Her married name was Mary Twist.
13 The nationality of
Mary Standing Elk was Tapisleca Oglala Lakota Sioux; Spleen or Split Liver (4/4). Mary was born at
Lakota Territory in June, 1832.
14,3,15,16,8,11,12 She was the daughter of
Chief (?) Standing Elk and
(?) White Woman. Mary was a Spleen Band of the Oglala Lakota member at Northern Plains after 1832. Her Allotment Num. was 825. She was also a member of the Spleen Band of Oglala..
3 Another source states that her was also listed with a birthdate in 1836 at
Montana, USA.
6,7,13 As of September, 1855,her married name was Mrs. Twiss.
17,3,10 She married
Thomas S. Twiss Maj. at
Platte River Region, Lakota Territory, in September, 1855.
17,3,13 Mary, as
Thomas S. Twiss Maj.'s spouse, resided with him, at
Deer Creek, Wyoming Territory, USA, before 1864.
18 Mary, as an unknown person 's spouse, resided with an unknown person From Stella Dora Twiss:
He took his wife and children to land he owned near Rulo, Nebraska and left them there. They never saw him again. Eventually, his wife's family worrying because they had not heard from her, travelled to Rulo and found the family desperately trying to survive. They brought them back to Fort Robinson and eventually the family relocated to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Twiss, apparently disenchanted with the government and family life, disappeared into the mountains near Fort Laramie. The post adjutant at Fort Laramie said that Major Twiss passed his life, after his commission expired, in the hills, no one knew just where. Twiss was described as an old gentleman whose long, white, curly hair hung down over his shoulders. His beard had been trimmed Van Dyke fashion. According to the adjutant's account, Twiss dressed as an Indian in buckskin was accompanied by several finely dressed Indian women., at
Rulo, Richardson Co., Nebraska, USA, in 1870.
13,2,19 She was census 1870 on July 20, 1870 at
Rulo, Richardson Co., Nebraska, USA; Thomas S. Twist is listed as age 63 with an occupation as "Farmer". Birthplace is listed as New York State. His wife Mary was listed as age 34 and "keeping house" and born in Montana. Daughter Frances is listed as born in Montana and at age 15 and attending school. Son Bridge is listed as age 11 born in Nebraska and attending school. Son William was listed as age 7 born in Nebraska and attending school. Son Franklin was listed as age 5 born in Nebraska and attending school. Son Joseph was listed as age 3 born in Nebraska and at home.
Apprently at this time the Twiss family was living in near poverty according to the 1870 Census their personal property was only valued at $150.00.
13 She resided at
Whetstone Agency (1869-1873), Nebraska, USA, circa 1871, After the death of her husband, (Thomas S. Twiss) Mary moved her family to the Whetstone Agency on the Missouri River of Nebraska in the Spring of 1871. She later moved with the Oglalas to Red Cloud Agency to be with her Oglala relatives..
3,19 She resided at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Dakota Territory, USA, after 1876, "Mrs., Twist [Twiss] (pp. 34, 70), a full-blooded Oglala woman and the widow of Thomas S. Twiss. Indian Agent for the Upper Platte Agency from 1855 to 1861. Mgr. Twiss died at Rulo, Nebraska, in the early 1870's and his family then joined the Oglalas at Red Cloud Agency.
As Army officers visited the Twiss home-for the entry on page 70 carries with it an "h" notation which I believe to signify "house" or, more specifically, log cabin-one can wonder whether either Lieutenant Calhoun or Lieutenant John was aware the late husband of the woman, and father of the teenage-age boys, Jimmy and Charles, who are mentioned on the census, was an honor graduate of the United States Military Academy. Twiss ranked number two in the class of 1826 at West Point and was a classmate of, among others, Generals Silas Casey, Samuel P. Heintzelman, and Albert Sidney Johnston of Mexican and Civil War service.
The Twiss family was one of many listed in the census who belonged to the mixed-blood element of the Oglala tribe." [Crazy Horse surrender Ledger, pp.x-xi.]
Her family was listed in the Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger of November 8, 1876,She was listed as a "Head of a Household" with a family consisting of: 0 "Bucks", 1 "Squaws", 3 "M. Children", 3 "F. Children". She was also listed with the Oglalas with 0 lodge. [The Crazy Horse surrender ledger, c1994, p.34].
The Agency Beef issue for December 1876 was recorded in the Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger. In the register "foot" refers to live cattle, while "block" was processed or butchered meat. Some individuals and the Indian families of white agency residents and employees received block issue. Several family heads "clubbed" their ration tickets to total as close to thirty tickets as possible, each ticket representing one person. Each "club" of tickets would receive one head of beef (average weight nine hundred pounds) every ten days for slaughter. [Crazy Horse surrender ledger, (1994), p.13] Mrs. Twist's family received as following: [Crazy Horse surrender ledger., (1994), p.130].
Beef Record Sioux
Foot Block
7 Twist Mrs. 0 7
"Family heads received rations corresponding to the number of people for whom they were responsible, this particular figure being recorded during January and February 1877. Surviving issue records from Red Cloud are long paper strips each denoting the band name and the number of families. A family was designated by number, not name, and as the head received the family's rations, an agency clerk punched the corresponding number on the strip." [Crazy Horse surrender ledger, (1994), p.14]. Mrs. Twist's (Twiss) family received 7 ration tickets and is counted with the Sioux. [Crazy Horse surrender ledger., (1994), p.145].
Mrs. Twist received 1 "hide ticket" on January 30, 1877. These tickets were exchanged for cattle hides by Agency Officials from beef cattle issued on the hoof for food. These tickets were then sold to the agency trader for about $2.50 each. When agency began slaughtering the cattle themselves, Indians were given tickets "in lieu" of hides. This practice was discontinued early in 1877. [Crazy Horse surrender ledger, c1994, p.89]
She was again listed as a family head the Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger of February 16th, 1877, she was listed with Jimmy and Charles (also as Heads) that included the following: 2 "Adult Males", 2 "Adult Females", 3 "Children Male", 0 "Children Female". She was also listed as Oglala Sioux, under Red Cloud with 3 lodge. [Crazy Horse surrender ledger, c1994, p.70].
2 She was given an allotment on the Native American Annuity Payroll at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Dakota Territory, USA, after 1877.
3 Mary was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Dakota Territory, USA, in 1886.
6 Mary was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Porcupine, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, on July 1, 1890. Listed as living in the Wojaje Community of the Porcupine District..
7 Mary was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Porcupine District, Shannon Co., South Dakota ., USA, on July 1, 1892.
10 Mary was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Porcupine District, Shannon Co., South Dakota ., USA, on July 1, 1894.
11 She was listed as "mother" and residing in the home of
Joseph Twiss on the U.S. Indian Census Rolls taken on July 1, 1895 at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Porcupine District, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA.
12 She was listed as "mother" and residing in the home of
Joseph Twiss on the U.S. Indian Census Rolls taken on June 14, 1896 at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Porcupine District, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA.
8
Her was allotted land on December 18, 1906 at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA,
; 825 - According to a Report on Heirship, Mary Twiss's allottment was located at E/2 of Sec 16 T.40 N., R.43 W., 5th P.M., So. Dak, containing 320 acres. Trust Patent dated 12/18/1906. Allotted under the Act of March 2, 1889 (25 Stat. L. 888). Held in trust.
TWISS MARY 06 040N 043W 016 320 253400 PA IA 825 12/18/1906
TWISS MARY 06 040N 043W 016 320 253400 PA IA 825 05/08/1986.
5,9 Mary died on March 7, 1917 at
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Porcupine, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, at age 84.
5