Sharolyn, As the Dawes Commission began to identify Indians, the rental system became harder and hader to maintain. Some of the Americans realized that they had little chance maintaining the farms that they had established and returned to the States to restablish their lives there. After the Alottments were made some returned and purchased surplus land. Doug Barkley Sharolyn McCoy wrote: > I am curious about something: > > So many of our stories are the same: we find our ancestors in Indian > Territory late 1800's then, they are in Sebastian County AR early 1900's > and then, we find them back in OK again? > > Does anyone know why they were crossing back and forth? Was something > significant going on during that period or is it just coincidence? > Thanks, > Sharolyn