Department of the Interior
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Atoka, I. T. June 12, 1901
#2612
In the matter of the application of Benjamin F. Davis and the identification of himself and his three minor children as Mississippi Choctaw.
Benjamin F. Davis having been first duly sworn testified as follows;
Examination by the Commission
Q. What is your name?
A. Benjamin F. Davis
Q. What is your age?
A. Twenty-nine.
Q. What is your post-office address?
A. Paynesprings, Texas
Q. How long have you lived there?
A. About twenty years.
Q. Where did you live before you lived there?
A. Mississippi
Q. And lived there until you moved to Texas twenty years ago?
A. Yes
Q. What is your fathers name?
A. R. M. Davis
Q. Is he living?
A. Yes
Q. What is your mothers name?
A. Nancy J. Davis
Q. Is she living?
A. Yes
Q. Through which one of your parents do you derive your Choctaw blood?
A. My father
Q. How much Choctaw blood do you claim
A. One sixteenth
Q. Has your father through whom you claim your right to identification as a Mississippi Choctaw ever been recognized in any manner or enrolled as a member of the Choctaw tribe of Indians by either the Choctaw tribal authorities or the authorities of the United States?
A. He has been recognized.
Q. Well, has he been recognized by the Choctaw tribal authorities or by the authorities of the United States?
A. By the authorities of the United States.
Q. In what way?
A. Well, he was just know by the authorities of the United States.
Q. Well, in what way was he recognized as a member?
A. Well, by evidence.
Q. Well, did they put him on the rolls?
A. No, they didnt put him on the rolls.
Q. Did they give him any certificate to show that he was Indian, a member of the tribe.
A. No, Yes, only affidavits, evidence, you know.
Q. Well, hod did the authorities of the United States?
A. Well, I mean the citizens of the United States.
Q. The authorities of the United states never recognized your father as a member of the Choctaw tribe of Indians.
A. No
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes
Q. What is your wifes name?
A. Myra Davis
Q. Do you make application on behalf or your wife?
A. I dont understand that.
Q. Do you make application for your wife?
A. No
Q. She is a white woman and has no claim to Indian blood?
A. No, she dont claim any.
Q. Have you any children in your family for whom you wish to make
application at this time ?