James McPheteridge Et Al.. William T. Sledge Et Al., Harriet Gordon Et Al., Rose Tapp Et Al., Choctaws.
Dawes Commission: Nos. 547, 817, 1005, and 1398. United States court: Central district. No. 229; southern district, Nos. 93 and 94. Choctaw-Chickasaw citizenship court: Nos. 106-T, 108-T, and 127-T.
September 7. 1890. Original application to Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes under act of June 10, 1896, for citizenship in the Choctaw Nation of James McPheteridge and Maud McPheteridge, Albert McPheteridge and his children as citizens by blood; Lizzie McPheteridge. his wife, as an intermarried citizen.
October 9. 1890. Answer of Choctaw Nation filed.
December 2, 1890. Decision of commission admitting the persons included in application.
February 2, 1897. Appeal taken by Choctaw Nation to United State court, central district, case No. 229.
September 7, 1890. Original application to Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes under act of June 10, 1890, for citizenship in the Choctaw Nation of William Sledge, Conza Sledge, his child, citizens by blood; Mattie Sledge, his wife, citizen by intermarriage.
October 9, 1896. Answer of Choctaw Nation filed.
December 4, 1896. Decision of commission admitting all the persons included in the application.
February 2, 1897. Appeal was taken by Choctaw Nation to United State court, central district, and case consolidated with case of James McPheteridge, No. 229.
October 8, 1897. Decree of United States court for central district of Indian Territory affirming decision of commission and admitting the persons included in the consolidated case.
December 17, 1902. Decision of United States court vacated by decree of Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court in the “test case” of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations or Tribes of Indians n. J. T. Riddle et al., and case appealed to Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court for trial de, novo.
September 7, 1896. Original application made to the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes under act of June 10, 1896, for citizenship in the Choctaw Nation of Harriet Gordon, William M. McPhateridge, Jane McPhateridge (now Davenport). Florence McPhateridge (now Lowrance). and George Gordon, citizens by blood. Answer of Choctaw Nation filed.
December 5, 1896. Decision of commission denying the applicants in this case. Appeal was taken to the United States court for the southern district of Indian Territory.
January 30, 1898. Decree was entered by United States court in case No. 93. decreeing Mrs. Gordon, George McFatridge, James McFatridge, Florence McFatridge, William McFatridge, Jane Davenport, George Gordon, all Choctaws by blood, residing in Indian Territory and entitled to be admitted and enrolled as members of the Choctaw Tribe of Indians.
March 3, 1899. Subsequent decree rendered by United States court eliminating the name of George McFatridge from decree theretofore rendered in this case.
December 17, 1902. Decision of United States court for southern district of Indian Territory vacated by decree of Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court in the “test case.” Appeal was taken and the case transferred to the Choctaw-Chickasaw citizenship court for trial de novo.
September 9, 1890. Original application made to Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes under act of June 10, 1896, for citizenship in the Choctaw Nation of Perry S. Tapp. intermarried citizen; Rose Tapp, his wife; Albert Tapp: Oney Tapp, children, citizens by blood. Answer of the Choctaw Nation was filed.
December 8. 1890. Commission rendered decision denying all the applicants. Appeal was taken to the United States court for the southern district of Indian Territory.
January 20, 1898. Decree rendered by United States court admitting Mrs. Rose Tapp, Albert Tapp, Oney Tapp as citizens by blood, but does not indicate any action upon the application of Perry L. Tapp.
December 17, 1902. Decree of United States court vacated by decree of the Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court in the “test case.” Appeal was taken to the Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court.
June 24, 1904. Proceedings before Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court at Tishomingo. Ind. T.. and a motion made that the same testimony be made to apply in the cases of William Sledge et al., No. 127; Harriet Gordon et al., No. 106; and Rose Tapp et al., No. 109. as they are identical. The motion was granted.
October 20, 1904. Decrees were rendered by Choctaw-Chickasaw citizenship court in each of the above three cases denying the right of the following persons to enrollment as citizens of the Choctaw Nation:
James McPhetridge. Eliza (Lizzie) McPhetridge, Maud McPhetridge, Albert McPhetridge, William Sledge, Mattie Sledge, Conza Sledge, Harriet Gordon, James McFatridge, Florence Lowrance, William McFatridge, Jane Davenport. George Gordon, Rose Tapp, Albert Tapp. Onley (Anley) Tapp.
It is established by the record that the claimants Harriet Gordon and William Sledge are half brother and sister, both being the children of Jane (Frazier) Frazer, who was the daughter of Thomas Frazier, a Choctaw Indian; that they have resided in the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations for 20 or 25 years; that they are half brother and half sister of Maggie F. Richerson, who is also the daughter of Jane Frazier. and who, with her children and grandchildren, have been enrolled upon the approved roll of citizens by blood of the Choctaw Nation, as follows:
14286. Richerson. Maggie F.: 14287, Richerson, Bertha Etta: 14288, Sanner, Willie: 14298, Sanner. Louis; 14290, Sanner, Jesse; 14291, Sanner. Arie L.: 14292, Sanner, George; 14293; Richerson. John L.; 14294. Sanner. Lenna Etta: 14295. Sanner, Walter.
Applications were made to the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes for enrollment as citizens by blood and intermarriage of the Choctaw Nation of the following persons: September 22, 1898: Harriet Gordon, William McFatridge, and George Gordon, citizens by blood. September 22. 1898: James McFatridge. Eliza McFatridge, intermarried. Maude McFatridge. Myrtle McFatridge. May 24, 1900: Robert McFatridge. April 8, 1902: William Edward McFatridge. citizens by blood. October 17, 1898: Florence Lowrance, Jessie Lowrance, citizens by blood, and Julius C. Davenport, born February 18, 1895. October 17, 1898: Jane Davenport, Hattie Davenport, and October 1, 1900. Eva May Davenport, citizens by blood. October 17, 1898, Rose Tapp and Oney Tapp, citizens by blood. October 21, 1898, William Sledge. Mattie Sledge, intermarried. Conza Sledge, Maggie Sledge; April 4, 1902. Anna Pearle Sledge, and. May S. 1906, Lewis Sledge, citizens by blood.
November 12, 1904. Commission entered orders dismissing the applicants in the above cases who were not included in the decrees of the Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court for the reason that the cases of the persons through whom those applicants claimed had been adversely decided by said citizenship court.
Counsel for claimants respectfully represent that, the principal claimants, Harriet Gordon and William Sledge, are the half brother and half sister of Maggie F. Richerson, who is an enrolled citizen by blood of the Choctaw Nation, her name appearing opposite No. 14280 upon said roll as approved by the Secretary, and that they derive their Choctaw blood through the same ancestor as the said Maggie F. Richerson; and the other claimants are children and grandchildren of the leading claimants; that they have lived in the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations 20 or 25 years, or during their life, and counsel for claimants respectfully submit that the claimants should be enrolled.
Those entitled to enrollment are:
James McFatridge, Maud McFatridge, Albert McFatridge, Eliza McFatridge, William Sledge, Conza Sledge, Mattie Sledge, Harriet Gordon, James McFatridge, Florence Lowrance. William McFatridge, George Gordon, John Davenport, Rose Tapp, Albert Tapp, Aney (or Only) Tapp.
Minor children for whose enrollment application was made within the time provided by law:
Myrtle McFatridge, Robert McFatridge, William Edward McFatridge, Jessie Lowrance, Hattie Davenport. Eva May Davenport, Maggie Sledge. Anna Pearle Sledge, Lewis Sledge.
Respectfully submitted.
Walter S. Field.
NOTE: All the spellings of the name McPheteridge to the end as McFatridge as are written in book.