Cherokee Applications

United States of America
State of Oklahoma
County of Muskogee

Elizabeth Gibson Mullins

Be it remembered, that on this seventeenth day of December in the year of your Lord one thousand, nine hundred and seven, before me a notary public within and for the county and state aforesaid, personally appeared Elizabeth Mullins, of Muskogee, in said county, the applicant before the Special Commissioner of the Court of Claims for the Eastern Cherokee Enrollment, whose application is numbered 294, who being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth depose and say in relation to the above mentioned claim as follows:

My grandfather, Joe Gibson, also called "Fisher" Gibson, lived in Lee County, Virginia, and when the Indians were driven out of Virginia, he ran away from there, and settled in Eastern Tennessee, where my father, Keener Gibson, was born, and where my father lived during his whole life. There was no tribal district where we lived and no tribal rolls were kept there, and that is the reason that we lost our enrollment. The Indian people in that region and time were unlettered, and there was no one to insturct them in regard to keeping up their tribal relations. I have often heard my father say that he had land in the West if he was only able to go and get it. I was married in Tennessee and lived there until about five years ago, when I moved to texas, and i have never lived where I could be enrolled until since the Cherokee rolls were closed. My grandfather could not talk English, and spoke only the Cherokee language, and my father spoke both English and Cherokee.

Elizabeth Mullins Her Mark
17th day of december 1907

Ruben Mullins
English Name: Ruben Mullins
Indian Name: Unknown
Residence: Muskogee
State: Indian Territory
Date and Place of Birth: February, 1855 Hancock County, Tenn.
By what right do you claim to share? If you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each claim separately: Through my grandfather (maternal) Solomon Collins (full-blood Cherokee)

Give names of your father and mother, and your mother's name before marriage
Father --English name: John Mullins
Indian name: unknown
Mother--English name: Mahala Collins Mullins
Indian name: unknown

Where were they born?
Father: Hancock Co., Tenn.
Mother: Hancock Co., Tenn.
Where did they reside in 1851 if living at that time?
Father: Hancock Co., Tenn.
Mother: Hancock Co., Tenn.
Date of death of your father and mother

Father: Fall of 1900 Mother Sept. 1901

REMARKS:
Solomon Collins is said to crossed into Tennessee and married Jincy Goins, and settled there, because he was afraid the chief would kill him if he returned to the tribe.

Signature
Ruben Mullins His Mark
8th day of November 1906

204 So. C St.,
Muskogee, Okla
July 20, 1909
To Guyon Miller, Esq
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

In regard to the ancestral Indian Name your requirement is unreasonable and therefore unjust. The majority of the Eastern Cherokees never received Indian Names; and as they did not have the Cherokee written language, they did not [for they could not] keep records. Therefore you require an impossiblity, and do a great wrong to many thousands of my people.

Another thing; You did not require this at the start. We answered all the printed questions you sent us. Why didn't you ask for the Ancestral Indian Name then? This looks like crooked work.

And then Mr. Miller, what do you think the thousands of Cherokees will do, who have, like myself, sent a lot of good money after what now proves to have been bad money?

I have spent $225 in clean cash, and others have spent their money.

And now if we are thrown out in this way, we'll have our money back, if we have Sue the Government to get it.

Signed:
Reuben Mullins
(Per Israel)

Lou Miner

Commissioner of India Affairs,
Washington DC

Sir:

I hereby make application for such shares as may be due me of the fund appropriated by the Act of Congress approved June 30, 1905 in accordance with the decrees of the court of claims of May 18, 1905, and May 28, 1906, in favor of the Eastern Cherokees. The evidence of identity is herewith subjoined.

Date of this Application 9 Nov 1906
1-state full name- Lou Mabe
Indian Name:--- Lou Miner
2- Residence---Pearles
3-Town and Post Office-Pearles
4- County-Hopkins
5-State--Texas
6-Date and place of Birth. March 25, 1866 Hawkins County, Tennessee
7-By what right do you claim to share? Do you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each claim seperate
-Father Joseph Miner and mother Mariah Miner
8- Are you married--Yes
9-Name and age of wife or Husband- Frank Mabe a white man.
10-Give names of your farther and mother, and your mothers name before marriage.---
Father -English Name ----Joseph Miner
Indian name----- Joseph Miner
Mother -English Name- Mariah Miner
Indian name --Mariah Miner
Maiden Name --Mariah Miner
11- Where were they born
Father- Hawkins County, Tennessee
Mother- Hawkins County, Tennessee
12- Where did they reside in 1851if living at that time.
-Father ---Hawkins County, Tennessee
Mother-- Hawkins County, Tennessee
13-Date of death of your father and mother.
Father--April 1890
Mother-Feb 5, 1906
My brothers and sister;

Caroline Trent b 1864
Eliza Drinnon b. 1869
John Minore b. 1871
Lewis Miner b. 1873
Maggie Lawson b. 1876
All living in 1906.
Suckie Miner b. 1862 d. 1864.

Fathers parents-(Joseph)
John Miner and Suckie Goins
Mothers Parents-- (Mariah)
Lewis Miner Sallie Fields
Born Hawkins County, Tennessee
Names of their children

Elizabeth Miner
Vancie Miner
Joseph
Mary Collins
Ada Carr

Remarks: The English and Indian names are the same as for back as i know, father and mother was the same name Miner before marriage. Mr. Miller: I am write to you in reguard two Mrs Mabes Indian proof. I have herd her father and mother say their was Indian blood in them and us all called them Indians when we were children together. I am 55 years of age have know it ever sence a child.

Yours Respt.
Sam Sullivan,
Brownsfield, Texas.

Simpson P. Miner
Residence:
Town & P.O: Edison
County: Hawkins
State: TN
Date and Place of Birth: TN June 12 1855, age 52
Right to share
Married: yes
Name and age of spouse: Mary Sizemore 46
Father: Gilford Minor
Mother: Polly Goins
Where were they born:
Father: Hancock County, TN
Mother: Hancock, TN
Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time? Hancock County, Tennessee
Date of Death of father: Nov. 26, 1903
Mother: 1860
Enrolled for benefits: No
Name of all your brothers and sisters, giving ages, and if not living, date of death.

Ap Miner, Mar 11, 1857
Viney Miner, Aug 18, 1862
Lissy Moner, May 11, 1866
Borden Miner, Jan 27, 1868
Richard Miner, March 27, 1870
Malinda Miner, Sept 6, 1872
Earnest Miner, Nov 13, 1876
Rosa Miner, Mar 27, 1879
William Kyle Miner, Nov 17, 1881
Gilford Miner, Mar 21, 1884

Grandparent's Father's side: Zach Miner-Agga Sizemore
Grandparent's Mother's side: Zar(Isiaih Goins) Minta (Arminta)
Where were they born? Hawkins County, Tenn
Give names of all their children, and residence, if living; if not living, date of death

Susan Miner
James Miner
Zack Miner Jr.
Zack Goins
Hezekiah Goins
Lydie Goins
Oliver Goins

Have you ever been enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits: No
Paternal and maternal ancestors back to 1835