Sault Ste. Marie Indian Agency (Michigan)

Guide to  ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

Indian Tribes Associated With This Agency
Primarily Chippewa and Ottawa

History
The Sault Ste. Marie Agency was established in 1822 and was located at the falls (sault) of the St. Mary's River in northern Michigan. It was consolidated with the Mackinac Agency in 1832. From that combined agency came the Crow Wing Subagency in 1835, which was established for the Chippewa of the Mississippi, and the La Pointe Subagency, which was established for the Chippewa of Lake Superior.

In 1837, a separate Sault Ste. Marie Subagency was established to cover the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the eastern border of Wisconsin. This subagency was discontinued on 30 June 1852 and its duties were assigned to the Mackinac Agency.

Agents and Appointment Dates
Henry R. Schoolcraft 1822, Brt. Maj. W. V. Cobbs 1834, James Ord 1837, David Aitken 1850

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 Sault Ste. Marie Agency, 1824-1852, have been microfilmed by the National Archives as part of their Microcopy Number M234, rolls 770-771. Copies are available at the National Archives and at the FamilySearch Library and its family history centers (their ).