Otoe Indian Agency (Nebraska)

Indian Tribes Associated With This Agency
Otoe, Missouri, Pawnee

History
The Otoe Agency was established in 1856 in the Blue River Valley in southern Nebraska. It was responsible for the Oto and Missouri Indians and, until 1859, for the Pawnee. A separate Pawnee Agency was established in 1859. In 1881, the Otoe Agency moved to Red Rock in Indian Territory and was consolidated the following year into the Ponca, Pawnee, and Otoe Agency.

Time Line
1800: The Otoe and Missouri lived between the Nemaha and Platte Rivers in Nebraska.

1830: Hunting lands ceded to the U.S. Government. Chief Iotan of the Otoe.

1854: Treaty established the Tribe west of the Missouri River.

1869 The Society of Friends had established a school.

1881: Tribe sold land in Nebraska and Kansas and moved near Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Red Rock). Approximately 450 Otoe and Missouri moved from Nebraska and Kansas into Oklahoma.

Agents and Appointment Dates
John A. Alston 1856, William W. Dennison 1857, John Baker 1861, William Daily 1864, John L. Smith 1866, Albert L. Green 1869, Jesse W. Griest April 1, 1873, Robert S. Gardner June 16, 1880,and Lewellyn E. Woodin July 21, 1880

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

Letters received by the Office of Indian Affairs from the Otoe Agency, 1856-1876, have been microfilmed by the National Archives as part of their Microcopy Number M234, Rolls 652-655. Copies are available at the National Archives and at the Family History Library and its family history centers (their ).

Reports of Inspection of the Field Jurisdictions of the Office of Indian Affairs, 1873-1900 have been microfilmed by the National Archives as part of Microcopy Number M1070. The reports for Otoe Agency, 1874 are on roll 34 of that Microcopy set. Copies are available at the National Archives, their Regional Archives, and at the Family History Library and its family history centers (their ).

Annual Indian Census Rolls were taken at this agency for 1906-1919. These rolls have been microfilmed by the National Archives as part of their Microcopy Number M595, rolls 317-328. Copies of these records are also available at the National Archives, their Regional Archives, and at the Family History Library and its family history centers (their ). These census rolls are also available online at Ancestry.com subscription web site.