Oklahoma Applications for Allotment, Five Civilized Tribes - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
Under the terms of the 1887 Dawes Act, Indian reservations were surveyed and lands held in common by the tribes were allotted in smaller parcels to individual members of the tribe. Individuals had to be enrolled tribal members to apply for an allotment. The lands were usually granted as homesteads. These records were created to provide a final list of those individuals who were approved to receive an allotment of land in Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

This collection consists of a name index and images of land allotment records for the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory. These records describe the parcels of land and name the tribal member to whom each parcel was allotted. Records are arranged by name of tribe (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole), by membership designation (member by blood, by intermarriage or freedmen), application number and according to age group -- newborn and minor children are listed separately.

The pages may be:


 * Handwritten
 * Handwritten on pre-printed forms
 * Typed
 * Printed plot maps

For a list of tribal membership rolls currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

These records cover the years 1899 to 1907.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

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Record Content
The information usually included in the papers includes the following:


 * Tribal roll name
 * Membership category of the individual -- member by blood, by intermarriage or freedmen (newborn and minor children are listed on separate rolls)
 * Age
 * Degree of Indian Blood
 * Tribe or Nation
 * Application number
 * Indian census card number
 * Names of individual’s representative and their relationship to the individual
 * Guardianship and relationship information
 * Number of acres allotted
 * Legal description of the land
 * Date and place of application
 * Details of any improvements to the land parcel

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Name
 * Tribe
 * Membership category -- member by blood, by intermarriage or freedmen

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. If you only know one name, put in in the box for the first name.

Look at the list of entries created by your search. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find the correct family or person.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Make a photocopy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the names and relationships as a basis for compiling family groups.
 * Use the name, tribe, and the census number to locate the individual on the census.
 * Use the name, tribe, and membership category to locate the individual in the enrollment records.
 * Use the age listed to determine an approximate birth date.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination.
 * You may need to search for both their Indian name and their English name.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.
 * Individuals had to enrolled tribal members to apply for an allotment.
 * These allotment records do not include applications that were not approved.
 * Newborn and minor children are listed on separate rolls.
 * The records are usually reliable.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Search the records of other tribes.
 * Search for records of other membership categories.

Related Websites

 * National Archives -- Commision to the Five Civilized Tribes (The Dawes Commission)
 * About.com -- The Dawes Rolls
 * National Archives Southwest Region (Ft. Worth)

Related Wiki Articles

 * Dawes Commission Enrollment Records for Five U.S. Indian Tribes
 * Five Civilized Tribes Indian Agency (Oklahoma)
 * Oklahoma Applications for Enrollment of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Oklahoma, Application for Allotment, Five Civilized Tribes, 1899-1907": digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 17 April 2012), Cherokees by Blood &gt; no. 03844-03880 &gt; image 78 of 420, William Seabolt, December 8, 1904; citing Cherokee Land Office, Applications for Allotment, National Archives and Records Adminstration, Fort Worth Texas.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.