Notes

Oklahoma Applications for Enrollment to the Five Civilized Tribes are available online, click here.

Microfilm of original records in the National Archives, Washington, D.C.

With: United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs / Creek Indian rolls dealing with the Dawes Commission. United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs / Seminole Indian rolls dealing with the Dawes Commission. United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs / Cherokee Indian rolls dealing with the Dawes Commission. United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs / Choctaw Indian rolls dealing with the Dawes Commission. United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs / Chickasaw Indian rolls dealing with the Dawes Commission. United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs / Delaware Indian rolls dealing with the Dawes Commission.

"An act of Congress approved March 3, 1893 authorized the establishment of the Commission to negotiate agreements with the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes providing for the dissolution of the tribal governments and the allotment of land to each tribal member. Senator Henry L. Dawes of Massachusetts was appointed Chairman of this Commission on November 1, 1893, after which it has commonly been referred to as the Dawes Commission"--Introd.

"The Commission was authorized by an act of Congress approved June 28, 1898 to prepare citizenship (tribal membership) rolls for each tribe. These final rolls were the basis for allotment. Under this act, subsequent acts, and resulting agreements negotiated with each tribe, the Commission received applications for membership covering more than 250,000 people and enrolled more than 101,000. The tribal membership rolls were closed on March 4, 1907, by an act of Congress approved on April 26, 1906, although an additional 312 persons were enrolled under an act approved August 1, 1914"--Introd.

"The Commission enrolled individuals as 'citizens' of a tribe under the following categories: citizens by blood, citizens by marriage, new born citizens by blood (enrolled under an act of Congress approved March 3, 1905), minor citizens by blood (enrolled under an act of Congress approved April 26, 1906), freedmen (former black slaves of Indians, later freed and admitted to tribal citizenship), new born freedmen, and minor freedmen. Delaware Indians adopted by the Cherokee tribe were enrolled as a separate group within the Cherokee. Within each enrollment category, the Commission generally maintained three types of cards: 'Straight' cards for persons who applications were approved, 'D' cards for persons who applications were considered doubtful and subject to question, and 'R' cards for persons whose applications were rejected. Persons listed on 'D' cards were subsequently transferred to either 'Straight' or 'R' cards depending on the Commission's decisions. All decisions of the Commission were sent to the Secretary of the Interior for final approval"--Introd.

See related record in the Author/Title catalog: United States. Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. The final rolls of citizens and freedmen of the five civilized tribes in Indian territory.

See related record in the Author/Title catalog: United States. Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. Enrollment of the five civilized tribes, 1896-1909.

For additional index see web site: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/finalroll.php (as of 3 August 2006).