A plan for the distribution of more than $260,000 awarded by the Indian Claims Commission to the Ottawa Indians of Oklahoma is being published in the Federal Register, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today.
This award represents additional payment for six tracts of land in Northwestern Ohio that were ceded to the United States by four bands of Ottawa Indians under treaties of 1833 and 1831.
The plan, approved by Congress and made effective June 17, 1975, calls for a per capita distribution of the funds to those persons whose names appear on the final roll of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, published in the Federal Register August 13, 1959. The shares of deceased enrollees will be paid to their heirs or legatees.
Pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956, Federal trust responsibilities for the tribe were terminated and the Ottawas ceased to function as Federally organized tribal entity in 1959.
The BIA's Muskogee, Oklahoma, Area Office will be responsible for the administrative work in making the per capita distribution.
