OBJECTIVE: Find George Guess and his wife Betsy Pigeon in the 1880 Native American Census in Oklahoma.
BACKGROUND: Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907. However, the Cherokee Nation was in what became Oklahoma much earlier. In 1880, the agent or agents for the Cherokee Nation, did a census for the Cherokee nation.
Below is a map showing the divisions of the Cherokee Nation in 1889. These are the same divisions that appear in the 1880 census mentioned above.
The Divisions are:
Cooweescoowee
Delaware
Saline
Tahlequah
Going Snake
Illinois
Flint
Sequoyah
Canadian
George Guess, a Cherokee Native American, and his wife, Betsy Pigeon, will be used to show how to find their information using resources in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
7. Find Film 989,204
8. The Dawes Rolls showed that George Guess was in Tahlequah. Find the Tahlequah District
9. Find George Guess on Page 26
9. The Dawes Rolls showed Betsy Pigeon was in the Illinois District. Find the Illinois District.
10. Find Betsy Pigeon on page 39
This example showed how to find information about George Guess and his wife, Betsy Pigeon, in the 1880 Census for the Cherokee Nation. It should be noted that no new information has been added beyond what was given in the Dawes Rolls. The ages for George and Betsy were given in the Dawes Rolls.
This is would be an important part of proving that a person was a Cherokee Indian. If you are interested in proving that you are a Cherokee Indian go to http://www.cherokeeindianproof.com/.
