Compiled by Edward E. Hill, 1965
The National Archives in Washington, D. C., holds much of the original Bureau of Indian Affairs records for Indians. These original records must be viewed in person at the National Archives.
Introduction ... Table of Contents ... Appendix I-III
... Index: A-Em ... Em-Mo
... Mo-Z
Entries: 1-74 ... 75-120 ... 121-197 ... 198-284 ... 285-355 ... 356-443 ... 444-521 ... 522-576 ... 577-643 ... 644-711 ... 712-784 ... 785-860 ... 861-940 ... 941-998 ... 999-1040 ... 1041-1112 ... 1113-1182 ... 1183-1243 ... 1244-1362 ... 1363-1401
Records relating to Cherokee citizenship
The Cherokee citizenship of many ex-slaves of the Cherokee of Indian Territory and of some Shawnee and Delaware Indians who claimed Cherokee citizenship was disputed by the Cherokee. The establishment of their status was important in determining their right to live on Cherokee land and to share in certain annuity and other payments, including a special $75,000 award voted by Congress on October 19, 1888.
A series of investigations was conducted in order to compile rolls of Cherokee freedmen and of Shawnee and Delaware Cherokee. These investigations were conducted by John W. Wall ace, 1889-90; Leo E. Bennett, 1891-92; Marcus D. Shelby, 1893; James G. Dickson, 1895-96; and William Clifton, William Thompson, and Robert H. Kern, 1896-97. Most of the records described in entries 578-587 were created in connection with the activities of the above-mentioned Commissioners and agents. There are records concerning payments to Cherokee freedmen among the records of the Finance Division (entries 907-911).
1875-89. 1 ft.
These letters have been separated by the Bureau from the main series
of incoming correspondence (entries 79 and 91). Most of the letters
for the pre-1881 period were assigned to the heading "Union Agency."
There are cross-references to indicate most of the removals from the
main series. Many of the segregated letters relate to individual claims,
but some of them are of a more general nature. Some of the letters
pertain to "intruders" on Cherokee lands. Arranged by year and thereunder by file number. During the years 1875-80 file numbers were assigned in alphabetical order by surname of writer and thereunder chronologically by date of receipt of letter. During the years 1881-89 they were assigned by date of receipt of letter.
1889-90. 3 ft.
Affidavits submitted to Commissioner John W. Wallace by applicants
for enrollment as Cherokee citizens and by witnesses. Shawnee chiefs
often made recommendations on the affidavits of Shawnee applicants.
Some earlier documents are included as supporting evidence. The affidavits were submitted as exhibits to Wallace's final report, now with
the general correspondence of the Bureau (entry 91, "21833-90"). The
affidavits are divided into the following groups: Admitted Shawnee,
Rejected Shawnee, Deceased Shawnee, Admitted Delaware, Rejected Delaware,
Free Negroes (free at the beginning of the Civil War), Admitted Cherokee
Freedmen, Authenticated Cherokee Freedmen, and Rejected Cherokee Freedmen.
(Admitted Freedmen were persons who had not previously been recognized
as Cherokee citizens but who were now so recognized. Authenticated Freedmen had been recognized previously; and most of their affidavits were intended to secure the enrollment of young children or to establish their identity as persons who were recognized as citizens.) Affidavits within each group are arranged in part by number assigned in rough alphabetical order and in part in alphabetical order by initial letter of surname of applicant.
1889-91. 2 in.
Affidavits submitted to Commissioner Wallace (see entry 578) by applicants concerning whom there was some doubt. The affidavits were given to Union Agent Leo E. Bennett for further investigation. He returned them with his report of April 16, 1891, and he included some further evidence with some of the affidavits. Bennett's report is with the main series of incoming correspondence of the Bureau (entry 91, "1-4704-91"). The affidavits are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of applicant.
1891-92. 6 in.
Affidavits submitted to Agent Leo E. Bennett of the Union Agency by persons whose applications were rejected by Wallace or who did not apply to Wallace. There are affidavits of the applicants themselves and of witnesses. Most of the affidavits were enclosures to incoming letters of the Bureau (entry 91). The affidavits are divided into
several parts: for Delaware, Shawnee, Accepted Freedmen, and Rejected Freedmen. In each part the affidavits are arranged by number assigned in rough alphabetical order by surname of applicant.
1893. 3 in.
These affidavits were submitted to Special Commissioner Marcus D. Shelby by applicants for enrollment as Cherokee freedmen. Some evidence from former investigations is included. Most of these affidavits were submitted by Shelby as enclosures to his report of July
14, 1893, which is among the general incoming correspondence of the Bureau (entry 91;
"26695-93"). The affidavits are in two groups: (1) those for admitted applicants and (2) those for rejected applicants. In each group the affidavits are arranged numerically by number assigned in alphabetical order by initial letter of surname of applicant.
1889-90. 5 in.
Mainly drafts and copies of rolls prepared by Commissioner Wallace and submitted by him with his final report ("21833-90"). There are a few later undated drafts, which were probably prepared in the Bureau. Arranged in general by the same groups as those used by Wallace (see entry 578) and sometimes thereunder by district of the Cherokee Nation. For completed rolls, see entry
583.
1890. 5 in.
Rolls compiled by Wallace, as a result of his investigations, and submitted with his final report ("21833-90"). There are rolls for Authenticated, Admitted, and Rejected Freedmen; Free Negroes; Admitted and Rejected Shawnee and Delaware; and for special groups, mainly children and deceased persons. Individual entries give name, age, sex,
residence, and other pertinent information. The rolls are numbered as
exhibits of Wallace's report and are arranged by these numbers. The
preliminary rolls (entry 582) and the several sets of affidavits
accumulated by Wallace (entry 578) are also numbered as exhibits. In
general the individual rolls are arranged alphabetically by initial
letter of surname of head of family, but occasionally they may first
be divided into groups and districts. For revised rolls, see entries 584 and
586.
1891-92. 1/2 in.
Revisions of some of the Wallace Rolls (entry 583) that were prepared by Agent Leo E. Bennett. They consist of "7907-91." which was
removed from the general incoming correspondence (entry 91) and several
enclosures to "5567-92." Arranged by file and enclosure numbers. For
accompanying affidavits, see entry 580. For other rolls, see entry
586.
ca. 1890-93. 2 vols. 1 in.
Indexes to names in two of the volumes described in entry
586. The two indexes contain the same entries but in somewhat different
order. Listings for Authenticated Freedmen and for Admitted Freedmen
are written in differently colored ink. Entries in each volume are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname.
ca. 1890-96. 6 vols. 6 in.
Revisions, prepared in the Bureau, of some of the rolls described in
entry 583. There are rolls for Authenticated and Admitted Freedmen,
for Shawnee, and for Delaware (including a copy of the 1896 Dickson
Roll). There are no rolls for rejected applicants. Individual entries
give name, age, sex, residence, and other pertinent information. The
individual rolls are generally arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of head of family, but occasionally they may first be
divided into groups and districts. Some of the volumes include name
indexes. For other indexes, see entry 585.
1889, 1896. 2 vols. 2 in.
Submitted by Special Agent Wanes G. Dickson in 1896. One volume
contains a roll of Shawnee admitted to Cherokee citizenship before
June 10, 1871, as certified by the Assistant Executive Secretary of
the Cherokee Nation in 1889. This roll consists of an alphabetical
list of names, numbered in consecutive order. Individual entries in the
second roll, which vas compiled by Dickson in 1896, give name, age, position in family, sex, residence, and sometimes other information, such as
birth date and maiden name (when applicable). Arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of head of family. There is an alphabetical name index included. For other records submitted by Dickson with the rolls, see "32921-96" and "37070-96" (entry 91). There are other copies of the 1871 roll among the records described in entry 583.
1896-97. 1 vol. and unbound papers. 2 in.
Compiled by Commissioners William Clifton, William Thompson, and Robert H. Kern. Entries for individuals give name, position in family, age, sex, district of residence, and sometimes other information. The roll is divided into sections for authenticated and contesting (admitted) freedmen and their descendants. Thereunder family groups are listed together, but there is no apparent pattern to the order of listing. There are two copies of the roll; one copy is bound.
Records relating to enrollment of Eastern Cherokee
In 1906 Guion Miller was appointed by the United States Court of Claims to determine who was eligible to participate in a fund awarded to persons who were Eastern Cherokee at the time of the treaties of 1835-36 and 1845 or to their descendants. Miller submitted his report and roll on May 28, 1909, and a supplementary report in 1910. In the meantime Inspector Frank C. Churchill, under instructions from the Secretary of the Interior, had been compiling a roll of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. He submitted his report and roll on May 20, 1908. This roll contained far fever names than did Miller's roll because it was intended to include only persons then recognized as members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee of North Carolina.
There were objections to Churchill's roll by persons who had been omitted and by members of the tribe, who claimed that unentitled persons had been enrolled. Further investigations were made by Special Agent Charles L. Davis in 1910-11 and by an enrollment committee headed by Special Agent Orlando M. McPherson in 1913-14. An act of Congress of June 4, 1924 (43 Stat. 376), providing for the final disposition of the affairs of the Eastern Band, required the compilation of a roll. This work was assigned to an Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission consisting of Special Agent A. W. Symington and the Superintendent of the Cherokee Agency, James E. Henderson. In 1926 Examiner of Inheritance Fred A. Baker replaced Symington; and in 1928 Baker assumed sole responsibility for the work. Baker submitted his final report and roll on December 1, 1928. The roll was approved by the Secretary of the Interior in 1931.
1908-10. 29 vols.
4 ft.
A copy of Special Commissioner Miller's report of May 28, 1909. and other records submitted to the Court of Claims relating to his enrollment of the Eastern Cherokee who were entitled to participate in the fund resulting from a judgment of the court. The report and exhibits were transmitted to the Bureau in 1911. The report consists of 10 volumes of findings on individual applications, arranged by application number. There are also a two-volume alphabetical index to names of applicants; 10 volumes of transcripts of testimony, arranged for the most part chronologically; a report of January 5, 1910, concerning exceptions to the findings; a printed copy of the completed roll with two 1910 supplements; and copies of the Drennen, Chapman, and Old Settler Rolls of 1851-52, with a consolidated index for the Chapman and Drennen Rolls and a separate index for the Old Settler Roll. Included also are
a few rough notes and drafts. The volumes are arranged numerically as
parts of classified file "33931-11-053 Cherokee Nation," with some
modifications to accommodate the varying sizes of the volumes. Other
pertinent records are in the above-mentioned file, which is among the central classified files of the Bureau (entry 121). Another printed copy of
the roll is described in entry 590. For original copies of the 1851-52
rolls, see entries 219 and 906. There are records relating to the enrollment, particularly the applications submitted, in Record Group 123, Records of the United States Court of Claims.
1909. 1 vol. 1/2 in.
A printed copy -- with corrections in ink -- of a roll of persons entitled to participate in the award of the Court of Claims. It was
compiled for the Court by Special Commissioner Guion Miller. Entries
for individuals give name, address, position in family, age in 1906,
and roll and application numbers. The roll is divided into sections: (1) for the Eastern Cherokee living east of the Mississippi River and
(2) for those Eastern Cherokee living vest of that river. Within each
section the entries are arranged alphabetically by family name. The
names of enrollees are numbered in order. There is another copy of the
roll, with 1910 supplements, among the records relating to the enrollment described in entry
589.
1907-16. 3 ft.
Included are incoming correspondence of the Bureau, copies of outgoing correspondence, reports of enrollment officials, correspondence of field officials, transcripts of testimony, council proceedings,
receipts, memoranda, and copies of older records. Many of the records are exhibits to reports. They relate to the investigations of Frank C. Churchill, Charles L. Davis, and O. M. McPherson, who submitted final reports, respectively, in 1908, 1911, and 1914. The records are all designated as parts of file "47148-09-034 Cherokee School" but were kept separate from the central classified files of the Bureau (entry
121). With the exception of the exhibits, the individual documents are arranged chronologically. For the census roll compiled by Churchill and submitted with his report, see entry There are other records submitted by Churchill in Special Series A (entry
126).
1907.
1 vol. 1/2 in.
An index for the roll described in entry 593. For each name of
enrollee there is given the roll number. Arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of enrollee and thereunder by roll number.
1907. 2vols. 2 in.
A roll of persons recommended for enrollment, which was furnished
to Inspector Frank C. Churchill by the tribal council of the Eastern
Band. This roll is also known as the Harris, Blythe, and French Roll.
Each entry gives roll number, Hester Roll number, if applicable (see
entry 219), an Indian name, English name, position in family, sex,
age, degree of Indian blood, roll numbers of parents, residence, and
often other information. Family groups are enrolled together but in
no discernible order. There are two copies; one copy is signed and
certified and includes about 50 additional names. For alphabetical
index, see entry 592. For Churchill Roll, see entry 594.
1908. 2 vols. 3 in.
Two versions of a roll compiled by Inspector Frank C. Churchill and
approved, with revisions, by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the
Assistant Secretary of the Interior. One roll lists rejected as well
as accepted applicants; the other revised roll lists only the accepted
applicants. Entries for individuals give roll number, Hester and
Council Roll numbers, if applicable (see entries 219 and
593); Indian
name, English name, position in family, sex, age, degree of Indian
blood, roll numbers of parents, residence, and often other information.
Family groups are enrolled together. The entries are in nearly the
same order as the Council Roll of 1907. Additional names were added
by Churchill (many of which were rejected and omitted from the revised
roll). Churchill's report concerning his investigations and related
correspondence are among the records described in entry 591.
1910-11. 1 vol. 1 in.
Consists of press copies of outgoing letters and reports of Davis,
depositions, and other records. Most of the records relate to the
North Carolina Cherokee enrollment applications, but there are some
concerning land claims and other subjects. Arranged for the most part
chronologically; the depositions are often out of order. There is an
alphabetical index to names of addressees and to subjects of letters.
Oct. 1913-Apr. 1914. 1 vol.
Arranged in rough alphabetical order with a name index at the front. The committee was charged with recommending continued inclusion of individuals on the rolls. For each individual is listed: name, minor children, roll numbers, ages, remarks (generally family relationship), address, dates of correspondence, date of hearing, witnesses, and results (generally degree of Indian blood). In the vast majority of these cases, the committee recommended dropping the subject from the rolls. A "Council" actually approved of these recommendations. This file was part of the Central Classified Files (#50331-14 ). (new entry)
Records of and Concerning the Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission
1929. 3/4 in.
Two copies of an index prepared under the supervision of Joseph W. Howell, an attorney for the Eastern Band of Cherokee. Individual entries
give application number (see entry 597). final roll number (see entry
602), and references to testimony and decisions (entries 600 and
601). Arranged by final roll number.
1925-28. 15 ft.
Consist mainly of records relating to individual applications --
application forms, requests for forms, affidavits of witnesses, notices
of hearings, receipts of notices, notices of decisions, appeals, and
correspondence between the Commissioners and other interested persons.
Included are Fred A. Baker's final report of December 1, 1928, concerning the enrollment;
some miscellaneous appeals and briefs; and indexes
to names of ancestors and to contested and appealed cases, with references to the testimony and decisions (entries
600 and 601). These
records are all designated as parts of file "50971-28-053 Cherokee
School" but were kept separate from the central classified files of
the Bureau (entry 121). The records relating to individual applications in parts 2 through 153 of the file are arranged alphabetically by
surname of applicant, and the applications are numbered in order. For
the completed roll, see entry 602. For numerical index, see entry
596.
1925-28. 1 ft.
Incoming letters and copies of outgoing letters of the Eastern
Cherokee Enrolling Commission, in addition to those filed with the
applications (entry 597). The letters relate to requests for application forms, notifications of enrollment, inquiries of a general
nature, and other subjects. Most of the correspondence is with or
concerns persons for whom no formal applications were received. Arranged alphabetically by surname of correspondent or by subject of
letter. Included are some special folders of correspondence with particular persons or firms or concerning specific subjects.
1929. Negligible
An index prepared under the supervision of Joseph W. Howell, attorney for the Eastern Band of Cherokee. It gives volume and page
references in the testimony (entry 600) for witnesses, applicants, and
other persons whose names appear.
1927-28. 5 vols. 8 in.
Taken by the Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission under the provisions of an act of June 4, 1924. The transcripts are divided into
four volumes of miscellaneous testimony and one volume of testimony of
members of the tribal council. The miscellaneous testimony is arranged by family group of applicant and thereunder chronologically. Each volume includes an alphabetical index to names of witnesses for each case. The tribal council's testimony is arranged by family group
of applicant. For other indexes, see entries 596 and 599.
1926-28. 5 vols. 9 in.
Findings of the Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission on applications submitted under the provisions of the act of June 4, 1924. Two
volumes are missing. The decisions concerning applicants claiming
descent from the same ancestor are grouped together. Arranged alphabetically by surname of ancestor. Each volume includes an alphabetical
index to names of ancestors. For a numerical index, see entry 596.
1928. 1 vol. 2 in.
A roll of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and a roll of deceased Eastern Cherokee annuitants whose enrollment was contested by the tribal
council and who had left estates consisting of suspended per capita
payments. These roll were prepared by Fred A. Baker, under the
provisions of the act of June 4, 1924, and were approved by the Secretary of the Interior in
1931. Individual entries give name, position
in family, sex, age in 1926 (age in 1912 in the roll of deceased annuitants), date of birth, degree of Cherokee blood, several roll
numbers, and other information. There is a duplicate, unbound copy of the
roll of deceased annuitants, with some correspondence and memoranda
attached. Entries in each roll are arranged alphabetically by family
name.
Nov. 20, 1930. 2 in.
A report of the Commissioner to the Secretary of the Interior concerning the findings of the Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission.
Included is a printed copy of a brief dated December 18, 1929, which
was submitted by Joseph W. Howell, an attorney for the Eastern Band
of Cherokee.
Other Records Relating to Enrollment of the Five Civilized Tribes
1878-84.
1 in.
Letters designated "Freedmen in Indian Territory," which were segregated by the Bureau from the main series of incoming correspondence
(entries 79 and 91). Most of the letters relate to the citizenship
status and land rights of ex-slaves of the Choctaw, but some of
them relate to citizenship status and land rights of members of the
other "Civilized Tribes." Included is a copy of an 1872 report of the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs to a congressional committee. The letters are arranged by file number assigned
(with some exceptions for 1880 letters) in chronological order by date of receipt of letter in
the Bureau.
1885. 1 vol. 1 in.
These rolls were submitted to the Bureau by the National Secretary of the Choctaw
Nation. They consist primarily of rolls of freedmen who were admitted to citizenship, but included are lists of those
whose status was considered doubtful and also some unbound lists of
those who had elected to leave the Choctaw Nation. Entries for individuals give name, position in family, nationality of parents, name
of former master, acreage of cultivated land, amount of livestock,
and other pertinent information. For each of the three types of rolls
mentioned above there are three separate rolls, one for each of the Choctaw districts. The listings for the First and Second Districts
are numbered in order. Family groups are entered together, but there
is no apparent pattern to the order in which they are listed.
1901-7.
17 ft.
Letters from the Secretary of the Interior to the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs, returning records received by the Bureau from the
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes (Daves Commission). The enclosures consist of applications, petitions, affidavits and other
evidence, transcripts of testimony., copies of correspondence of the
Commission (including notifications of decisions), and other kinds of
records. They have been segregated by the Bureau from the general
incoming correspondence (entry 91) presumably because of their bulk.
They relate to applications filed under a provision of an act of Congress of June 28,
1898, providing that the Daves Commission should
determine the identity of Choctaw Indians who, under article 14 of
the 1830 treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, claimed rights in Choctaw land in Indian Territory. Almost all of the original applications
received by the Commission as veil as later applications for review
were rejected. Arranged in dossiers relating to particular cases. Related applications were consolidated into a single case. The
dossiers are arranged generally by file number of the transmitted letter
of the Secretary of the Interior. These numbers were assigned in
chronological order by the date the letter was received from the Secretary (not by the date the records were received from the Commission).
The dates given are those of the Secretary's letters. The Commission
was conducting hearings as early as 1900 and, even earlier, documents
were received as evidence. Included with each dossier is an index
to the records within it. There is related correspondence among the
general incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Bureau (entries 91
and 96). Later records are in the central classified files of the
Bureau (entry 121).
1910-15. 1 ft.
Transcripts of testimony before various officials, affidavits,
memoranda, incoming correspondence and copies of outgoing correspondence of the Bureau, correspondence of field officials, and other kinds of
records. Most of these records were accumulated by W. C. Pollock,
Assistant Attorney for the Department of the Interior, as part of an
investigation of Five Tribes' enrollments made between 1910 and 1912.
Pollock submitted his final report in 1912 (see entry 121, "17711-12-053 Five Tribes") and in 1913 sent relevant papers to the Bureau (see
"90635-13-053 Five Tribes"). Other records were added to the series
between 1913 and 1915. There are a few other records, chiefly letters
sent to Pollock by the Acting Commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes.
Arranged for the most part alphabetically by name of trite and thereunder alphabetically by surname of applicant.
1902-1907. 25 vols.
Arrangement of these records is chronological by date. These records consist of typed letters giving financial decisions in enrollment cases. Each volume begins with a name index arranged alphabetically by first letter of surname. At the top left of each letter is a reference to numbered correspondence of the Indian Territory Division. (new entry)
1908, 1910, 1912-13. 24 vols.
Multiple copies of printed reports published by the U.S. Government Printing Office in Washington. The reports were addressed to the Secretary of the Interior. Among the topics covered in these reports are land transactions, mining, tribal revenues, the Union Agency, and schools. (new entry)
Records Relating to Flathead Enrollment
In 1905 Special Agent Thomas Downs compiled a new roll of the Indians of the Flathead Agency in Montana (Flathead, Kutenai, Pend d'Oreille, Kalispel, and Spokan Indians). Most of the records described in entries 608 and 609 were either created as a part of this enrollment or are earlier records that were consulted in connection with the enrollment.
1904-5. 6 in.
Letters received by the Bureau with applications, affidavits, and
other evidence submitted by applicants. These records are all designated as enclosures of "85887-05," a letter still with the general
incoming correspondence (entry 91). This letter, received from the
Secretary of the Interior, approved the roll compiled by Special Agent
Downs (see entry 609) and returned the evidence submitted to him.
These records, however, had been received by the Bureau earlier as
letters and enclosures. They were usually from either Downs or the
regular agent of the Flathead Agency, but sometimes they were sent
by an applicant or his representative. Downs' final report is included.
1903-8. 2 in.
Chiefly the roll, with supplements, that was compiled by Special
Agent Downs in 1905, but included are copies of a 1903 roll and supplement. These records are all designated as enclosures of "85887-05,"
as are the records described in entry 608. Also included are 1908
supplements to Downs' roll. The rolls are in the form of registers
of Indian families (see entry 572). Individual entries for enrollees
give Indian name, English name, age, degree of blood or nationality,
tribal affiliation, position in family, marital status, and (if applicable) information concerning marriage, name of father, name of mother,
and other pertinent information. Family groups are enrolled together,
but there is no discernible arrangement to the order in which the
families are listed.
Records Relating to Osage Enrollment
1827-1910. 2 ft.
Correspondence, reports, affidavits, briefs, transcripts of testimony, copies of annuity payment rolls, maps, and other types of documents concerning contested enrollments in the Osage Nation. Most of the records were withdrawn from the general incoming correspondence of the Bureau in connection with the work of the Osage Allotting Commission in settling disputed enrollment cases and in making land allotments during 1906 and 1907. The earlier records are usually copies of the originals. Many of the records are designated as enclosures of "60593-07," a report of the Commission. There are some records -- designated as enclosures of classified file "82494-08-053 Osage" -- arranged alphabetically by surname of contested enrollee.
Records Relating to Ottawa Enrollment (Kansas)
1863-64. 1 vol. 1/4 in.
A roll and list compiled by Agent Clinton C. Hutchinson and Special Commissioner Edward Wolcott. Entries for individuals give name, sex, age, and location and acreage of land allotted under the provisions of the treaty of June 24, 1862. Family groups are listed together, and both names of individuals and names of families are numbered in order. There are also a list of lands allotted under article 3 of the treaty, a list of school lands, and an appraisement of the Ottawa Reservation made by Special Commissioners Wolcott and Stephen A. Cobb.
1864-66. 1 vol.
Arrangement is by number of allottee. These allotments were made in accordance with the treaty of June 24, 1852. All lands in this volume are patented April 6, 1866. Information given includes name and gender of allotee, subdivision, and number of acres. There is a name index at the beginning of the volume which is alphabetical by first letter of surname. After the main listing are allotments for "Chiefs, Councilmen, & headmen of the tribe". Allotments for school lands are at the very end of the volume. (new entry)
Census Roll of Stockbridge and Munsee Indians of Wisconsin
1894. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
A roll of Indians entitled to enrollment under the provisions of the treaty of February
5, 1856. The roll was compiled by Special Agent C. C. Painter, as provided by an act of Congress of March
3, 1893 (27 Stat. 744), and was revised in the Bureau. Entries for individuals give name, sex, position in family, age, and sometimes other information. Family groups are listed together. The entries are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of head of family and are numbered in order. Loose copies of pertinent correspondence between the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the Secretary of the Interior are included.
Records Relating to Enrollment of Washington Indians
In 1916 Special Agent Charles E. Roblin was instructed to investigate adoptions of persons by the Indians of the Quinaielt Reservation in Washington, which would entitle them to land allotments on the reservation. He was also to prepare a roll of those Indians in western Washington who were not attached to any agency and who had no allotment. Roblin submitted reports concerning projects on January 31, 1919. The Records described in entries 613 and 614 were submitted by Roblin with his reports For the reports and other related records, including the roll Roblin prepared, see "11697-19-053 Taholah" in the central classified files of the Bureau (entry 121).
In 1928 and 1929 Special Agent F. A. Gross land Examiner of Inheritance Mike Lynch were instructed to prepare an enrollment of the Puyallup Indians in connection with an intended distribution of tribal funds. The records described in entry 615 were submitted to the Bureau by Gross and Lynch in 1929. For other records concerning their work, including their reports and the roll they prepared, see "79470-25-210 Tulalip" in the central classified files of the Bureau (entry 121).
1911-19. 2 ft.
These applications were submitted by persons who wished to be recognized as Indians and to be granted land allotments. Many of the applications are on forms transmitted by Thomas G. Bishop, President of the Northwestern Federation of American Indians. The forms also granted Bishop power of attorney. Included with some of the applications is some correspondence, chiefly between Special Agent Roblin and the applicants. Some of the applications are from persons rejected for adoption by the Quinaielt Indians (see entry
614), and there are reports by Roblin on these rejections. Arranged alphabetically by name of tribe with which affiliation was claimed and thereunder for the most part alphabetically by name of applicant.
1910-19. 2 ft.
Reports by Special Agent Roblin of his findings, with supporting papers including letters sent by Roblin to applicants, letters received by Roblin, application forms, affidavits, and powers of attorney. The records relate to 82 cases in which adoption had been approved by the tribal council in 1912 but. had never been acted upon by the Bureau and to later applications that were presented to the tribal council in 1918. The applications of persons claiming common ancestry were consolidated to form cases. Arranged by case number.
1929. 2 ft.
Reports of Special Agent F. A. Gross and Examiner of Inheritance Mike Lynch concerning their findings, with supporting papers including applications, decisions of the tribal committee, notices to applicants, and sometimes affidavits, briefs, and correspondence. There are a few documents dated before and after 1929. Arranged alphabetically by name of applicant and numbered in order.
Other Enrollment Records
1935-42. 5 ft.
Included are application forms, affidavits, memoranda, reports, incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Bureau, photographs, lists, and rolls. These records relate to applications for registration as Indians (as provided by section 19 of the act) of persons of at least one-half Indian blood who were not enrolled as members of any tribe but who were eligible for loans for education and for preference in employment with the Indian Service. Under provisions of the Reorganization Act, funds were made available for purchasing lands for groups or individuals. The records are arranged alphabetically by name of State and thereunder by Indian groups -- in California, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, and North
Dakota. There is a miscellaneous group for records relating to applicants in other localities. The records relating to applications for each tribal group are usually arranged alphabetically by name of applicant or numerically by application number. Records for the individual applications vary from a single application form to a dossier containing a considerable amount of correspondence and other kinds of records. In addition to the records concerning individual applications, there are records relating generally to the programs in the States. For the North Carolina program there is an extensive report by Carl C. Seltzer, an anthropologist who attempted -- by anthropological methods -- to ascertain the degree of Indian blood of a large family group.
1903-10. 7 vols, and unbound papers. 7 in.
Rolls compiled to establish permanent family names for the Indians of several agencies in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. Entries for individuals give permanent name, position in family, Indian name, previous English name, sex, age, names of relatives, and sometimes other information. There are rolls -- in the order listed -- for the Cheyenne River (unbound), Devil's Lake, Lover Brule, Fort Peck, Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Sisseton, and Standing Rock Agencies. Names of family groups are entered together. Most of the roll entries are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of permanent surname, but some are arranged by previous English surname.
1903. 1 vol.
Arrangement is by number on the roll. This volume (which has the code CA-2 on the cover) contains revisions of names on the Sisseton and Wahpeton Allotment Roll. Information given therein is allotment number, permanent family name, family relationship, Indian name on allotment roll, English name on allotment roll or school name, gender, age, other relationship, remarks, and number on the roll which runs all the through 2116. (new entry)
Other Records Records Relating to Attorneys
The records described in the next four entries relate to the right of certain attorneys to represent claimants before the Department of the Interior and its bureaus. The status of attorneys was determined in the Office of the Secretary. The records described in entries 618-621 are letters received from the Secretary or registers concerning actions taken by the Office of the Secretary.
1876-87. 1 vol. 1 in.
Entries for individuals give name, address, and date and nature of action taken (usually recognition or disbarment). There are some notations of later actions (usually restorals of recognition). Included is a list of file references for 1897 and 1898. Arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of attorney and thereunder chronologically by date of action.
1888-91, 1895-96. 2 vols. 3 in.
A record of letters received from the Secretary of the Interior, informing the Bureau of any changes in status (recognition or disbarment) or address of attorneys. Individual entries usually give the file reference and the name and address of attorney; the specific nature of the letter is only occasionally noted. One volume is for the years 1888-91; the other volume is for the years 1895-96. The entries in each are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of attorney and thereunder by file number assigned in chronological order of receipt of letter in the Bureau. No register for the years 1892-91. has been located. The correspondence to which there are references is with the main series of incoming correspondence of the Bureau (entry
91).
1875-93. 1 vol. 1 in.
For each disbarred attorney are given his name, address, and the date of disbarment. When applicable, the date of reinstatement is also given. Inserted are some loose memoranda of the Chief Clerk of the Department of the Interior, giving notice of actions. The entries are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of attorney and thereunder chronologically by date of disbarment.
1899-1907. 6 in.
Letters from the Secretary of the Interior, giving notice of changes in status or address of attorneys and agents for claimants. Arranged by file number assigned in chronological order by date of receipt of the letter in the Bureau. Earlier letters of this nature are not segregated from the general incoming correspondence (entry
91). Later letters are filed in the 174.2 and 174.3 classifications of the central classified files of the Bureau (entry
121).
Records Concerning Bonds and Banks
1904-18. 2 vols. 5 in.
Registers of letters from the Secretary of the Interior, returning those approved bonds or letters of transmittal from field officials that had been referred to him for approval. The bonds were required for leases, for grazing permits, for timber sales, for handling funds from the sales of inherited lands, and for other contracts involving the handling of proceeds from the sale or use of Indian lands. Individual entries give file reference, name of principal, name of surety, description of contract, date of bond, term of bond, date of approval, amount, and sometimes other pertinent information. Through 1912 the entries are arranged in rough chronological order; thereafter they are arranged in rough,) alphabetical order by name of insurance company and thereunder chronologically. There is an index of references, arranged by name of insurance company, in the back of the first volume. There is a fragmentary index in the second volume. The letters and bonds to which the registers refer have not been segregated from the general correspondence of the Bureau (see entries
91 and 121).
1913-23. 3 vols. 5 in.
Entries for individual banks bonded by a particular insurance company give name and location of bank, amount of bond, term of bond, date of bond's execution and date of its approval, name of Indian agency, file reference, and sometimes other information. The volumes are for the years 1913-16, 1916-22, and 1922-23, respectively. The entries in each volume are arranged alphabetically by name of insurance company and thereunder in rough chronological order by date of approval of bond.
1907-12. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
Entries for individuals give file number of letter of transmittal, name of lessee, name of insurance company, amount of bond, and date of approval. Arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of lessee and thereunder chronologically by date of approval of bond.
1909. 1 vol. 1 in.
A printed copy, with handwritten revisions and annotations, issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Each entry gives name, location, and number of bank and sometimes other information. Arranged alphabetically by name of State in which the bank was located, thereunder by name of city, and thereunder by name of bank.
1911-24. 5 in.
Mimeographed and printed copies of bulletins of the Comptroller of the Currency concerning national banks. Many of the bulletins are annotated in pencil. Arranged chronologically and numbered in order.
1914-20. 1 vol. 1 in.
Entries for individual banks give name, location, amount of deposit authorized, interest rates, and date of designation, with file reference. Arranged alphabetically by name of agency concerned and thereunder chronologically by date of designation. There is an alphabetical index to names of the banks.
Miscellaneous Records and Reference Materials
1909-10. 1 vol. 1 in.
A record of funds received in the Bureau and charged to the account of the Commissioner. It relates largely to land matters, such as deposits on bids, payments for purchases of land, leases, damages, and to copies of records. Individual entries usually give date of receipt and file number of a letter transmitting a check or draft, by and on whom the check or draft was drawn, its amount, from whom it was received, and information concerning its deposit. There is also an indication of the action taken to balance the bookkeeping debit caused by the receipt of the money and a notation of the date on which credit was taken. Arranged by file number of the incoming letter transmitting the check or draft; the file number was assigned in chronological order by date of receipt of transmittal letter.
1872-77. 1 vol. 1/2 in.
Given for individual Commissioners are name, name of tribe for whom appointed, post office address, date of appointment, and volume and page references to letters of notification or instruction in the Land Division letter books (see entry
96). Arranged by commission. There is an alphabetical index to names of tribes and certain subjects, and there is a separate index to names of Commissioners.
1871-73. 1 in.
The schedules are for Eastern Cherokee who had been moved to Indian Territory in 1871 and who were considered eligible for a per capita payment. Included is a copy of a schedule of Indians who had actually received the payment. Another copy of the latter roll is among the annuity payment rolls (entry
906). The schedules are arranged chronologically.
1888-95. 3 in.
Printed copies briefs and other legal documents; reports of the Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs; and congressional reports, bills, and miscellaneous documents. This material relates chiefly to claims of attorneys for fees for prosecuting claims of the Old Settler Cherokee against the United States. Included are a few documents relating to claims of the Potawatomi of Michigan and Indiana, of Cherokee freedmen, and of the North Carolina Cherokee. Most of the printed items are designated as enclosures of "Authority 42487" (see entry
110).
1901-23. 4 in.
Correspondence, drafts of reports, petitions, powers of attorney, agreements, and other kinds of records. These records are chiefly copies, including photostats, but there are a few originals. Some of them are copies of records of the Union Agency. There are a few records relating to Osage Indians. The records relate to several subjects, including attorneys' claims for fees; the allotment, sale, and leasing of land; enrollments; legislation; claims under treaty provisions; schools; accounts; and personnel matters. Arranged in rough chronological order.
1906-10. 4 in.
Copies of incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Bureau and of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, of contracts and other legal documents, of acts of tribal councils, and of other kinds of records. They relate to contracts between attorneys and Indian tribes (Osage and the Five Civilized Tribes) that were submitted for approval. The records concerning each contract are together in chronological order, but there is no apparent pattern in the order of the contracts.
1912. 1/4 in.
They relate to a House bill providing for the relinquishment by the United States of all title to any land that was set aside in Alabama for the Creek Indians under the treaty of March 24, 1832. These records consist of a copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Interior to the Acting Chairman of the House Committee on Public Lands, a copy of the proposed bill, an unidentified report, and a list of references to records of the Bureau and to congressional documents.
1926-27. 2 in.
Certified copies (chiefly photostats) of correspondence, deeds, patents, lists, a contract, and schedules of timber measurements. These copies -- made from the records of the Bureau, the General Land Office, and of Klamath and Lake Counties, Oreg., in connection with legal dispute arising from an exchange of land between the United States and the California and Oregon Land Co. -- were apparently never submitted as evidence. The records are dated from
1906 until 1926; the copies were made in 1926 and 1927. Included is a 1933 memorandum of explanation. The copies are arranged by source and thereunder for the most part chronologically by date of document.
1911-14. 5 in.
Copies of letters received chiefly in response to requests for information concerning the mineral character and power site and reservoir possibilities of Indian reservations. Sometimes there are abstracts rather than full copies. Included are a few copies of outgoing letters of the Bureau, blueprints, and printed pamphlets. Arranged for the most part alphabetically by name of reservation.
1825-70. 1 ft.
There are usually several copies of each treaty. Arranged in rough chronological order. There are also printed copies of treaties among the general records of the Bureau (entry
105).
1785-1867. 1 vol. 1 in.
Two lists of treaties with Chippewa Indians. The first list gives the date and place of each treaty, references to Kappler's Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties, and sometimes other information. The second list gives more specific information concerning some of the same treaties, such as references to records and the American State Papers, names of Commissioners, and information concerning treaty instructions. The dates given above are those of the treaties rather than of the compilation of the volume. Entries in each list are arranged chronologically by date of treaty.
1916-27. l in.
Chiefly printed orders, but including a few typed and photostatic copies. Most of the orders relate to the extension of trust periods on allotments. Some of them pertain to the withdrawal of public lands and changes in reservations. Arranged, in part, in chronological order.
ca. 1836-1926. 3 vols. 3 in.
Citations to statutes, to decisions, to opinions, and to records
relating to Indian lands and allotments. Citations in each volume
are arranged alphabetically, in one volume by name of agency or reservation (this volume also includes an alphabetical name index), and in the other two volumes by subject. There are also some loose notes, arranged chronologically, concerning information in one of the volumes. The dates shown above are those given in the references rather than the dates of compilation of the volumes.
1888-1900. 1 vol. 2 in.
Consists principally of a copy of Royce's article "The Cherokee Nation of Indians," which was reprinted from the Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology. Included are clippings, correspondence, photographs, and other items relating to Royce and to his family. Royce was not an employee of the Bureau during this period; but, under the auspices of the Bureau of Ethnology, he did research relating to Indians. This volume is identified as volume 2, and there is a reference to a third volume. No other volumes, however, have been located among the records of the Bureau. The circumstances under which the Bureau acquired this volume are not known. Material in the scrapbook is arranged chronologically.
ca. 1932-44.
Records are totally unarranged. These records of federal real estate give such information as date acquired, area in acres, improvements, land and improvements costs, and estimated assessed valuation. Some are standardized forms while others are hand-written. (new entry)
1937-44.
Arranged in rough chronological order. These records are easements and rights-of-way deeds for individual Indian's lands in Oklahoma, most of which also contain plats and blueprints. These deeds generally relate to attempts to construct roads and utility lines on lands owned by Indians. The files were formerly housed in three volumes. There is an index to each volume which is alphabetical by first letter of surname. The last volume contains a letter dated Oct. 2, 1944 from the Commissioner's Office to the superintendent of the Five Civilized Tribes Agency ordering the discontinuance of the forwarding of these deeds to D.C. headquarters. (new entry)
1962-82.
Arranged numerically by case number. The case numbers are composed of two numbers: the former a code for the agency, the latter is either sequential or identical with the Central Classified File number. Most applications for right-of-way and easement are for road construction or sewer and power lines. Along with the applications are grants of "easement for right-of-way" made by the government. The lands in question were on reservations. Applications were most frequently made by state governments and utility companies, a few are even by individuals. Tribal council minutes discussing right-of-way applications are included. Numerous maps and supporting documents such as contracts and schedules of damages are attached. Less common are photographs of the lands in question. Some oversized maps were apparently withdrawn from the series. The most voluminous files for a single agency are for the Navajos. (new entry)
1960-72. 29 vols.
Arrangement is chronological by year, thereunder by area office. Form 50-1 is the standardized reporting form used. Land descriptions contain a wealth of statistical information and vary in the different volumes in accordance with changes in Form 50-1. All give acres and some value of each parcel of land. Ownership and use of lands are given, along with usages of different acreages of land, e.g., agricultural; timber; fish; wildlife and recreation; etc. (new entry)
1964-70 & 1972. 8 vols.
Arrangement is chronological by calendar year, thereunder by area office. These were designated as Report 55-20 with Form 5-205 being the principal form used to compile the reports. Detailed statistical information is provided Bureau-wide, by area office, and by reservation. The "A" page is a summary. The "B" page lists unit number, permittee, class of use, acres of range, number of livestock grazed, and AUMS authorized. The "C" page lists unit number, annual grazing fees, delinquent fees, other receipts, and special fees. Many of these headings are themselves broken down into sub-headings. (new entry)
Cartographic Records Maintained Separately From the Textual Records
The records described in the following two entries are maintained separately from the textual records. Although they are identified as records of the Realty Branch (the successor to the Land Division), they are all dated within the period of the Land Division's existence. There are other cartographic records interspersed among the textual records of the Land Division.
1846-1937. 5,730 items. 78 vols. 8 ft.
Manuscript, annotated, and photoprocessed plats of townships in Indian reservations or of lands formerly in Indian reservations. Most of the plats are photoprocessed copies from the General Land Office, some with corrections made in the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and the remaining plats are manuscript plats compiled in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Notations on many of the plats relate to the disposition of lands -- withdrawals, allotments, claims, and the like. There are indexes to names of reservations, with volume and page references to plats. (See also entry
445.)
1937. 1 item.
A published map showing lines of public survey, old boundaries, areas reserved for grazing, and the line of reclamation withdrawals.
1955-61.
Arranged alphabetically by name of area, thereunder by type of report. Within each area office the reports are further broken down by agency. The reports are statistical rather than narrative and prepared on standardized forms. At the beginning of each file is extensive correspondence, generally between DC headquarters and the area office regarding the forwarding of reports and discrepancies needing correction. Among the reports included are: 5-110c (Semi-Annual Report of Real Estate Appraisals); 5-117 (Annual Report of Oil and Gas Leases); 5-118 (Annual Report of Mining Leases and Permits Other Than Oil and Gas); 5-152 (Semi-Annual Report of Surface Leases, Permits, and Rights-of-Way Easements); 5-153 (Semi-Annual Report of Acquisition and Disposal of Lands and Probate Actions); and GSA #1166 (Annual Report of Real Property Owned by the U.S. Government). Another report, less common, is the "Report of Final Adjustment of Real Property" dealing with the transfer of property from the Bureau to the Public Health Service in accordance with Public Law 568. Certain reports were grouped by state rather than by agency. (new entry)