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Baker Roll, 1924-1929

Eastern Band of Cherokee

An act of Congress of June 4, 1924 (43 Stat. 376), established the Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission to determine membership for the Eastern Band of Cherokees and to place its tribal lands into Federal trust.

Charged with identifying membership for the Eastern Band of Cherokees, the Commission created, collected, and compiled data from older rolls and tribal censuses. Known as the Baker Roll, after Fred A. Baker, these records include indexes, applications, testimony, correspondence, decisions of the Eastern Enrolling Commission, and reports. Note, the roll can include deceased individuals.

Information in the applications includes:

  • Applicant's name, age, and degree of Indian blood (Includes maiden name if applicable)
  • Name of ancestor(s) and relationship from whom claiming descent (Includes evidence for Cherokee lineage)
  • Degree of Indian blood and residence of mother and father
  • Names of children
  • Spouse name and degree of Indian blood
  • Residences
  • Individual enrollment number
  • Cross-referenced numbers from the Hester and Churchill Rolls
  • Remarks

These records are indexed and available online at Ancestry.com (database titled U.S., Cherokee Baker Roll and Records, 1924-1929). Prior to digitization, these records were accessible via microfilm publication M2104, The 1928 Baker Roll and Records of the Eastern Cherokee Enrolling Commission, 1924-1929. A brief history of the Baker Roll can be found on Ancestry.com and the microfilm publication. Visit the National Archives Catalog for the full archival records description: National Archives Identifier 2124048.

For records documenting early U.S. government interaction with the Cherokees:

 

 

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