Seminole

Report of W. C. Pollock, January 15, 1912

This document is a report by W. C. Pollock, dated January 15, 1912, concerning the enrollment of citizens and freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes. Pollock was tasked with investigating claims that eligible individuals were omitted from the final rolls. The report, addressed to the Secretary of the Interior, outlines the methods used to identify such individuals, including collaboration with the Commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes, field investigations, and examinations of relevant records. It highlights the challenges and findings, listing those who might have been wrongly excluded, and suggests provisions for adding omitted names to the rolls.

Report Relating to the Enrollment of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes

This report, compiled by Joseph W. Howell on March 3, 1909, addresses the complex process of enrolling citizens and freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in accordance with various acts of Congress and treaties. Submitted to the Secretary of the Interior, the report meticulously evaluates the claims of individuals asserting rights to land and monetary benefits associated with tribal distributions. Howell discusses the historical and legal challenges that arose during and after the enrollment process, which officially concluded on March 4, 1907. The report sheds light on the intricate legal and administrative issues encountered, revealing the difficulties in accurately identifying rightful beneficiaries amidst widespread legal and political debates. Howell’s detailed account emphasizes the importance of this work, outlining both the procedural undertakings and the broader implications for the tribes and their members, suggesting further actions to address unresolved issues and ensure equitable treatment of all claimants.

Report of Secretary Adams, July 17, 1912

The document is a report from the Department of the Interior, dated July 17, 1912, addressed to Hon. John H. Stephens, Chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs. It discusses H.R. 22334, a bill concerning the enrollment of certain persons omitted from the final rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes by March 4, 1907. The report details three classes of persons with claims to enrollment, references previous reports by the department, and comments on sections of the bill related to the sale of unallotted lands and the distribution of tribal funds. It is signed by First Assistant Secretary Samuel Adams and approved by Secretary Walter L. Fisher.

Political and Social Conditions which followed Removal to the Indian Territory

Subsequent Effect Of Same Upon Citizenship Matters The removal of a whole nation from one portion of the country to a remote region difficult of access during the period of 20 year which preceded the Civil War and the reestablishment of that nation after such removal, necessarily had a demoralizing effect upon the institutions and governments of the people affected. This result was accentuated by the fact that the work of removal was accomplished by the Government of the United States, not at any one time, not within the period agreed upon in the treaty. but” throughout a long period … Read more

The Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma

Há-tchoo-túc-knee, Snapping Turtle, a Half-breed, George Catlin, 1834

This manuscript has been extracted from Congressional records relating to relief of specific individuals of the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma. If one of your ancestors was rejected or added to the rolls of any of the five civilized tribes in Oklahoma, you should peruse the information here. It contains a lot of case work involving specific Native Americans and those that attempted to prove themselves as part of the five civilized tribes in Oklahoma.

List 1, Seminoles

List of persons apparently entitled to enrollment in the Seminole Nation, but whose names were omitted because no application was made or by reason of mistake or oversight. Shows the names of 8 persons, all children, living March 4. 1905, the date fixed by the act approved March 3, 1905 (33 Stat. 1048, 1071), authorizing the enrollment of Seminole children.

Conditions which Arose During the Course of the Enrollment Work

At the conclusion of the enrollment work on March 4, 1907, the process was far from complete, resulting in significant confusion and ongoing litigation. The Department of the Interior faced a complex situation, as it had to balance the enrollment of citizens and freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes with numerous other responsibilities, such as allotting tribal lands, resolving land contests, segregating town sites, and managing rights of way for infrastructure projects. These tasks, combined with the necessity of creating and enforcing regulations, significantly constrained the time available for enrollment work. Additionally, the administrative and legal challenges, coupled with the pressures from various stakeholders, highlighted the impracticality of the March 4 deadline and its resultant injustices.

Seminole Indian Tribe

The term semanóle, or isti simanóle, signifies separatist or runaway, and as a tribal name points to the Indians who left the Creek, especially the Lower Creek settlements, for Florida, to live, hunt and fish there in entire independence. The term does not mean wild, savage, as frequently stated; if applied now in this sense to animals, it is because of its original meaning, “what has become a runaway”: pínua simanóle wild turkey (cf. pín-apúiga domesticated turkey), tchu-áta semanóli, antelope, literally, “goat turned runaway, wild,” from tchu-áta, ítchu háta goat, lit., “bleating deer.” The present Seminoles of Florida call themselves … Read more

Seminole Indian History

The history of the Seminole is very well known in outline, and much has been written regarding our famous Seminole War; yet it is evident that much remains to be said, on the Indian side at least, before we can have a clear understanding of the Seminole society and Seminole history. The name, as is well known, is applied by the Creeks to people who remove from populous towns and live by themselves, and it is commonly stated that the Seminole consisted of “runaways” and outlaws from the Creek Nation proper. A careful study of their history, however, shows this … Read more