Indians in Mason County Michigan 1870 Census

The following 229 people were identified as Indians (I) in column 6 (color) of the 1870 census for Mason County Michigan. The instructions to enumerators for conducting the 1870 census are essentially the same as those for the 1860 census:

Indians not taxed are not to be enumerated. The families of Indians who have renounced tribal rule, and who under state or territory laws exercise the rights of citizens, are to be enumerated. 1

So the following 229 people identified in the 1870 Mason County Michigan census are believed to have renounced tribal rule, and under state law, exercised their rights as citizens to be enumerated.

I noticed when compiling these results that the population of those being identified as Indians in Mason County dropped from 409 in 1860, to only 229 in 1870. This follows a recognized statewide pattern of lower Native American population for Michigan, which at this time I cannot identify the reason for.

The records below contains only those in a household who were identified by an I for their color. There may be others in the household who are not identified below and that will be on the actual census images.

1. Eighth Census, United States—1860. Instructions to U.S. Marshals, p. 14.[↩]