Choctaw Indian Land Transfer
Scope and Contents
A five page land certificate transferring title to 320 acres of land originally acquired by a Choctaw Indian Land Grant to five individuals. The original land grant was in compliance with the fourteenth and nineteenth articles of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, September 27, 1830. The Choctaw land certificate number 588, dated July 26, 1897, was recorded at the Land Office at Augusta, Mississippi.
The 320 acres, located in present-day Covington County, Mississippi, were originally issued to Hus-ke-hooc-ta by the Secretary of War. Hus-de-hooc-ta was probably not old enough to be considered an adult in 1830, and therefore received a child's portion (320 acres) in settlement. He had died sometime prior to this land transaction in 1897, as Me-ho-nubbe was named as his assignee.
The specified 320 acres were divided between five individuals - Asa Russ, Alfred J. Griffen, William A. Oatis, James Leggett and Cader Mitchell. The land given to each was to be "in full satisfaction of his portion" and was to be passed on to his heirs and assignees forever. Asa Russ was granted the largest allotment, 150 acres and sixty-nine hundredths of an acre, while Alfred J. Griffen received 40 acres and four hundredths of an acre. William A. Oatis was given 40 acres and seven hundredths of an acre, James Leggett was allotted 39 acres and Cader Mitchell received 41 acres.
The letters were patented and the General Land Office seal was affixed by the authority of William McKinley on July 26, 1887. The land certificate was signed by F.M. McKean, acting for President William McKinley, Mr. C.M. Brush, recorder of the General Land Office and again by F.M. McKean, land secretary. The certificate was recorded on pages 244-247 of volume 12 of the Records Miscellaneous book at the Chancery Clerk's Office in Covington County, Mississippi.
Dates
- Creation: July 26, 1897
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Noncirculating; available for research.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).
Biographical / Historical
The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the last in a series of six treaties between the United States government and the Choctaw Nation of Mississippi, was signed on September 27, 1830, between the two prongs of the Big and Little Dancing Rabbit Creeks in present-day Noxubee County, Mississippi. John H. Eaton and John Coffee represented the government, and Greenwood Leflore represented the Choctaw Nation. Under the agreement of the treaty, the Choctaw Nation surrendered their remaining lands east of the Mississippi River to the government and as compensation, the government gave them the land beyond Arkansas (present-day Oklahoma) as a new Indian territory. Another stipulation was that the Choctaws were to relocate during 1831-1833.
However, the Choctaws who preferred to remain in Mississippi received land allotments, became subject to Mississippi law, and were no longer subject to the laws of the Choctaw tribe. Each adult Choctaw who chose to remain in Mississippi received 640 acres of land. Each child over the age of ten received 320 acres while each child under the age of ten received 160 acres of land. Approximately 5,000 Choctaws chose to remain in Mississippi.
Extent
1 Folder (MC1/D6)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Certificate transferring title to 320 acres of land originally acquired by a Choctaw Indian Land Grant to five individuals.
Provenance
Donated by Mr. Wilford (Wil) Gieger, April 12, 1984.
- Title
- Choctaw Indian Land Transfer
- Status
- Completed
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Manuscripts and Photographs Repository
118 College Drive - 5148
Hattiesburg MS 39406-0001
601.266.4345
