Seminole Nation

Native American Online Genealogy Records



Basic Facts
This is an American Indian genealogy guide to records and research strategies for finding an ancestor from the Seminole Tribe. To get started finding Native American ancestors see also Indigenous Peoples of the United States.

The Seminole Tribe is part of the group known as the Five Civilized Tribes: Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek

Ancestral Homeland: Southeastern United States - Georgia and Florida

Linguistic Group: Muskhogean

Federal Status: Recognized

Leaders: Osceola

Miccosukee Tribe (Seminole) live on the Miccosukee reservation or along the Tamiami Trail

Bands: Caesar Bruner*, Ceyvah, Dosar Barkus *, Efvlv, Fushatache, Hecete, Hitchiti, Hvteyievike, Kanchatee, Mekasukey, New Comer, Nvicvp Haco, Oceese, Rewahle, Talahassee, Thlewahlee, Thomas Palmer, Tvsekia Haco, and Wm. Connor. * Freedman Bands

Clans:Alligator (Hvlpvtvlke), Bear (Nokusvlke), Beaver (Echaswvlke), Bird (Fuswvlke), Deer (Ecovlke), Fox (Culvlke), Lye Drip, Otter, Panther, Potato (Ahalvlke), raccon (Workvlke), Snake, water Moccasin, and Wind Clan (Hotvlkylke)

1900 Census Roll Blood Bands: Thomas Palmer, Echo Emarthoge, Simon Brown, Yaha Harrjo, Tusekia Harjo, Kinkehe, Thomas Little, Oktiarche, Echoille, Wm. Cooper, Nuthcup Harjo, and Okoske Harjo.

1900 Freedman Bands: Dosar Barkus and Caesar Bruner

Tribal Headquarters

 * Seminole Nation-Indian Territory website

Brief Timeline

 * 1817-18: Seminole War; American troops under General Andrew Jackson. Jackson's victory led to Spain selling Florida to the United States.
 * February 22, 1821: Florida became part of the United States.
 * 1823 September 18, Treaty at Fort Moultrie Creek in Territory of Florida, with the Florida Tribes of Indians the tribe gave up 30 million acres of farmland and received .5 million acres in central Florida.
 * 1832 May 9, Treaty at Payne's Landing, Territory of Florida, annuity, removal, land cessions and to remove within three years
 * 1833 Mar 28, Treaty at Fort Gibson Major Phagan to superintend removal
 * 1833 Census (M1831)
 * December 1835 - August 14, 1842: second Seminole War lead byOsceola
 * 1835-1842: An estimated 4,000 Seminole had been removed from Florida. Those removed to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) became the Seminole Nation and one of the Five Civilized Tribes
 * 1836-1837 Census.(M1831)
 * A refugee band of Seminole Negroes removed near the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, Texas.
 * 1844 First Mission school Oak Ridge Mission near Holdenville started by Reverend John Lilley a Presbyterian.
 * 1845 January 4, at Creek Agency, with Creeks and Seminole, annuity, rations, removal
 * 1850: A group of Seminoles followed Coacooshee to Mexico. (Now Eagle Pass, Texas)
 * 1856 August 7, Washington D.C., removal, with the Creeks
 * 1865 Treaty with the Cherokee and other Tribes in Indian Territory
 * 1866 March 21, Washington D.C.
 * 1868: Four schools established by a Presbyterian missionary James R. Ramsey, he also opened the Wewoka Mission a boarding school for girls.
 * 1884: Methodist Mission were operating the Sasakwa Female Academy.
 * 1891: Boarding school established Mekasukey Academy for boys
 * 1893 Emahaka Academy a boarding school for girls near Wewoka.
 * 1953: U.S. Congress began a new policy of termination for the Indian tribes. The policy ended the protected trust status of all Indian-owned lands. The BIA began a voluntary urban relocation program. American Indians could move from their rural tribes to a metropolitan area. Many Indians relocated to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas and Seattle. It is estimated that 750,000 Native American migrated to the cities between 1950-1980.
 * 1957: The Hollywood (Dania), Brighton and Big Cypress groups formed a constituted group known as the Seminole Tribe of Florida


 * 1957: Florida Tribe of Seminole incorporates - federal recognition
 * 1961: Some of the Mikasuki-speaking people along the Tamiami Trail formed the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.
 * 1962 The "Trail Seminoles, organized into the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

Calendar
The Seminole divide their year into two seasons, summer and winter, the seasons are divided into twelve moons.

Winter

August Heyothlucco Big Ripening Moon

September Otauwooskochee Little Chestnut Moon

October Otauwooskolucco Big Chestnut Moon

November Heewoolee Falling Leaf Moon

December Thlaffolucco Big Winter Moon

January Thlaffochosee Little Winter Moon, alias Big Winter Moon's younger brother

Summer

February Hootahlahasseee Windy Moon

March Tausautchoosee Little Spring Moon

April Tausautcheelucco Big Spring Moon

May Keehassee Mulberry Moon

June Kochohassee Blackberry Moon

July Hoyeuchee Little Ripening Moon

Agencies
The tribe was under the jurisdiction of the following agencies.

Seminole Agency ,Six Nations Agency, Seneca Agency in New York, New York Agency,Union Agency, Apalachicola Subagency, Creek Agency, Piqua Agency, Ohio Agency, Neosho Agency, and Quapaw Agency

Reservations
Big Cyprus Reservation

Brighton Reservation

Hollywood Reservation

Miccosukee Reservation

Superintendencies
Records for Superintendencies exist in the National Archives and copies of many of them are also available in other research facilities.

Michigan Superintendency

Florida Superintendency

Western Superintendency

Southern Superintendency

Central Superintendency

Oregon Superintendency

Additional References to the History of the Tribe
Frederick Webb Hodge, in his Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, gave a more complete history of the Seminole tribe, with estimations of the population of the tribe at various time periods. Additional details are given in John Swanton's The Indian Tribes of North America.

MacCauley, Clay. Manuscript/Manuscript on film. Letter; statistics on Florida Seminole

MacCauley, Clay The Seminole Indians of Florida, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1887. (Bureau of American Ethnology, 5th Annual Report) pp. 475-538.

Mahon, John K. Letters from the Second Seminole War. The Florida Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXXVI, No. 4 April 1958.

Mahon, John K. History of the second Seminole War, 1835-1842. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press. C 1967.

McReynolds, Edwin C. The Seminoles. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press. 1957. {{FHL} 93206|item|disp=FHL book 970.3 Se52m}}

Neill,Wilfred T. The Story of Florida's Seminole Indians. St. Petersburg, FL. Great outdoors,

Peithmann, Irvin M. the Unconquered Seminole Indians,St. Peterburg, Florida: Great Outdoors Association. C 1957

Porter, Kenneth W., Alcione M. Amos and Thomas P. Senter. The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom-Seeking People. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida. C 1996.

Staley, C. Ann. Transcribed Expenditure in 1841 Florida Indians. The Florida Genealogist. Florida State Genealogical Society, Inc. Volume 38 Number 2 (142) December 2015. page 40 - 57.List of Indians by name (over 200) and amount paid to each. FHL 975.9 D25fg Vol 38 No. 2 =No. 142 Dec. 2015

Records
The majority of records of individuals were those created by the agencies. Some records may be available to tribal members through the tribal headquarters. They were (and are) the local office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and were charged with maintaining records of the activities of those under their responsibility. Among these records are:


 * Allotment records
 * Annuity rolls
 * Census records
 * Correspondence
 * Health records
 * Reports
 * School census and records
 * Vital records

Census Records
1900 Indian Territory, Seminole Nation. Konawa Genealogy Society.

1900 Census Roll, Certified by Commissioners to be a correct copy of Seminole Indians and Freedman living on the 31 Day of December, 1899. (Refers to tribal enrollment of 1897) Authorized by Section 21 of Curtis Act and Seminole Agreement - 2,752 names on Rolls arranged by Bands, which are: Blood Bands: Thomas Palmer, Echo Emarthoge, Simon Brown, Yaha Harjo, Tusekia Harjo, Kinkehe, Thomas Little, Oktiarche, Echoille, W. Cooper, Nuthcup Harjo, and Okoske Harjo. Freedman Bands: Dosar Barkas and Ceasar Bruner Reference: World Conference on Records and Genealogical Seminar: Historical and Genealogical Records of the Five Civilized Tribes and Other Indian Records. by C. George Younkin

1907 Census of Seminole County, Oklahoma. US Bureau of the Census

1930-1940 Indian Census Seminole of Florida: with birth and death records by Jeff Bowen also on film Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940. US Bureau of Indian Affairs - Seminole 1913-1940 FHL 581497-581498

1935 Florida State Census. Florida State Archives. 30 microfilm Online

1945 Florida State Census. Florida State Archives. 43 films On Line

Cemetery
Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery. by Jim C. Ames

Enrollment
Dawes Commission Enrollment Records for the Five U.S. Indian Tribes

The Family History Library

On Line

Dawes Enrollment Applications

"Applications for Enrollment of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914" (M1301). National Archives Catalog ID: 617283. Also known as "Dawes Enrollment Applications", "Dawes Enrollment Jackets" and "Dawes Packets" and "Land Allotment Jackets".


 * Dawes Packets (Fold3) ($)
 * (FamilySearch) - index only


 * Dawes Commission Enrollment
 * Eastern Cherokee or Guion Miller Enrollment

Other References
Ernest, John E. The Complete Seminole. Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD 2012 ISBN 978-08063-5608-2 and

Freedman
African and Seminoles: From Removal to Emancipation by Daniel F. Littlefield.

The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom Seeking People. By Kenneth W. Porter.

Indian Pioneer Papers
In 1936, the Oklahoma Historical Society and University of Oklahoma requested a writer's project grant from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in which interviews would be conducted with early settlers in Oklahoma who had lived on Indian land. More than 100 writers conducted over 11,000 interviews and were asked to "call upon early settlers and (record) the story of the migration to Oklahoma and their early life here." The University of Oklahoma Western History Collection has digitized the Indian Pioneer Papers which consists of approximately 80,000 indexed entries arranged alphabetically by personal name, place name, or subject. An index to the Indian Pioneer Papers may also be found at OkGenWeb Oklahoma Genealogy. A separate index of Indians interviewed may be viewed at: “Indians in the Indian Pioneer Papers” The interview of Willie Larney includes information about the Seminoles in Oklahoma.Family History Library microfiche number: 6,016,865 (first microfiche number)

Military Records
Headquarters Records of Fort Gibson, Indian Territory 1830-1857

The Union Indian Brigade in the Civil War by Wiley Britton

Register of Deceased Veterans, Florida. Works Projects Administration

Indian Scouts
Enlistment Records of Indian Scouts who Served in the Scout Detachments at Fort Clark, Texas. by Donald A. Swanson.

Seminole Negro Scouts

Military actions involving Seminole Negro Scouts

25 April 1875 Eagle Nest, Crossing Pecos River, Texas, Seminole Negro Scouts under the direction of Lt. J. L. Bullis, 24th Infantry

1 April 1877 Rio Grande (near Devil's River, Texas, Seminole Negro Scouts under the direction of Lt. J. L. Bullis, 24th Infantry

1 November 1877 Rio Grande (Big Bend of) Texas, Seminole Negro Scouts,under the direction of Lt. J. L. Bullis, 24th Infantry

3 May 1881 Sierra Burras Mountains, Mexico Seminole Negro Scouts,under the direction of Lt. J. L. Bullis, 24th Infantry

Source: ''Chronological List of Actions, &amp;C., With Indians, From January 1, 1866, to January, 1891. ''Adjutant General's Office. WorldCat

School Records
Mekusukey Academy Seminole Nation (some text is written in Seminole)

Removal
The Indian Removal Act was signed May 26, 1830 by President Andrew Jackson. The Act initiated a policy of removal of American Indians tribes living east of the Mississippi River to land west of the river.

School Records
Mekusukey Academy (Oklahoma) Seminole Nation. Some of the t ext is written in Seminole. 6 films

Treaties

 * 1823 September 18, at Moultrie Creek in Territory of Florida, with the Florida Tribes of Indians
 * 1832 at Payne's Landing,Territory of Florida, annuity, removal, and land cessions
 * 1833 Mar 28, at Fort Gibson
 * 1845 January 4, at Creek Agency, with Creeks and Seminole, annuity, rations, removal
 * 1856 August 7, Washington D.C., removal, with the Creeks
 * 1865 with the Cherokee and other Tribes in Indian Territory
 * 1866 March 21, Washington D.C.

Vital Records
Florida Combined Death Index, 1877-1969. Florida Dept. of Health. 305 fiche

Family History Library
The FamilySearch Catalog has over 280 records of interest for the Seminole Indians

Important Websites

 * Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Constitution.
 * Constitution and By-Laws of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Ratified August 21, 1957.
 * Seminole Tribe Wikipedia
 * Seminole Nation-Indian Territory website
 * Seminole Native Americans http://seminolenativeamericans.blogspot.com
 * Native American Research http://nativeamericanresearch.blogspot.com
 * Indian Research http://researchindians.blogspot.com