by William D. Welge, Research Division Director

Among the Cherokee National records will be files relative to the Female, Male, and Colored High School. Featured here is a document taken from the Colored High School (as it was designated by the National Council). This report contains a brief record of employee’s for the month of October 1904. It is presumed that all seven listed here were African-American’s working at the school. The files contain mostly receipts for expenditures for the operations of the school. The earliest document dates from 1889 and ceases in 1906. The school was located five miles northwest of Tahlequah on the old Double Spring’s place. Sadly, there are no lists of students contained in the file.

by William D. Welge, Research Division Director

Bill Welge here. One of the disconcerting aspects of looking for Indian ancestors is the lack of census data. The Cherokees began compiling decennial census records beginning in 1880, but prior to that time, census taking was very sporadic.

One way to hopefully locate family members is to search through records other than census materials. As an example, among the court records of the Cherokee Nation there is a list of individuals who were issued certificates for payment for services rendered for the quarter ending December 31st, 1875.* Some 41 men are listed and why they are being paid.

This is just one way to locate family when census records are not available.

* Cherokee National records – Courts document # 532. See microcopy CHN-70.

by William D. Welge, Research Division Director

Bill Welge here with a bit of important genealogical information for those looking for Cherokee ancestors. On microfilm roll CHN – 66 will be several folders regarding the Cherokee National Orphan Asylum. Occasionally the files will include the names of those individuals who are residents at the home. For instance there is a list of 48 females with their names, age, some with date of birth, what district in the Cherokee Nation they were born, their guardian and the guardian’s Post Office address. This is of particular importance because it is in between the Cherokee 1890 census and the United States census of 1900. The youngest resident is 9 years old and the oldest is 19 years old.

More to come……

by Ashley Hendricks, Digital Technician

Beginning in late December and through January of 2009, our Cherokee Nation township plat maps underwent the process of oversized document digitization. There are a total of 236 township maps that include townships 9 north through 29 north. An interesting characteristic of these maps is the meticulous detail with which the ownership of allotments is shown. Each map contains the names, statuses, and allotment numbers of the individual owners. (more…)