Life History

Other facts

Notes

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  Dawes Commisison Affidavit
  Application for enrollment as a citizen of the Choctaw Nation
  Southern District of Indian Territory
  Emma A Thompson
  Born 17 April 1897
  Father J W Thompson, Chickasaw Citizen
  Mother Minnie Lee Thompson, Choctaw Citizen
  Current address P O Okra, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
  
  Affidavit of Mother 16 August 1900
  Minnie Lee Thompson
  Age 26, Choctaw citizen by blood
  Lawful wife of J W Thompson, Chickasaw citizen by Marriage
  Female child born 17 April 1897
  named Emma A Thompson
  
  Affidavit of Attending Physician or Mid-Wife 16 August 1900
  W J Morris, physician
  Attended Minnie Lee Thompson, wife of J W Thompson
  17 April 1897 Female child named Emma A Thompson
  ----------------
  
  1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, 13 June, Township 4, North Range 2E, District 134, page 22B, Hse #13, Fam #14
  Thompson, Jno W  Head W M June 1846 33 Married 10 years  Mosouri [sic] Mosouri Mosouri Farmer
  Thompson, Minnie G Wife In F (3/4 Choctaw) Jan 1874 26 Married 10 years  5 children/5 living Indian Territory Indian Territory Unknown
  Thompson, Emma A  Dau In (7/8 Choctaw) F  Apr 1897  3 Indian Territory  Mosouri  Indian Territory
  
  U.S. Native American Enrollment Cards for the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914, www.ancestry.com
  Tribal Affiliation Chickasaw By Blood for All
  25 Sep 1902, Dawes' Roll #4321, Census Card #1616
  Emma Augusta Thompson, Age 5, Birth Abt 1897, 1/8 Chickasaw
  
  Chickasaw Roll, Citizens By Blood 1903
  Roll #4315  East, Frances 71 F  1/2  Census Card #1615
  Roll #4316  Green, Daniel 26 M  1/4  Census Card #1615
  Roll #4317  Adams, Charles 22 M  1/4  Census Card #1615
  
  Roll #4318 Thompson, Minnie Lee 28 F  1/4  Census Card #1616
  Roll #4319 Thompson, Mamie Frances 11 F  1/8  Census Card #1616
  Roll #4320 Thompson, Robert Lee 9 M  1/8  Census Card #1616
  Roll #4321 Thompson, Emma Augusta 5 F  1/8  Census Card #1616
  Roll #4322 Thompson, Jessie May 3 F  1/8  Census Card #1616
  
  Roll #4323 Chochran, William Hunter 34 M  1/4  Census Card #1617
  Roll #4324 Chochran, Willie 7 M  1/8  Census Card #1617
  Roll #4325 Chochran, Vertis 7 M  1/8  Census Card #1617
  Roll #4326 Chochran, Samuel T 2 M  1/8  Census Card #1617
  
  1910 Federal Census, McClain County, Oklahoma, 2 May, Hopping Township, District 185, page 2A, Hse/Fam #7
  Thompson, Minnie Head F Ind (1/8 Chickasaw)  35 Widow 5 children/5 living OK US OK Own Income Owns Farm
  Thompson, Emma A Dau F Ind (1/16 Chickasaw)  13 Single OK TX OK No Occupation Can Read and Write
  
  In 1917 Emma appears in a city directory with her first husband in Oklahoma City, William Fuzzell.  She was about 20 years old at the time.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989
  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, City Directory, 1917, p 248
  Fuzzell William T (Emma) r 329 E Av G
  
  William died before the 1920 census.  Em,ma is reported in 1920 as the wife of Bill A Harris, in McClain County, Oklahoma.  Two sons are reported with the last name of Harris, but these are the sons of William Fuzzell, and they are reported with the Fuzzell surname in 1930 and 1940.  .  Claud the oldest is 6, so he would have been born some time in 1913.  Note that Emma and her children are all reported here as White.  This is what happened to many families that were of Indian intermarried status.  However, note that in the 1930 census Emma and all her children are reported as Indian.  But the in 1940 they are White again.
  
  1920 Federal Census, McClain County, Oklahoma, 5 January, Hopping Township, District 78, page 2B, Hse/Fam #31
  Harris, Bill A Head  Rents M W 23 TX AR GA Brick Layer [b abt 1896]
  Harris, Emma Wife F W 22 OK TX OK [b abt 1897]
  Harris, Claud Son M W 6 OK TX OK [b 1913]
  Harris, DouglasSon M W 4yrs6mos OK TX OK [b abt May 1915]
  
  In 1930 Emma and Bill are enumerated in Caddo County, Oklahoma.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma, 9 April, North Lathram Township, District 8-45, page 3B, Hse #58, Fam #69
  Harris, William A Head Rents No Radio M W 34 Married at age 23 [abt 1919] KS US US [b abt 1896]
  Harris, Emma A Wife F Indian 32 Married at age 22 [abt 1920] Ind Terr Tex Ind Terr [b abt 1898]
  Fuzzell, Claud Son M Indian 16 Single Okla AR Ind Terr [b abt June 1914]
  Fuzzell, Douglas Son M Indian 14 Single Okla AR Ind Terr [b abt June 1916]
  Harris, William Son M Indian 9 Single OK TX Ind Terr [b abt Nov 1921]
  Harris, Eileen Dau F Indian 4 Single OK TX Ind Terr [b abt Nov 1926]
  
  In 1940 Emma and Bill Harris appear in the census as residents of San Bernardino County, California.  William and Emma are reported in one household, and the grown children named Fuzzell and Harris in the next house.  The enumerator originally designated the fist two names in the second household as stepsons, indicating they were the sons of Emma Harris.
  
  The enumerator (or supervisor) later changed the designation for the first son to Head, but left the other Stepson designation as it was.  The Harris children in that household are still designated as son and daughter of William Harris.  This confusion and sloppiness of the enumerator is a boon to us, giving us details about Emma's two marriages and children of those unions.
  
  1940 Federal Census, San Bernardino County, California, 9 April, Bloomington, District 36-8, Page 4A, Hse #86, Rents $15
  Harris, William Head M W 48 Married Grade 5 b Texas Same place in 1935 Veteran Pensioner [b abt 1892]
  Harris, Emma Wife F W 42 Married Grade 6 b Oklahoma Same place in 1935 Housewife [b abt 1898]
  - page 4B, Hse #87, Rents $15 -
  Fuzzell, Claud Stepson/Head M W 26 Single Grade 8 b Oklahoma Same place in 1935 Orange Grove Laborer [b abt 1914]
  Fuzzell, Douglas Stepson [of William Harris] M W 24 Single Grade 8 b Oklahoma Same place in 1935 Orange Grove Laborer [b abt 1916]
  Harris, William Son M W 19 Single Grade H3 b Oklahoma Same place [b abt 1921]
  Harris, Elean Dau F W 14 Single Grade 7 b Oklahoma Same place in 1935 [b abt 1926]
  Morrow, Hulon Nephew M W 23 Single Grade 8 b Texas  Paducah, Cottle Co TX in 1935 [b abt 1917]
  Morrow, Mable Niece F W 27 Grade 7 b Okla Paoli, Garvin Co OK in 1935  [b abt 1913]
  
  The Fuzzell sons are now reported with the proper surname.  Oklahoma public records are not online.  According to the census ages of their sons here, Claud was born in about 1913. In 1913, Emma was about 15 or 16 years old.  That seems unlikely.  Census ages vary widely.  But the boys' ages in the 1920 census match.  This means Emma married when she was about 14, possible near her 15th birthday.  However, she complicates things by reporting in the 1930 census that she first maried at age 22, which would be in 1920, when she was married to her second husband Bill Harris.
  
  California, Death Index, 1940-1997
  Emma A Harris
  Birth 17 Apr 1897 Oklahoma
  Death 21 Sep 1971 Humboldt County
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Emma Harris
  Born 17 Apr 1897
  Died Sep 1971
  Last Residence Arcata, Humboldt, California  95521
  SSN 547-28-1191 issued California (Before 1951)

Sources

• 1. 1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
  • 13 June, Township 4, North Range 2E, District 134, page 22B, Hse #13, Fam #14
• 2. 1910 Federal Census, McClain County, Oklahoma
  • 2 May, Hopping Township, District 185, page 2A, Hse/Fam #7
• 3. U.S. Native American Enrollment Cards for the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914
  • 25 Sep 1902, Dawes' Roll #4321, Census Card #1616
• 4. California, Death Index, 1940-1997
• 5. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 6. 1940 Federal Census, San Bernadino County, California
  • 9 April, Bloomington, District 36-8, Page 4A, Hse #86, Rents $15
• 7. 1930 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  • 9 April, North Lathram Township, District 8-45, page 3B, Hse #58, Fam #69
• 8. 1903 Chickasaw Roll, Citizens By Blood
• 9. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, City Directory, 1917, p 248
• 10. 1920 Federal Census, McClain County, Oklahoma
  • 5 January, Hopping Township, District 78, page 2B, Hse/Fam #31
• 11. 1940 Federal Census, San Bernadino County, California
  • 9 April, Bloomington, District 36-8, page 4B, Hse #87, Rents $15