Yankton v Yanktonai

[smacmill]

Forgive my ignorance, but I've lived on the west coast all my life, but Mom grew up on the Yankton reservation. On my great grandmother's appearances on the Indian Census Rolls, sometimes she is categorized as Yankton, and sometimes as Yanktonai. I'm guessing the census takers at that time didn't know the difference. My question is - great grandmother lived at Ft. Randall, then was given an allotment in the Yankton reservation. Does that make it most likely that she was Yankton, and not Yanktonai? The reservation is in the south east part of South Dakota. Can anyone clarify the difference between the two designations? Is it primarily geographical?

One more thing. I keep reading that the Yankton are now considering themselves Dakota rather than the Nakota. Is that correct?

Thanks to anyone for taking time to answer my queries.
C

[gregor]

Feb 28, 2024 15:53:00 GMT -5 smacmill said:

Forgive my ignorance, but I've lived on the west coast all my life, but Mom grew up on the Yankton reservation. On my great grandmother's appearances on the Indian Census Rolls, sometimes she is categorized as Yankton, and sometimes as Yanktonai. I'm guessing the census takers at that time didn't know the difference. My question is - great grandmother lived at Ft. Randall, then was given an allotment in the Yankton reservation. Does that make it most likely that she was Yankton, and not Yanktonai? The reservation is in the south east part of South Dakota. Can anyone clarify the difference between the two designations? Is it primarily geographical?

One more thing. I keep reading that the Yankton are now considering themselves Dakota rather than the Nakota. Is that correct?

Thanks to anyone for taking time to answer my queries.
C

This is what I know about your topic:

On January 4, 1858, Yankton delegates met in Washington with Indian Affairs Commissioner Charles Mix. The first negotiations took place in March 1858 and a treaty was presented to the Yankton on April 19th. With this treaty, the Yankton were supposed to cede almost all of “their” land (in fact, the Yanktonai and Lakota also used this land) to the United States. The return was a reservation on the north bank of the Missouri (today: Yankton Indian Reservation in Charles Mix County, South Dakota) and other support services.
Out of a land base of thirteen million acres, the Yankton people were left with just 400,000 acres. Ultimately, the Yankton sign the deal on their own and sold the land! Lakota and Yanktonai, but also traditional Yankton, are fuming.

Of the approximately 2,000 Yankton around 1859, only 440 were adult men. In July 1859, “Old Struck-by-the Ree” led his people west to their new Reservation on the north bank of the Missouri, directly opposite Fort Randall.
The reservation is primarily home to Yankton. A few Lower Yanktonais also seem to have settled there.

Regarding the allotment on the Yankton Reservation:
Immediately after the passage of the Allotment Act in February 1887, the allocation of personal property on this reservation began. This process is said to have been completed at the end of 1890. Faster than on any other reservation.

According to your great-grandmother:
If she was granted property on the Yankton Reservation, then there is some evidence that she was Yankton.
When did your grandmother receive her allotment?

Regarding Fort Randall:
The fort was a purely military facility. Of course, she may have lived there with a spouse. Or was she interned there with one of the prisoners of war under Sitting Bull (Sept. 1881 - May 1883)?

And be careful!
Do not confuse Yankton County and Yankton City with the Yankton Indian Reservation!

Map section from 1886


Map section from 1867


Map section from 1872


Greetings from Germany!

[smacmill]

Gregor - thanks very much for that historical info. Great grandmother's allotment certificate, which we have, is dated May 1891. She grew up at/near Ft. Randall because her father worked as the fort interpreter. She subsequently married one of the soldiers there.