citizenship Commission. The information given for each case includes the names of all persons involved and occasionally a reference to the action taken by the Citizenship Commission. Arranged numerically by case number assigned chronologically by the date the case was opened and indexed by surname of applicant.
Record Books, 1885'1888, 1895'1896
Record of actions taken by the tribal Citizenship Commission on applications for citizenship. The information given for each case generally includes the text of the application, transcripts of testimony, and the commission's recommendation. There are occasional references to the docket described under 'Citizenship Commission Docket, 1895.' Part of the record was prepared on unbound printed forms ('Census of the Non-Citizens of the Muskogee Nation'). There is a list of persons that contains the person's age and a description of his or her property. Arranged in rough numerical order by case number assigned in chronological order by the date the case opened.
Lists of Admitted Applicants, 1902
Lists of persons admitted to citizenship by the Dawes Commission or the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Indian Territory. The list gives only the person's name and Dawes Commission case number. Some of the lists have been annotated with field numbers of Dawes enrollment cards. Arranged alphabetically by surname of applicant.
Indexes to Unenrolled Creeks, 1900
Creeks on the authenticated roll of 1890 and Creeks on the authenticated roll of 1895 who had not been enrolled by the Dawes Commission as of 15 August 1900. Information given for each person includes town of residence and the roll numbers from the 1890 and 1895 rolls. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
List of Unenrolled Creeks
A list of the names of Creeks who appeared on various tribal rolls but had not been enrolled by the Dawes Commission. The only information given is the person's name.
Miscellaneous Indexes, 1902'1906
Indexes to various enrollment categories, including citizens by blood, freedmen, minors, and newborns. The indexes generally provide only the enrollee's enrollment number or enrollment card number. Arranged alphabetically by surname of enrollee.
Lists of Applicants, 1900'1907
Lists of Creeks whose names appear on various tribal rolls and applicants for whom birth or death affidavits were submitted. Some of the lists have been annotated with enrollment card numbers. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
Index to Freedmen Enrollment Cards, 1898
Index to the 'Old Series' of freedmen enrollment cards. Arranged alphabetically by surname of enrollee.
Enrollment Cards ('Old Series Cards'), 1898
Original enrollment cards prepared from the authenticated 1895 Creek census. Each card contains the names of the members of a family group and each person's age, sex, degree of Indian blood, post office address, district or town of residence, 1895 payroll number, and relationship to the head of the family group. The card also includes remarks about names used on earlier rolls, actions taken by the Dawes Commission, and references to the field numbers of the enrollment cards. Arranged numerically by card number.
Record of Enrollment
A record prepared on a printed paper form similar to the enrollment cards. The form contains the names of all members of a family group and remarks about actions taken by the Dawes Commission. The field numbers on these cards do not match the numbers on the enrollment cards. Arranged numerically by field number.
Records Relating to Seminole Citizenship
Index to Newborns, 1905
Persons enrolled under the act of Congress of 3 March 1905. The only information given is the person's enrollment number and enrollment card number. Arranged alphabetically by enrollee's surname.
Enrollment Schedules, 1900
Schedules prepared on printed forms of the names of persons enrolled as 'Seminole Citizens by Blood' and 'Seminole Freedmen.' The information given for each person includes age, sex, band name, roll number from the 1897 Seminole census, post office address, and parents' names and 1897 enrollment numbers. Arranged numerically by enrollment card number.
References
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