Slave Narrative of Mary Colbert

Interviewer: Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Mary Colbert Location: Athens, Georgia (NOTE: This is the first story we have had in which the client did not use any dialect. Mary Colbert’s grammar was excellent. Her skin was almost white, and her hair was quite straight. None of us know what a “deep” slave was. It may have the same meaning as outlandish Negro. The “outlandish Negroes” were those newly arrived Negroes who had just come in from any country outside of the United States of America, and were untrained. They were usually just from Africa. Sarah H. Hall) With the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Joanna Draper

Person Interviewed: Joanna Draper Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Hazelhurst Mississippi Age: 83 Most folks can’t remember many things happened to ’em when they only eight years old, but one of my biggest tribulations come about dat time and I never will forget it! That was when I was took away from my own mammy and pappy and sent off and bound out to another man, way off two-three hundred miles away from whar I live. And dat’s the last time I ever see either one of them, or any my own kinfolks! Whar I was born was at … Read more

Gallery of Western Nebraska’s People

William Maupin and Family

143 full page photographs of families, couples, group photographs, individual people, and homesteads found within the manuscript History Of Western Nebraska & It’s People, Volume 3.

Sallie Colbert, Chickasaw Minor

This record documents the application for the enrollment of Sallie Colbert as a minor Chickasaw by blood, submitted by Ballinger & Lee. Edmon Colbert testified in December 1910 regarding his family’s Chickasaw status, stating that Sallie was born in October 1905. His wife, Martha Colbert, and midwife, Hallucher Lewis, provided affidavits confirming the birth. Additional affidavits were filed seeking the posthumous enrollment of John Lewis, a full-blood Choctaw, to secure land allotments for his heirs. The case was reviewed by the Department of the Interior, with testimony taken in McAlester, Oklahoma.

1921 Farmers’ Directory of Viola Iowa

1921 Farm Map of Viola Township, Audubon County, Iowa

Abbreviations: Sec., section; ac., acres; Wf., wife; ch., children; ( ), years in county; O., owner; H., renter.   Allen, Charles F. Wf. Libbie; ch. Ray and Fred. P. O. Gray, R. 1. O. 468.64 ac., sec. 7. (40.) Allen, R. L. Wf. Laura. P. O. Gray, R. 1. R. 160ac., sec. 7. (20.) Owner, Chas. F. Allen. Anderson, Charles. Ch. Jennie, Fred, Frank and John. P. O. Coon Rapids, R. 3. O. 298.41 ac., sec. 1;O. 40 ac., sec. 12. (27.) Anderson, D. B. Wf. Lillie; ch. Bessie, Nellie, Alice, Mary and Hope. P. O. Audubon, R. 2. O. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Polly Colbert

Person Interviewed: Polly Colbert Location: Colbert, Oklahoma Age: 83 I am now living on de forty-acre farm dat de Government give me and it is just about three miles from my old home on Master Holmes Colbert’s plantation where I lived when I was a slave. Lawsy me, times sure has changed since slavery times Maybe I notice it more since I been living here all de time, but dere’s farms ’round here dat I’ve seen grown timber cleared off of twice during my lifetime. Dis land was first cleared up and worked by niggers when dey was slaves. After … Read more

Surnames Camp to Cummins

This document contains genealogical statements regarding various individuals and families of Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Mississippi Choctaw descent who sought recognition and enrollment in tribal rolls. The records, primarily from 1909 reports, detail claimants’ ancestry, enrollment issues, and tribal affiliations. Many individuals were denied enrollment due to factional disputes, legal technicalities, or failure to apply within deadlines. The document includes references to official reports and affidavits, offering insights into the complexities of Native American citizenship and land rights during the early 20th century.

The Two Friends – The Red And The White

During my travels in the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations in 1884, I arrived one evening the 19th of June, at the quiet and unostentatious village of Doaksville one among the first towns located in their present country when arriving from their ancient domains east of the Mississippi river, in the year 1832. It soon became a place of considerable trade; but ultimately proving to be very sickly it was nearly abandoned; and, at the time I visited it, was but a relic of the past with Ichabod as an appropriate epitaph having only one small dry goods store and eight … Read more

Vaundreuil and the Chickasaws

Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil

At this juncture of affairs, May 10th 1743, the marquis of Vaudreuil arrived at New Orleans, and assumed command of the colonies, Bienville having been again deposed. As soon as the Chickasaws learned that Bienville had been superceded by a new governor, they sent four of their chiefs, at the close of the year 1743, to sue for peace; but Vaudreuil informed them he would enter into no treaty with them, unless they would drive all English traders from their territories; and not even then would he treat with them unless in concert with the Choctaws. Thus again were the Chickasaws … Read more

North America Indian Names of Places in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana

The Indians all over this continent had names, traditions, religions, ceremonies, feasts, prayers, songs, dances all, more or less, with symbolism and allegory, adapted to circumstances, just as all other races of mankind. But the world has become so familiar with the continued and ridiculous publications in regard to everything touching upon that race of people that a universal doubt has long since been created and established as to the possibility of refinement of thought and nobleness of action ever having existed among the North American Indian race, ancient or modern; and so little of truth has also been learned … Read more

Mission’s Among the Southern Indians

Reverend Hugh Wilson

In the year 1819 the Synod of South Carolina resolved to establish a mission among the Southern Indians east of the Mississippi river. The Cherokees, Muskogee’s, Seminoles, Choctaws and Chickasaws then occupied Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Rev. David Humphries offered to take charge of the intended mission. He was directed to visit the Indians, obtain their consent and select a suitable location. Rev. T. C. Stewart, then a young licentiate, offered himself as a companion to Mr. Humphries. They first visited the Muskogee’s (Creeks), who, in a council of the Nation, declined their proposition. They then traveled through Alabama … Read more

Prominent White Men among the Chickasaws

Holmes Colbert

At an early day a few white men of culture and of good morals, fascinated with the wild and romantic freedom and simplicity of the Chickasaw life, cast their lot among that brave and patriotic nation of people. I read an article published in Mississippi a few years ago, which stated that a man by the name of McIntosh, commissioned by British authorities to visit the Chickasaw Nation and endeavor to keep up its ancient hostility to the French, was so delighted with the customs and manners of that brave, free and hospitable people that, after the accomplishment of his mission, he … Read more

List 6, Choctaw Freedmen

List of Choctaw Freedmen whose names were omitted from final rolls because no application was made or by. reason of mistake or oversight. Shows the names of 281 persons, all minors except 4. The approved roll of minor Choctaw freedmen contains 473 names. The large percentage of omissions in this class is explained elsewhere. It is quite probable that there are others of this class whose claims have not yet been presented or disclosed.

Moravian Massacre at Gnadenbrutten

George Rogers Clark

In the early part of the year 1763 two Moravian missionaries, Post and Heckewelder, established a mission among the Tuscarawa Indians, and in a few years they had three nourishing missionary stations, viz: Shoenbrun, Gnadenbrutten and Salem, which were about five miles apart and fifty miles west of the present town of Steubenville, Ohio. During our Revolutionary War their position being midway between the hostile Indians (allies of the British) on the Sandusky River, and our frontier settlements, and therefore on the direct route of the war parties of both the British Indian allies and the frontier settlers, they were … Read more

Rough Riders

Rough Riders

Compiled military service records for 1,235 Rough Riders, including Teddy Roosevelt have been digitized. The records include individual jackets which give the name, organization, and rank of each soldier. They contain cards on which information from original records relating to the military service of the individual has been copied. Included in the main jacket are carded medical records, other documents which give personal information, and the description of the record from which the information was obtained.

Missionaries among the Native Americans

According to traditional authority, the morning star of the Choctaws religious era, (if such it may be termed) first lit up their eastern horizon, upon the advent of the two great Wesley’s into the now State of Georgia in the year 1733, as the worthy and congenial companions of the noble Oglethorpe; but also, it flashed but a moment before their eyes as a beautiful meteor, then as quickly went out upon the return to England of those champions of the Cross, leaving them only to fruitless conjecture as to its import; nor was seen again during the revolutions of … Read more

Alleged 1818 Chickasaw Roll – Surname Index

This is an English surname transcription of the alleged 1818 Chickasaw roll said to have been lost in the beginning of the 19th century. I expect, if this is a true roll, that it is the result of the Treaty of October 19, 1818 between the Chickasaw Nation and the United States. I have some doubts, however, as the treaty stipulates payments and land to the tribe, not to individual tribal members as later treaties would. It would be at the discretion of the tribe on how to settle the reservation and distribute the payments.

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Richard D. Colbert

Rev. Richard D. Colbert of Grant, is one of the young men, enlisted in the work of the Church, by Parson Stewart. He attended Biddle University from October 1884 to June 1887, three years, when he returned home, on account of impaired health. Regaining his health after a few months, he became a teacher and taught school eleven years during the territorial period. In the spring of 1897, he became a licentiate of the Presbytery of Kiamichi, and two years later was assigned the pastoral oversight of New Hope and Sandy Branch Churches. He was ordained in 1903. Most of … Read more

Treaty of January 17, 1837

Treaty of January 17, 1837 page 7

The Treaty of January 17, 1837, was an agreement where the Choctaw tribe allowed the Chickasaws to create a district within Choctaw territory, known as the Chickasaw District of the Choctaw Nation. Amidst U.S. expansion policies like the Indian Removal Act, the treaty gave the Chickasaws autonomy and equal representation in the Choctaw council, excluding some financial rights. Boundaries for their district were defined, and the Chickasaws agreed to pay the Choctaws $530,000, with partial immediate payment and the remainder invested under U.S. supervision. Disputes would be settled by the Choctaw agent or ultimately the U.S. President. The treaty, signed in Doaksville, exemplifies Native American resilience and inter-tribal cooperation during forced negotiations due to American expansionism.

Slave Narrative of Sarah C. Colbert

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Sarah Colbert Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: Allen County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1855 Place of Residence: 1505 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. SARAH COLBERT-EX-SLAVE 1505 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Mrs. Sarah Carpenter Colbert was born in Allen County, Kentucky in 1855. She was owned by Leige Carpenter, a farmer. Her father, Isaac Carpenter was the grandson of his master, Leige Carpenter, who was very kind to him. Isaac worked on the farm until the old … Read more