The following index includes the names of the father and mother, as well as the name of the enrolled citizen. It is arranged alphabetically, both as to the sir and Christian names. We have been very careful in its preparation and have spent months in an effort to make it as complete and useful as possible. We do not expect that it, in connection with the Abstract, will answer all questions in every case. It will however be a very great help to those who will make a proper use of it, and use it in difficult cases in connection with information received outside the record.
Many of the Indians have more than one name. They have their family name, sometimes a school name, which is different and also a bust name. We have knowledge only of the names written on the Census Cards, and such names we have used in our Index, however when we could determine that different spelling of a name stood for the same person we have cross indexed.
In the preparation of the enrollment records different clerks, in the office of the Dawes Commission, took testimony for the record. As the Indian names were pronounced to these clerks, the clerks on hearing the names, and hearing different pronunciations, spelled the names differently, and this different spelling is carried on the cards, in fact, it is common for the same name to appear on the same card twice, and both times under a different spelling. Again, the same name may appear on several cards and the spelling in each case be different. We remember one case where the name of a father was on five cards, and no two instances was the spelling similar, yet we have attempted to overcome this and by our system of cross indexing refer you to all cards where the name of the party you are looking up appears. We realize that we have not been enabled to do this in every case. This would be an impossibility, but we do know that in thousands of cases we have been able to make these citations, which will be of great help to you.
In making your investigation of the record you will undoubtedly find many “leads.” If you will take these “leads” with the information secured outside of the record, and turn to the index and run them down you will undoubtedly secure that which will make the relationship clear to you. This Abstract and Index is a help and not a cure-all.
We note the following instructions and aids in using the index.
- All numbers not prefixed are citations to card numbers and the card numbers are those first following a name, and shows the name on the census card prepared under the Original Creek Agreement. The prefix NB refers you to New Born Creek Roll Number. The prefix M refers you to Minor Creek Roll Number. C. E. refers you to Congressional Enrollment Creek Census card numbers. Note that the citations to the original cards and to the Congressional Enrollment cards are to card numbers, and the New Born and Minor Creek citations are to roll numbers. This was necessary because of the fact that the New Born and Minor Creek card numbers were not in order.
- If you are cited to a card and on turning to that card do not find the name, do not conclude that the citation is an error. It is not. Why we made the citation we have not stated, but, we have made no citations unless there was some reason for it, or we believed that there was some reason for it. If in such cases you will run down the different names on the card referred to you will undoubtedly see our reason.
- Examine the Index under every conceivable spelling that the name may have. It may be indexed under ” K” or it may be under ” C”. Not only is this true of the first letter but of the entire spelling of the name.
- In case of an odd Indian name examine a few names just preceding the place where you think the name ought to be, and also look at a few of the succeeding names. The name may not be just what you think it is, but you will undoubtedly recognize it if you see it and on turning to the card the information there given will undoubtedly show whether or not you have found the name of the party, or parties, desired.
- In making an investigation as to the members of any particular family you have more or less information to start with. Use this information with your Abstract and Index. Make this Abstract and Index valuable to you. It will be so in proportion to your intelligent use of it.