Native American Rainwater Evidence

This page is a collection of the tiny amount of evidence for Native Americans who used the name Rainwaters. This page is not intended to support the Native American origin theory of the Rainwater family. The overwhelming preponderance of available evidence points to European origins for this family, with a small number of exceptions noted here.

We strongly suggest you read My Rainwater ancestor was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian for an overview of why we do not subscribe to the Native American origin theory of the Rainwater family.

1880 Census of Indian Territory (later Oklahoma)

Series 7A, Roll 2, Cherokee Nation, Flint District, Schedule 1, pg 387, line 1
There are six schedules in the 1880 census of the Indian Territory, describing the condition of citizenship or non-citizenship in the Cherokee Nation. Individuals on Schedule 1 are citizens.

Catherine Rainwater, native, Cherokee, age 26, F, D1760, S
Lulie Rainwater,native, Cherokee, age 4, F, D1761
Ned Rainwater, native, Cherokee, age 2 weeks, M, D1762
See Dawes Rolls for this family

1900 Census of South Dakota

Census records made on indian reservations include questions not found on the general census. These questions are 1. Do you have another name, 2. What race or tribe are you, 3. What percentage of white are you? These will be the last three answers for each individual. The Rosebud Indian Reservation is primarily inhabited by individuals of Lakota Sioux descent.

ED45, Rosebud Indian Reservation, pg 191, line 15, D160, F160
George Rainwater, head of HH, InM, Jan 1876, 24, S, SD, SD, SD, literate, Sioux, 0%

ED45, Rosebud Indian Reservation, pg 191, line 21, D163, F163
Rainwater, head of HH, InM, Jan 1853, 47, M19, Unknown, Unknown, NB, Stock raising, illiterate, Sioux, 0%
Julia Rainwater, wife, InF, Mar 1860, 40, M19, B7, L5, SD, Unknown, ND, illiterate, Sioux, 50%
Mary Rainwater, dau., InF, May 1882, 18, S, SD, attended school, Sioux, 25%
Mabel Rainwater, dau., InF, Feb 1889, 11, S, SD, attended school, Sioux, 25%
George Rainwater, son, InM, Sep 1893, 6, SD, Sioux, 25%
Moses Rainwater, son, InM, Jan 1898, 2, SD, Sioux, 25%
Alice Heck, mother-in-law, InF, Apr 1820, 80, W, B6, L1, SD, Unknown, Unknown, illiterate, Sioux, 0%
Ovinnie Heck, brother-in-law, InM, Jan 1846, 64, S, SD, Unknown, SD, illiterate, Sioux, 0%

ED45, Cut Meat Farm District, Rosebud Indian Reservation, pg 245B, line 30, D721, F719
Little Thunder, head of HH, InM, Mar 1845, 55, M31, SD, NB, NB, Stock raising, illiterate, Sioux, 0%
Rainwater Little Thunder, wife, InF, Nov 1846, 53, M31, B7, L4, SD, WY, MT, Ration indian, illiterate, Wikayepucan, Sioux, 0%
Weedy Little Thunder, wife, InF, Oct 1857, 42, M31, B10, L7, NB, WY, MT, Ration indian, illiterate, Sioux, 0%
Other family members omitted

1910 Census of South Dakota

Census records made on indian reservations include questions not found on the general census. These questions are 34. Tribe of this indian; 35. Tribe of father; 36. Tribe of mother; 36. % indian; 37. % white; 38. % negro; 40. Living in polygamy; 44. Received an allotment in what year; 45. Living on own lands; 46. Living in civilized or aboriginal dwelling.

ED28, Ellston, Gregory Co., SD, pg 144B, line 36, D19, F19
Joseph Bad Bear, head of HH, Indian M, 41, M-1st, 18, SD, SD, SD, speaks Sioux, Farmer, illiterate, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, Oglala, 100% indian, not polygamous, 1890, own lands, civilized
Mary Bad Bear, wife, IF, 40, M-1st, 18, B9, L2, SD, SD, SD, speaks Sioux, illiterate, Upper Branch, Santeas, Upper Branch, 100% indian, not polygamous, 1890, own lands, civilized
Noah Bad Bear, son, IM, 9, S, SD, SD, SD, literate, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, 100% indian, not polygamous, 1907, civilized
Lucy Rainwater, dau., IF, 21, SD, M-2nd, SD, SD, illiterate, speaks Sioux, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, 100% indian, not polygamous, 1890, civilized
George Rainwater, son, IM, 15, S, SD, SD, SD, illiterate, speaks Sioux, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, 100% indian, not polygamous, 1897, civilized

ED28, Ellston, Gregory Co., SD, pg 146, line 1, D28, F28
George Rainwater, head of HH, IM, 32, M-1st, 3, SD, SD, SD, speaks English, Farmer, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, Upper Branch, 100% indian, not polygamous, 1890, civilized
Kate Rainwater, wife, IF, 24, M-1st, 3, B1, L1, SD, SD, SD, speaks English, Oglala, White, Oglala, 1/2 indian 1/2 white, not polygamous, 1890, civilized
Matthew V. Rainwater, son, IM, 18 months, S, SD, SD, SD, Oglala, Oglala, Oglala, 3/4 indian 1/4 white, not polygamous, 1909, civilized

1920 Census of South Dakota

ED69, Elleston Twp., Gregory Co., SD, pg 150B, line 98, D134, F141
Rosevelt Rainwater, head of HH, IM, 64, M, illiterate, SD, SD, SD, Farmer
Julia Rainwater, wife, IF, 56, M, illiterate, SD, SD, SD

ED69, Elleston Twp., Gregory Co., SD, pg 151, line 25, D144, F148
George Rainwater, head of HH, IM, 42, M, literate, SD, SD, SD, Farmer
Catherine Rainwater, wife, IF, 36, M, literate, SD, SD, SD
Percell Rainwater, son, IM, 12, S, attended school, SD, SD, SD
Sorina Rainwater, dau., IF, 6, S, attended school, SD, SD, SD
Gladys Rainwater, dau., IF, 5, S, attended school, SD, SD, SD

1930 Census of South Dakota

ED9, Ellston Twp., Gregory Co., SD, pg 165, line 59, D32, F32
George Rainwatter, head of HH, O/F, $490, IM, 57, M, MA-23, illiterate, born SD, parents full blood Sioux
Kate F. Rainwatter, wife, IF, 44, M, MS-21, literate, born SD, parents mixed blood Sioux
Purcell M. Rainwatter, son, IM, 21, S, literate, born SD, parents mixed blood Sioux

1920 Census of Oklahoma

ED23, Grandview Twp., Cherokee Co., OK, pg 271B, line 100, D58, F58
Olen E. Rainwater, head of HH, WM, 22, M, literate, OK, US, AR, Rural school teacher, O/M
Cherokee E. Rainwater, wife, IF, 20, M, literate, OK, OK, OK, Rural school teacher

1920 Census of California

ED489, Pottenger Sanitorium*, Monrovia City, Los Angeles Co., CA, pg 204B, line 72, D172, F178
William T. Rainwater, employee, IM, 32, S, MI, Italy, US, Night watchman at sanitorium
*Tuberculosis sanitorium

ED210, 52 McAllister Street, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA, pg 42, line 3, D1, F2
Harold W. Rainwater, head-2 of HH, IM, 47, M, literate, IL, US, US, Gripman on railroad
Loretta L. Rainwater, wife, WF, 25, M, literate, RI, RI, RI, waitress in cafe

Dawes Roll Enrollment Cards

This summary was drawn from the original Dawes enrollment cards held at the Southwest National Archives, Fort Worth, Texas.

These are individuals who applied to the Dawes Commission, between 1898 and 1914, as members of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole indian tribes. It should be noted that none of these individuals are included in the final Dawes rolls; in other words, these applications were denied.

Each card contains the following information:
Name, Tribe, Age, Gender, Enrollment Type (D doubtful, P parent, MCR minor), Card Number, Percentage Indian Blood

Catherine Rainwater, Cherokee, 48, F, D, D1760
Luelie Rainwater, Cherokee, 26, F, D, D1761
Ned Rainwater, Cherokee, 22, M, D, D1762

William H. Rainwater, Choctaw, M, P, MCR2802
Mary A. Rainwater, Choctaw, F, P, MCR2802
Thomas J. Rainwater, Choctaw, 23, M, MCR, MCR2802, blood 1/16%

William Rainwater, Choctaw, M, type: P, MCR2804
Mary Rainwater, Choctaw, F, P, MCR2804
James Brashears, Choctaw, P, MCR2804
Maggie Brashears, Choctaw, 37, F, MCR, MCR2804, blood 1/16%
Sinclair Brashears, Choctaw, 16, M, MCR, MCR2804, blood 1/16%
Simeon Brashears, Choctaw, 14, M, MCR, MCR2804, blood 1/16%

William Rainwater, Choctaw, M, P, MCR2805
Mary Rainwater, Choctaw, F, P, MCR2805
Ellen White, Choctaw, 28, F, MCR2805, blood 1/16%

William Rainwaters, Choctaw, M, P, MCR2806
Mary Rainwaters, Choctaw, F, P, MCR2806
Minnie Rainwaters, Choctaw, F, MCR, MCR2806, blood 1/16%

William Rainwater, Choctaw, M, P, MCR3203
Mary Rainwater, Choctaw, F, P, MCR3203
Levi Brashears, Choctaw, M, P, MCR3203
Permelia Brashears, Choctaw, F, P, MCR3203
Levi Brashears, Choctaw, 46, M, Choctaw, MCR, MCR3203, blood 1/16%
Ida W. Brashears, Choctaw, 33, F, MCR, MCR3203, blood 1/16%
Nina Brashears, Choctaw, 8, F, MCR, MCR3203, blood 1/16%
Ralph Brashears, Choctaw, 5, F, MCR, MCR3203, blood 1/16%
Dot Brashears, Choctaw, 3, F, MCR, MCR3203, blood 1/16%
Gladys Brashears, Choctaw, 1, F, MCR, MCR3203, blood 1/16%

Marriage Records

South Dakota
George Rainwater, age 29, m. Kate Florence Ramis, age 21, 15 May 1907, Rosebud Reservation, SD [1109]

Photographs

Mary Rainwater