Exploring the Records of the Dawes Commission (2024)

The records relating to the Dawes Commission concerning enrollment and allotment remain among the most popular records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. These records are used by tribal members and tribal governments to prove tribal lineage. Genealogists use the records to document family history. In this week's newsletter, we'll look at why these records were created and give researchers a few tips on getting started.

Established by Congress in 1893 and named after its first chairman Henry L. Dawes, the Dawes Commission's mission was to divide tribal land into plots which were then divided among the members of the tribe. As part of this process, the Commission either accepted or rejected applicants for tribal membership based on whether the tribal government had previously recognized the applicant as a member of the tribe and other legal requirements.Applicants were categorized as Citizens by Blood, Citizens by Marriage, Minor Citizens by Blood, New Born Citizens by Blood, Freedmen (African Americans formerly enslaved by tribal members), New Born Freedmen, and Minor Freedmen..

Hon. Henry L. Dawes, Mass.,National Archives Identifier 527181

Will my ancestor be found in these records?

These records are only for the period 1898-1914 and they only concern the Five Civilized tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole), Delaware Cherokee, and Mississippi Choctaw tribes living in Oklahoma.

The Dawes Commission in the Catalog

The National Archives Catalog has digitized versions of many records relating to the Dawes Commission. There are 3 groups of records associated with the Dawes Commission, which are illustrated below with records from entertainer Will Rogers and his family:

• Enrollment Cards, 1898-1914 (Census Cards),
  https://catalog.archives.gov/id/251747, fully available

Dawes Enrollment Cards for Cherokee, Citizens by blood (BB), 4747 [Will Rogers],National Archives Identifier 4662500

• Applications for Enrollment (Enrollment Jackets),
  https://catalog.archives.gov/id/617283, fully available

Dawes Enrollment Jacket for Cherokee, Cherokee by Blood, Card #4747, page 5, [Will Rogers],National Archives Identifier 447313300

• Applications for Allotment (Land Allotment Jackets),
  https://catalog.archives.gov/id/559520, currently unavailable in the Catalog, available for free from our partner Familysearch.org

Application for Allotment, William P. Rogers, Enrollment Number 11384, page 14,National Archives Identifier 4662504

How to search for Dawes Commission records

Before you can effectively use the catalog to find a person in the Dawes Final Rolls, you need to know:

• Your ancestor's name
• Ancestor’s tribe - If you do not know the person's tribe: you can look for clues in the1900 Census. For those American Indians living in tribal areas, there were special schedules in the 1900 Census identifying one's tribe and parent's tribes. For those not living on tribal lands, only color or race was designated.

Step 1:Check the National Archives Catalog to see if the person's name is included in the Catalog description on theEnrollment Card (Census Card). While the person's name appears in the digitized record, only a portion of the cards are name searchable in the catalog. If you are unable to locate a card, you can find the fully digitized seriesIndex to the Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territoryhelpful to locate the Census Card number.

How do you search?From the Series description in the Catalog - Click the blue button Search within this Series, then place the name in the search box.

The enrollment cards record "family group" information concerning the applicants and actions taken by the Commission and the Secretary of Interior. Data on the card includes: full name of each applicant, relationship to first person on the card, age, sex, blood quantum, previous tribal enrollments, and enrollments of parents. When researching the Enrollment Cards, note four pieces of information:

• Tribe
• Enrollment category -Citizens by blood (BB), Citizens by marriage (IM), Minors by blood (M), Newborns by blood (NB), Denied/doubtful (D), Rejected (R), Freedmen (African Americans formerly enslaved by tribal members) (F), Newborn Freedmen (FNB), Minor Freedmen (FM), Freedmen Rejected (FR), Freedmen Denied/doubtful (F)
• Census Card Number - Located in the upper right hand corner of the card.
• Enrollment Number - Located on the left side of the card, only found for approved applicants.

These pieces of information will lead you to the Enrollment Jackets and Land Allotment Jackets.

Step 2:Once you have located your Census Card number, you can then search theCatalogfor records on your individual. In the search box, enter tribe, category and card number.

For example if this was your enrollment card you should search for the information taken from the title of the card:

Cherokee by Blood 2806

Enrollment for Cherokee Census Card by Blood 2806,National Archives Identifier 218571440

The Census Card and the Enrollment Jacket for your individual should now be in your search results.

Seasoned researchers and genealogists know that archival records are not always straightforward and the particular record you are looking for may require additional help to find it. We offer these resources if you need help:

• If you are seeking additional information or other information related to Native Americans, please visit ourNative American Heritagerecords in the National Archives.
• Thisflowchartcan help you determine if you should use the records of the Dawes Commission.
• Need help searching the Catalog? Visit ourHelp pagelinked at the top of every page in theCatalog.In particular see our instructions forSearching within a Record Group, Series or File Unit.
• Have your questions answered by other researchers in theHistory Hub.
• Still have questions about these records? Send your question to the reference staff via theContact Usform. SelectResearchandNative American Recordsto have your question directed to the appropriate reference team.