Laws Affecting the Five Civilized Tribes

United States. Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. Laws, Decisions and Regulations Affecting the work of the Commissioners to Five Civilized Tribes, 1893-1906. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1906.

Supplemental Creek Agreement, June 30, 1902

32 Stat. L. 500 AN ACT To ratify and confirm a supplemental agreement with the Creek tribe of Indians, and for other purposes.a Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following supplemental agreement, submitted by certain commissioners of the Creek tribe of Indians, as herein amended, is hereby ratified and confirmed on the part of the United States, and the same shall be of full force and effect if ratified by the Creek tribal council on or before the first day of September, nineteen hundred and … Read more

Seminole Town Site Act

AN ACT To provide for the appointment of town-site commissioners and the location of a a town in the Seminole Nation. Be it enacted by the general council of the Seminole Nation: SEC. 1. That A. J. Brown, Thomas McGeisey, Thomas Factor, W. L. Joseph, and Dorsey Fife he, and are hereby, appointed as town-site commissioners for the Seminole Nation, and their term of office shall continue for four years and until their successors are appointed by the general council and qualified. The said commissioners shall each execute a bond in the sum of five thousand dollars, to be approved … Read more

Seminole Agreement, December 16, 1897

An Act To ratify the agreement between the Dawes Commission and the Seminole Nation of Indians. Whereas an agreement was made by Henry L. Dawes, Tarns Bixby, Frank C. Armstrong, Archibald S. McKennon, Thomas B. Needles, the Commission of the United States to the Five Civilized Tribes, and Allison L. Aylesworth, secretary, John F. Brown, Okchan Harjo, William Cully, K. N. Kinkehee, Thomas West, Thomas Factor, Seminole Commission, A. J. Brown, secretary, on the part of the Seminole Nation of Indians, on December sixteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, as follows: Agreement between the United States Commissioners to negotiate with the … Read more

Rules of Practice in Choctaw, Chickasaw and Cherokee Cases

Rules Of Practice Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T., March 17, 1903. The following Rules of Practice in Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee allotment contest cases, approved by the Department January 27, 1903, and March 9, 1903, are hereby promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned.” The Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Tams Bixby, Chairman Initiation Of Contests Rule 1. Contests may be initiated by or on behalf of an adverse claimant against any party by or for whom a selection of land has been made in the Choctaw, Chickasaw, or Cherokee nations, for any … Read more

Regulations Governing Unrestricted Alienation of Lands for Town Site Purposes in Indian Territory

Regulations Governing Unrestricted Alienation of Lands for Town-Site Purposes in Indian Territory. Regulations Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T., February 10, 1904. The following rules and regulations governing applications for the unrestricted alienation of lands for town-site purposes in the Indian Territory, approved by the Secretary of the Interior February 6, 1904, are hereby promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned. Tams Bixby, Chairman. A provision of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1903 (32 Stat., 982), reads as follows: To pay all expenses incident to the survey, platting, and appraisement of town sites … Read more

Regulations Governing Agents and Attorneys before the Commission

Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T., March 30, 1901. The following regulations governing the recognition of agents and attorneys before the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes and land offices established by said Commission, approved by the Secretary of the Interior March 20, 1901, are promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned. By order of the Commission: Tams Bixby, Acting Chairman Regulations 1. Any attorney at law who desires to represent claimants before the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes or any land office established by said Commission shall file a certificate of the clerk … Read more

Mary Elizabeth Martin Decision Rendered

On March 30, 1905, the Secretary of the Interior addressed the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes regarding the application of Mary Elizabeth Martin for enrollment as a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. The application, initially denied by the Commission in 1896 and again in 1903, was revisited following recommendations and legal opinions suggesting further investigation. The key issue was whether Martin’s parents, who were white intermarried citizens, were married to their former Indian spouses in accordance with tribal laws, which would impact Martin’s eligibility for enrollment. The Assistant Attorney-General’s opinion highlighted that if her parents were legally married under tribal law, Martin was entitled to citizenship. Consequently, the case was returned to the Commission for further investigation and adjudication based on additional evidence.

Laws Affecting the Five Civilized Tribes Enrollment

This collection provides information on many of the laws used by the The Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior affecting the Five Civilized Tribes enrollment. You will find most of this information useful in your research. There are many names in part 3 and 4 with actual cases listed there.

Digest of Decisions Rendered, 1904 – 1906

Inclusive, Upon Appeals From The Decisions Of The Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes And The Commissioner To The Five Civilized Tribes In Allotment Contest Cases. Abatement and Revival On death of party. (See DEATH, par. 1.) Abandonment 1. What constitutes. When a division fence was removed and placed on a certain line and the parties on each side of the new line occupied the land as so divided, and one of them, after a number of years, died, his heirs continuing to occupy the land on his side of the fence without objection : Held, That the other party … Read more

Decisions Rendered Loula West

Office Of The Secretary Washington, D. C., February 15, 1905 Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T. GENTLEMEN: Enclosed herewith is a communication, dated December 10, 1904, from Mrs. Loula West, of Ardmore, Ind. T., forwarding a petition ad dressed to the President, praying him to cause an investigation to be made of the allegations contained in said petition, and, if said allegations are found to be true, to cause her name to be placed upon the final roll of the Choctaw Nation. It appears from said petition that your Commission deems itself precluded from considering her case … Read more

Decision Rendered William Durant

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., July 21, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by reference of June 7, 1905, the record in the case of William Durant and others for enrollment as freedmen citizens of the Creek Nation, with request for my opinion thereon. William Durant is shown by birth certificate in the record to have been born February 20, 1902, to Edmund Durant, who is identified on the 1891 omitted Creek roll. February 3, 1905, the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes found and recommended that Edmund Durant should be enrolled as a … Read more

Decision Rendered William C. Thompson

Office Of The Secretary Washington, D. C,, April 7, 1905 Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, Muscogee, Ind. T. GENTLEMEN: April 13, 1004, you transmitted the record in the matter of the Choctaw case of William C. Thompson et al. (M. C. R., 341). Consolidated with said case were the applications of several other applicants, entitled, respectively, “M. C. R., 0258, 6259, 517, 582, 516, 458, 581, 563, 310, 557, 583, and 7124.” All of the applicants above referred to claim the right to be identified as Mississippi Choctaws; also to be enrolled upon the regular roll of Choctaws either … Read more

Decision Rendered Wiley Adams

Office Of The Secretary Washington, D. C., May 21, 1903 The Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T. GENTLEMEN: I have considered the proceedings of your Commission upon the application of Wiley Adams for enrollment as a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. The facts as found by your Commission are that Adams appeared before the Commission in the year 1899, under the act of June 10, 1890 (29 Stat., 821); that he is a white man, and about 1877 married a Creek, the widow of a Chickasaw citizen, and was by special act of the Choctaw council, approved … Read more

Decision Rendered Thornton D. Pearce

Office Of The Secretary Washington, D. G., May 21, 1904 Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T. GENTLEMEN: March 19, 1904, you transmitted the record in the matter of the application of Thornton D. Pearce for the enrollment of himself as a citizen by intermarriage of the Choctaw Nation, including your decision of the same date, holding that the applicant should be enrolled. The evidence shows that the applicant is a white man; that on January 14, 1883, he was married, in accordance with the laws, customs, and usages of the Choctaw Nation, to Parmelia A. Folsom, a … Read more

Decision Rendered Thomas J. Lasley

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., June 19, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received, by reference of June 5, 1905, with request for opinion thereon, the record in the case of Thomas J. Lasley and others for enrollment as citizens by blood of the Cherokee Nation. The applicant based his claim of right upon being the son of George Lasley and Sarah (nee Walker), his wife, both of whom were recognized Cherokees. As proof of that right he relied upon a judgment of the United States court of the Indian Territory, northern district, under the … Read more

Decision Rendered Stonewall J. Rogers

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., March 25, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by reference of February 27, 1905, the motion for review and rehearing and accompanying papers in the application of Stonewall J. Rogers for enrollment of his children, Fannie L., Robert K., Mary L., and Henry C. as citizens by blood of the Cherokee Nation. October 14, 1887, Rogers, then aged 21 years, with Henry C., his father, a brother, and three sisters, were admitted by the Cherokee national authorities as citizens by blood of the Cherokee Nation. There is no claim … Read more

Decision Rendered Rosella Lewis

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., October 4, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by letter of September 20, 1905, a copy of departmental order of June 13, 1904, fixing September 1, 1904, as the time for closing the rolls of the Muscogee or Creek Nation. My attention is directed to section 7 of the act of June 30, 1902 (32 Stat, 500-501), requiring the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes to enroll all children of parents entitled to enrollment in the Creek Nation born after July 1, 1900, to and including May 25, 1901, … Read more

Decision Rendered Mary Ann Riley

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., August 31, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by reference of June 19, 1905, the record in the case of Mary Ann Riley and others, applicants for enrollment as Cherokee freedmen, with request for my opinion “whether the applicants in said case are entitled to enrollment.” The applicants are Mary Ann Riley, born about 1820; her daughter, Mary Hazelrig, nee Riley, born about 1855, for herself and minor children, William A., Jesse, Lacy, Alexander, Joseph E., James M. T., James L., and Fred; Mary Brown, nee Hazelrig, for herself … Read more

Decision Rendered Mary and Roy Strickland

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., December 28, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by reference of October 10, 1905, the report from the Commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes of September 25, 1905, stating his inability to reconcile the decisions of the Department in the Cherokee citizenship cases of Mary and Roy Strickland, March 17, 1904 (I. T. D., 934 and 21GO 1904); January 4, 1905 (I. T. D., 30201904), and May 25, 1905, and of Ora M. Bonds, nee Camp, March 25, 1903 (I. T. D., 14181903). The Commissioner states two specific points, … Read more