Commissioner of Indian War Records Indian War service affidavits, i 1909-1919.

In 1909 the legislature passed a law creating a Board of Commissioners of Indian War Records. Their duties were to ascertain the names of the persons who were members of any organization performing military duties during Indian wars or expeditions against the Indians during territorial years. Veterans completed affidavits of service; two witnesses also completed affidavits supporting the facts. The affidavits were then filed in the office of the chairman of the board, the Adjutant General of the State. In 1911, the 1909 law was repealed, leaving the same responsibilities to the Adjutant General alone as the Commissioner of Indian War Records. The primary function of the affidavits was to validate pension claims, first to the federal government, and after the 1917 creation of a state Indian War veteran pension fund, to the state. The bulk of the affidavits date to 1909-1910; a few were filed as late as 1919.

The soldier's affidavit consists of a preprinted form with blanks for the nameof the county in which he was making his oath, the individual's name, his residence, length of residence, age, date of enrollment, type of company (infantry, cavalry, etc.), his captain, residence at the time, age at the time, length of service, transfer dates and type of company served in following transfer with its captain's name up to the final organization served with, and date of release. Then there is space for the description of duties and engagements participated in while in each company. The witnesses are named and an oath taken that the information provided was accurate. If the soldier was deceased, the widow or a child could complete a similar affidavit. The accompanying two witness affidavits reiterrated the information with an oath that in the belief of the witnesses, the service rendered by the soldier was "honest and faithful."