Lorenzo Russell son of James Russell

Lorenzo Russell's story began originally as a Chickasaw Freedman when his name and that of his wife were put on Chickasaw Freedman card #1306. However they were later placed on a Choctaw Nation Card #1364. He was the son of Choctaw James Russell, and his "Negro" mother Julia.

National Archives, Ft. Worth Texas
Perry Files, File #12, Image #2

Both Lorenzo and wife Mattie had previously been listed on the 1896 Choctaw Roll, and thus were later placed correctly among Choctaw citizens. However, upon examination of the reverse side of the card, he clearly indicates who his Choctaw father was.

National Archives Publication M1186
Choctaw Freedman Card #1364

Reverse Side of Card

It is clear, however, that the commissioners of the Dawes enrollment process were not eager to record data about any Choctaw parents if it was evident that the other parent had been enslaved. With Lorenzo's application, the questions from the commissioners focused on the enslavement of his mother Julia, and nothing was recorded officially about his Choctaw father, James.

National Archives Publication M1301

Julia and James Russell were a married couple, and Lorenzo clearly pointed that out during the process when sought to be transferred to the blood rolls. In addition, James Russell, Lorenzo's father, was living at the time of enrollment, and therefore was placed on his own enrollment card. His name appears on  Choctaw Card #1545. James Russell's parents (Lorenzo's grandparents) were John Russell, and Sallie Russell. 

National Archives Publication M1186, Choctaw Card #1545
Card of Lorenzo's father James Russell

And Lorenzo's mother Julia, was on her own card separately as a Choctaw Freedman. Because her slaveholders were said to be Chickasaw, they did not record the slave holder's name and simply put down "Chickasaw Indian" as slaveholder. She was later moved to a Freedman card, most likely because of her marriage to a Choctaw by blood.

National Archives Publication M1186, Choctaw Freedman Card #1363
Card Of Lorenzo's mother Julia Russell

Children get half of their ancestry from each parent, and the prevailing practice was to put persons of Indian blood on the blood roll. Yet is it is clear that if one had a parent who was a Freedman, then their blood did not count and was not considered of value for their recognition as blood citizens in the tribal nation of their birth. The lived in the nation, practiced the culture and spoke the language, but like Lorenzo Russel, and many more---their blood tie did not matter.

But because of these records that remain, these are those who had the blood of their Indian fathers---and whose names can be spoken together with their fathers, despite the effort to strip them of their identity. Hopefully the descendants of the Russell's still call their names.