Walker River Indian Agency (Nevada)

Indian Tribes Associated With This Agency
Paiute, Monache, Shoshoni, and Washo

History
The Walker River Reservation was established for the Paiute Indians in 1859, but the reservation was under the supervision of the Nevada Agency until 1897. At that time, the reservation was transferred to the Carson School, and in 1908 a separate Walker River Agency was established. In 1925, Indians under the jurisdiction of the Fallon Agency were transferred to the Walker River Agency and in 1926, those under the Bishop Agency also were transferred to Walker River.

The Walker River Agency was abolished in 1935 and their duties transferred to the Carson Agency.

Johnson, Edward Charles. Walker River Paiutes: a Tribal History.

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

Some of the textual records of the Walker River Agency have been transferred to the Pacific Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in San Francisco. Among their administrative files are the following records which may be of particular interest to family historians:


 * Health and Sanitary Records, 1897-1910
 * Allotments records, 1902-1941
 * Record of employees, 1909-1916

Annual Indian Census Rolls were taken at this agency for 1897-1912, and from 1914 thru 1935. These rolls have been microfilmed by the National Archives as part of their Microcopy Number M595, rolls 629-634. Copies of these records are also available at the National Archives, their Regional Archives, and at the FamilySearch Library and its family history centers (their ). These census rolls are also available online at Ancestry.com's subscription website.

The 1900 federal census included population schedules for the Walker River Indian Reservation. The census includes the non-Indian employees of the Walker River Agency, as well as many pages of Indian Population Schedules for the native population of the Reservation. They are recorded as 1900 Census and Districts 52, 52c, and 52d, Walker River Reservation and more, in Esmeralda County, Nevada.

Microfilm copies of...Narrative and Statistical Reports... for the Walker River Agency Agency, 1907-1935, are included in National Archives Microcopy M1011, rolls 162-164, available in the National Archives system and in the collections of the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City and their family history centers (their ). Reports for some years are missing.

Records Available Through the FamilySearch Library
Census 1897-1935, FS Library Film: 583088-583093

Robinson, Doreen. Walker River Valley Paiute Rolls, 1897-1920; Mason Valley Paiute Rolls, 1915-1920.

Agency employee records 1909-1926

Sanitary Records of Sick, Injured, Births, Deaths, Etc. 1898-1909 at Walker River Agency, Nevada - Paiutes by Jimmy B. Parker, Research Department. The Genealogical Society. 1973

Sanitary Records of Sick and etc., 1897-1910

Vital Records 1897-1910 and 928522 Item 9

Vital Records with Census FS Library Film: 5583092