Indian Wills, 1911-1921. Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs: Book One

Between 1911 and 1921, Native Americans submitted more than 2,500 pages of wills and probate records to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Researchers will find members of the following tribes represented in this collection: Chippewa, Sioux, Apache, Shawnee, Quapaw, Assinboin, Leach Lake Chippewa, Confederated Flathead, Ponca, Cheyenne, Crow, Sac & Fox, Nez Perce, Southern Ute, Omaha, Osage, and more. Jeff Bowen, who was responsible for having the National Archives microfilm the collection, has transcribed about 180 manuscript pages consisting of 96 verbatim wills for this volume. As a rule, the documents identify the names of the testator, residence, heirs, a description of any real estate transferred in the will, names of executors and witnesses, and other particulars commonly found in probate records. In all, genealogists will find references to about 2,000 individuals in these documents, every one of whom is referenced in the complete name index at the back.