Durant Roll
Census Roll of All Members or Descendants of Members Who Were On The Roll of The
Ottawa and The Chippewa Tribes of Michigan in 1870, and Living on March 4, 1907
On the four rolls of this microfilm publication, M2039, are reproduced the 1908
census roll (known at the "Durant Roll" for its compiler, Horace B. Durant) of
the Chippewa and Ottawa tribes of Michigan, with Durant's field notes, and related
correspondence. The Durant Roll contains the names of all members or descendants
of members enrolled with the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Michigan in 1870 who
were living on March 4, 1907. The roll also serves as an index to Durant's field
notes. The field notes provided genealogical information used to determine if an
individual was eligible to be listed on the census. The correspondence consists
of letters received and sent by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and Horace B.
Durant which concern the enrollment process, procedures, and policy. These
records are part of the Special Agent Files, 1807-1948, in the Records of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group (RG) 75, and are housed at the National
Archives Building in Washington, DC.
Entries on the Durant roll itself are arranged alphabetically by the first letter
of the surname and grouped thereunder by tribal bands, for example the entries
for the individuals whose surname begins with A are grouped in the following
order: Sault Ste. Marie, Mackinac, Traverse, Grand River.
The information
included on the census is as follows: 1870 roll number (this number indexes
field notes used by Durant), Durant roll number, Indian name, English name,
relationship to head of the household, age, sex, tribal band, residence, and
remarks. NOTE: The Little Traverse and Traverse Bands were all put under the
Traverse Band in the Durant Roll.
- Grand River Band
- Sault Ste. Marie Band
- Mackinac Band
- Traverse Band
Field Notes and Correspondence
Of Horace Durant
The field notes consist of Durant's preprinted worksheets on which he recorded
the following data for each family: head of the family on the 1870 roll; name of
the wife or husband; name of the children and grandchildren, and any additional
information concerning the family. Letters pertaining to various families are
occasionally filed with the worksheets. The field notes are arranged by page
number 1 through 65. The cover sheets (folders) for each page number lists the
tribal band, chief, and the area of Michigan where the data was collected. For
example, the information on the cover sheet for pages 1 & 2 is as follows: Sault
Ste. Marie Band, Maw-Dosh (chief), Marquette (Dead River). The 1870 census
enrollment number which indexes the worksheets is two-fold. The first number is
the one assigned to a specific family; the second number is the page number. In
1870 the roll number for Daniel Cornstalk is 13-34 or Durant Roll #1443 (13-34
would be on microfilm roll 1 pages 1-25 FHL #2229933).
Worksheet 13 for page 34 provides genealogical data on the Cornstalk family. It
should be noted that field notes are not found for all families listed on the
Durant Roll. (My note: These work sheets in most cases are laid out like a
family group sheet and contain data that is not on the Durant Roll itself. Take
you research a step further by ordering the film you need into a local LDS
Family History Center to view your family.)
Ordering Films
You can order the film you need by clicking on the link below and signing into
your FamilySearch account to be sent to your local Family History Center. The column Page 1870 corresponds with the Page listed
below in the films. Example:
|
Page 1870 |
Line 1870 |
Durant Roll No. |
Surname |
Given Name |
Microfilm Number |
|
28 |
6 |
211 |
ABINAW |
CECELIA |
Roll 3. Field Notes Pages 26-57 FHL #2229935
|
Source Title: Durant Roll List - National Archives Microfilm
Publications M2039 Correspondence, Field Notes, and the Census Roll of All
Members or Descendants of Members Who Were On The Roll of The Ottawa and The
Chippewa Tribes of Michigan in 1870, and Living on March 4, 1907 (Durant Roll)
Roll 1. Durant Roll FHL #
2229933
Roll 2. Field Notes Pages 1-25 FHL #
2229934
Roll 3. Field Notes Pages 26-57 FHL #
2229935
Roll 4. Field Notes Pages 58-65 and Correspondence FHL #
2229936
Page Author: Patricia Hamp