Tribal Rolls & the Speiginer Family
Harrison H. Speiginer - the Cherokee, Dawes Rolls and BIA connections.
Why I was not able to find "Speiginer" in any Tribal Rolls?
The researcher must look at the “Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory” or "Dawes Rolls". The 1866 Treaties "contained a mandate requiring the Secretary of the Interior to compile a census of the legal citizens of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Nations, for voting, General Council participation and political representation purposes."
The main "got you" was: "Tribal members were entitled to an allotment of land, in return for abolishing their tribal governments and recognizing Federal Laws. In order to receive the land, individual tribal members first had to apply and be deemed eligible by the Commission." The US government was looking for a way to compare the 1835 "Henderson Roll" with the new "Dawes Rolls".
For those who are a bit more curious on this topic, please look for a family name here under advanced search: http://www.archives.gov/research/search/
Harrison H. Speiginer's role
This process spanned from 1898 until 1907 and with limited activity until 1914. According to dad, Harrison H. Speiginer was one of the hired interpreters used to help enroll the Cherokee. Of very significant note is the fact that the "Dawes Rolls" includes "Indian surnames from a number of Tribal and Census Rolls unique to Indian Territory."
The waste of time at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1978
Unfortunately, after spending a few frustrating days at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) back in 1978 [2038 Iowa Ave, Riverside, CA 92507] with dad, we were told without Aunt Box's birth certificate and roll papers (under the name Brown as a Blackfoot), the maternal link could not be established. Since the name spelled "Speiginer" was not in the "Dawes Rolls" or any tribal records (as Cherokee), the paternal link could not be made. So, we were blocked from both grandparent's sides under the names "Brown" and "Speiginer".
I remember discussing this with Dale, Rennae, and Cousin Carla but since we did not have the birth certificate of Aunt Earl (or Grandma Curley) we had no solution. I even checked the Mississippi Choctaw list since the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek (September 27, 1830), the Choctaw Nation of Indians had ceded to the United States the entire country possessed by them east of the Mississippi river. With that, any "half-negro and half Indian wife" were not considered slaves.
Upon Aunt Earl's passing at 103 years old, I learned that cousin James (Aunt Earl's Grandson that was also raised on the Res and spoke Blackfoot) burned all her paper from the reservation. He also informed me that since he had suffered brain damage from a motorcycle accident after her passing, he was not able to remember if there were any copies. Cousin James said it was Great Aunt's wish and in accordance with traditions relating to "Fear of the Deceased*".
*"Some Native American tribes feel the deceased person is resentful of those that are still living and are fearful that the ghost of the dead would come back and cause trouble for anyone who used their possessions. This belief leeds them to burn the deceased's house and all of their possessions. The family would move to a new house in a new location to escape the ghost of the deceased."
Sooooo, this is as far as I got.
The researcher must look at the “Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory” or "Dawes Rolls". The 1866 Treaties "contained a mandate requiring the Secretary of the Interior to compile a census of the legal citizens of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Nations, for voting, General Council participation and political representation purposes."
The main "got you" was: "Tribal members were entitled to an allotment of land, in return for abolishing their tribal governments and recognizing Federal Laws. In order to receive the land, individual tribal members first had to apply and be deemed eligible by the Commission." The US government was looking for a way to compare the 1835 "Henderson Roll" with the new "Dawes Rolls".
For those who are a bit more curious on this topic, please look for a family name here under advanced search: http://www.archives.gov/research/search/
Harrison H. Speiginer's role
This process spanned from 1898 until 1907 and with limited activity until 1914. According to dad, Harrison H. Speiginer was one of the hired interpreters used to help enroll the Cherokee. Of very significant note is the fact that the "Dawes Rolls" includes "Indian surnames from a number of Tribal and Census Rolls unique to Indian Territory."
The waste of time at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1978
Unfortunately, after spending a few frustrating days at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) back in 1978 [2038 Iowa Ave, Riverside, CA 92507] with dad, we were told without Aunt Box's birth certificate and roll papers (under the name Brown as a Blackfoot), the maternal link could not be established. Since the name spelled "Speiginer" was not in the "Dawes Rolls" or any tribal records (as Cherokee), the paternal link could not be made. So, we were blocked from both grandparent's sides under the names "Brown" and "Speiginer".
I remember discussing this with Dale, Rennae, and Cousin Carla but since we did not have the birth certificate of Aunt Earl (or Grandma Curley) we had no solution. I even checked the Mississippi Choctaw list since the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek (September 27, 1830), the Choctaw Nation of Indians had ceded to the United States the entire country possessed by them east of the Mississippi river. With that, any "half-negro and half Indian wife" were not considered slaves.
Upon Aunt Earl's passing at 103 years old, I learned that cousin James (Aunt Earl's Grandson that was also raised on the Res and spoke Blackfoot) burned all her paper from the reservation. He also informed me that since he had suffered brain damage from a motorcycle accident after her passing, he was not able to remember if there were any copies. Cousin James said it was Great Aunt's wish and in accordance with traditions relating to "Fear of the Deceased*".
*"Some Native American tribes feel the deceased person is resentful of those that are still living and are fearful that the ghost of the dead would come back and cause trouble for anyone who used their possessions. This belief leeds them to burn the deceased's house and all of their possessions. The family would move to a new house in a new location to escape the ghost of the deceased."
Sooooo, this is as far as I got.