Hello! First, I would like to say please email me at BethHolcomb@cox.net since this is my aunt account and do not want to mess up her settings. Thank you for your understanding!
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I have found recently, that a distant uncle and aunt were both are on the 1900 Census as follow:

Reservation, Umatilla County, Oregon, District 182

residence: Umatilla Indian Reservation
Umatilla, Oregon

Samuel B Neil and Mary Louise Box are listed #22 household

My curiosity has the best of me.. but would white folks be living on reservation? or is this the proof I been trying to find that they were Native Indians?

I do know in 1870, that the brother to both of these above, William James Neal and his wife, Rosanna; were also both living in Umatilla County, Oregon in Walla Walla Precinct; #157-#143. Post Office: Cayuse ((in the far left corner of the paper I have, PageNo. 21))

**The family would interchange the name Neil and Neal quite a bit. Please do not let this confuse you any. /smile**

What is this trying to tell me? or am I thinking all wrong about this family being Native Indians despite the stories we heard... I can provide more information if needed later!

Again, please email me directly at bethholcomb@cox.net since this is my aunt's account and I do not want to mess up her settings! Thank you for your understanding!!

Beth~

Hello Beth:

I'm afraid just because Samuel Neil and Mary Box were living on the Indian Reservation doesn't prove much of anything. Samuel was a farmer and may or may not have owned the land he was farming. I don't think the Reservation kept the occupants strictly to Indians. In the 1910 census they were still living in Umatilla Co., although in a different precinct, and Samuel was then a gold miner.

Couldn't tell if you are trying to prove Native American descent or not, but you will have to do more research on the subject. Perhaps find obits might help?

Gloria