Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 70.djvu/1019

 70 S T A T. ]

Public Law 943

968

PUBLIC I4AW 943-AUG. 3, 1956 CHAPTER 909

AN ACT To provide for the termination of Federal supervision over the property of the Ottawa Tribe of Indians in the State of Oklahoma and the individual members thereof, and for other purposes.

August 3, 1956 [S. 3969]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the purpose o*?t^w'a xribe, of this Act is to provide for the termination of Federal supervision ^^j'^^^^ over the trust and restricted property of the Ottawa Tribe of Indians vision terminated, located in northeastern Oklahoma and the individual members thereof, and for a termination of Federal services furnished t a such Indians because of their status as Indians. Personal p r SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed erty and funds. o p to transfer within three years after the date of this Act to each member of the Ottawa Tribe unrestricted title to funds or other personal property held in trust for such member by the United States. (b) All restrictions on the sale or encumbrance by the owners of trust or restricted lands that were originally allotted to persons who were at the time of allotment members of the Ottawa Tribe, regardless of whether such owners are themselves members of such triba, and all restrictions on the sale or encumbrance of trust or restricted land owned by members of the tribe (including allottees, heirs, and devisees, either adult or minor), regardless of where the land is located, are hereby removed three years after the date of this Act, and the patents or deeds under which titles are then held shall pass the titles in fee simple, subject to any valid encumbrance. The titles to all interests in trust or restricted land acquired by members of the tribe by devise or inheritance three years or more after the date of this Act shall vest in such members in fee simple, subject to any valid encumbrance. (c) Prior to the time provided in subsection (b) of this section for the removal of restrictions on land owned by more than one member of the tribe, the Secretary may: (1) Upon request of any of the owners made within two years after the date of this Act, partition the land and issue to each owner a patent or deed for his individual share that shall become unrestricted three years from the date of this Act; (2) Upon request of any of the owners and a finding by the Secretary that partition of all or any part of the land is not practicable, cause all or any part of the land to be sold at not less than the appraised value thereof, and distribute the proceeds of sale to the owners: Provided, That any one or more of the owners may elect before a sale to purchase the other interests in the land at not less than the appraised value thereof, and the purchaser shall receive an unrestricted patent or deed to the land; and (3) If the whereabouts of none of the owners can be ascertained, cause such lands to be sold and deposit the proceeds of sale in the Treasury of the United States for safekeeping. Pr SEC. 3. (a) The Act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 855), the Act of tates.o b a t e of e s 151. February 14, 1913 (37 Stat. 678), and other Acts amendatory thereto 25 USC 373. 25 USC shall not apply to the probate of the trust and restricted property of the members of the Ottawa Tribe who die six months or more after the date of this Act. (b) The laws of the several States, Territories, possessions, and the District of Columbia with respect to the probate of wills, the determination of heirs, and the administration of decedents' estates shall apply to the individual property of members of the tribe who die six months or more after the date of this Act.

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