Researching
The Dawes Rolls
The Five Civilized Tribes
Cherokee Choctaw Chickasaw Creek Seminole

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Research Steps and Tips

  3. Contents and Microfilm Numbers of the Index, Final Rolls, and Census Cards

  4. Index to the Final Rolls and Final Rolls

  5. Dates at Which Ages Calculated

  6. Guide to: Index, Final Rolls and Census Cards of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory - 1898-1907 (With Example of each)

    EXAMPLE:

  7. 1910 Federal Census - Instructions to Enumerator When Indian Families Involved

  8. Blank Form for Recording Data from Census Card Record

  9. Census Card Numbers Ranges on Microfilm Rolls

  10. Map - Five Civilized Tribe Locations Before and After Removal

  11. Five Civilized Tribes Members Added to Rolls in 1914

  12. The Dawes Act - A General Discussion

  13. The Choctaw - Chickasaw Citizenship Court

Research Steps

Index

  1. Find name on Index, using applicable Tribe and Subgroup sheets.
  2. Record Tribe, Subgroup and Dawes Number.
  3. Refer to Final Rolls, using applicable Tribe and Subgroup sheets.

    Final Rolls and Census Cards

  4. Locate name on Final Rolls, using Dawes Number obtained from Index. Dawes Rolls are arranged in numerical order.
  5. Record Census (or "Field") Number.
  6. Get applicable Census Card microfilm roll number from listing.
  7. Pull Census Card microfilm from cabinet.
  8. Locate record by reading Census (or "Field") Number at upper right corner of Census Card.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole) commonly referred to as the Dawes Commission, was established by an Act of Congress of March 3, 1893 to negotiate the extinguishment of Tribal Titles to lands in Indian Territory in order to permit the subsequent allotment of the land to the individual members of the Tribes. The Commission's functions were increased by an Act of June 10, 1896, which authorized it to hear and make determinations on the applications of individuals who wished to hear and make determinations on the applications of individuals who wished to be added to existing Tribal Rolls. However, these rolls were considered to be so inaccurate that in 1898 Congress authorized the Commission to take a Census of each of the Tribes and prepare final rolls which would become the basis for allotment from 1898 until the closing of the rolls on March 4, 1907. The Commission received more than 200,000 applications for enrollment and travelled throughout Indian Territory taking testimony and gathering data.

The final rolls of the Civilized Tribes contain more than 101,000 names which are arranged by Tribe and thereunder by the following Subgroups: Citizens by Blood, By Intermarriage, Minor Children by Blood, (Enrolled under an Act of Congress of March 3, 1905), Freedmen (Primarily Black Slaves who were emancipated and subsequently adopted as members of the Tribes), Minor Freedmen and Newborn Freedmen. The names are listed within each Sub-group numerically by enrollment number. For each individual listed, the Final Roll indicates age, (date of computation varies among Tribes and Sub-groups), Sex, and Degree of Tribal Blood. The Index to the Final Rolls is also organized by Tribe and thereunder by Sub-group with names appearing in roughly alphabetical order.

An Act of August 1, 1914 added 314 names to the Final Rolls. Their names do not appear in the Alphabetical Index. The printing of the two volumes reproduced herein was authorized by an Act of Congress of June 21, 1906.

Important Note:

    Research of the Five Civilized Tribes, (Dawes), Rolls for Choctaw or Chickasaw records should not be considered complete until the Choctaw-Chickasaw Citizenship Court lists have been examined. These names do not appear on the Dawes Index or Final Rolls but do appear on the Dawes Census Cards (Microfilm 7RA27).

Table of Contents

Contents and Microfilm Numbers of the Index, Final Rolls, and Census Cards

Bookform - (Unbound) Index and Final Rolls at the National Archives, Central Plains Region, Kansas City, MO

M7RA3 - Microfilm (1 roll)
Index and Final Rolls (at Kansas City)

T529 - Microfilm (3 rolls)
Final Rolls (at Kansas City)

Census Cards - Microfilm (74 rolls) (at Kansas City)

M1186 - Microfilm (1 roll)
Index, Final Rolls (at Kansas City)

Table of Contents

Indian Records Index

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