Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

you should try to collect documents on her children, as childrens’ documents point to the parent. that way you will know more information. woods surname is very common. if you are stumped and the person passed away after 1/1/1937, you can ask for a copy of her social security application. marriage certificates, death certificate, delayed birth certificate are very helpful documents.

genealogists use names, dates, locations, children and spouses to match records. if you have a common surname, you need to give more information rather thann less. if you post about women, it is helpful to include the maiden name and the married name and designate which one is the maiden name.

first of all, heritage and tribal enrollment are two different things. many times natives didn’t apply for enrollment because 1) they didn’t qualify, 2) they were philosophically opposed to enrollment, 3) they didn’t have documentation, or 4) they were mississippi choctaw and their ancestor had accepted land or benefits in lieu of tribal enrollment.

the dawes roll was taken 1896-1906, so you should trace your ancestors down to that time period. mostly, they had to be living in oklahoma by that time and agree to live there permanently.

if the name is common, you may find too many possible records.

the tribe has an excellent information to help you. it is found under genealogy advocacy.
http://choctawnation.com/services/departments/community-services/

mississippi choctaw and choctaw tribe explained here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw_Trail_of_Tears

i have collected many resources over the years. if you want to write to me, shamlet76@gmail.com and request the choctaw resourcce list, i will be glad to send it to you.

i am just a volunteer that wants to empower people to learn how to do genealogy.

suzanne hamlet shatto

john? woods>lonnie l. woods m. john cummins b. 9/11/1898 MS d. 11/3/1942 MS, carrie b. cummins b. ~1894 MS m. emmet l.? mangram

you should contact the person who posted that photo of the graves, and the news article.

i noticed this cemetery record:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18555255
Birth: Sep. 11, 1898
Kosciusko
Attala County
Mississippi, USA
Death: Nov. 3, 1942
Indianola
Sunflower County
Mississippi, USA

John Cummins
Born Sept 11, 1898 Attala County, MS – Died (Murdered, head wounds.) at age 44 in Indianola Hospital – Indianola, Sunflower County, MS on November 3, 1942 from injuries over a gambling dispute on Highway 49 north of Drew, Sunflower County, MS that occurred on October 31, 1942. John was buried with his twin brother Richard at Doty Springs.

The above information was obtained in part from John, Richard and Willis’ death certificates, the 1910 and 1920 Attala County, MS census, Bobby Cummins (“Dick’s” nephew) of Ethel, MS, Mozelle Partridge-Chason of Drew MS and A. C. Cummins of Ethel, MS, the Doty Springs cemetery inscriptions, the Attala County marriage records Kosciusko, MS and the Kosciusko Star Herald

John C. Cummins Parents were Willis Manuel Cummins & Lonnie L. Woods-Cummins.
They had 10 Children:.
Nora S Cummins-Spears
Mattie Velma Cummins-Ramage-Hollinger
Nancy Cummins
Carrie B Cummins-Mangrum
Ernest Melton Cumins
John C. Cummins
Richard [Dick] Cummins
Louise Cummins-Johnson
Niles Boyd Cummins
Willis W. Cummins

Family links:
Parents:
W M Cummins (1869 – 1942)
Lona L Cummins (1866 – 1930)

Burial:
Doty Springs Cemetery
Kosciusko
Attala County
Mississippi, USA

your post didn’t make this clear and doesn’t name many spouses and didn’t tell which was the maiden name and which the married name.

in any case, it appears that you might be wanting to contact the mississippi choctaw tribe instead of the tribe in oklahoma. your people were in MS during the enrollment of the mississippi choctaw tribe and may have applied.

http://www.choctaw.org/

1930 United States Federal Census
about Carrie B Mangrum
Name: Carrie B Mangrum
Home in 1930: Beat 1, Attala, Mississippi
View Map
Age: 36
Estimated birth year: abt 1894
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse’s name: Emmet L
Race: White
.Name Age
Emmet L Mangrum 47
Carrie B Mangrum 36
Ezra Cummins 14
Freeman Hansford 8
Charles R Mangrum 5
Edith D Mangrum 2 5/12
Thomas M Mangrum 8/12
Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Beat 1, Attala, Mississippi; Roll 1138; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 3; Image: 711.0.
emmet was first married when he was 40 and carrie was first married when she was 19. ezra is a stepson and freeman is a stepson, so carrie might have been married to a cummins (or had the child out of wedlock) and a hansford.

but would her birthdate have been wrong on the 1930 census or is this someone else?

Social Security Death Index
about Carrie Mangrum
Name: Carrie Mangrum
SSN: 587-01-9419
Last Residence: 39090 Kosciusko, Attala, Mississippi, United States of America
Born: 28 May 1909
Died: 20 Jun 1998
State (Year) SSN issued: Mississippi (1964)

Johnnie Carolyn Mangrum Dallas

Johnnie Carolyn Mangrum Dallas, 75, of Zama, a retired registered nurse, died Nov. 17, 2009. She was born in Zama, and later graduated high school in Zama and King’s Daughter’s Nursing College. She went on to serve the public at Neshoba County Hospital, District II Durant Hospital, Lexington Hospital, Hinds General Hospital and many other hospitals, as a licensed registered nurse in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Funeral services were held at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Zama. The services were officiated by pastor, Bro. Larry Harvey.

She is survived by her sons, Philip Dallas of Ethel, and his family, Terence Dallas of Milton, FL, and his family, and Dr. Bryce Dallas of Hayenburg, TN; as well as brother, Kenneth Mangrum of Ethel, and his family; and the Curtis family, (children of her sister, Leo Curtis), Randal Mark, and Meloney with their families.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Dallas; parents, James and Carrie Mangrum; son, Johnny Dallas; daughter, Stephanie Carolyn Dallas Jobe; sister, Mildred M. Curtis; brother-in-law, Olen Curtis; nieces, Gwendeline Curtis, Fitz Simmons and Shelia Curtis Carter.

United States Obituary Collection
about Johnnie Carolyn Mangrum Dallas
Name of Deceased: Johnnie Carolyn Mangrum Dallas
Gender: F (Female)
Death Date: 17 Nov 2009
Obituary Date: 19 Nov 2009
Newspaper Title: Star-Herald
Newspaper Location: Kosciusko, MS, USA
Birth Place: Zama
Residence (at time of death): Zama

you can get a copy of this obit thorugh interlibrary loan. see your local library for that.

now i’m confused. are these the right people?
Mildred Curtis
Mildred Leo Mangrum Curtis a retired registered nurse died Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at Women’s Hospital. She was 77 yrs old. She was a resident of Baton Rouge and a native of Attala County, MS.
She was a member of Southside Baptist Church. She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was an avid gardener.
Visitation Sunday, March 7, 2009, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church Zama, MS, 2 pm until religious service at 3 pm with interment in Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery, Zama, MS.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Olen D. Curtis; parents James I. Mangrum, and Carrie G. Mangrum; and two daughters, Gwen Fitzsimons and Sheila Carter.
Survivors include: her daughter, Melody Marino and husband, Joey of Metairie, LA; two sons, Randall Curtis and wife, Janet, of Baton Rouge, Mark Curtis and wife, Nola of Brandon, MS; one sister, Carolyn Dallas of Ethel, MS; one brother, Kenneth Mangrum of Ethel, MS; seven grandchildren, Amie Cabell, Adriene Ashley, Shelley Jackson, Lauren Fitzsimons, Tyler Fitzsimons, Ryan Curtis, Hannah Curtis; and two great grandchildren, Savana Ashley and Ada Ashley.
Rabenhorst Funeral Home, Baton Rouge, LA.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Cancer Services of Baton Rouge or the 4H Club.

United States Obituary Collection
about Mildred Curtis
Name of Deceased: Mildred Curtis
Gender: F (Female)
Death Date: 4 Mar 2009
Cause Of Death: Cancer
Obituary Date: 7 Mar 2009
Newspaper Title: Clarion Ledger
Newspaper Location: Jasper County, MS, USA
Residence (at time of death): Baton Rouge

the name is more common than i thought. these are different carrie mangrum records and the other carrie was not yet married to emmett.
View Record Name Parent or Spouse Names Home in 1920
(City,County,State) Estimated
Birth Year Birthplace Race Relation View Image
View Record
Carrie Mangam
[Carrie Mangren] W C Collins, Covington, Mississippi abt 1884 Mississippi White Wife
View Record
Carrie Maugrom
[Carrie Mangrom] John Beat 3, Jackson, Mississippi abt 1890 Alabama Black Wife

1920 United States Federal Census
about Carry Cunnings
Name: Carry Cunnings
[Carry Cummings]
Home in 1920: Center, Attala, Mississippi
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: abt 1893
Birthplace: Mississippi
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Father’s Name: Wilice M
Father’s Birth Place: Mississippi
Mother’s Name: Lona
Mother’s Birth Place: Alabama
Marital Status: Widowed
[Widow]
Race: White
Sex: Female
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Wilice M Cunnings 51
Lona Cunnings 53
Carry Cunnings 27
Louiza Cunnings 16
Kyle Cunnings 14
Wilice Cunnings 9
Arthur Cunnings 4
Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: Center, Attala, Mississippi; Roll T625_869; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 13; Image: 987.
but is ezra arthur?
you can put in a name correction on ancestry so that others can find your family.

since the mother was b. AL, you might also check with the MOWA tribe.
http://www.native-american-online.org/MOWA-Choctaw.htm
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/mowa/page196.htm
http://www.powwows.com/gathering/native-issues/28668-h-r-3526-federal-recognition-mowa-band-choctaw.html
MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians Wilford Taylor, Chief 1080 Red Fox Road Mount Vernon, AL 36560 (251) 829-5500. E-Mail: chieftaylor@mowachoctaw.com

Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935
about Marvin Cummins
Name: Marvin Cummins
Spouse: Carrie Cummins
Marriage Date: 17 Nov 1912
County: Attala

Name Age
Willis M Cumins 41
Lonie L Cumins 43
Mattie V Cumins 20
Carrie B Cumins 16
Ernest M Cumins 14
Dick Cumins 12
John Cumins 12
Louisa Cumins 8
Niles B Cumins 6
Willis W Cumins 7/12
Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Beat 5, Attala, Mississippi; Roll T624_732; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 13; Image: 1152.

Name Age
Maniel Cummins 30
Leona L Cummins 33
Nora Cummins 12
Mattie Cummins 10
Nancy Cummins 8
Carry Cummins 6
Earnest Cummins 4
Richard Cummins 1
John Cummins 1
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Center, Attala, Mississippi; Roll T623_800; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 11.
but this census says leona was b. MS.

the 1880 census has too many choices for the mother.

you could get a copy of carrie’s social security application and she would list her parents, significant dates and locations.

Thanks so much Suzanne. I can’t beleive you got all this information for me. The information about Carrie B. Mangrum married to Emmit L. Mangrum is correct. My father’s name is spelled wrong. It is Trueman Hansford. He was the only son from this man. All I know about my grandfather Hansford is that he was German and put in prison for killing one of his in-laws. The story is he told the in-laws not to set foot on his property or he would shoot them. One day one decided to visit and he was killed. I really appreciate all you have done.

Please contact me about this!! My great-great grandmother was Nora Sweet Cummins, born jan 17, 1888, married on dec 29, 1907 to my g-g-grandfather Richmond EMMITT SPEARS. They had at least 7 children, one of them being LEROY LEVIN SPEARS, who had Jerry Max Spears, who had my mother, Sharon.
I believe that Nora S. Cummins-Spears is the sister to your John Cummins.
I’m very exited about this link! I hope this isn’t stale! :)

these messages are over a year old. you might want to start a new thread, asking about nora sweet cummins b. 17 jan 1888 m. richmond emmitt spears
and give leroy levin spears birthplace/birthdate information.

you might also post to other messageboards and webprojects. rootsweb has a worldconnect database and location/tribe/surname websites, and ancestry.com also has family tree entries.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cummins/all.html

Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935
about Nora Cummins
Name: Nora Cummins
Spouse: E. R. Spears
Marriage Date: 29 Dec 1907
County: Attala

you will need to give information about documents, sources, because i am having trouble finding documents about this family.

genealogists use names, dates, locations, children and spouses to match records. if you have a common surname, you need to give more information rather than less. if you post about women, it is helpful to include the maiden name and the married name and designate which one is the maiden name.

start with what you know, gather documentation, then you can go backward in time. so get your birth certificate, your parents’ birth certificates and marriage license and then you can start on your grandparents. if someone passed away after 1/1/1937, they probably have a social security application on file. if you ask a government for a birth certificate, and they were born before 1929, they might have submitted a delayed birth certificate. death certificates, cemetery information and obituaries are helpful. you can usually get a copy of an obituary, newspaper mentions such as birth of a child or marriage, through the interlibrary loan program – see your local public library for this. i usually start with the death and work toward the person’s birth. military records and pension records can be helpful. census records can tell you where they were at particular times. the census records up to 1930 are available, although the 1890 census was largely destroyed. the 1940 census will be public information in 2012.

first of all, heritage and tribal enrollment are two different things. many times natives didn’t apply for enrollment because 1) they didn’t qualify, 2) they were philosophically opposed to enrollment, 3) they didn’t have documentation, or 4) they were mississippi choctaw and their ancestor had accepted land or benefits in lieu of tribal enrollment.

the dawes roll was taken 1896-1906, so you should trace your ancestors down to that time period. mostly, they had to be living in oklahoma by that time and agree to live there permanently.

helpful information about tribal enrollment
http://www.felihkatubbe.com/ChoctawNation/TribalMembership.html

2 ways to search:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/finalroll.php
this will let you enter partial names to get card#. click on the card# in the card column and you can see other names in that family.
other resources on the left and at the bottom of this webpage. native census records and databases are especially useful.

http://www.okhistory.org/research/dawes/index.php
this will give you card# (family group) and enrollment #. they have some native marriage records too. other oklahoma records listed at left.
if the name is common, you may find too many possible records.
http://okhistory.cuadra.com/star/public.html

the tribe has an excellent information to help you. it is found under genealogy advocacy.
http://choctawnation.com/services/departments/community-services/

NARA http://www.archives.gov/ federal records repository. the fort worth, TX office has archives for oklahoma and texas tribes. atlanta/morrow office has archives for the southwest tribes. many offices have microfilmed records for several tribes. note that this web address has changed recently from nara.gov.

freedmen info:
You can ONLY apply for Choctaw Nation Membership, AFTER you have obtained a CDIB card proving your Choctaw Blood lineage to a direct ancestor who actually enrolled, BY BLOOD. Freedmen DID NOT enroll By Blood. When US Congress closed the Final Dawes Commission Rolls, there were no provisions granting Freedmen any benefits after the Dawes Commission closed. The tribe Constitution states BY BLOOD. however, the documents (application, census card and testimony) may help you find out more about your heritage.

mississippi choctaw and choctaw tribe explained here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw_Trail_of_Tears

http://www.choctaw.org/

jena choctaw tribe in louisiana:
http://www.jenachoctaw.org/

MOWA tribe
http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1368
http://www.uab.edu/uabmagazine/2009/july/losttribe
http://www.native-american-online.org/MOWA-Choctaw.htm
MOWA Band Of Choctaws Wilford Taylor 1080 Red Fox Road Mount Vernon, AL 36560 (251) 829-5500. E-Mail: chieftaylor@mowachoctaw.com

other choctaw tribes: http://www.aaanativearts.com/choctaw-indians/index.html

chickasaw historical society 22
Historic Preservation and
Repatriation Office
Phone: (580) 272-5325
Fax: (580) 272-5327
2020 E. Arlington, Suite 4, Ada, OK 74820
send mail to: P.O. Box 1548, Ada, OK 74821

chickasaw tribe
Chickasaw Nation Headquarters
520 East Arlington, Ada, OK 74820
Phone (580) 436-2603
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1548, Ada, OK 74821
http://www.chickasaw.net/index.htm

chickasaw genealogy archive center 23
Tribal Library
Phone: (580) 310-6477
Fax: (580) 559-0773
1003 Chamber Loop, Ada, OK 74820
send mail to: P.O. Box 1548, Ada, OK 74821

http://www.okhistory.org/
oklahoma historical society

texas tribes
http://www.native-languages.org/texas.htm
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/texas/index.htm
http://www.texasindians.com/
http://www.texasindians.com/
http://www.lsjunction.com/places/indians.htm

oklahoma tribes:
http://500nations.com/Oklahoma_Tribes.asp
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/oklahoma/index.htm
http://www.cowboy.net/native/tribes.html

some links for the choctaw.
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/choctaw/index.htm
i looked at the land records and those need a lot of work. i have no information about whether or when they will improve some of these categories.

types of records available for native americans:
pages 366-369 in particular although the entire native american chapter is helpful.
The Genealogist’s Companion and Sourcebook:
Guide to the Resources You Need for Unpuzzling Your Past
Emily Anne Croom
you can ask for these particular pages from your local public library. if they don’t have the book, you can get the pages through the interlibrary loan program.
native american records are discussed in pages 352-386.

Tracing ancestors among the Five Civilized Tribes: Southeastern Indians …
By Rachal Mills Lennon
this book could be accessed through the interlibary loan program also.

always find the state archives. some records are online, some records are not. but many times you can find a record not found in other places. you want to see also about newspaper mentions for obituaries, births, marriages in particular.

check courts for probate, civil and criminal cases, marriage records.

if your ancestors lived on a reservation, they might not appear on a federal census because they were not taxed.
http://www.okgenweb.org/~okgarvin/kinard/1860index.htm
1860 census, indian territory.

this book is a good read about the dawes roll and how they implemented it.
The Dawes Commission and the allotment of the Five Civilized Tribes, 1893-1914
By Kent Carter

good advice about native research:
http://jenniferhsrn2.homestead.com/research2.html

if your relatives came from a different geographic location or belonged to a different tribe, try searching google for the state and tribes. you might find a contact for a state-recognized tribe or a federal recognized tribe.

i have collected many resources over the years. if you want to write to me, shamlet76@gmail.com and request the choctaw resource list, i will be glad to send it to you.

i am just a volunteer that wants to empower people to learn how to do genealogy.

suzanne hamlet shatto

Hi Lanette. My name is Mary and I live in Nebraska. I guess that we would be cousins (several times removed). My great grandmother was Mattie Cummins Ramage Hollister. Unfortunatey, I know nothing about my fathers heritage other than that his grandmother was a full blood Native American. Like you, I would like to know my history. You can find me on facebook under MaryLea Sunshine. I am currently Princess Fiona.