Meridian, Mississippi, April 18,1901.
In the matter of the application of Tobias Brock for identification as a Mississippi Choctaw.
Tobias Brock, being first duly sworn, upon his oath testified as follows:
Examination by the Commission.
Q. What is you name?
A. Tobias Brock.
Q. What is your age?
A. Sixty eight.
Q. What is your Post Office address?
A. Shubuta.
Q. Mississippi,
A. Yes sir.
Q. How long have you lived in Mississippi?
A. I have been here thirty- eight years sir.
Q. Where did you live before you came here?
A. Choctaw, Alabama.
Q. How long did you live in Choctaw, Alabama?
A. Hold on! sixty eight I have been here twenty eight years.
Q. In Mississippi?
A. Yes sir.
Q. How long did you live in Choctaw, Alabama?
A. I come here the second or third year after the surrender from Alabama.
Q. How long did you live in Choctaw Alabama?
A. I was born there, and lived there until I come to Mississippi.
Q. What is you fathers name?
A. Willoughby Trotter.
Q. Is he living?
A. No sir, he is dead.
Q. What was you Mothers name?
A. Becky Brock.
Q. Is she living?
A. No sir, she is dead.
Q. Through which one of your parents do you derive you Choctaw blood?
A. From my father.
Q. How much Choctaw blood do you claim?
A. I claim a quarter.
Q. Has your father ever been recognized in any manner, or enrolled as a member of the Choctaw tribe of Indians by the Choctaw tribal authorities, or by the authorities of the United States?
A. No sir, not as I knows of.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes sir.
Q. What is your wifes name?
A. Emeline Brock.
Q. Do you make application on behalf of your wife?
A. No sir.
Q. Have any children?
A. Five
Q. Are any of them under twenty one years of age and unmarried?
A. Ain’t none of them under age.
Q. Is your name on any of the tribal rolls of the Choctaw Nation, in Indian Territory?
A. Not as I knows of.
Q. Have you ever made application to the Choctaw tribal authorities in the Indian Territory to be enrolled as a member of that tribe?
A. No sir.
Q. Did you, or anyone for you, in 1896, make application to the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes for citizenship in the Choctaw Nation under the Act of Congress of June 10, 1896?
A. No sir.
Q. Have you ever been admitted to citizenship in the Choctaw Nation, by either the Choctaw tribal authorities, the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, or by the United States Court in Indian Territory?
A. No sir.
Q. Have you ever made application prior to this time to either the Choctaw tribal authorities, or to the authorities of the United States, to be admitted or enrolled as a citizen of the Choctaw Nation?
A. No sir.
Q. Is this the first application you have made of any description?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Is it now your purpose to make application for identification as a Mississippi Choctaw?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Do you claim your right as a beneficiary under the provisions of the Fourteenth article of the Treaty of 1830?
A. Yes sir.
Q. I will read it to you; it is as follows:
Each Choctaw head of a family, being desirous to remain and become a citizen of the States, shall be permitted to do so, by signifying his intention to the Agent, within six months from the ratification of this Treaty, and he or she shall thereupon be entitled to a reservation of one section of six hundred and forty acres of Land, to be bounded by sectional lines of survey; in like manner shall be entitled to one-half that quantity for each unmarried child who is living with him over ten years of age; and a quarter section to each child as may be under ten years of age, to adjoin the location of the parent. If they reside upon said lands intending to become citizens of the States for five years after the ratification of this Treaty, in that case, a grant in fee simple shall issue; said reservation shall include the present improvement of the head of the family, or a portion of it. Persons who claim under this Article shall not lose the privilege of a Choctaw citizen, but if they ever remove are not entitled to any portion of the Choctaw annuity.
Q. Have you ever received any benefits as a Choctaw Indian?
A. No sir.
Q. Have any of your ancestors ever received any benefits as Choctaw Indians?
A. No sir.
Q. Who among your ancestors were residents of the old Choctaw Nation, in Mississippi and Alabama, and acknowledged members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in 1830, when the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was entered into between the United States and the Choctaw tribe of Indians?
A. My father and my grand father.
Q. Have you any evidence showing that your father or grand father were recognized members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians at that time?
A. No sir, than what they said.
Q. Did they remove from the Territory occupied by the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi and Alabama to the present Choctaw Nation, In Indian Territory, at The time of the removal of the other members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians Between the years 1833 and 1838?
A No sir.
Q. Did they within six months after the ratification of the treaty of 1830, signify tothe United States Indian Agent of the Choctaw in Mississippi, their intention to remain in Mississippi and become citizens of the United States?
A. No sir.
Q. Have any of your ancestors ever claimed or received any land in Mississippi as Beneficiaries under the provisions of the Fourteenth Article of the Treaty of 1830?
A. No sir.
Q. Are there any additional statements you desire to make in support of your Application?
A. Not any
Q. Have you any documentary evidence, affidavits, written testimony of any description, copies of record, deeds on patents, or any proper papers showing that you ancestors were ever recognized members of the Choctaw tribe of Indians in Mississippi in the year 1830, or that they ever complied, or attempted to comply, with the provisions Of the Fourteenth Article of the Treaty of 1830, or that they have ever received any benefits under that article of that treaty?
A. No Sir.
(This applicant has the appearance of being a negro, and shows no indication of being possessed of Indian blood. He speaks a few Choctaw words, but is unable to carry on a conversation in Choctaw, and does not understand the language thoroughly.)
The decision of the Commission as to your application for identification as a Mississippi Choctaw will be determined at the earliest possible date, and a report of the same made to the Secretary of the Indian Interior conformable to the provisions of the Twenty First Section of the Act of Congress of June 28, 1898, and a copy of the same will be mailed to you at your post office address as given in you testimony.
R.S.Streit, being first duly sworn, upon his oath states that as stenographer to the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, he reported in full, the proceedings had in the above entitled cause, on the 18th day of April, A.D. 1901, and that the above and foregoing is a full, true and correct translation of his stenographic notes of said proceedings on said date.
R.S.Streit
Subscribed and sworn to before me at Meridian, Mississippi, this 27th day of April, 1901.