As I was researching my relatives’ names on the Dawes Roll, I found a Chickasaw Freedmen Family who have one of the surnames in my family: Shepard. I decided to learn about this family. Dicy (Nail?) Shepherd, a Chickasaw Freedmen, was married to George Shepard, a non-citizen. According to census card 982, Dicy [4411] applied for enrollment of her two sons, Albert [4412] and Henry Nail [4413].
On the back of the census card, her father, Henry Nail, was owned by Jonathan Nail. Her mother was Saphronia Nail who was owned by Minerva Colbert.
Below, is the interview Dicy completed for enrollment at Talihina, I.T., on May 29, 1899. Her son, Albert, was 3 months old. Her father, Henry Nail, testified as to her identity.
It appears that Birdie Nail (980) testified in relation to this family.
I located a “Birdie Nail” on the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Dawes Roll searchable website. She is a Choctaw Freedmen. Perhaps this is the same person who testified.
Dicy provided a birth affidavit for her son, Henry Nail Shepard. Louisa Whitney was the attending midwife.
This is the enrollment for Albert Shephard, age 3 months.
Hopefully, someone will find a relative amongst this information. Maybe, I have?
African-Cherokee American Genealogy Blog 
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