The Dawes Commission was setup by Congress to enroll Native Americans into one of five tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, or Seminole. During the process of enrollment, Native Americans submitted many personal documents (if available) and received an interview in person, which was then recorded on paper. A determination was eventually made by this commission, using the information submitted, and the Commissioners own prejudices, on whether the applicant had the right to be part of that Nations Tribe. All the information was compiled into a packet of material and assigned a Case Number. Without discussing the injustice of such a move by the American Government, some valuable material is left for Native American researchers inside those packets.
It has always been our policy to inform researchers on how they could go about ordering their Dawes packet information. With current pricing it has gotten quite expensive for individuals to order these, and there is often a slow response time in getting the information. With the advent of Footnote placing the actual Dawes packet images online, this should all change.
IF YOUR ANCESTOR WAS NOT LIVING IN INDIAN TERRITORY DURING 1898-1914 THEY WILL NOT BE LISTED ON DAWES!!
Only those Indians who RECEIVED LAND under the provisions of the Dawes Act are listed. It also lists those Freedmen who received land allotments as provided for in the Dawes Act. These pages can be searched to discover the enrollee's name, age, sex, blood degree, type, census card number and roll number. Check the headings in each column.
Dawes Card Information
(tribe, last, first, middle, age, sex, blood, card, type)
A - Adopted,
AD- Adopted Delaware,
D - Doubtful or denied,
F - Freedman,
FD - Freedman, doubtful or denied,
FM - Freedman, minor,
FRR - Freedman, rejected,
IW - Intermarried White,
MCR - Mississippi Choctaw Rejected,
NR - Not Registered, Non Resident,
O - Owner*,
OS - Old Series** Old Settler,
P - Parent
