Ida Myers, Daughter of Chickasaw Thomas Mikey

Ida Myers was a half Chickasaw woman from Lehigh, Ind. Territory, who sought to have her enrollment corrected by the Dawes Commissioners. Her father was Thomas Mikey, a full blood Chickasaw and her mother was Mason Mikey, who was once enslaved by Chickasaw Katokee. She was placed on the Freedmen roll, which she felt was in error. Thus her petition to be transferred to the Chickasaw roll of citizens by blood came forth in 1906. Her claim was through the history of her father.

On her enrollment card, her name and that of her children, were placed on Freedman card number 153. Her husband was a non-citizen---and thus was not enrolled on the card.

On the reverse side of the card, the name of her father Thos. Mikey is shown. He was not a slave and the fact that her father was Chickasaw Indian is reflected on the card. The name of her mother Mason's slave holder, Katokee, is revealed.

Clearly, the questions presented to Ida to extract the information placed on the card were not included in the file, for her. There is a reference, however to the file that accompanies card #152. 

On that card, a man called Josiah Mikey, sought enrollment for himself and two children. The children were later removed to Creek Cards.

Both parents on the reverse side were listed as they were on Ida's card, and it is evident that Ida and Josiah are full siblings with the same mother and father. The father Thos. Mikey was deceased at the time, and he was indicated on the card to be Chickasaw Indian. Their mother Mason, was enslaved by the same Katokee.

A series of interviews in brother Josiah's file did more about his and Ida's family.

There are many pages in this file, partially because Josiah's wife was Creek and multiple witnesses were brought in to testify on behalf of both. In addition there was the fact that on the Mikey side, from which Ida and brother Josiah were claiming ancestry, their mother was enslaved, and they were free born. Clearly there were inter-tribal as well as inter-racial mixtures in the family, but in the end, the case of Ida to have herself and her children transferred to the roll by blood was not successful.

However, the family's history is still a rich one, and one that the descendants can still claim. This family of African and Chickasaw heritage has a strong one, and children of Fred and Ida Myers have a legacy that goes back through Ida's line to the Chickasaw Nation, for she was the daughter of her Chickasaw father.