Children Transferred to Chilocco School, 1885-1902

Original Form 5-138’s comprise the series entitled “Descriptive Statement of Children.” These forms were used to record the children who were transferred from an Indian Agency to the Chilocco School in Chilocco, Indian Territory. A properly filled out form provides the name of the agency sending the children, is signed by the agent, and certified by the physician of the home agency of the children. Specific details about the child may include:

Indian Name
English Name
Blood Quantum
Nation
Band
Father’s Name and Rank
Whether parents are living or deceased
Student’s Sex
Student’s Age
Student’s Height
Student’s Weight
Student’s Forced Inspiration and Forced Expiration 1
Remarks.

Hopefully the form is further marked with the date of transfer, though many are not. These single pages also do not appear to be in order, thereby making it difficult to pin down the exact year within the range of 1885-1902 if the date is absent from Form 5-138.

Facts Learned from this Record

A careful analysis of these records may provide clues and facts to establish a written narrative for your ancestor.

1. Indian name.
2. Tribe and Band.
3. Blood Quantum.
4. Name of the father.
5. Whether parents were alive.
6. A physical description.
7. Approximate year of birth.
8. Schooling.
9. Location the ancestor was at a specific event in life.

Extraction of Text Example

DESCRIPTIVE STATEMENTS OF PUPILS TRANSFERRED TO   Chilocco Industrial   School at   Chilocco, Ind. Terry.  , from   Osage   Agency, by   L. J. Miles  , U.S. Indian Agent,   Osage   Agency

Indian Name: Wah-tsa-ah-hah
English Name: Elias Stauton
Blood: Full
Tribe: Osage
Band: Wm Penn
Father’s Name and Rank: Wah-woh-kah-woh-she, Citizen
Parents Living or Dead
Father: Yes
Mother: Yes
Sex: Male
Age: 20
Height: 5ft 6″
Weight: 140#
Forced Inspiration: 36
Forced Expiration: 32 1/2
Remarks:

I certify that the above descriptive statement of pupils this day delivered to [blank] to be transferred to __Chilocco Industrial School__, is correct.
Dated __Osage__ Agency. __January 20, 1890__.
L. J. Miles [signed]
U.S. Indian Agent

I certify that I have thoroughly examined the above named children and have found them physically sound and in my best judgement believe them to be mentally sound.
Dated __Osage__ Agency. __20th__ day of __January__, 1890.
G [?] Sutton [signed]
Agency Physician

By E. G Gr… [remaining signature cut off from image] 

Citation Suggestion:

Page 53 Image 15: “Descriptive Statement of Children Transferred to Chilocco School, 1885-1902.” Images. AccessGenealogy. (www.accessgenealogy.com : 20 Apr 2017); citing “Descriptive Statements of Children, 1885 – 1902,” NA Identifier 2745159; Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 – 1999; National Archives at Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX 76140; online version available as PDF download at catalog.archives.gov/id/2745159 .

Example of a Story Line for Wah-tsa-ah-hah

One of the final steps of genealogy is to present the information you’ve uncovered in a precise, coherent and intelligent style of writing. The following paragraph takes the information found for Wah-tsa-ah-hah in the Example 1 image and converts it into a storyline which could be used in a narrative.

Wah-tsa-ah-hah (Elias Staunton) a full blood Osage of the William Penn band, was transferred by L. J. Miles, Indian Agent of the Osage Agency to the Chilocco Industrial School in Chilocco, Indian Territory on 20 January 1890. Miles further certified that the description of Wah-tsa-ah-hah on Form 5-138 was accurate. He describes Wah-tsa-ah-hah as such: male, age 20, 5ft 6in tall and a weight of 140lbs. In heavy breathing, Wah-tsa-ah-hah could expand his chest to 36in and exhale to 32 1/2in. The father of Wah-tsa-ah-hah was recorded as Wah-woh-kah-woh-she a citizen of the Osage Nation, and both of Wah-tsa-ah-hah’s parents were still alive at the time of his transfer. Agency Physician G. W. Sutton, certified Wah-tsa-ah-hah as “physically” and “mentally sound.” 2

Citations:

1. These two items are medical terms for increasing and decreasing the diaphragm by heavy breathing.[↩]
2. Page 53 Image 15: “Descriptive Statement of Children Transferred to Chilocco School, 1885-1902.” Images. AccessGenealogy. (www.accessgenealogy.com : 20 Apr 2017); citing “Descriptive Statements of Children, 1885 – 1902,” NA Identifier 2745159; Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 – 1999; National Archives at Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX 76140; online version available as PDF download at catalog.archives.gov/id/2745161 .[↩]