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4    Omaha Indians.

6. Joseph Merrick.--Full blood.  Has claim No. 327.  Broke 7 acres five years ago.  Has 16 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, garden fruit.  Planted apple trees.  Built frame-house five years ago.  Outbuildings.  Bought tools.  Received implements from government.  Has ponies, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks.  Supports nine persons.  About thirty-three years old.  Works upon his father's claim, who is old and lives with him.  He says: I went on my farm with my certificate.  I soon lost faith in it for the people told me it was good for nothing.  One reason I have not broken more land is because I am always in fear that the land may be taken away from me.  * * * I hope God will help us to get titles.  * * * I bought something and paid for it, but the man did not give me what I bought and paid for.  I wish that we had law, for then this man could have been made to give me what I had paid for.  I want law here, that justice may be done for all. I belong to the party that wishes to become like white people, and to be citizens.

7.  Pawnee-numph-zhe, Jorden Statle.---Full blood.  Has claim No. 272. Broke eight acres six years ago.  Has 18 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, melons.  Planted apple trees.  Built frame-house five years ago, paid for it by ponies and cash.  Has bought farming implements, and received from government.  Has horses, cows, pigs, and chickens.  Supports ten persons.  About fifty years old.  Is now in the United States Indian police service.  He also works on claim No. 229, which belongs to his cousin, Nooga-Suda, Phillip Statle, who is blind, making in all some 26 acres which Pawnee-numph-zhe cultivates.  He says:
I am one of the men who wish to have titles to their lands.  These men want titles because they want what is their own, to be their very own, so that they may be able to give their land to their children.  When I get my title it will be the best thing I can have; this I know.  I hope all those who sign this petition will get titles to their lands.

8. Pah-see-do-uba, Johnathan Rush.---Full blood.  Has claim No. 233 Broke 5 acres five years ago.  Has 15 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables.  Planted peach-stones, trees came up well, also timber.  Built sheds.  Lives in a tent.  Has bought implements, and received from government.  Has ponies.  Supports three persons.  About sixty years old.  Has suffered heavy losses from fire and can't afford a house.  He says:
I want a title to my land.  I am an old man; when I die I want to leave my farm to my child.  I belong to the party in favor of advancement.

9. Ma-e-thing-ge, no Knife.---Full blood.  Works on a claim. Has 18 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables.  Planted apple trees, timber.  Built mud lodge, sheds, &c.  bought implements, and received from government.  Has ponies, cows, chickens.  Supports five persons.  About sixty-five years old.  His certificate of allotment of land was taken from him when the Omahas transferred lands to the Winnebagoes.  He was one of the seven who twenty-five years ago contributed to the purchase of the plow.  He has suffered many discouragements. 

10. Wah-na-zh-zhinga, Little Soldier. — Full blood.  Works on a claim.  Broke 10 acres five years ago.  Has 15 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables.  Planted apple trees.  Built house, part log, part dugout, sheds &c.  Bought implements, and received from government.  Has one pony, chickens.  Supports two persons.  Sixty-seven years old.  His certificate of allotment 

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OMAHA INDIANS.      5 

taken at time of transfer of lands to Winnebagoes.  He has labored against great odds.  He says:

The man who surveyed the lands and the man who gave me the "certificate" told me that no one could take the land from me, but it was taken, and they seemed to make very easy work of it when they wanted to take it. I felt very bad when they took the paper.  I have not heard a word about taking the land, it was all the work of the chiefs.  I thought the "certificate" was a title.  I wish I could have the land back that was taken.  Money is good, but I think more of the land.  I want a title to my farm.  I want this land to be my own. * * * You see me now, I am growing old and getting so that I can't do much, but I keep on working and mean to work.  * * * I have had a great deal of trouble. I could stand here and tell you of it all day, but I will not say any more about it.  

11. Wah-zhe-umba, Alvin Cox. — Full blood.  Has claim No. 318.  Broke 8 acres five years ago.  Has 16 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables.  Planted apple trees.  Built mud lodge, cattle-sheds, &c.  Has bought implements, and received from government.  Has ponies, cows.  Supports eight persons.  About fifty years old.  He says:

I want a title to my land.  I am worried, for I am afraid that the Indians may be moved away. 

12. Ma-hah-ta, Henry Morris. — Full blood.  Has claim No 214.  Broke 5 acres five years ago.  Has 29 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables.  Planted apple trees, timber.  Built dugout and mud lodge, sheds, &c.  Has bought implements, and received from government.  Has ponies, cows, pigs, chickens.  Supports eight persons.  About fifty-five years old.  He was one who went to work twenty-two years a go.  Has suffered from fire, losing "everything but his blanket."  He says:

I have had hard work to get along, and to obtain for myself the things I have.  People will come from the East and tell us to work and work hard, but they never come to our homes and see what we have to work with. * * * Instead of that they speak a little and go back to the East. * * * I have heard your words that you are coming to see me in my own house; that is something I have never heard before from white people. * * * Although it has been hard for me to do what I have accomplished, I still want to keep on doing.  I want a title to my land.  I look around and see the white people, and I see that their way of doing is best.  Two years ago, I think, two commissioners came from Washington, and they told us to go on and work, that the Indians' arms and hands were as large and strong as the white man's; but it seems to me as though the Indian is yet able to use only his hands. 

13. Ma-he-wa-the, Richard Robinson. — Full blood.  Has claim no. 257.  Broke 5 acres, four years ago.  Has 18 acres under cultivation, not including hay lands.  Raises corn, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, garden fruits.  Planted apple and cherry trees, and timber.  Built log house, paid for some material and work, sheds, &c.  Bought implements and tools, and received from government.  Has ponies, cows, pigs, chickens.  Supports eight persons.  About forty-five years old.  He says:

When I was a young man I wanted to work.  When I first tried to plow I used to fall down, for I did not know how to handle the plow.  I thought that one day all the Indians must work, that I would try and learn while I was young, it would be easier for me.  When I first saw the white people, I saw that they worked, and all they had seemed to sparkle.  I wondered where this glistening came from.  I saw that they worked at the ground, and it was from that they got the sparkle. * * * I want a title to my land.  I hope the white people will help us so that we may have law upon the reserve.  * * I hope that in the future some of the children of the Omahas may be among the lawyers of the land.  The reason the Omahas are still in existence, is, I think, because they have worked, are working, and trying to help themselves.

14. Wa-loo-teta, Samuel Irving. — Full blood.  Works on a claim.  Broke 8 acres five years ago.  Has 8 acres under cultivation, not including