John Ferrill Dawes Application

The next in order of the above applications is that of John Ferrill, et al., and the record therein shows that on April 12, 1901, the said John Ferrill appeared before the Commission at Meridian, Mississippi and there made personal application for the identification of himself and his minor child, Fannie, as Mississippi Choctaws, claiming to be descendants of Choctaw Indians who resided in the state of Mississippi in 1830 and took advantage of the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty made between the United States government and the Choctaw tribe of Indians, concluded September 27, 1830, and known as the treaty of “Dancing Rabbit Creek.  “The principal applicant claims descent from Margaret Ferrill, an alleged half blood Choctaw woman who married Wash Ferrill, a Negro, and who are the parents of this applicant.

The record in this case further shows that the applicant, John Ferrill, and his minor child for whom application is made, have never been enrolled by the tribal authorities of the Choctaw Nation as citizens of that tribe, nor are their names found upon any of the tribal rolls of the Choctaw Nation in the possession of the Commission, nor have they ever been admitted to Choctaw citizenship by a duly constituted court or committee of the Choctaw Nation or by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, or by a decree of the United States Court in Indian Territory under the provisions of the act of Congress of June 10, 1896, (29 Stats. 321)

The evidence offered in this application is the unsupported oral statement of the principal applicant, wherein he attempts to show that he was born in the state of Mississippi in about the year 1870, and that he has always resided in that state, and is an one quarter blood Choctaw.  He does not attempt to trace his alleged Choctaw descent any farther back that to his mother, and there is nothing in his statement which tends to show that any of his alleged Choctaw ancestors were ever recognized by the Choctaw tribal authorities as members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in Mississippi, or that they ever complied or attempted to comply with the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty of 1830.

The next in order of the above applications is that of Robert Ferrill, and the record therein shows that on April 12, 1901, the said Robert Ferrill appeared before the Commission at Meridian, Mississippi and there made personal application for the identification of himself, as a Mississippi Choctaw, claiming to be a descendant of Choctaw Indians who resided in the state of Mississippi in 1830, and took advantage of the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty made between the United States government and the Choctaw tribe of Indians, concluded September 27, 1830 and known as the treaty of “Dancing Rabbit Creek.”  He claims descent from Margaret Ferrill, an alleged half blood Choctaw who married Washington Ferrill, and who are the parents of this applicant.

The record in this case further shows that the applicant Robert Ferrill, has never been enrolled by the tribal authorities of the Choctaw Nation as a citizen of that tribe, nor is his name found upon any of the tribal rolls of the Choctaw Nation in the possession of the Commission, nor has he ever been admitted to Choctaw citizenship by a duly constituted court or committee of the Choctaw Nation, or by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, or by a decree of the United States Court in Indian Territory, under the provisions of the act of Congress of June 10, 1896, (29 Stats. 321.)

The evidence offered in this application is the unsupported oral statement of the applicant, wherein he attempts to show that he was born in the state of Mississippi in about the year 1877, and that he has always resided in that state, and is an one quarter blood Choctaw.  He attempts to trace his alleged Choctaw descent from his mother to his grandfather, who, he alleges, was a full blood Choctaw Indian named John.  There is nothing in his statement which tends to show than any of his alleged Choctaw ancestors were ever recognized by the Choctaw tribal authorities as members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in Mississippi or that they ever complied or attempted to comply with the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty of 1830.

The next in order of the above application is that of Willoughby Thompson and the record therein shows that on April 18, 1900, the said Willoughby Thompson appeared before the Commission at Meridian, Mississippi, and thee made personal application for the identification of himself as a Mississippi Choctaw, claiming to be a descendant of Choctaw Indians who resided in the state of Mississippi in 1830, and took advantage of the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty made between the United States government and the Choctaw tribe of Indians concluded September 27, 1830, and known as the treaty of “Dancing Rabbit Creek.”  He claims descent from Julia Thompson, an alleged one quarter blood Choctaw who married Berry Thompson and who are the parents of this applicant.

Note. There is nothing in the applicant’s testimony which tends to show the nationality of his father.

The record in this case further shows that the applicant Willoughby Thompson, has never been enrolled by the tribal authorities of the Choctaw Nation as a citizen of that tribe, nor is his name found upon any of the tribal rolls of the Choctaw Nation in the possession of the Commission, nor has he ever been admitted to Choctaw citizenship by a duly constituted court of committee of the Choctaw Nation, or by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, or by a decree of the United States Court in Indian Territory, under the provisions of the act of Congress of June 10, 1896, (29. Stats. 321)

The evidence offered in support of this application, aside from the statement of the principal applicant, embraces the joint ex parte affidavit of Wash Ferrill and Cato Evans.  By the oral statement of the principal applicant it is attempted to be shown that he was born in the year 1863 in the state of Mississippi where he has resided all his life and that he is an one eighth blood Choctaw.  He attempts to trace his alleged Choctaw descent through his mother to his grandfather Willoughby Trotter, who, he claims, was a Choctaw Indian, but does not give the degree of blood possessed by him, and there is nothing in the applicant’s statement which tends to show that his alleged Choctaw ancestors were ever recognized by the Choctaw  tribal authorities as a members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in Mississippi, or that they ever complied or attempted to comply with the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty of 1830.  By the joint ex parte affidavit of Wash Ferrill and Cato Evans, it is attempted to be shown that affiants are acquainted with the applicant, who they allege, is an one eighth blood Choctaw and who is the child of Julia Thompson who is an one quarter blood Choctaw and the daughter of Willoughby Trotter, who was a son of Gilbert Indian, and all the said parties have always resided in the state of Mississippi.  There is nothing in said affidavit which tends to show that any of the alleged Choctaw ancestors of the applicant were recognized by the Choctaw tribal authorities as members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in Mississippi, or that they complied or attempted to comply with the provisions of article fourteen of the treaty of 1830.  In fact it is stated conclusively in said affidavits that the applicant and his ancestors never were beneficiaries under any of the provisions of the treaty of “Dancing Rabbit Creek.

 


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