TOC Archives – Page 9 of 18

Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees

The sacred formulas here given are selected from a collection of about six hundred, obtained on the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina in 1887 and 1888, and covering every subject pertaining to the daily life and thought of the Indian, including medicine, love, hunting, fishing, war, self-protection, destruction of enemies, witchcraft, the crops, the council, the ball play, etc., and, in fact, embodying almost the whole of the ancient religion of the Cherokees. The original manuscripts, now in the possession of the Bureau of Ethnology, were written by the shamans of the tribe, for their own use, in the Cherokee characters invented by Sikwâ´ya (Sequoyah) in 1821, and were obtained, with the explanations, either from the writers themselves or from their surviving relatives.

1822 Congressional Report on Indian Affairs

Jedediah Morse’s 1822 report to Congress of his travels through Indian Territory on behalf of the office of Secretary of War – Jedediah was tasked by a resolution of Congress to report of his travels amongst the tribes throughout the United States. Acknowledging that he did not visit all of the tribes, and that he relied on known facts and materials for the body of text he provided, Jedediah presented a large collection of tabular data and descriptive content. This data was then used by Congress to shape it’s policies as it dealt with expansion further west, and specifically tribal relations.

Indians in the United States in 1822

The following is from the report of Rev. Jedediah Morse, special United States Indian commissioner, June 6, 1822, shows all the Indian tribes within the limits of the United States at that time, Including a few tribes not in the United States, but bordering on the northern and southern boundaries related to or intermingling with them, the number of each tribe and the places of their residence. The report gives the names of about 230 tribes, tentative of course with the total population of 471,417. In fulfillment of the foregoing commission, I left New Haven on the 10th of May … Read more

Native Cemeteries and Forms of Burial East of the Mississippi

Native burials and places of burial have been questioned my many people, David M. Bushnell, provides many answers to forms, places, and tribal customs. He does not include all the tribes but does offer an explanation on such tribes as Algonquian, Powhatan, Seneca, Huron, Natchez, Sioux, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole and Choctaw just to name a few.

Abeel and Allied Families

Recent discoveries relating to the Abeel family, of which little has hitherto been known, have brought to light certain facts which have an important bearing on the Revolutionary period of our country’s history. The Genealogy of the Williamson and Abeel families, compiled by James A.Williamson, proves conclusively that the famous “Cornplanter” of the Seneca Tribe of the Six Nations was a direct descendant of Christopher Janse Abeel, the founder of this old Holland family in America. The faithful mother, who so carefully provided for her son’s welfare, little dreamed of the influence that would be exerted by him and his … Read more

Mission to the Cherokees of The Arkansas

Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians

Fig. 38. Yuchi Square-Ground During Ceremony

in 1904 and 1905 Frank G. Speck received first hand accounts from the Yuchi Indians in Oklahoma concerning their culture, customs, history and religious practices. After performing due diligence and comparing what he was told with previously published and unpublished material on the Yuchi Indians he published his Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians. If researching the Yuchi Indians, then this is the premiere source of material for you.

Wallace Roll

The Wallace Roll of Cherokee Freedmen in Indian Territory was created due to the citizenship of many ex-slaves (freedmen) being disputed by the Cherokee Tribe. To the freedmen, the ability to establish their status was important, not only for the sharing of the Cherokee lands, but also the payments and annuities the Cherokee Tribe was to receive in the future. A series of investigations were conducted by John W. Wallace, 1889-1890; Leo E. Bennett, 1891-92; Marcus D. Shelby, 1893; James G. Dickson, 1895-96; William Clifton, William Thompson, and Robert H. Kern, 1896-97. These investigations resulted in the Cherokee Freedmen Rolls known as the Wallace Roll, and the Kern-Clifton Roll.

Indian Treaties, Acts and Agreements

These Indian treaties, acts, and agreements represent a significant collection of federal and state dealings with various Native American tribes. Many of these treaties forced tribes to relocate, usually westward, though occasionally in other directions. Negotiating land treaties posed significant challenges for both the United States and Canada, as tribal governance often made it unclear who held the authority to cede land. Additionally, the concept of land ownership, as understood by European settlers, was foreign to Native Americans, who saw themselves as caretakers and users of the land in harmony with nature. This difference in perspective made it difficult for Native Americans to fully grasp the implications of ceding land ownership and the responsibilities outlined in the treaties, leading to misunderstandings and lasting consequences.

Indian Legends of the Stillaguamish

Indian Stories and Legends of the Stillaguamish: These little stories about animals, people and places have been told to me by people whose friendship I value highly. Several of them are now gone to the happy hunting grounds. It is about twenty years ago since the first ones were written down as notes in a scrapbook. Since then, the collection has been increasing steadily. Have told some of them to friends; they have encouraged me to publish, if possible, a few of the more interesting ones. The demand would of course be limited, and as it costs nearly as much to print a small number of books or pamphlets as more, the price will be higher than it should be. It would be the greatest pleasure to me if I could afford to have a couple hundred copies printed and give them away to people who might wish to have them. However, I make no excuse for this effort; I am sure a few people will appreciate it, regardless of poor grammar, and other faults.

Genealogies of the Cherokee Indians

The Starr Genealogy is a wonderful tool for genealogists to discover their Cherokee genealogy. Unfortunately, Starr uses a very unique and often confusing method of showing the relationships between people. This article hopes to shed some light on how to use the Starr Genealogy to find your own Cherokee Roots.

Native Americans and South America Cultures

In spite of the small number of proved cases of transmission theme is good reason to believe that the cultures of the southeastern United Slates as well as that of the Southwest constituted marginal areas in that succession of semi-civilizations extending through Mexico and Central America to the Andean region of South America.

Monuments To Six Nation Indians

One early dawn of the Moon of New Grass a group of young Awkesasne warriors started on a tour through the eastern country, their destination, every known marker or important monument erected to Six Nation Indians. The young Mohawks did not travel on foot as did their ancient forefathers. They traveled by car upon hard paved highways, that traced the well worn paths of the old Iroquois.

A Treatise of the Six Nation Indians

As knowledge of the traditions, manners, and national traits of the Indians, composing, originally, the six distinct and independent tribes of the Mohawks, Tuscarora, Onondagas, Seneca, Oneidas, and Cayuga; tribes now merged in, and known as, the Six Nations, possibly, does not extend beyond the immediate district in which they have effected a lodgement, I have laid upon myself the task of tracing their history from the date of their settlement in the County of Brant, entering, at the same time, upon such accessory treatment as would seem to be naturally suggested or embraced by the plan I have set … Read more

Sign Language Among North American Indians

Sign language among North American Indian tribes served as a surprisingly uniform and effective means of communication, transcending linguistic barriers across various tribes, especially during trade interactions. This book delves into the development, use, and structure of sign language among these tribes, offering insights into its history and the wide range of gestures employed. It also explores the connections between sign language and other communication methods like smoke and fire signals, while providing a detailed compilation of signs for common words and phrases. The research presented is based on extensive fieldwork and collaboration with experts, contributing to a broader understanding of sign language both within Native American culture and in comparison, to other sign systems globally.

Routes to Indian Agencies and Schools

Indian agencies and schools were often found in remote locations. Traversing to them often meant taking a train, and then various stages until you reached the specific agency or school. In 1910 The Office of Indian Affairs published a manuscript for it’s field agents and other interested parties, explaining how to reach each specific agency and school in the country. We provide their report here for our readers. The Schools are listed first by Indian Agency and then school. Some Agencies will have many schools listed just as Day Schools. We have tried to keep them in alphabetical order as … Read more

Indian Schools, Seminaries, and Asylums

Beginning in 1878 the goal was to assimilate Indian people into the general population of the United States. By placing the Indian children in first day schools and boarding schools it was thought this would be accomplished. Federal policy sanctioned the removal of children from their families and placed in government run boarding schools. It was thought they would become Americanized while being kept away from their traditional families. This collection of data focuses on providing the details – names, tribal affiliation, ages, and other data to specifically identify the Native children who boarded, institutionalized, and sometimes died in these “schools.”

Reeves 1916 Report

A report by John T. Reeves, Special Supervisor, Indian Service, on need of additional land and school facilities for the Indians living in the state of Mississippi. John R. T. Reeves, a special supervisor for the Indian Service, filed a report on the investigations in 1916. He noted that the Indian children were not allowed to attend white schools and that they refused to attend schools for black children. Reeves summarized the situation: The schools maintained by the State are of the most elementary character and remain in session for a few months only of each year, frequently not over … Read more

Biography of Red Jacket or Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha

A biography of the great Red Jacket or Sa-go-ye-wat-ha, Keeper awake. This manuscript’s intent is to further William Stones “Life and Times of Red Jacket” by providing a more succinct biography of Red Jacket.

Gunfight at Whitmire School

Glee Krapf gave this talk to her DAR chapter in October 2003 Our Thanks to her for making this available to our readers. First, I am going to give you a short biography of Mary Beck Hildebrand Kesterson and Ezekiel Proctor. Then I will tell you about how they are linked together and how they and some others changed the History of Oklahoma This is a little known story outside of Northeast Oklahoma and should be as famous as the Fight at the OK Corral, but it has been lost as a footnote in the history of the west. Indian … Read more