A Creek Indian Bibliography:

Creek Indians:

Sources for History, Biography and Genealogy; Print and Internet Links ©Anne E. Gometz

Note: If you want to start at the beginning, click here.

Section 5: Genealogy......

Anyone who believes they have an ancestor who was Creek should first follow all the standard tenets of good genealogical practice and use all the same sources they would for research on any other individual. Also read any of the primary and secondary sources listed above which pertain to the geographic areas and time periods you are interested in. In addition, the following texts and sites which focus on genealogical research may be of help.

But first, PLEASE NOTE, I can't do research for individuals; I simply don't have the time and resources. If I find a reference that I think will be useful to genealogists, I will post it here, but please do not contact me about information within these references. I do not own the books and magazines listed in this bibliography and I do not have access to a large research library.

"Among the Creeks". Carol Middleton's page which includes background reading, transcribed sources, queries, a mailing list, etc. Internet at: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/%7ecmamcrk4/index.html
Creek Indian Researcher, "a collection of records and links for those researching their Creek-Muscogee ancestors" compiled by Lance Hall. Internet at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~texlance/main.htm.
Native American Heritage, an introductory page at the National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/index.html. Includes links to search the Dawes Rolls. See especially this article by Kent Carter, "Wantabes and Outalucks: Searching for Indian Ancestors in Federal Records" at http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/ancestor-search.html.

Guides

Carter, Kent. "Snakes & Scribes: The Dawes Commission and the Enrollment of the Creeks." Prologue, v. 29, no. 1 (1997). Also online at: http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1997/spring/dawes-commission-1.html. Both this and the related article below which describe how the enrollment process actually was carried out may help you to understand the possible reasons your ancestor is or is not found on the Dawes rolls.

Carter, Kent. "Deciding Who Can Be Cherokee: Enrollment Records of the Dawes Commission." Chronicles of Oklahoma, v. 69 (1992/92), pp. 174-205. Yes, this says Cherokee!

Hill, Edward P. Guide to Records in the National Archives Relating to American Indians. Washington, D. C.: U. S. National Archives, 1984.

Kirkham, E. Kay. Our Native Americans: Their Records of Genealogical Value. 2 v. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1980.

Lennon, Rachal M. "Southeastern Indians Prior to Removal: An Introduction to Research and Resources." National Genealogical Society Quarterly, v. 85 (1997), pp. 165-194.

_____. Tracing Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes : Southeastern Indians Prior to Removal. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2002.

Morrow, Mary Frances. "Indian Bounty Land Applications." Prologue, v. 25 (1993), pp. 292-296. Also online at: http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1993/fall/indian-bounty-land-applications.html. Explains how to use this group of National Archives records which document the claims of Indian veterans for land warrants due them for their service to the U. S. between 1812 and 1855. Veterans are primarily from the Five Civilized Tribes. Use the Archival Research Catalog, http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/, to see the description of these records.

"Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma." Internet at: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/.

See also the IT GenWeb page: Indian & Oklahoma Territory Genealogy at http://www.okgenweb.org/~itgenweb/, which has general information for those who believe they have an Indian ancestor.

U. S. National Archives. American Indians: A Select List of NARA Microfilm Publications. 1998. Follow the directions for this list's title in the page on "Genealogy Microfilm Catalogs" to pull it up online.

U. S. National Archives. Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, comp. by Edward E. Hill (1965), 459 pp. in 2 vols. (RG 75). The Bureau of Indian Affairs conducts the business of the U.S. Government relating to Native Americans. Dates of records: 1795-1949. (Inventory 163.) See also the later publication by Hill listed above.

U. S. National Archives. Documents Concerning the Negotiation of Ratified Indian Treaties, 1801-69, comp. by John H. Martin (1949), 175 pp. (RG 48 and RG 75). Treaties with the Indians were formally negotiated, required ratification by the Senate, and had the same force, status, and dignity as treaties with sovereign nations. This practice was discontinued in 1871. (Special List 6.)

U. S. National Archives. List of Cartographic Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, comp. by Laura E. Kelsay (1954), 127 pp. (RG 75). Dates of records: ca. 1800-1965. (Special List 13.)

U. S. National Archives. Southwest Region. This regional branch of the National Archives, located in Fort Worth, Texas, holds the bulk of the federal records on the "Five Civilized Tribes". Researchers planning a visit should check out their web site, http://www.archives.gov/southwest/. View their list of Creek Records available on microfilm at http://www.archives.gov/southwest/finding-aids/native-american-microfilm.html#creek.

Records

The National Archives has online the "ARC, Archival Research Catalog" of its holdings. ARC allows you to perform a keyword, digitized image and location search. A group of records on Native American ancestry were among the first to appear in this database. Internet at: http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/index.html.

Applications for Enrollment in the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898 - 1914, known as the Dawes Commission applications;
Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory plus the indexes. (See entry for the microform edition below.)

Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory. 3 rolls. National Archives microfilm T-529. Data as of March 4, 1907 with supplement of Sept.25, 1914.

Bowen, Jeff. Applications for Enrollment of Creek Newborn -- Act of 1905, Series in progress, 12 vols planned. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Co., 2011- . "Newborn" here means 4 years or less. The applications are in National Archive film M-1301. Bowen is publshing and indexing the 1,171 successful applications submitted by by the deadline of midnight, May 2, 1905 including the names of witnesses (e.g. midwives) and family members.

Lackey, Richard S. Frontier Claims in the Lower South.... See in Primary Sources . "People...partly of the Indian blood" are included.

Parsons. 1832 Census of Creek Indians, taken by Parsons and Abott. With an added full name index of "white" names only by Jeanne Robey Felldin and Charlotte Magee Tucker. Tomball, TX: Genealogical Publications, 1978. Not a transcription, but a duplicate of the original pages. Taken from the original National Archives microfilm no. T-275. Also see the transcription on the "Creek Indian Researcher" site. Internet at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~texlance/1832census/index.htm.

GO TO: [Introduction] [Sec.1: Begin Here] [Sec.2: Secondary Sources] [Sec.3: Primary Sources] [Sec.4: Biography] [Sec.5: Genealogy] [Sec.6: Finding Pictures] [Sec.7: Further Research]

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