Indiana Coleman Examination by the Commission
Department of the Interior
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Meridian, Mississippi, April 11, 1901.
In the matter of
the application of Indiana Coleman for identification as a Mississippi
Choctaw.
Indiana Coleman
being first duly sworn testified as follows:
Examination by the Commission:
-
What is your
name.
-
Indiana Coleman.
-
What is your
age.
-
25 years.
-
What is your
post office address?
-
Hale, Clark
County, Miss.
-
How long have
you lived in Mississippi.
-
All my life.
-
Born here and
lived here all your life?
-
Yes sir.
-
You claim to
have Choctaw Indian blood?
-
Yes sir.
-
What proportion?
-
One-fourth.
-
Is your father
living?
-
Yes sir.
-
What is his
name?
-
Alex Allen.
-
Where does he
live?
-
In Clark County,
Miss.
-
He does not
claim to have Choctaw Indian blood does he?
-
No.
-
Is he Negro?
-
Yes, I think his
father was a white man.
-
Is your mother
living?
-
Yes sir.
Q. What is her name?
A. Candis Allen.
Q. She claims to have
Choctaw blood?
A. Yes sir.
Q. What proportion?
A. Half.
Q. The other half is
Negro, is it?
A. I reckon so; don’t
know.
Q. You get your Indian
blood solely through you mother?
A. Yes.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Is your husband living?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Does he claim to be a
Choctaw?
A. No sir.
Q. Have you any children?
A. No sir.
Q. You make no claim for
anyone besides yourself?
A. That is all.
Q. Have you ever received
any benefits whatever as a Choctaw?
A.. No
-
Is your name on
the Choctaw tribal rolls in Indian Territory?
A. Yes, I reckon.
Q. What makes you think it
is? You have never been out there have you?
A. No.
Q. You don’t know, as a
matter of fact, whether it is or not?
A. No.
Q. Did you ever make any
attempt to have your name placed on the Choctaw tribal rolls?
A. No sir.
Q. Did anyone ever attempt
to have it put there for you?
A. No
Q. Have you ever made
application to the tribal authorities for citizenship in the Choctaw
nation?
A. No sir.
Q. Did you make
application to this Commission in 1896 for citizenship in the Choctaw
nation?
A. No sir.
Q. You then, never have
been admitted to citizenship in the Choctaw nation either by this
Commission, by the Choctaw tribal authorities or by the United States
court on appeal, have you?
A. No sir.
Q. You never have been
recognized in any manner as a citizen of the Choctaw nation?
A. No sir.
Q. Do you now apply for
identification as a Mississippi Choctaw?
A. Yes sir.
Q. What makes you think
that you are entitled to be identified as a Mississippi Choctaw?
A. I don’t know.
Q. What makes you think
you are entitled to be identified as a Mississippi Choctaw?
A. I don’t know.
Q. What makes you think
you are entitled to rights as a Mississippi Choctaw?
A. I have always heard my
mother’s father was a Choctaw; they told me they was driven away.
Q. You think because you
have Choctaw blood that you are entitled to be identified as a Mississippi
Choctaw and get land in Indian Territory?
A. Yes sir.
-
Do you want to
claim under any particular treaty between the United States and the
Choctaws: Do you know what a treaty is?
-
No sir.
-
It is an
agreement. In 1830 the United States and Choctaw Indians entered
into an agreement by which the Choctaws were to remove out west of the
Mississippi river to the new country. Do you want to claim under
that treaty?
-
Yes sir.
-
Do you know
anything about it?
-
No sir.
-
Did you ever
hear of it before this time?
-
No, not as I
know of; I have always heard of Indian Territory, but I didn’t know
nothing about it.
-
You didn’t know
how the Indians got out there?
-
No.
-
The Commission
is here for the purpose of hearing applicants for identification as
Mississippi Choctaws claiming a right in the Choctaw lands in Indian
Territory under the provisions of the 14th article of the
treaty of 1830. Do you want to claim under that 14th
article?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Do you know what it
contains?
A. No.
Q. Do you know anything
that is in it at all?
A. No sir.
Q. What makes you think you
ought to claim under it then? Just because you have Choctaw blood?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Have you any evidence
that any of your ancestors ever complied with any of its terms?
A. No sir.
Q. How old is your mother?
A. About 49 years.
Q. Who did she get her
Indian blood through?
A. Father.
Q. What is his name?
A. John—I don’t know
anything but John; some said John Thompson and some said John Smith.
Q. She was a slave was
she? Your mother?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Your father was a
slave?
A. Yes sir.
Q. You claim your mother’s
father was a full blood Choctaw?
A. Yes.
Q. There were no full
blood Choctaws slaves.
A. I don’t know whether he
was a slave or not; they just said he was a full blood Choctaw.
Q. You would not be
willing to swear positively that he was a full blood?
A. No, nothing but what I
have heard.
Q. Did you ever see him?
A. No.
Q. Do you speak the
Choctaw language?
A. No sir.
Q. Does your mother speak
it?
A. No, she did when she
was small.
Q. Does you mother speak
the Choctaw language?
A. No.
Q. Do you know whether
your mother’s father was living in Mississippi in 1830 or not –70 years
ago?
A. Yes, I reckon he was;
he died when I was about a year and six months old.
Q. You can’t swear
positively that he was living here in 1830?
A. No, because I was not
here.
Q. Wasn’t he living in
Alabama at that time?
A. I don’t know.
Q. You don’t know as a
matter of fact whether our Choctaw ancestors were living here in
Mississippi in 1830 when this treaty was made, do you?
A. No sir.
Q. Do you know whether any
of your Choctaw ancestors ever claimed or received any land in Mississippi
under the provisions of the 14th article of the treaty of 1830?
A. I never have heard of
it
Q. Does your mother own
any land in Mississippi?
A. No sir.
Q. Ever own any?
A. No
Q. Did her father ever own
any?
A. No, I don’t reckon he
did.
Q. Do you this any of your
ancestors ever got any land from the Government?
A. No.
Q. Do you think your
grandparents got any?
A. No, I haven’t heard
them say.
Q. Do you know your
mother’s father and mother’s names?
A. No I don’t know them.
Q. You don’t know where
they lived?
A. No.
Q. Do you know whether any
of them were living here in Mississippi in 1830 or not?
A. No sir.
Q. Do you know whether
your ancestors ever received any land or money in the state of
Mississippi?
A. No sir.
Q. Do you know whether
they ever got any money from the Government?
A. No sir.
-
Do you know
whether any of your Choctaw ancestors ever got any money from the
Government?
-
No sir.
-
Did any of your
Choctaw ancestors ever move out to the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory?
A. Not as I know of.
Q. Is there any additional
statement in regard to your case that you want to make at this time?
A. Not as I knows of.
Q. Are there any papers
that you want to file in support of your application?
A. Hudson & Arnold,
attorneys for applicant ask leave to file written evidence in support of
this claim. Permission is granted attorneys for applicant to filed
written evidence in support of this claim if filed within thirty days of
the date hereof. You will be furnished at a later date with a copy
of the decision of the Commission with regard to the application you make
for identification as a Mississippi Choctaw, mailed to you at your present
post-office address. This applicant claims to be ¼ Choctaw Indian.
From her color, features and hair it would appear that she might be
possessed of Indian blood.
------o-----
Frances R. Brown having been first duly sworn upon oath states that as
stenographer to the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes she reported
in full all proceedings had in the above entitled cause on the 11th
day of April, 1901, and that the above and foregoing is a full, true and
correct transcript of her stenographic notes of said proceedings on said
date.
Frances R. Brown
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of
April, 1901, at Meridian, Mississippi.
________________________
Unreadable Signature
Notary Public
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