Lois Edwards Letter

September 1, 2009 To: Bureau Members, I am writing this letter to inform you of the travesty of justice that was perpetrated by our tribal council. Our reclassification was totally illegal, violating our Constitution, Enrollment Ordinance, and Election Ordinance by the members of our tribe who are of less blood quantum than myself and the people they reclassified. The reclassification recommended by a conspiracy of one family to gain dictatorial control over the Maidu tribe which is called Mooretown Rancheria. I am the granddaughter of Ina Jackson and I am 1/2 Concow Maidu my cultural, temporal, connection to this area is lifelong. Growing up as a child I lived from my birth 1948 to 1963 at Enterprise California which is a mere 12 miles from my grandmother's (grandparents) house on Lumpkin Road (Parcel one of Mooretown Rancheria). My mother (Cecilia Martin) Ina Jackson's daughter was 3/4 Concow Maidu. Her step-father Robert (Bob Jack) Jackson married my grandmother after my biological grandfather Frank Martin Sr. was killed in a mining accident 1913. Three years later (1916) Robert and Ina were married. They lived in the Enterprise area from 1913-1928 when they are documented as living in the Feather Falls area and by 1940 they resided on Mooretown Rancheria, where my grandmother lived until her death in 1962. A total of 62 years in Butte county in the vicinity of Mooretown Rancheria and on Mooretown Rancheria for the last 22 years of her life. The Feather Falls area by verified application May, 18, 1928 as California Indian, 12 years. Named by Federal termination in the Federal Register along with her husband Robert Jackson and the final distribution plan of 1961. So how can a genealogist say my grandmother had no connection as a verified member of Mooretown Rancheria as a "distributee" which is the technicality they used to discredit her descendants as having no entitlement to Mooretown Rancheria, with Robert Jackson's and his children , when Kate Arculeta also was a step-child of Fred Taylor claiming all entitlement to Mooretown Rancheria.

Regulations governing Indian allotments on the Public Domain approved April 15, 1918 and revised February 1, 1928 states on page 5 , a paragraph on "Indian Wives" states that: In every case where an Indian woman files applications for her minor children it must appear that she has not only applied for herself under the fourth section but has used the land in her own application in some beneficial manner, which my grandmother did do for herself and her two minor children who were living with her on that date. My step-grandfather, Robert Jackson did claim to be a father to his stepchildren. Documented on federal roll, Census of the Digger Indians of Greenville Agency California on June 2, 1916 taken by James Groves, Census Taker. I was an alternate council member from 1991 to 1997 and then asked to be the Chairperson of the DNA Committee and also the Enrollment Chairperson from 1991 to 2005 when I was told I was no longer a lineal member by tribal council March 10th 2005. My signature is recorded on many enrollment applications for members of Mooretown Rancheria. Lineal and adoptee. My question to you is where is the justice in this government to government relationship and where is the protection of the tribe and its tribal members? Our Chairperson said by reclassifying the Martin descendants he was protecting the integrity of the tribe, when his blood quantum is 3/16th. What a laugh! Majority rule! I was told to dis-enroll and go help Enterprise Rancheria because my father's Grandmother Emma Walters and mother Lizzie Parker are from Enterprise. When Mooretown needed blood quantum I suppose they secured themselves with the Martin Family members, then when the tribe got started and the Casino built they no longer needed us. Sincerely Yours, Lois J. Edwards 1/2 Concow Maidu Reclassified Member of Mooretown Rancheria March 10, 2005 I was enrolled as a lineal member to Mooretown Rancheria by Chairwoman Darlene Cummings who helped organize our tribe in 1989.