Lela (Lelar) Robbins, of the Johnson, Turnbull Choctaw Families

A complicated case emerges with that of Lela (Lelar) of Sawyer, I. T. She was the daughter of Jerusha Johnson, who was said to have been a mixed blood Choctaw woman of white, Negro and Choctaw blood. Jerusha descended  from Flab Turnbull, a full blood Choctaw citizen, and she was the daughter of Joanna Record, who was admitted as a Freedman.

National Archives, Ft. Worth, Texas
Perry Files, Image #1

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

The experience of the family was clearly a complicated one as they were originally placed on a Doubtful Card #D29. The matriarch of the family at the time was Joanna Record. Lelar was the daughter of Jerusha Jane Johnson, who was the daughter of Joanna Record, thus making Joanna, Lelar's grandmother.

Because some were not on earlier rolls they were first placed on the Doubtful cards. Eventually however, Joanna and son Newton were placed on their own  card together. The other grandchildren (with the exception of Lela (Lelar) were eventually approved for enrollment. However, Lela remained in a category of being doubted, and then later denied.

National Archives Publication M1186
Choctaw Freedman Card #D29

Reverse side of card

Joanna and son Newton were placed on their own card together. Other grandchildren were placed on a separate card, but Lela who appeared on the original doubtful card was not approved as a Choctaw Freedman. 

Choctaw Freedman Card #1545

The result of this omission was clearly the inclusion of her name challenging the original Dawes Commission decision. And within this challenge came the more detailed and rich family history omitted in the Dawes "official" interview. The questions posed to Joanna did mention grandchildren, but not Lela, and subsequently she had to then struggle to be included. 

National Archives Publication M1301
Excerpt from the file of Joanna Record
File #D29

Thankfully, in her challenges to the original decisions made by the Commission, the issue of her blood ties to the Choctaw community by blood was revealed. Her children and grandchildren, have the legacy documented back several generations, connecting them to the nation of origin from Indian Territory.