Hi-Res Image Need of Specific Dawes Rolls Page

August 12, 2006 12:45 PM

Need High-Res image of one particular Dawes Roll page. I have a low-res image, but I can't read some of the words. Longish story within.

The story goes that my grandmother was left at the doorstop of a family friend as an infant, like in the classic cartoons. The adopting family knew the parents well, and a note said they would return for her, but never did. The family that took her in eventually adopted her, and was fairly certain her parents were full-blood Native American. So began our quest to see if we could find the parents' names on the Dawes Rolls, the crudely made Census of made of Natives. We knew their names and approximate locations at certain times, but could uncover no actual proof (documentation) that they actually existed except merely by recollection of repeated stories.

Alas, we found them on the Dawes Rolls, but all we have is a fairly low-res, pixelated image of the actual page with a b/w computer printing job. Can anyone find me a more clear image of this particular page? The following are the known details of it that we can make out.

15th Census of the United States: 1930
Sheet No. 10A
Pyote City, Texas
Ward County, Precinct 4
(Enumberation?) District 238-6
Supervisor's Number 16

First two entries are for "Ragsdale, Thurmon" and "---------, Gladys" (assuming the dashed line is the same as repeat-quotes). Thurmon listed as "brother" and occupation "engineer" and something about a "gasoline pump".

Thanks for your help!

posted by vanoakenfold to grab bag (6 comments total)

check your mail.
posted by bim at 2:02 PM on August 12, 2006

I'm looking at a copy of it here as well, the "gasoline pump" thing is under the industry column, so a lot of people's jobs just say laborer and then that column will say what sort, steam shovel, oil refinery, etc.
posted by jessamyn at 2:24 PM on August 12, 2006

Also, both parents are marked on the census rolls as White. This could mean a number of things, but there are other people on the same roll marked as In for Indian or Mex for Mexican.
posted by jessamyn at 2:28 PM on August 12, 2006

Also, I found this just by looking at the regular old US Census, when I tried to search the Dawes Rolls directly I didn't find any Choctaws with the last name Ragsdale. Keep in mind that the Dawes Rolls are for something very specific: "members of the Five Civilized Tribes who removed to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) during the 1800's and were living there during the above dates." which, considering that these two people were 37 and 30 in 1930, makes that almost impossible. A very interesting part of this is that although they were married, their age differences don't jibe with the "age at first marriage" data, meaning that either 1. their first marriage was not to each other or 2. Gladys said she was older for the purposes of getting married but may have married as young as 13.
posted by jessamyn at 2:39 PM on August 12, 2006

Might as well post it. Just enlarge 200% or 300% to view.

census page
posted by bim at 2:40 PM on August 12, 2006

Thanks a ton for your help guys -- it has really opened a lot of doors. Now we can even read the little column headings!

Very interesting notes jessamyn, particularly the age discrepancy.

Both me and my dad are fairly tan and can get a tan from the sun really easily, and my grandmother *looks* very N.A in the face and complexion.. so who knows, perhaps this is throwing us for a loop..?\

Thanks again for your help! I'll update with any new juicy details :D
posted by vanoakenfold at 8:42 PM on August 12, 2006