Kinsearching February 28, 2010

RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2010



KINSEARCHING

by

Marleta Childs
P. O. Box 6825
LUBBOCK, TX 79493-6825
[email protected]
 

     Continuing to make data about Native American ancestors more readily accessible to genealogists, Jeff Bowen has completed Volume II of his new series, CHICKASAW BY BLOOD ENROLLMENT CARDS, 1898 - 1914. He bases his information on the Chickasaw enrollment cards (sometimes referred to as "census cards") prepared by the Dawes Commission between 1898 and 1914. The Commission gathered the material in order to rule on citizenship applications submitted by approximately 250,000 people. Using data registered on the cards, the Commission finally enrolled in the Chickasaw tribe 101,000 individuals, who were divided into seven categories: Citizens by Blood, Citizens by Marriage, New Born Citizens by Blood, Minor Citizens by Blood, Freedmen (former black slaves of Indians), New Born Freedmen, and Minor Freedmen.

     Like the first volume in the series, the introduction explains the history of the enrollment cards and the methods Bowen used in his transcription. For each individual whose name appears on an application, the enrollment cards furnish such facts as the place of residence, post office, relationship to the head of the family group, age, sex, degree of Indian blood, tribal enrollment (year, place, and page number), and names of parents as well as data about them. Valuable material also emerges in the "Notes" section which may contain details such as the Dawes Roll number, references to different cards, birth and death dates, changes in marital status, name of a spouse in the "doubtful" category or from another tribe, or miscellaneous information. Names of approximately 3,500 people seeking Chickasaw citizenship status in the appear in Bowen's latest volume. In addition, the author includes names of a few Chickasaw who never enrolled. A sampling of surnames includes ALBERSON, ALDRICH, ARPEALER, BACON, BENTON, BURRIS, BYRD, CARNEY, CHAPMAN, COCHRAN/COCHRANE, COLBERT, CRAVATT, DURANT, DYAR/DYER, FOLSOM/FULSOM/FULSOME, FRAZIER, GRAYSON, GREENWOOD, HAWKINS, HAYS/HAYES, KEEL, KILLCREASE, LEADER, LOVE, PARNACHER, PERRY, PORTER, POUND, SEALY, STICK, UNDERWOOD, WALTON, and YANCEY.

     By putting information from the Dawes rolls into book form, Bowen makes the material more easily available to genealogists who are tracing Chickasaw ancestors. Since his publication contains names of some Mississippi Choctaws, he also provides a valuable service for individuals researching forebears from that tribe. Like Bowen's first book in the series, CHICKASAW BY BLOOD ENROLLMENT CARDS, 1898 - 1914, VOLUME II is a worthy addition to genealogical literature on Native American ancestry.

     The 238-page work has soft covers and a full-name index. Material from the cards is arranged in a tabular format. To the book's price of $29.50, buyers should add the cost for postage and handling charges. For U. S. postal mail, the cost is $5.50 for one book and $2.50 for each additional copy; for FedEx ground service, the cost is $7.50 for one copy and $2.50 for each additional book. The volume (item order CF 9962) may be purchased by check, money order, MasterCard, or Visa from Clearfield Company, 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 260, Baltimore, Maryland 21211-1953 (For phone orders, call toll free 1-800-296-6687; fax 1-410-752-8492; website www.genealogical.com).


     Jerry Kelly (e-mail: [email protected]) has traced his maternal lineage to George COBURN of Anson Co., NC. He keeps coming across references to Coburns in Surry Co., VA, and they seem to go back to Somerset, MD, and Somerset, England. However, he has been unable to make the necessary links to his ancestor. Any help will on this line be greatly appreciated.


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