Oakland Indian Agency (Oklahoma)

Indian Tribes Associated With This Agency
Chief Joseph's Band of Nez Perce, Tonkawa

History
The Oakland Agency was located near the Ponca Reservation in Oklahoma and was the superevising agency for Chief Joseph's Band of Nez Perce from 1879 to 1885, following the Nez Perce War. When the Nez Perce moved out, a group of Tonkawa Indians moved in and the name of the agency was changed to the Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, and Oakland Agency. A separate Oakland Agency was reestablished about 1901 and was merged with the Ponca Agency in 1921.

Records
Agencies and subagencies were created as administrative offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its predecessors. Their purpose was (and is) to manage Indian affairs with the tribes, to enforce policies, and to assist in maintaining the peace. The names and location of these agencies may have changed, but their purpose remained basically the same. Many of the records of genealogical value (for the tribe and tribal members) were created by and maintained by the agencies.

See listing of records under Tonkawa Agency.