Poke a doo ah

Poke ah doo ah was a Comanche woman

Original engraving of the image following:

by George Catlin, Comanche Village, Women Dressing Robes and Drying Meat, 1834-1835, oil on canvas, 20 x 27 1⁄4 in. (50.9 x 69.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.346

The Comanche, known as “Lords of the Plains” were once a part of the Shoshone Tribe. In the late 1600’s and early 1700’s they separated from their Shoshone kinsmen and moved onto the northern Plains, and then southerly in search of a new homeland. They Migrated across the Plains, through Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. They ultimately settled in Southwest Oklahoma.

For nearly two centuries they were at war with the Spaniards in Mexico and raided Mexican settlements as far south as Durango and Zacatecas. Generally friendly to the Americans, they were bitter enemies of the Texans, who had dispossessed them of their best hunting grounds, and they waged relentless war against them for almost forty years. Around 1795, they became close confederates of the Kiowas and also allied themselves with the Apaches.

Map of Tribal Jurisdictional Areas in Oklahoma

Several treaties were consummated between the United States and the Comanche Tribe between 1834 and 1875. In the Treaty of Medicine Lodge in 1867, the Comanche, Apache, and Kiowa tribes were assigned a tract of land in Oklahoma, which they still share.

The horse was a key element in Comanche culture. The people mastered their skills on horseback and gained a tremendous advantage in times of war. The horse enabled the Comanche to raid the Apache for food, horses, and captives. Raiding became a way of life for the Comanche.

Women held significant influence within Comanche society. They played important roles in decision-making, including the selection and removal of tribal leaders. Women owned and managed the family’s property, and their expertise in farming and household affairs contributed to the overall well-being of the community.

Men, on the other hand, played key roles as warriors and hunters. They were responsible for protecting the tribe, participating in intertribal conflicts, and securing resources through hunting and trade. While men held leadership positions, women had the power to influence and guide their decisions.

This matrilineal system ensured a balance of power between genders and fostered cooperation within the community. It also reflected the Comanche Tribe’s deep respect for women and recognized their vital contributions to the tribe’s survival and prosperity.

Biography:
Poke ah doo ah was a Comanche b.c. 1850 and admitted to the Canton Asylum from the Kiowa, Comanche, and Wichita Agency, Anadarko, Oklahoma, after June 30, 1919, but before June 30, 1920.

She died December 22, 1920, at the Canton Asylum and according to the letter dated February 23, 1934, from DR. L.L. Culp to the Commissioner of Indians Affairs, she was buried in the Canton Hiawatha Cemetery tier 6 plot 34.

Her profile is part of the The Canton Asylum One Place Study.

Research Notes:
-the 1919 census from Canton Asylum has not been located and is not shown in the current NARA document. Poke ah doo ah was shown only in the 1920 female census, she was NOT shown in the 1918 census and the 1919 census is unaccounted for, we, therefore, do not know when she was admitted. On June 30, 1919, and June 30, 1920, she is listed as being on the Kiowa Indian Reservation in the annual census.
-see profile for ? Mah Man Aw, daughter according to the 1895 census but ages might indicate other people same names @ ? Mah Man Aw
-Possible brother (twin?)
Name Tarey-Poke-A-Doo-Ah
Sex Male
Age 50 years
Birth Date 1850
Birthplace Oklahoma Territory
Marital Status Married
Race Indian
Years Married 23
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Event Type Census
Event Date 1900
Event Place Woods, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, United States
Household Identifier 412
Line Number 14
Sheet Letter A
Sheet Number 87
Affiliate Publication Number T623
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Tarey-Poke-A-Doo-Ah's Spouses and Children
Tex-See-Clarence, Son, M, 20 years, Oklahoma Territory
Wath-Que-Bitty, Son, M, 1 year, Oklahoma Territory
Mah-Vale-Quah, Wife, F, 40 years, Oklahoma Territory
-It is possible the surname was treated in later generations as Doo-Ah or Ah-Doo-Ah, but I have not found a link to a source where the name changes.
-from the web page https://genealogytrails.com/oka/comanche1903census.html: the 1903 U.S. Indian Census Schedules, Census of the Comanche Tribe Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeye: has this entry Poke-A-Doo-Ah abt 1850 Female (Source Information: (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.) The Indian Census schedules are census rolls usually submitted each year by agents or superintendents in charge of Indian reservations, as required by an act of 4 July 1884 (23 Stat. 98). The data on the rolls varies. For certain years including 1935, 1936, 1938, and 1939 only supplemental rolls of additions and deletions were compiled. There is not a census for every reservation or group of Indians for every year. Only persons who maintained a formal affiliation with a tribe under federal supervision are listed on these census rolls.) NOTE: that Poke-A-Doo-Ah is shown without a parent name or relationships

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Sources:

1895 July - "Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform] : United States. National Archives and Records Service.” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1 Jan. 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll211unit/page/n688/mode/1up?view=theater. . , M595 roll 211, @ https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll211unit/page/n348/mode/... pg. 58/795, line 205, census of the Comanche Tribe of Indians, Kiowa, Comanche and W(ichita) Agency, Anadarko, O.T.

1897 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform] : United States. National Archives and Records Service.” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1 Jan. 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll211unit/page/n688/mode/1up?view=theater. , M595 roll 211, @ https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll211unit/page/n348/mode/... pg, 349/785, line 235, census of the Comanche, Kiowa Agency, Anadarko, Oklahoma Territory

1899 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform] : United States. National Archives and Records Service.” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1 Jan. 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll211unit/page/n688/mode/1up?view=theater. , M595 roll 211, @ hhttps://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll211unit/page/n688/mode/1up?view=theater pg, 687/795, line 226, census of the Comanche tribe of Indians, Kiowa, &c, Agency, Anadarko, Oklahoma Territory

1900 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:79YS-W7PZ : Fri Oct 06 03:28:32 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke-A-Doo-Ah, pg. 60/753, line 229 (age 50), census of teh Comanche Indians, Kiowa, etc. Agency, Oklahoma

1900 Jun 6 - "United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KTD-SS53 : Wed Jan 24 04:55:49 UTC 2024), Entry for Poke-A-Doo-Ah, 6 Jun 1900, pg. 394/729, line 8, page 147, Township 1N, Range 14W (Curator Note: appears to be property allotment per letter by Secretary dated May 17, 1901 # 78796

1901 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:79YY-FVW2 : Thu Oct 05 19:17:11 UTC 2023), Entry for Pokea-Doo-Ah, 1901, pg. 227/753, line 219 (Pokea doo ah age 51), census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Agency, Oklahoma

1903 - see Research Notes above...

1905 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTQ-YYFB : Thu Oct 05 00:48:57 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke-A-Doo-Ah, 1905, pg. 40/816, line 210 (age 55), census of the Comanche Tribe of Indians, Kiowa Indian Agency, Oklahoma

1906 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTW-WM2H : Fri Oct 06 17:46:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke-A-Doo-Ah, pg. 150/816, line 207 (age 56), census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Agency, Oklahoma Territory

1911 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTX-BVPS : Tue Oct 03 12:43:01 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, 1911, pg. 391/816, line 198 (age 60), census of the Comanche Indians of the Kiowa Agency

1912 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPT7-JKLS : Wed Oct 04 05:28:37 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, 1912, pg. 546/816, line 87 (age 62 = b. 1850), census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Indian Agency, Anadarko, Oklahoma

1913 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTQ-14BR : Thu Oct 05 17:10:59 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, pg. 646/816, line 199 (age 63), census of the Comanche Indians

1914 Jul 1 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTK-JPL2 : Fri Oct 06 20:32:49 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, pg. 22/580, line 216, census of the Comanche on the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Reservation, Kiowa Agency, Anadarko, Oklahoma

1915 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5CM-STN2 : Thu Oct 05 07:43:15 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke-A-Doo-Ah, pg. 201/580, line 220 9age 87), census of teh Comanche Indians, Kiowa Indian Agency

1916 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPB2-BD14 : Tue Oct 03 12:51:56 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, pg. 326/580, line 212, census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Agency

1917 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q57B-C25T : Fri Oct 06 12:23:10 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Sh, pg. 459/580, line 206, census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Indian Agency

1919 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7486-G6N2 : Thu Oct 05 08:58:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, 1919, pg. 152/525, line 223, census of the Comanche Indians,

1920 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7462-CV3Z : Fri Oct 06 17:30:44 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke-A-Doo-Ah, 1920, pg. 282/525, line 229, census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Agency

1920 Jun 30 - Camp Verde School: 1910-27; Canton Insane Asylum: 1910-22, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155854182?objectPage=899, line 29, female census June 30, 1920

1921 Jul 1 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:74DH-LTT2 : Tue Oct 03 12:12:59 UTC 2023), Entry for Poke A Doo Ah, 1921, pg. 411/525, line 57 (Dead), census of the Comanche Indians, Kiowa Indian Agency, Anadarko, Oklahoma

1926 Dec 20 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14493694/poke_ah-dab_ab: accessed February 7, 2024), memorial page for Poke Ah Dab Ab (–), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14493694, citing Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, Canton, Lincoln County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Graveaddiction (contributor 46528400).

1926 Dec 20 - Hilton, M. (Ed.). (2023, July 10). Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians Historical Marker. Historical Marker. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=183486 Photo by Ruth VanSteenwyk, July 10, 2023, courtesy of HMdb.org

Maud Magpie 4-24-20 · Poke-Ah-Dah-Ab 12-26-20 · Sits-In-It 1-26-21