This collection was researched and compiled by Overton from the much larger body of records in the National Archives designated as Records Group (RG) 217.7.7, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Records of the Second Auditor, Records of the Archives Division, settled Indian accounts and claims, 1795-1894. RG 217.7.7 is also available on Microfilm T135 at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. In 2018 Overton had a digital copy made of annuity records of Indian tribes in Michigan and part of Wisconsin, 1853-1858. Two paper copies were printed from digital copy for the Clarke Historical Library, a user copy which is in the Clarke's reading room for public use, and a master paper archival backup in the stacks. The collection is in its original order, mostly chronological and alphabetical. For some of the bands and tribes in this collection there are no official Library of Congress subject headings.
All the original annuity payment forms were handwritten on paper. Each annuity payment is a multi-page list, approximately 20 pages in length. Each annuity payment includes: the place and date of payment, names of each tribe, band and head of a family who received an annuity, the total number of men, women, children, and members in each family, and the total of money received by each family, tribe, and band. The head of family made an X (their mark) by their name indicating payment received and that they were illiterate. Native American names are spelled phonetically in English. At the end of each annuity payment list, the Indian Agent and other witnesses signed, including missionaries, other agents and military officers. Sometimes payment were late. Upper Peninsula tribes were usually paid during the summer, Lower Peninsula in the fall and early winter, and the more southerly tribes often had to wait until January. Before the Ottawa and Chippewa Treaty of Detroit, 1855, the Grand River Ottawas were paid under two different treaties, two separate payrolls, usually the same day and time (noted here as Part 1 and 2). (This information is from the collection.)
