Miller Applicatin #8777 ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. <> Submitter: Catherine Widener (catz@kcisp.net ************************************************************************ MILLER APPLICATION # 8777 John Backwater Delaware Co., Eucha, Oklahoma Admitted. John Backwater or Waterback. Brother to # 8363, Joe Backwater b. 1852. ½ Brother of # 6607, Charley Brown b. 1869. Parents and other relatives enrolled as ‘Ermartson, et al’ 298 Saline. *(Backwater/Waterback) Commissioner of Indian Affairs Washington, D. C. Sir: I hereby make application for such share as me be due me of the fund appropriated by the Act of Congress approved June 30, 1906, in accordance with the decrees of the Court of Claims of May 18, 1905, and May 28, 1906, in favor of the Eastern Cherokees. The evidence of identity is herewith subjoined. 1. State Full Name: English Name-John Backwater Indian Name- Jar-ni Ar-ma-jar-nar 2. Residence- Saline District Town and Post Office- Eucha County- District 5 State- Indian Territory Date and Place of Birth- Born Saline District, 1869 By what right do you claim to share? If you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each claim separately: My mother My father My grandmother- Sar-lar-dah My grandfather- Jar-ta-gar-ni-der My grandmother- U-wo-de All my uncles and aunts, and that is due me on both grandfather’s and mother’s brothers and sisters. Are you married? YES Name and age of wife or husband- Lizzie Backwater *(MA # 8778) Give names of your father and mother, and your mother’s name before marriage- Father- English name- Indian name- Ar-ma-jar-nar Mother- English name- Indian name- Su-sar-ni Maiden name- Where were they born? Both parents born in Cherokee Nation East. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time Father residing in Saline District. Mother residing in *(Either Delaware or Saline District) Date of death of your father and mother? Father died 1860, mother died in 1878. Were they ever enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where- They were enrolled on 1851 roll and mother, bread money, Delaware District. Name all your brothers and sisters, giving ages, and if not living, give date of death- Oo-yoh-lah b. 1848 d. 1876 Ar-no-hi b. 1854 d. 1863 Dah-ni b. Unknown d. living Jar-ni-gna-chi b. Unknown d. Unknown Jin-ny b. Unknown d. 1897 Chin-go-nah b. Unknown d. 1886 Joe Backwater (Jo-wa Ar-ma-jer-ner) State English and Indian name of your grandparents on both father’s and mother’s side, if possible- Father’s side- Jar-ta-gar-ni-der Ur-wo-de Mother’s side- Ag-kin-nie (white man) Sar-lar-dah Where were they born? OLD NATION EAST. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time? DELAWARE DISTRICT. Give names of all their children, and residence, if living; if not living, give dates of deaths War-ye-sar, 2 living children Jim-gy-ler-de Sar-ly, death unknown Celie, death unknown A-ginny, 2 living children Dah-ger-a-de-ske, one child living Willie, death unknown, 2 children living *(Could read Nellie) Ah-nie, died 1867 Dah-na-ie, died 1863 Jar-ni-yeh-si, died 1864 Supplemental Application for Minor Children Special Commissioner of the Court of Claims, 601 Ouray Building, Washington, D. C. Sirs, I hereby make application for such share as may be due my minor children of the fund appropriated by the Act of Congress June 30, 1906, in accordance with the decree of the Court of Claims of May 18, 1905, and May 28, 1906, if favor of the Eastern Cherokee, and I ask that this be made part of my original application No. 8777 State you full name: John Backwater Residence and post office: 9 miles NW and Kansas P. O. County: Cherokee Nation State: Indian Territory Date and place of birth: Can’t say Are you married? Yes Name and age of wife or husband: 35 years, Lizzy Backwater To what tribe of Indians, if any, does he or she belong? Cherokee Names of all your children who were living on May 28, 1906: 1. Nancy Backwater 17 years b. January 22, 1890 2. Willie Backwater 14 years b. November 5, 1893 3. Watee Backwater 12 years b. December 27, 1895 4. Katie Backwater 10 years b. November 25, 1897 5. Sallie Backwater 8 years b. May 28, 1899 6. Eliza Backwater 5 years b. October 28, 1902 7. Pollie Backwater 2 years b. July 14, 1905 Where they ever enrolled for money, annuities, land, or other benefits? If so state when and were and with what tribe of Indians. Two oldest Cherokee Strip. REMARKS (Under this head the applicant may give any additional facts which will assist in proving his claim.) I solemnly swear that the foregoing statements made by me are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signed: John ‘X’ Backwater Subscribed and sworn to before me this 6th day of July 1907. Signed: James H. Todd, Notary Public LETTER ATTACHED TO MILLER APPLICATION # 8777 John Backwater Eucha, Oklahoma January 8, 1908 Sir: Relative to you application for participation in the Eastern Cherokee Fund, kindly advise this office as tot he name under which your father was enrolled with the Eastern Cherokee in 1851; the name Aramajarnar given in your application fails to appear on the roll; if he was enrolled at that time, as you state, he must have used a name other than the one given in your application. Was he known by any name other than Armajarnar? If so, give them. Did your mother have only one name given in your application? Were your parents married in 1851 and were they enrolled together? If not, which of them, if either, was enrolled with their parents? Any further information in regard to your claim will be appreciated. Please give this matter prompt attention and refer in reply to the number of your application. Very Respectfully, Special Commissioner HAND WRITTEN LETTER ATTACHED TO MILLER APPLICATION # 8777 Eucha, Oklahoma January 22, 1908 Honorable Guion Miller Special Commissioner Washington, D C Sir: Your (?) of January 8, received and note what you request relative to my application. In reply will say that my father’s Cherokee name was Am-ma-juw-ah, his English name was Backwater or Waterback, he was called both names. My grandfather’s name on father’s side was named Choe-toe- Oo-nee-te or Youngchicken. My father may have been enrolled under one of these names. I know of no other that he could have gone by and the Old Citizens now living say that only knew him by the name of Am-ma-jun-ah Backwater, Waterback. My father and mother were not living together in 1851 when the 52 roll was made my father lived in Saline District, Cherokee Nation and was then enrolled while my mother lived near SW City, Missouri in Delaware District and was enrolled from that District. I am up to this time unable to give any other names for my mother than Suse-ann. I do not know what her maiden name was and am unable to find out from the older Cherokee living who knew her. She was related to the Foreman family and her mother’s name Charlotte. But I am unable to find out her maiden name or the name of my mother’s fathers name. This is all the (?) for (?) I am able to give at present. If any other’s be necessary for me to give in order to make my application complete please notify me and I’ll try to furnish the best evidence I can. Very Respectfully, John Backwater Eucha, Oklahoma March 15, 1909 Honorable Guion Miler Washington, DC Dear Sir; Your letter received of the March 3, 1909, in regard the names of my children’s and will give you their names and ages as follows: Nancy Backwater 22 years William Backwater 18 years Susie Backwater 17 years Katie Backwater 12 years Charlotte Backwater 8 years Gann Backwater (deceased), died November 18, 1900, about one year old Oo-ya-sia Backwater 6 years Polly Ann Backwater 3 years I think this is corect names and hope will be satisfactory. Respectfully, John Backwater LETTER ATTACHED TO MILLER APPLICATION # 8777 # 8778 (Lizzie Backwater, wife to John Backwater)* Eucha, Oklahoma January 22, 1908 Guion Miller, Special Commissioner Washington, DC Sir: Replying to your inquiry of the 8th, inst. me say that my father was married in 1851 and was living with my mother in Saline District, Cherokee Nation. My fathers Indian name was Nee-gar-wee, English name Thompson. My mothers name was Wal-sie, English name unknown, they all lived in Saline District, Cherokee Nation. The names of my brother’s and sisters living are Nellie Raper, Henry Thompson, Lola Proctor nee Thompson. My grandparents on father’s side name (written in Cherokee) Goo-sta mother’s side Wah-yah-ah-na-e they were born in Georgia, I fear the notary who made out my papers did not fill the Cherokee names correctly, or so they (?) sound as if spoken in Cherokee if need to furnish other information in support of my claim, please notify me. Respectfully, Lizzie Backwater *Drennen Roll Group # 298-Saline District Er-mar-tson Sail-le Oo-yer-ler Ar-hour A-chin-ne Soon-kil-lern-te *Transcriber notes Transcribed by Catherine Widener, 2003 From Miller Application # 6607-Charley Brown (1/2 brother) Misc. Test. P. 3840 John Waterback (miller app. # 8777), Through interpreter, Martin Squirrel- "My name is John Backwater. I was born in Delaware District in 1869. I was not enrolled by the Dawes Commission and never received an allotment of land. I am a full blood Cherokee. I had two brothers living in 1851 in Saline District. Their names were Jo-wih, or Joe Backwater. His Cherokee name was A-muh-ah-chuh-nuh. My mother's English name was Susannah. Her Cherokee name was the same. My father was enrolled in 1851 in Saline District with his wife Sal-in-ih. Sal-in-ih was the first wife of my father. My mother was enrolled in Delaware District in 1851 with her mother whose name was Charlotte. (See Delaware 520 for mother and grandmother). My father's parents were Young Chicken or Chee-tah-gah-ah-nee-tah. I do not know the name of my father's father. I do not know the name of my mother's father. I never recieved any Old Settlers money. All my ancestors were Emigrant Cherokees. All my ancestors have always been with the Cherokee Tribe. I was enrolled and drew the Strip payment in 1894." Signed: John Backwater, Locust Grove, Oklahoma October 10, 1908