Backwater, Lizzie nee Mellowbug

MILLER APPLICATION # 8780

Lizzie Backwater nee Mellowbug
Delaware Co., Oaks, Oklahoma

Admitted.
Claimant's father and his parents enrolled in Saline District in 1851 by Drennen, Saline # 112. Claimant's mother and maternal grandmother enrolled by Drennen in Saline # 109. See Misc. Test. P. 3874

Grouped with
8781- Dick Mellowbug
9161- Wilson Mellowbug
9162- Joe Mellowbug
16934- Nellie Duck

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- Lizzie Backwater
Indian Name- Go-li-jeh
2. Residence- Saline District

3.. Town and Post Office- Oaks

4.. County- District 5

5.. State- Indian Territory

6.. Date and Place of Birth- Born Saline District, 1856

7.. By what right do you claim to share? If you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each claim separately:

Father
Mother
Grandmother
Grandfather
Grandmother- So-ho-yeh
Grandmothers brother's and sisters- To-chu-wa, De-ger-na-wa-de-ske, Neni-si, Gar-ler-su-ke-skee, Li-de
Deh-ni-ly
Si-ly
De-leh-na-de-ske
Que-lu-kee
Grandmother of father's side sisters- Nu-yo-li
Aunt- Ji-yo-gar

8.. Are you married? YES

9.. Name and age of wife or husband- JOE BACKWATER, age 52

10.. Give names of your father and mother, and your mother's name before marriage-

Father- English name- Mellowbug
Indian name- Do-yu-ni-si

Mother- English name- Betsy
Indian name- Que-de
Maiden name- Unknown

11.. Where were they born?
Both parents born Old Nation East

12.. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time.
Both parents residing in Saline District.

13.. Date of death of your father and mother?
Father died 1886, mother died 1903.

14.. Were they ever enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where-
They were enrolled on 1851 and bread money Saline District, mother, strip money 1894, Saline District.

15.. Name all your brothers and sisters, giving ages, and if not living, give date of death-

War-ly b. Unknown d.
Go-tler-ner-ske b. 1860 d. Living *(Smith Mellowbug)
E-sar-yah b. 1869 d. living *(Dick Mellowbug)
Wi-ly-si-ni (Wilson) b. 1871 d. living *(Wilson Mellowbug)

16.. State English and Indian name of your grandparents on both father's and mother's side, if possible-

Father's side- Dah-yeh-s-kee (GF), and So-ho-yer (GM)
Mother's side- Dah-yeh-ni *(no notation as to grandmother or grandfather)

17.. Where were they born? OLD NATION EAST

18.. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time? SALINE DISTRICT

19.. Give names of all their children, and residence, if living; if not living, give dates of deaths

1.. English name-
Indian name- Ji-yo-gar
Residence- died 1896
2.. English name-
Indian name- Deh-ni-ly
Residence- died 1904
3.. English name-
Indian name- Si-ly
Residence- Died 1885

20.. Have you ever been enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where-
I have been enrolled for Bread money, Saline District, Strip payment 1894, Saline District

21. To expedite identification, claimant should give the full English and Indian names, if possible, of their paternal and maternal ancestors back to 1835.

REMARKS

(Under this head the applicant may give additional information that he believes will assist in proving his claim).

Note: Answers should be brief but explicit: the words 'yes' , 'no', and 'unknown' may be used in cases where applicable. Read the questions carefully.

I solemnly swear that the foregoing statements made by me are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed:

Subscribed and sworn to before me this

Signed:

Notary Public

AFFIDAVIT

(The following affidavit must be sworn to by two or more witnesses who are well acquainted with the applicant.)

Personally appeared before me , who being duly sworn, on oath depose and say that they are well acquainted with , who makes the foregoing application and statements, and have known for years and years, respectively, and know to be the identical person represents to be, and that the statements made by are true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and they have no interest whatever in claim.

Witnesses Signatures:

Subscribed and sworn to before me on this

Signed: Notary public

Misc. Test. P.3874-

Lizzie Backwater being first duly sworn through Tom Roach, interpreter, deposes and says:

"I am about 52 years of age. Both or my parents were emigrants and were living together in Saline District at the time of the payment. My father's name was Doy-yuh-nee-duh Dah-yee-ski. He was called in English, Mellowbug. My mother's name was Quaty or Quaitsey. My parents did not have any children living at the time of the payment. There were keeping house to themselves but my mother's mother, named Dah-ya-nih, was living with them. My mother's father died back in the Old Country. My father's father was named Dah-yoo-ski and his mother was Sah-hoy-yih. My father had a sister by the name of Chee-yoh-guh. She was living with someone at that time but I don't know who it was. That was all he had. My mother had a brother name Dan-ne-lih or Daniel. He was living with a woman then named Law-dah-die. Ce-lih was a sister of my mother. She was living with a man named Se-you-yah. They didn't have any children at the time of the payment. My father's parents were living right near him at that time. I am not sure though that my father and mother were married at the time of the payment./ My father was the youngest child and he may have been living with his parents. See Saline # 112. My Dawes Commission number is 29893. Nellie Duck, number 16934, is my grandchild. Her mother Nancy Duck is my daughter. I am a full blood. My people came out here with the big band that the [sic]tropps brought. We have always living with the Cherokees.

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Locust Grove, Oklahoma this 7th day of October 1908.

Signed: Frank Ryan

Asst. to Special Commissioner

U.S. Court of Claims

Think Saline 112 is her father and his parents. Mother and grandmother Saline 109. Group 1693 herewith or lookup her mother. Nancy Duck In-Group.

Letter attached to Miller Application # 8780

January 8, 1908
Lizzie Backwater
Oaks, Oklahoma

Madam,
Relative to your application for participation in the Easter Cherokee Fund, you claim through you father, Do-yu-ni-si, and mother Betsy, who you claim lived in Saline District and were enrolled with the Eastern Cherokees in 1851. The names given in you application, as above stated, fail to appear on the Eastern Cherokee Enrollment made in 1851. It is possible that they were enrolled under other names than those given in your application. Kindly furnish us with the names used by them in enrollment with the Eastern Cherokees. Were they known by other names than those given in your application. It will be impossible to make final disposition of your claim without further information in regard to their names. Please give this matter prompt attention and refer in your reply to the number of your application.

Very Respectfully,

Special Commissioner

Drennen Roll Group # 109-Saline District
Ti-ya-ne
Betsy
Nancy

Drennen Roll Group # 110-Saline District
Daniel
Tse-koo-war

Drennen Roll Group # 112-Saline District
Ti-yer-ske
Sar-hoy-er
Tor-yoo-nee-se

*Transcriber notes

Transcribed by Catherine Widener, 2003