Post by miller7513 on May 10, 2012 12:22:25 GMT -5
Copied from Dept of Indian Affairs Aug 1997
A short guideline to aid in the research of the Cheyenne & Sioux Tribes I have submitted
Understanding the 1885-1940 Indian census
NARA microfilm publication Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 (692 rolls) contains census rolls that were usually submitted each year by agents or superintendents in charge of Indian reservations, as required by an act of July 4, 1884 (23 Stat. 98). The data on the rolls vary to some extent, but usually given are the English and/or Indian name of the person, roll number, age or date of birth, sex, and relationship to head of family.
The guidelines provided to census takers were not always clearly stated. Early on it was as simple as “make a list of Indians in your jurisdiction.” Think about the agent who was new to the jurisdiction.
The original Act of July 4, 1884, (23 Stat. 76, 98) was vague, saying, "That hereafter each Indian agent be required, in his annual report, to submit a census of the Indians at his agency or upon the reservation under his charge.”
…census data was to be gathered on cards. The cards were alphabetized,(at Pine Ridge this was after 1902) and the data entered on the census form. Some agents simply copied (handwritten or typed) the census from the previous year to a new form and made updates.
There was one census for each reservation, except in a few cases where part of the reservation was in another state. Multiple copies were not made. The original was sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The earliest censuses were written in by hand, but typing appeared quite early (1896 in Pine Ridge).
Only persons who maintained a formal affiliation with a tribe under federal supervision are listed on these census rolls.
…sometimes a person has eight or nine different names during their lifetime—especially children before puberty.
A census record is drafted by humans and sometimes errors are inevitable. It is also suggested that they may not have shared the same information.
…many times women listed as head of family with their children (with no adult men) indicate that these women are not widows, they are married to white men or half bloods which were not eligible for annuities.
Some censuses were not completely new enumerations. There are some that appear to have been copied from the previous year and the ages just increased one year. I found several of these and after a couple of years suddenly a child who was already three was added.
Search Tips
• Indian names such as Cagli Wanica, Tiglaka, are indexed as the given name and can also be found using the name as a keyword. (Keyword searches are done on the Advanced Search window.)
• A name such as Martin Red Bear is found using Red Bear as a surname and also as a keyword.
• White Cow as surname yields White Cow alone and also names such as White Cow Woman White Buffalo Cow, and White Spotted Cow ,
• The index at Ancestry allows for some searching of family who are not where we think they are. For example, an Indian family that kept ties to the Pine Ridge reservation may be living in Rosebud Reservation and show up on that jurisdiction’s census. Such is the case of Crazy Dog, He Dogs brother-in-law.
Unless you have a large collection of facts on your Indian ancestor, including names, dates, and tribe, it is usually not helpful to begin your search in Indian records.
The Act itself did not specify the collection of names and personal information. However, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs sent a directive in 1885 (Circular 148) reiterating the statement and adding further instructions: "Superintendents in charge of Indian reservations should submit annually, a census of all Indians under their charge." He told the agents to use the plan he had prepared for gathering the information. The sample there showed columns for Number (consecutive), Indian Name, English Name, Relationship, Sex, and Age. Other information on the number of males, females, schools, school children, and teachers was to be compiled statistically and included separately in the annual report.
The first form drawn up by the Commissioner asked only for name, age, sex, and family relationship. It was so little information that these Indian Census rolls were never considered to be “private” in the same sense as the federal decennial census, and there was never any restriction against the release of the information. Gradual changes in the form of the data required and special instructions for the census are documented in National Archives microfilm publication M1121, Procedural Issuances of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Orders and Circulars, 1854-1955, in 17 rolls.
The censuses from 1885 on were compiled by the agents using forms sent by the Bureau. Eventually the Commissioner issued instructions on exactly how to type some entries in, and requested that the family names be placed in alphabetical sections on the roll. For a while, a new census was taken each year and the entire roll redone. Agents were told in 1921 they were supposed to list all the people under their charge, and if a name was listed for the first time, or was not listed from the last year, an explanation was required. It was considered helpful to indicate the number for the person on the previous year's census. Persons also could be designated by a number peculiar to that reservation, if it was explained somewhere, or they could be listed as "N.E.", or “Not Enrolled.” In the 1930s, sometimes only supplemental rolls showing the additions and deletions from the previous year were submitted. The regular process of taking the Indian censuses was discontinued in 1940, although a few later rolls exist. A new Indian Census was taken by the Census Bureau in 1950, but it is not open to the public.
LaDeane
A short guideline to aid in the research of the Cheyenne & Sioux Tribes I have submitted
Understanding the 1885-1940 Indian census
NARA microfilm publication Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 (692 rolls) contains census rolls that were usually submitted each year by agents or superintendents in charge of Indian reservations, as required by an act of July 4, 1884 (23 Stat. 98). The data on the rolls vary to some extent, but usually given are the English and/or Indian name of the person, roll number, age or date of birth, sex, and relationship to head of family.
The guidelines provided to census takers were not always clearly stated. Early on it was as simple as “make a list of Indians in your jurisdiction.” Think about the agent who was new to the jurisdiction.
The original Act of July 4, 1884, (23 Stat. 76, 98) was vague, saying, "That hereafter each Indian agent be required, in his annual report, to submit a census of the Indians at his agency or upon the reservation under his charge.”
…census data was to be gathered on cards. The cards were alphabetized,(at Pine Ridge this was after 1902) and the data entered on the census form. Some agents simply copied (handwritten or typed) the census from the previous year to a new form and made updates.
There was one census for each reservation, except in a few cases where part of the reservation was in another state. Multiple copies were not made. The original was sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The earliest censuses were written in by hand, but typing appeared quite early (1896 in Pine Ridge).
Only persons who maintained a formal affiliation with a tribe under federal supervision are listed on these census rolls.
…sometimes a person has eight or nine different names during their lifetime—especially children before puberty.
A census record is drafted by humans and sometimes errors are inevitable. It is also suggested that they may not have shared the same information.
…many times women listed as head of family with their children (with no adult men) indicate that these women are not widows, they are married to white men or half bloods which were not eligible for annuities.
Some censuses were not completely new enumerations. There are some that appear to have been copied from the previous year and the ages just increased one year. I found several of these and after a couple of years suddenly a child who was already three was added.
Search Tips
• Indian names such as Cagli Wanica, Tiglaka, are indexed as the given name and can also be found using the name as a keyword. (Keyword searches are done on the Advanced Search window.)
• A name such as Martin Red Bear is found using Red Bear as a surname and also as a keyword.
• White Cow as surname yields White Cow alone and also names such as White Cow Woman White Buffalo Cow, and White Spotted Cow ,
• The index at Ancestry allows for some searching of family who are not where we think they are. For example, an Indian family that kept ties to the Pine Ridge reservation may be living in Rosebud Reservation and show up on that jurisdiction’s census. Such is the case of Crazy Dog, He Dogs brother-in-law.
Unless you have a large collection of facts on your Indian ancestor, including names, dates, and tribe, it is usually not helpful to begin your search in Indian records.
The Act itself did not specify the collection of names and personal information. However, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs sent a directive in 1885 (Circular 148) reiterating the statement and adding further instructions: "Superintendents in charge of Indian reservations should submit annually, a census of all Indians under their charge." He told the agents to use the plan he had prepared for gathering the information. The sample there showed columns for Number (consecutive), Indian Name, English Name, Relationship, Sex, and Age. Other information on the number of males, females, schools, school children, and teachers was to be compiled statistically and included separately in the annual report.
The first form drawn up by the Commissioner asked only for name, age, sex, and family relationship. It was so little information that these Indian Census rolls were never considered to be “private” in the same sense as the federal decennial census, and there was never any restriction against the release of the information. Gradual changes in the form of the data required and special instructions for the census are documented in National Archives microfilm publication M1121, Procedural Issuances of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Orders and Circulars, 1854-1955, in 17 rolls.
The censuses from 1885 on were compiled by the agents using forms sent by the Bureau. Eventually the Commissioner issued instructions on exactly how to type some entries in, and requested that the family names be placed in alphabetical sections on the roll. For a while, a new census was taken each year and the entire roll redone. Agents were told in 1921 they were supposed to list all the people under their charge, and if a name was listed for the first time, or was not listed from the last year, an explanation was required. It was considered helpful to indicate the number for the person on the previous year's census. Persons also could be designated by a number peculiar to that reservation, if it was explained somewhere, or they could be listed as "N.E.", or “Not Enrolled.” In the 1930s, sometimes only supplemental rolls showing the additions and deletions from the previous year were submitted. The regular process of taking the Indian censuses was discontinued in 1940, although a few later rolls exist. A new Indian Census was taken by the Census Bureau in 1950, but it is not open to the public.
LaDeane