Genealogy Research and the Choctaw
By Jennifer Mieirs, July 15, 2004
Every year I get several requests to assist in finding an ancestor rumored to be Choctaw. Much like any of the Five Civilized Tribes, research for an ancestor among the Choctaw can be a difficult process, or an easy one, depending on where the ancestor was located, and the degree of Native American blood. This article is an attempt to aid in research of your ancestors, and give resources for Choctaw specific research.
Like any other genealogy project, you must start at the end and move backwards, meaning you start with yourself, your parents, and move backwards each generation. The best place to start is within your own family, gathering as much information as you can, recording primary source information and oral histories. When you’re looking to find information on the elusive Choctaw ancestor, it is important to look where they were located and what time they were there. I will begin with general research for those that remained in Mississippi or Alabama.
Using the Federal Census
The Choctaw historically lived in the southern portion of Mississippi and Alabama, with some areas likely extending into what is considered Louisiana very early in their history. By 1830, the United States government had concluded the final step in their policy to remove the Choctaw from their native land to the territory in what is now Oklahoma. Removal to the new territory was a gradual process, although the government removed three large groups before 1834, several Choctaw self emigrated from that time until as late as the 1890’s, with pockets of Choctaws that remain until present day.
The primary factor in whether tracing these ancestors is easy or not will be dependant on their status in 1830. Mixed blood Choctaws, especially those such as the Trahern’s, Leflore’s, Brashears, and other’s which had been prominent in the territory are often found listed on the censuses in Mississippi, but the full blood Choctaws are not, which makes them far more difficult to trace. Census information prior to 1840 will not include most of the ancestors living in the Choctaw Nation, that includes white as well as Choctaw ancestors. From 1840 and on, you may be able to find a mixed blood ancestor listed in a census, but their race will not be listed as indian. It isn’t until the census of 1910 that Indian was listed as a race on the census, and prior to that full blooded Choctaws if they were enumerated, were often listed as mulatto, black or sometimes Cajun in records in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. For more detail on this, and the plight of the Choctaw of Mobile and Western Alabama, Jackie Matte’s book, “They Say the Wind is Red”, is an excellent, if not important book to read. This will give the researcher an excellent historical perspective on why the bands of Mississippi Choctaw, and bands of other areas are so hard to locate records on. In the Choctaw Nation, enumeration of the individuals of Choctaw descent did not occur on the federal census until 1910, though some may be found in the Arkansas census of 1860 as slave holders, and in the 1900 census of Oklahoma. Although the Choctaw themselves took regular censuses, not all of the records remain, and those that do can be found at the National Archives and Oklahoma Historical society. I will discuss these more under Choctaw Records.
Age and place of birth of individuals and their parents often varies in the census records from one year to the next, making tracking any individual difficult. Variations in the state lines, or what the individuals considered to be the state lines often is part of the confusion. Alabama was once considered part of Georgia, before it became a territory, and individuals living on the borders between two states can sometimes be found in one state on one census, and another on the next, just as the changes in county formations change location when hunting fro ancestors in the census. Remote areas can often preclude inclusion of individuals in the census as well, I have several individuals on one line I research who just plain aren’t in the census every time, although court records indicate they never moved. Part of this may be the suspicion some had for the government and their determination to avoid being recorded, for whatever reason that may have been. My point being, while the census is an excellent primary source for research, it cannot be the only source.
Other Records
For any research, court records such as marriage and estate records are an invaluable source of information. The Alabama archives has most of the county information, and in Mississippi, much of the early court records still are located in the Chancery Clerk offices for each county, with other records residing in the Mississippi archives. Most of these will do limited research and send copies for a fee, usually the fee is higher for out of state researchers. In some cases requests must be done by mail, other’s will take requests via phone or email.
Church records are also an invaluable resource, and since many of the Choctaws who remained in Mississippi are affiliated with missions, some information will be found in their records. Unfortunately, locating them can be a bit of a headache. Many of the mixed blood Choctaw were baptized prior to arrival of the missionaries in 1818 by traveling priests, and the records can be found in the major diocese of the region, Mobile, New Orleans and perhaps also in Baton Rouge. Some of the records are in Spanish I have been told. After 1818, the American Board of Foreign Missions had several missionary schools inside the Choctaw Nation prior to removal, and then again in the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma. Again, records here can be helpful, if you can locate them. Clara Sue Kidwell’s book “Missionaries among the Choctaw, 1818-1918” is again an excellent source for both a historical perspective on the relations with the Choctaw the missionaries had, and a repository for sources for research included in her bibliography. I cannot put enough emphasis on the need for any researcher to read about the history of the nations, and areas they wish to research. It not only aids in research, it gives the necessary understanding of cultural differences that existed that are imperative to understanding family relationships among the Choctaw prior to 1830.
Choctaw Records
Locating the Records
Records on the Choctaw are deposited in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and in Fort Worth, Texas, although some of the other NARA offices have some of the records, although not all. The Oklahoma historical society was given the Choctaw Nation records in 1934, and has copies of many of the microfilms available at the NARA. An online catalog is available for a guide to the records they have. Many of the other archives and historical societies around the country have the Dawes enrollment information, and some may have further records. Checking the catalog at the location nearest you may be helpful. Additionally, the Church of Later Day Saints has some of the records, and you may be able to view the microfische or microfilm at a nearby center.
Some of the information has been extracted and published in books available from a variety of vendors. I will include a listing of these at the end of this article.
Types of Records
Censuses and Rolls
The first roll of the Choctaw is called the Armstrong Roll of 1831, and is available online at http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native, or inside the American State Papers, Volume 7, which is in most larger libraries, or can be viewed at the Library of Congresses site, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsp.html. The major advantage to the latter site, is the index, which is part two of Volumes 7 index, which lists all the names, as well as the search function. Unfortunately, many of the names in this roll are Choctaw, and most researchers don’t know the Choctaw names of their ancestors. I am not thoroughly convinced that some of the mixed blood Choctaws on this roll aren’t also listed under their Choctaw Names, instead of their English ones. Also, some of the full blood Choctaw were given names by the missionaries and are listed as such on these rolls. For example, Samuel Worcester, a full blood who attended the Choctaw Academy was named for a prominent missionary and is listed by this name on many documents. Information that can be gathered from this roll are the head of the family, size of the household, and the number of males over 16, children under 10, slaves, and whites in a household. A general description of the land and location is also given. The rolls are broken up into the three major districts of the nation, and then by town, each town headed under a captain. (Prior to the war of 1812, the captain would have been known as a mingo, or local chief.) The Choctaw tended to remain in family groups, so the other members of the town may be related, and this may aid in research later on. Also included in the American State Papers, Volume 7, is the names of Captains of each district, orphans in Leflore’s district, individuals entitled to a claim (land), and those who signed up (or rather, were allowed to sign up), under article 14 of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek.
In 1855, the Cooper Roll enumerated Choctaw in Mississippi. It’s names are in Choctaw, very few English names are on the roll, and it does not enumerate the Choctaw such as the Leflore’s who were accepted as citizens of the state of Mississippi. Part of this roll can be viewed at http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/, and lookup requests are accepted.
The Choctaw censuses of 1855, 1885 and 1896 are available at the National Archives, and Oklahoma Historical Society. The Arkansas archives also has the census of 1896 as does the Church of Latter Day Saints. The census of 1855 is compiled of both Choctaw names and English names, some having no surname listed. Ages aren’t listed, but sex of adults, and children are differentiated. Again, it is not uncommon to find family groups living within a household, or nearby each other in this census. The census is divided by county and district, as are all the others. The 1885 census has been transcribed and is available for purchase from the Bryan County Heritage Association. It was available online, but the site is down. It lists ages, occupation, and citizens by marriage. As with all the census information on the Choctaw, it is not uncommon to find large family groups of various relationships living within the same household. Although the Dawes enrollment cards of 1899 seem to preclude the need for the 1896 census, many individuals died between 1896-1899, making the census an invaluable research tool.
Court Records
Court records for the Choctaw Nation are located at the Oklahoma Historical society. They include probate records and marriage records. Most of these records are not available online, though some marriage records post 1890 are available at http://members.tripod.com/~mccurtain_2/marriages/marriageindex.html.
Court of Claims records
The court of claims records contain testimonies from individuals claiming a right to a reservation under the 14th article of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. These testimonies include names of children and neighbors in some cases. The first testimonies date from a commission in 1838, the second headed by Gaines was in 1844, and then the case known as the Net Proceeds case occurred in the 1870-1880’s largely influenced by Chief Coleman Cole. There were two volumes of these records transcribed in the 1890’s, the Oklahoma Historical Society is in the possession of a set of these rare books, and the original testimonies are on microfilm in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
School Records
School records for the Choctaw Nation are found in the Oklahoma Archives for schools in the new territory, and in the ABFM records prior to that. Additionally some information can be found on the Choctaw Academy, located in Scott, Kentucky. Some documents not found at the NARA or Oklahoma can be found at http://www.filsonhistorical.org/guideindex.html
Dawes Rolls
A complete listing of the enrollment cards and Dawes rolls for the five nations affected by the Dawes act can be searched at http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/, as well as the archives in Oklahoma and the NARA. The enrollment cards list all residents in a household that applied for inclusion on the Dawes rolls, as well as their parents and age in 1899 (this was adjusted to 1901 for the actual roll). The Dawes Rolls include five categories, the By Blood, are the rolls with registrants prior to 1901, the minor are children born 1902-1904, and the newborn are children born 1905, they also included intermarried white, and freedman. Among the dawes cards are designations such as MCR, D, FD, and R. These mean Mississippi Choctaw Registrant (not all of these are denied), Denied, FD was also Family groupings denied, and R is rejected (I believe.), some names on these cards found online are testimonies, and not the actual person or persons being rejected. Keep in mind, some registrants lived in Texas, and had lived there after removal in nearby counties to the Choctaw Nation, I am not sure if these applicants are shown as regular or MCR, or if they were even recognized.
Besides listing the parents, the Dawes cards list the degree of blood, which is not always accurate. The commission designated that those over ½ had to have a guardian to administer their lands, many Choctaw did not wish for this and lied. Children of the same parents are listed with different degree of bloods, children of known mixed bloods are listed as full, and although this listing is the only official documentation under which membership to the Choctaw nation can be obtained, it is by no means an accurate presentation of the degree of blood of the individuals listed. Some Choctaw primarily those of full blood, were suspicious of the government and never registered. Unfortunately, their descendants can not be recognized by the Choctaw nation. Other applicants, primarily in Mississippi, of known mixed blood descent were categorically denied, while some of their other relatives are listed on the rolls. If your ancestor is not listed on the final roll for any of the five tribes, you cannot be recognized by that tribe, no matter what proof you may have to your ancestry. Additionally, each tribe may have varying degrees of what is allowed for membership besides a tie to these final rolls, and it is illegal to be recognized by more than one tribe, so if you become a member of one, you can’t become a member of another.
A creative mind can search for depositories on some of these records using a search engine such as google. Many of the university libraries around the nation do have some of these records in their catalogs. Patience, and time can yield a lot of results when searching for these records. Additionally, you may find accounts of some of the westerners who traveled in the nation are available as well.
Internet Resources for research
Paid services
