Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

maybe this is your relative:

1900 United States Federal Census
about Cora E Donoven
Name: Cora E Donoven
[Cora E Downen]
Home in 1900: Bluffton, Yell, Arkansas
Age: 14
Birth Date: Oct 1885
Birthplace: Arkansas
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relationship to Head of House: Daughter
Father’s Birthplace: Mississippi
Mother’s Name: Mary A
Mother’s Birthplace: Arkansas
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary A Cobb 31
Cora E Donoven 14
Head D Donoven 12
John H Donoven 9
Jasper W Donoven 7
Worlder B Donoven 4
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Bluffton, Yell, Arkansas; Roll T623_80; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 144.

if they were in AR in 1900, they probably didn’t try to enroll in an oklahoma tribe.
the blaggs might be here:
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Gravelly, Yell, Arkansas; Roll T623_80; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 151.

California Death Index, 1940-1997
about William T Blagg
Name: William T Blagg
Social Security #: 448058168
Sex: MALE
Birth Date: 20 Jul 1879
Birthplace: Arkansas
Death Date: 16 Jun 1960
Death Place: Kern
Mother’s Maiden Name: Morgan

California Death Index, 1940-1997
about Chester William Blagg
Name: Chester William Blagg
Social Security #: 445037614
Sex: MALE
Birth Date: 19 Sep 1914
Birthplace: Arkansas
Death Date: 3 Aug 1993
Death Place: Kern
Mother’s Maiden Name: Downen
Father’s Surname: Thomas

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about William Thomas Blagg
Name: William Thomas Blagg
County: Yell
State: Arkansas
Birth Date: 20 Jul 1878
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1530658
DraftBoard: 0

all of this information is available on ancestry.com. the census information probably can be obtained through heritage quest through your local public library too.

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.

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

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

suzanne hamlet shatto

thank you for all your help. Yes, this is my grandmother Cora. Very much appreciate your time!! Deanna

you can make corrections to each census report on ancestry.com so that others can find your family.

this might be william thomas blagg:
1900 United States Federal Census
about Willie Blagg
Name: Willie Blagg
Home in 1900: Gravelly, Yell, Arkansas
[Gravelly Hill, Yell, Arkansas]
Age: 20
Birth Date: Jul 1879
Birthplace: Arkansas
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relationship to head-of-house: Son
Father’s name: James Blagg
Father’s Birthplace: Arkansas
Mother’s name: Fannie Blagg
Mother’s Birthplace: Arkansas
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
James Blagg 45
Fannie Blagg 38
Willie Blagg 20
Ben F Blagg 18
Amanda Blagg 16
Ethel Lee Blagg 10
Minnie Blagg 6
James Blagg 3
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Gravelly, Yell, Arkansas; Roll: T623_80; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 151.

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about William Thomas Blagg
Name: William Thomas Blagg
County: Yell
State: Arkansas
Birth Date: 20 Jul 1878
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1530658
DraftBoard: 0
Household Members:
Name Age
William T Blagg 30
Cora Blagg 24
Alex Blagg 7
Bertha Blagg 5
Gerthie Blagg 3
Velma Blagg 6/12
⁰
Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Gravelly, Yell, Arkansas; Roll: T624_68; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 169; Image: 837.

birth records AR
Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Gravelly, Yell, Arkansas; Roll: T624_68; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 169; Image: 837.
Yell County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1841 and Probate Records from 1858 and is located at Fifth & Main Streets, Danville, 72833; (479) 495-4850
http://www.familyhistory101.com/county/ar-county-yell.html

gl.

Deanna, I have been working on the Downen Family tree for about the past 2 years, and I have quite a bit about Cora and her descendants. If you will send me your email address, I will be happy to send you a PDF file of her and her descendants. If you need more later, I will be happy to help you with that also. Let me know where you fit into the family tree. Chuck Downen drdownen@bellsouth.net

drdownen
From the information provided here, I believe Cora Edna Downen was my Great-Grandmother (her husband was Will Blagg). My Grandmother was her oldest daughter Bertha Blagg Priddy. Grandma’s brothers were Chester, Bud, and Raymond Blagg; sisters were Ila and Gertha. They lived in Kern County, California (except for Bud, he lived in Oklahoma and then Texas). Any information you have on this family, especially the Choctaw connection would be wonderful to share with my Mother. Thank you.

there were two blagg records on the dawes roll, but i don’t know if they are related to you.
Dawes Card Information

tribe last first middle age sex blood card roll misc type
Choctaw Blagg G J 0 M 5265 P
Choctaw Blagg Sarah J 0 F 5265 P
Choctaw Blagg Joseph L 9 M NR 5265 NR COLBERT BB
Choctaw Hill Ben 0 M 5265 P
Choctaw Hill Piety 0 F 5265 P
Choctaw Hill Sarah J 0 F 5265 P
Choctaw Hill William B 24 M NR 5265 NR COLBERT BB
Choctaw Hill Louis 58 M 1/4 5265 NR COLBERT BB
p=parent, BB=by blood
this record seems to show that the blagg connection is through louis hill, indicating that sarah might have been louis hill’s daughter. so i don’t know if louis hill is related to your family.

this is the other blagg reference:
Dawes Card Information

tribe last first middle age sex blood card roll misc type
Cherokee Birchfield W F 0 M 477 P
Cherokee Blagg Nancy 0 F 477 P
Cherokee Freeman John O 0 M 477 P
Cherokee Freeman Susan E 0 F 477 P
Cherokee Freeman Benjamin O 9 M 1/8 477 1423 CherokeeOKEE CITY AR BB
Cherokee Freeman Samuel O 9 M 1/8 477 1422 CherokeeOKEE CITY AR BB
Cherokee Freeman John O 44 M IW 477 22521 CherokeeOKEE CITY AR BB
Cherokee Freeman Mary 54 F 1/4 477 1419 CherokeeOKEE CITY AR BB
Cherokee Kell James 0 M 477 P
Cherokee Richfield Annie 15 F 1/8 477 1421 CherokeeOKEE CITY AR BB
Cherokee Richfield John A 18 M 1/8 477 1420 CherokeeOKEE CITY AR BB

nancy blagg might be a married name from a second husband. i don’t know if nancy blagg is native or if the native connection comes from william birchfield.

now for the different possible spellings of downen:
Dawes Card Information

tribe last first middle age sex blood card roll misc type
Cherokee Chuculate Ellis 0 M 8763 P
Cherokee Chuculate Rebecca 25 F FULL 8763 28473 MELVIN BB
Cherokee Chuculate Tom 27 M FULL 8763 28472 MELVIN BB
Cherokee Donwing Stand 0 M 8763 P
Cherokee Downing Polly 25 F FULL 8763 28474 MELVIN BB
Cherokee Glass Checayu 0 F 8763 P
Cherokee Glass Lewis 0 M 8763 P
Cherokee Glass Willie 17 M 1/2 8763 28475 MELVIN BB
Cherokee Ketcher Cahtahyata 0 F 8763 P
Cherokee Ketcher Charley 0 M 8763 P
Cherokee Sevenstar Cynthia 0 F 8763 P

the chickasaw records usually have doubled names. this is a transcription anomaly.
Dawes Card Information

tribe last first middle age sex blood card roll misc type
Chickasaw Donovan Thomas 0 M 202 P
Chickasaw Donovan Thomas 0 M 202 P
Chickasaw Jackson Elizabeth 0 F 202 P
Chickasaw Jackson Elizabeth 0 F 202 P
Chickasaw Jackson Essie M 0 F 202 P
Chickasaw Jackson James M 0 M 202 P
Chickasaw Jackson James M 0 M 202 P
Chickasaw Jackson Jarold 1 M 1/4 202 665 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Jerold W 1 M 1/8 202 665 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Othelo 3 M 1/4 202 664 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Othelo 3 M 1/4 202 664 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Wynona 7 F 1/4 202 663 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Wynona 7 F 1/4 202 663 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Juanita 8 F 1/4 202 662 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Juanita 8 F 1/4 202 662 BB
Chickasaw Jackson William Byrd 10 M 1/4 202 661 BB
Chickasaw Jackson William Byrd 10 M 1/4 202 661 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Thomas P 11 M 1/4 202 660 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Tomas P 11 M 1/4 202 660 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Zenobia 14 F 1/4 202 659 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Zenobia 14 F 1/4 202 659 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Crudip 17 M 1/4 202 658 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Crudip 17 M 1/4 202 658 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Lizzie 18 F 1/4 202 657 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Lizzie 18 F 1/4 202 657 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Colbert H 20 M 1/4 202 656 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Colbert H 20 M 1/4 202 656 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Viola 21 F 1/4 202 NR BB
Chickasaw Jackson Viola 21 F 1/4 202 NR BB
Chickasaw Jackson Annie D 36 F 1/2 202 655 BB
Chickasaw Jackson Annie D 36 F 1/2 202 655 BB
Chickasaw Jackson William H 46 M IW 202 IW199 BB
Chickasaw Jackson William H 46 M IW 202 IW199 BB
Chickasaw Matubby Salina 0 F 202 P
Chickasaw Matubby Salina 0 F 202 P

there are several donovan choctaw records, all mississippi choctaw and not enrolled. however, if you find a donovan that was your family, the enrollment application and census card and testimony might help you with your family genealogy.

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/finalroll.php
you can do a search on partial surnames.

there are several dow names on the dawes roll, 23 pages of them, which is about 450 names. several cherokee downing or dowing names.
if you think you are choctaw, i recommend you use dow as the surname and put in the choctaw tribe. i don’t have a sense of the members of your family, but you probably have a greater sense of their names.

i recommend you go back one generation, have the maiden name and married name of the parents, and then check the dawes roll for any brothers or sisters that might have applied for enrollment.

if you don’t find records on the dawes roll, trace your family down to the 1830-1880 time period and search the choctaw scrip land grants in MS/AL for the head of household. this database is under mississippi land records or alabama land records on ancestry.com. then send away for the land grant documentation with your relatives, if you find a record. this would show affiliation with a tribe. the scrip land grants were given to natives that wanted to stay in the southeastern reservations and not go on the trail of tears in the late 1830’s. these natives were referred to as mississippi choctaw. they accepted tribal termination based on the treaty of rabbit creek.

Thank you very much for your time and work. Very much appreciated!

To R Clark, my grandmother was Velma. Bertha’s sister. We are related.