UNITED PUEBLOS AGENCY Questionnaires were mailed to 251 heirs of the United Pueblos xomer and 10 (approximately 4 percent) completed returns were ved from adults. GENERAL INFORMATION The red an age of the heirs is in the 51-and-over category with the Preczen as follows: 21 to 30, two; 31 to 40, two; 41 to 50, one; nd over, five. There are seven males and three females. Seven s have children, with a total of 28. Seven heirs are heads of houseends and all 10 are members of the tribe. Median blood quantum is ones a three-quarter blood). Six live on the reservation, four e of those living on the reservation live on trust land. One reved welfare assistance during 1958. Only three answered the ques... APærning income and they had incomes of less than $1,000. CURATIOns were reported as follows: 142 Tiver, 1 Nurse 1 Farmer 1 Retired 1 Heavy equipment operator INTERESTS IN HEIRSHIP LAND 1112 he United Pueblos heirs own interests in 20 heirship tracts, and Close are public domain allotments. Three heirs live on heirship which they hold an undivided interest. Median income from : mnterests is less than $100 (only two answered the question). ACTIONS ir ranches or farms the heirship land, and six have done so a past 10 years. One heir has attempted to dispose of heirsts and did succeed. This sale was to an individual. As the tribe or other Indians have made any attempts to purchase s of the heirs, nor have the heirs attempted to buy out OPINIONS AND PROPOSALS good hens plan to live on and use heirship interests in the future. 14 to od if they wanted to sell or exchange some or all of their perests, one wanted to sell or exchange all, and seven said wo did not answer. One of the questions asked of the heirs said yes, and four no. Reasons given for their positions on this question were as follows: CONTINUE BUREAU CONTROL 1 29831 I want the assistance of Government in solving various problems that arise. 29835 29884 29882 29899 Satisfied. To look after it because I'm still depending on the Indian Bureau on my interests. To look after it because I am still depending on the Indian Bureau. We're still under wardship-it has proven to be satisfactory to the present. 29886 29763 29892 REMOVE BUREAU CONTROL I think that Indians should be given trust patents to their lands and allowed to do whatever they deem fit. They are citizens and I think they should be treated as such, paying taxes, etc. We would like to control our lands just as other people do, given assistance if needed. Let the Indians manage their own lands; give them what is rightfully theirs. 29829 I would like to make improvements and take care of it for myself without someone stopping me. Question 26b asked the heirs if they would want their interests sold and the money divided. Four did not want any sold and six did not answer. Question 26c asked if the heirs wanted all controls removed from their heirship lands so that the heirs themselves can handle the leasing, sale, etc., of the land. Three said yes, three no, and four did not answer. Question 27 was an attempt to get the heirs to make suggestions to Congress concerning a possible solution to the problem. Two heirs felt that all heirship probate actions should be under State courts and State laws, two others preferred the present situation, and six did not answer. One heir owned land in fee status, and had inherited it. Question 29 was an attempt to draw from the heirs any and all problems concerning their heirship land. There seemed to be no problem of administration concerning heirship. 1 Individual's code number. ZUNI AGENCY Questionnaires were mailed to 43 heirs of the Zuni Agency and 17 (approximately 39 percent) completed returns were received from adults. GENERAL INFORMATION Median age of the Zuni heirs is in the 41- to 50-year category. There are nine males and eight females. Fifteen have children with a total of 76. Six are heads of households, and all 17 are members of the tribe. All heirs are fullbloods, 16 live on the reservation and 11 live on trust lands. One received welfare assistance during 1958. Eleven had incomes of less than $1,000, and two had incomes between $1,001 and $2,000, four did not answer. Occupations were reported as follows: The Zuni heirs own 62 interests in heirship tracts and 4 are public domain allotments. None of the heirs live on heirship land. Median income from heirship interests is less than $50 (only four answered the question). Two had visited this land in 1959, nine between 1958 and 1949, two prior to 1939, and four did not answer. Sixteen of the heirs lived within 300 miles of the land and one lives more than 900 miles away. ACTIONS Fifteen stated they ranch or farm the heirship land although this raises a question since only two had visited the land in 1959 and if we add the four who did not answer the question, there would only be six who had visited the land in 1959. Fourteen have used the land in the past 10 years. Three have attempted to dispose of some heirship interests, and none have succeeded. The tribe or other Indians have attempted to purchase their interests although two heirs themselves have tried to buy out others. OPINIONS AND PROPOSALS All 17 heirs plan to live on the land at some time in the future and 7 intend to ranch or farm it. When asked if they wanted to sell or exchange their heirship interests, 5 said they wanted to sell or exchange all, and 12 none. Seven heirs want the Bureau of Indian Affairs to retain control of the land, two want the control removed, and eight did not answer. Some of the reasons given were as follows: 360 29923 29933 29916 29946 29937 RETAIN BUREAU CONTROL Because I and my family believe the Bureau is doing a fine job. I want the Indian Bureau to keep its present control of the land as they have done a good job in the past in taking care of my lands. I want the Indian Bureau to take care of my land as I am well satisfied with the way my land is handled. I am satisfied with the way the Government is handling my land; I feel secure with the help of the Government. REMOVE BUREAU CONTROL Because I like to buy some sheep and use it for a ranch use. 29907 I like to have a land of myself so I can use it for myself. Question 26b asked the heirs if they would want their interests sold and the money divided. Five said "No" and twelve did not answer. Question 26a asked if the heirs wanted all controls removed from their heirship lands so that the heirs themselves can handle it. Six said "No" and eleven did not answer. Question 27 was an attempt to get the heirs to make suggestions to the Congress concerning a possible solution to the problem. The question was worded in such a way as to inform the Indians that possible solutions had been offered in the past and four of these were listed, then space was left for the heirs to make any recommendations he wanted. While the question was not intended to be one of multiple choice it was found that some heirs merely checked off one of the proposed solutions. Other heirs did not answer the question at all. Eight of the heirs preferred that owners of more than half the tract be allowed to lease, sell, etc., while six heirs wanted a simple majority to rule. Two heirs of the Zuni Agency own lands that are not in trust status and neither stated how they acquired it. Question 29 was an attempt to draw from the heirs any problems they had concerning their heirship lands. Nine heirs seemed to have the same problem and the following extract presents it rather clearly: We wish the Government to continue taking care of our lands. We do not want the State to take over. I also wish that the Government would survey all allotments and divide these lands among the heirs so we may know exactly what share we own in order to build homes, operate farms, etc. The way the lands are now is all in one big surface not surveyed, and the heirs fight among each other, not knowing what share they own, therefore the heirs cannot build homes, operate farms, and other business. 1 Individual's code number. MINNEAPOLIS AREA OFFICE There were 4,562 questionnaires mailed to heirs of the Minneapolis Area and 824 completed questionnaires (approximately 18 percent) were received from adults. GENERAL INFORMATION Median age of heirs in the Minneapolis Area was in the 51-year-andover category with the following distribution: 21 to 30, 93; 31 to 40, 135; 41 to 50, 170; 51 and over, 416; no answer, 10. Six hundred and thirty-five of the heirs reported having children with a total of 2,616, or approximately 4 each. Four hundred and fifty-nine are heads of households. Median blood quantum is full with 246 fullbloods, 162 of threequarter blood, 213 of one-half Indian blood, 162 with one-quarter or less, 12 with no Indian blood, and 29 did not answer. The majority of heirs live off the reservation (267 on, 535 off, 22 did not answer). Only 198 of the heirs reporting live on trust or restricted land, while 547 said they did not (79 did not answer). Welfare assistance was received during 1958 by 229 heirs and of this number 114 live on the reservation. Only 329 heirs answered the question concerning income and their median for 1958 was in the $1,001 to $2,000 category, with the following distribution: $0 to $1,000, 119; $1,001 to $2,000, 65; $2,001 to $3,000, 37; $3,001 to $4,000, 35; $4,001 and over, 73; and no answer, 495. In determining income of those heirs living on the reservation as compared to those living off we find that in the Minnesota Agency there is no difference with both groups in the $1,001 to $2,000 category; however at Great Lakes Agency there is a very significant difference with those heirs living on the reservation having incomes of less than $1,000 whereas those living off have incomes in the $2,001 to $3,000 category. Income was also computed by Indian blood quantum and we find that in the Minneapolis Area the fullblood median is less than $1,000, the three-quarter and one-half blood median is between $1,001 and $2,000, and the onequarter or less Indian blood median income is between $3,001 to $4,000. When income is computed for heads of households we find that in the Great Lakes Agency, while the median income for all heirs reporting is between $1,001 to $2,000, the median for heads of households is in the $2,001 to $3,000 category. At Minnesota, however, there is no difference in the income of heads of households as compared to all heirs reporting; both are in the $1,001 to $2,000 category. INTERESTS IN HEIRSHIP LANDS One of the questions asked of the heirs was how many interests in heirship tracts did they have, how many reservations were the tracts located on and how many of the tracts were public domain allotments. Three hundred and forty heirs answered the question concerning how 362 |