Southern Apache Indian Agency (New Mexico)

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
Mimbreno, Mogollon, Coyotero and Mescalero Bands of Apache

History
The Southern Apache Agency was established in 1852. Its location was changed over the years, but, until 1873, most of the locations were near Ojo Caliente, in New Mexico Territory. From 1873 to 1877, the agency was moved to Ojo Caliente, the location of the reservation. In 1877, the Indians it served were moved to the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. The Southern Apache Agency was part of the New Mexico Superintendency until it was abolished in 1874, after which the agent reported directly to the Office of Indian Affairs in Washington DC.

Agents and Appointment Dates
Charles Overman 1842, Edward H. Wingfield 1852, James M. Smith 1853, Edmund A. Graves 1854, Michael Steck1854, Amos A. Chipman 1861, Ferdinand Maxwell1862, Louis Baca 1867, John Ayres 1868, Lt. Charles E. Drew 1869, Orlando F. Piper 1870, Benjamin M. Thomas 1872, John M. Shaw 1874 and James Davis

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

A few of the textual records of the Southern Apache Agency have been transferred to the National Archives in Washington DC. The records consist mostly of financial and other administrative records.