Compiled by Edward E. Hill, 1965
The National Archives in Washington, D. C., holds much of the original Bureau of Indian Affairs records for Indians. These original records must be viewed in person at the National Archives.
Introduction ... Table of Contents ... Appendix I-III
... Index: A-Em ... Em-Mo
... Mo-Z
Entries: 1-74 ... 75-120 ... 121-197 ... 198-284 ... 285-355 ... 356-443 ... 444-521 ... 522-576 ... 577-643 ... 644-711 ... 712-784 ... 785-860 ... 861-940 ... 941-998 ... 999-1040 ... 1041-1112 ... 1113-1182 ... 1183-1243 ... 1244-1362 ... 1363-1401
Records of the Mackinac Agency
See the records of the Michigan Superintendency and Mackinac Agency.
Records of the Malheur Agency
The Malheur Agency was established in 1873 for bands of Shoshoni, Bannock, and Paiute Indians living on the Malheur Reservation in eastern Oregon. The Indians deserted the reservation in 1878; and most of them were eventually settled on the Yakima Reservation. The agency, however, was continued for several years. In 1880 the agent was demoted to the position of farmer in charge. The agency was abolished in 1882.
1876-82. 8 in.
Chiefly letters received (including circulars) from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and others. There are also some school reports, sanitary reports, reports of personnel changes, and other form reports prepared by the agent or by employees. Arranged by year. Thereunder the letters are arranged in rough chronological order. The reports are usually segregated by type. For copies of letters sent, see entry
1114.
1876-78, 1880-82. 3 vols. 2 in.
Press copies. Arranged chronologically. The volume for the period October 1878-July 1880 is missing. There are alphabetical indexes or registers in the individual volumes. For letters received, see entry
1113.
1876-78. 1 vol. 1/2 in.
A record of number of hours worked each day by individual Indians, with monthly totals. Arranged chronologically.
Jan.-July 1876. 1 vol. 1 in.
Given for individual Indians is information concerning the amount and kind of work performed and the goods with which they were paid (including estimates of their monetary value). Arranged by name of Indian and thereunder chronologically. Included in the volume are some copies of contracts and related documents for 1877 and 1878.
1876-78. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
A chronological record of issues of goods to Indians in payment for labor. There are references to the ledger described in entry
1118.
1876-78. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
A record of wages credited to Indians and of issues of goods debited against them. There are references to the journal described in entry
1117. Arranged by accounts for individual Indians and thereunder chronologically by date of transaction. There is an alphabetical index to names of Indians. See also the volume described in entry
1116.
1875-82. 1 vol. 2 in.
Contains statements of receipts and disbursements of funds. Beginning in July 1879 there are also notations of receipts of goods, changes in livestock holdings, employees. manufactures, transfers of property, personnel changes, and other transactions or changes. Beginning in 1860 the farmer in charge could not make actual disbursements but could issue certified vouchers. Entries for receipts and for disbursements are on facing pages and are arranged chronologically.
Records of the Michigan Superintendency and Mackinac Agency
The Michigan Superintendency was established in 1805 with the organization of Michigan Territory. Until 1836 the Territorial Governor at Detroit served as ex officio superintendent. Michigan Territory originally consisted of only the Lower Peninsula and the eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula. In 1818 the Territory's boundaries were extended to include the present States of Wisconsin and Minnesota east of the Mississippi River. The jurisdiction of the Michigan Superintendency, however, did not always coincide with the Territorial boundaries.
The principal tribes under the supervision of the Michigan Superintendency were Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Menominee, Winnebago, Wyandot, Seneca, Shawnee, Delaware, Miami, Oneida, Stockbridge, and Munsee.
Until after the War of 1812 there were no permanent agencies in Michigan, and the superintendent had immediate charge of Indian matters in the Territory. Three agencies, established in 1815, were assigned to the Michigan Superintendency: the Mackinac Agency (or Michilimackinac Agency) on Mackinac Island north of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan; the Chicago Agency; and the Green Bay Agency in the present State of Wisconsin. (There had been an agency in operation at Chicago from 1805 to 1811.)
In 1817 the already operating Fort Wayne Agency (later called Indiana Agency) and the Piqua Agency (later called Ohio Agency) were assigned to the Michigan Superintendency.
The Sault Ste. Marie Agency, on the Upper Peninsula near the sault or falls of the St. Mary's River, was established in 1822. In 1832 the Mackinac and Sault Ste. Marie Agencies were consolidated; and the Sault Ste. Marie agent, Henry R. Schoolcraft, was put in charge. He stayed at Sault Ste. Marie until 1833, when he moved to Mackinac.
There were also a number of subagencies in the Michigan Superintendency, a few of which should be mentioned. From about 1827 until 1836 there was a subagent assigned to the Ottawa of Maumee in Ohio. The Fort Winnebago Subagency, near the portage of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, was established in 1829. The Rock River Subagency was transferred from the St. Louis Superintendency to the Michigan Superintendency in 1831; it was abolished in 1834. From 1832 until 1834 the New York Subagency at Buffalo was assigned to the Michigan Superintendency.
The Prairie du Chien Agency, established in 1807, was located in Michigan Territory; however, after some early changes in superintendency, it was assigned to the St. Louis Superintendency in 1822. The St. Peters Agency, established in 1819 and also assigned to the St. Louis Superintendency in 1822, was located just west of Michigan Territory; but some of the Sioux Indians assigned to it lived east of the Mississippi in what was then part of Michigan Territory.
In 1834 the jurisdiction of the Michigan Superintendency was reduced, although the boundaries of Michigan Territory were extended from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River in that year. The Chicago, Indiana (formerly Fort Wayne), and Ohio (formerly Piqua) Agencies and the New York Subagency were all made independent. The Chicago Agency, in addition to being responsible for Indians living in Illinois, was put in charge of Indians living as far north as the Milwaukee River and of some Indians living north of that river. The Prairie du Chien and St. Peters Agencies remained in the St. Louis Superintendency. Most of the sub-agencies in Michigan were abolished.
The consolidated Mackinac and Sault Ste. Marie Agency was continued; but the commanding officer at Fort Brady was designated to act as agent for the Indians in the immediate vicinity of Sault Ste. Marie. Also in the Michigan Superintendency were the Green Bay Agency, the Fort Winnebago Subagency, a subagency at Detroit for the lower part of Michigan, and the Maumee Subagency in Ohio. The Maumee Subagency was abolished in 1836.
Wisconsin Territory was organized in 1836, reducing Michigan to its present boundaries. The Green Bay Agency and the Fort Winnebago Sub-agency were transferred to the new Wisconsin Superintendency. By that time the Michigan Superintendency was responsible primarily for only Chippewa, Ottawa, and some Potawatomi Indians.
In July 1836, in anticipation of Michigan's admission to statehood, the Mackinac Agent was designated to act as superintendent instead of the Territorial Governor. He was supposed to spend the summers at Mackinac and the winters at Detroit. Over the years, however, the superintendents gradually spent more time at Detroit and less time at Mackinac.
Under the regulations adopted in 1837, the Michigan Superintendency was made responsible for the Indians in Michigan and the Ottawa at Maumee. One agency and two subagencies were authorized for Michigan. The Mackinac Agency was assigned the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. The Sault Ste. Marie Subagency was established for the Upper Peninsula. The Saginaw Subagency replaced the Detroit Subagency for the southern part of Michigan. After 1839; when the use of Army officers as disbursing officers was discontinued, the Michigan superintendent handled disbursements for the Green Bay and La Pointe Agencies in Wisconsin as well as for Michigan. In 1846 the Saginaw Subagency was abolished, and its duties were assigned to the Mackinac Agency.
The Michigan Superintendency was abolished in 1851. The new Northern Superintendency was placed in charge of Indian affairs in Wisconsin and Michigan. In practice, however, the Mackinac Agent and the Sault Ste. Marie Subagent had little contact with the superintendent; and in 1853 the superintendent was informed that only the Indians living in Wisconsin were in his superintendency.
The Sault Ste. Marie Subagency was discontinued in 1852, and its duties were transferred to the Mackinac Agency. The Mackinac Agency (sometimes called the Michigan Agency) then had charge of all the Indians in Michigan. Between 1853 and 1858 the Mackinac Agency had some responsibility for the Chippewa Indians living along Lake Superior in Wisconsin and Minnesota; thereafter these Indians were assigned to the La Pointe Agency.
The headquarters of the Mackinac Agency was located at Detroit until 1873. In that year it was moved to Lansing; in 1876, to Ypsilanti; and in 1886, to Flint.
The Mackinac Agency was abolished in 1889. A later agency became known as the Mackinac Agency; but there are no records of this agency in the National Archives.
The records described in entries 1120-1139 were created in four different field offices: the Michigan Superintendency, the Mackinac Agency, the Sault Ste. Marie Agency, and the Sault Ste. Marie Subagency. By 1852 the records had all been incorporated into those of the Mackinac Agency. From l8l4 until 1835 each Territorial Governor maintained separate records in his capacity as ex officio superintendent. There is one volume of letters received by the Mackinac Agency from 1816 until 1831. Most of the other earlier records are those maintained by Henry Schoolcraft at his successive posts. Schoolcraft was agent at Sault Ste. Marie from 1822 until 1833, agent at Mackinac from 1833 until 1836, and agent at Mackinac and acting superintendent from 1836 until 1841. He maintained continuous sets of volumes of letters received and of letters sent throughout the period 1822-41; and these sets were continued by each of his successors in his capacity as agent and acting superintendent. There was no break in the records when the Michigan Superintendency was abolished in 1851 and only the Mackinac Agency remained. The separate records of the Sault Ste. Marie Subagency, 1837-52, were inherited by the Mackinac Agency when it took over the duties of the subagency in 1852.
Many of the records described in entries 1120-1139 have been reproduced by the National Archives as Microfilm Publication 1.
1814-18. 2 vols. 4 in.
Handwritten copies of letters received and letters sent. Arranged chronologically. In each volume there is an alphabetical index to names of correspondents. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For original letters received, beginning in 1819, see entry
1122. For later copies of letters sent, see entry 1121.
1818-23. 2 vols. 4 in.
Handwritten copies. These volumes continue those described in entry 1120. They contain no copies of letters received, however, since they were no longer copied. The letters are arranged chronologically. In the back of the second volume there are some ledger entries for
1841. In each volume there is an alphabetical index to names of addressees. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For letters received, see entry
1122. For later copies of letters sent, see entries 1124 and
1132.
1819-35. 31 vols. 4 ft.
Original letters. Arranged for the most part chronologically. There are some earlier letters, including a few for 1814, inserted in an 1831 volume. In some of the volumes there is an alphabetical index to names of
letter writers. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For copies of letters received, 1814-18, see entry
1120. For later letters received, see entry 1130. For letters sent, 1818-23, see entry
1121.
1815-24. 1/2 in.
Letters received, copies of letters sent, invoices, vouchers, receipts, abstracts, and other records. Arranged in rough chronological order. For the main bound series of correspondence for this period, see entries
1120-1122.
1823, 1826, 1831-33. 2 in.
Handwritten copies. Arranged chronologically. Most of the 1823 letters are also copied in the last letter book described in entry
1121. For later copies of letters sent, see entry
1132.
1822-33. 3 vols. 6 in.
Original letters. Arranged chronologically. In the third volume there is an alphabetical index to names of
letter writers. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For letters received after the agent, Henry R. School-craft, moved from Sault Ste. Marie to Mackinac, see entry
1128. For letters sent from Sault Ste. Marie, see entry 1126.
1822-33. 1 vol. 2 in.
Handwritten copies. Arranged chronologically. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For letters sent after the agent, Henry R. Schoolcraft, moved from Sault Ste. Marie to Mackinac, see entry
1129. For letters received at Sault Ste. Marie, see entry 1125.
1818-28. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
Mrs. Johnston was an Indian trader in the Sault Ste. Marie area; she was also the mother-in-law of Henry R. Schoolcraft, agent at Sault Ste. Marie during this period. The ledger is arranged by accounts with individual Indians.
1816-31, 1833-36. 3 vols. 5 in.
Original letters. Arranged chronologically. In the last two volumes there is an alphabetical index to names of
letter writers. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For letters received by the agent of the consolidated Mackinac and Sault Ste. Marie Agency at Sault Ste. Marie during 1832 and the early part of 1833, see the last volume described in entry
1125. For later letters received, see entry 1130. For letters sent, 1833-36, see entry
1129.
1833-36. 1 vol. 2 in.
Handwritten copies. These copies of letters sent were maintained by Henry R. Schoolcraft during the period when he was agent at Mackinac but before he became acting superintendent. Arranged chronologically. These records have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For copies of letters sent that were maintained by Schoolcraft while he was stationed at the Sault Ste. Marie Agency (1822-33), see entry
1126. For letters sent after the Mackinac agent became acting superintendent, see entry
1132. For letters received by the Mackinac agency for the periods 1816-31 and 1833-36, see entry
1128.
1836-70. 42 vols. 6 ft.
Original letters received by the combined superintendency and agency for the years 1836-51, and, after the discontinuance of the superintendency, by the agency alone. Arranged chronologically. There is an alphabetical index to names of
letter writers in the first volume only. The volumes for the years 1836-51 have been reproduced
by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For earlier letters received by the two separate jurisdictions, see entries
1122 and 1128. For unbound letters received, 1849-82, see entry
1131. For copies of letters sent, see entries 1132 and
1133.
1849-82. 2 ft.
For the years 1849-70 these are letters that were not bound with the main series of letters received (see entry
1130). Many of them, including quite a few petitions, relate to applications for positions; others relate to claims, proposals for supplying goods, schools, work done by employees, and other subjects. For the period 1871-82 this is the main series of letters received, although for some years few letters have survived. Arranged for the most part by year, thereunder alphabetically by name of writer, and thereunder chronologically. Some of the letters are similar to documents among the financial and statistical records described in entry
1134 (particularly reports of employees) and records concerning proposals for supplying goods. For letters sent, see entries
1132 and 1133.
1836-59. 6 vols. 1 ft.
Handwritten copies of letters sent by the combined superintendency and agency for the years 1836-51, and, after the discontinuance of the superintendency in 1851, by the agency alone. Arranged for the most part chronologically. The volumes for the years 1836-51 have been reproduced by the National Archives as part of Microfilm Publication 1. For earlier copies of letters sent by the two separate jurisdictions, see entries
1121, 1124, and 1129. For later press copies, beginning in 1865, see entry
1133. No copies -- either handwritten or press -- have been found for the period June 1859-April 1865. For letters received, see entries
1130 and 1131.
1865-68, 1877-85. 10 vols. 1 ft.
Press copies. Arranged chronologically. In some of the volumes there is an alphabetical index to names of addressees. For earlier handwritten copies, see entry
1132. No copies -- either handwritten or press -- have been found for the periods June 1859-April 1865 and May 1868-October 1877. For letters received, see entries
1130 and 1131.
1845-82. 1 ft.
Vouchers, contracts, proposals for supplying goods, receipts for annuity goods, estimates, tabular statements of funds remitted, statements of receipts and disbursements, abstracts of disbursements, statements of account current, requisitions, statements of public funds, bank account statements, Treasury Department notices, reports of blacksmiths and other employees, reports of personnel changes, notices of approval of appointments, correspondence, circulars, statements of
letters received, depositions, deeds, maps, forms for statistical sections of annual reports, and other records chiefly concerning employees, annuity goods, accounts, work accomplishments, and land allotments. Arranged in rough chronological order. Some undated and unidentified items are at the end of the series. Similar records are among the unbound letters received (see entry
1131). For separate school reports, see entry 1135.
1855-61, 1864, 1871-82. 1 ft.
Monthly, quarterly, and annual school reports -- mainly on standard forms. Some of the reports include information concerning individual students. Arranged for the most part chronologically and thereunder by name of teacher. There are a few maps that were prepared by students and some samples of handwriting at the end of the series. There are some narrative school reports among the unbound letters received (entry
1131).
1841-45, 1849-51. 2 vols. 4 in.
A record of accounts kept for the superintendent and other employees and for different jurisdictions. One ledger is for the years 1841-45 and 1849-51; the other is for the years 1849-50. The two volumes contain entries for some of the same transactions but in somewhat different form. Entries in the ledgers are arranged by account and thereunder chronologically by date of transaction.
1838-39. 1 vol. 2 in.
Handwritten copies of letters sent by Col. Henry Smith, who served briefly as Assistant Disbursing Agent and then as Principal Disbursing Agent for the Detroit District. In May 1839 his duties were assumed by the superintendent. The letters are arranged chronologically. There is an alphabetical index to names of addressees.
1837-52. 3 in.
Letters received and drafts of letters sent. Arranged by year. Thereunder the correspondence is divided into letters received and letters sent, and thereunder the letters are arranged chronologically. For correspondence of the Sault Ste. Marie Agency, 1822-33, see entries
1125 and 1126.
1837-52. 1 ft.
Included are vouchers, receipts, contracts, estimates, requisitions, statements of funds remitted, abstracts of disbursements, statements of account current, property returns, statements of persons employed, statistical reports of employees, and transmittal letters. Arranged in rough chronological order.
Records of the Minnesota Superintendency
The Minnesota Superintendency was established in 1849 with the organization of Minnesota Territory, which included the eastern part of what later became North and South Dakota. The Territorial Governor at St. Paul served as ex officio superintendent throughout the existence of the superintendency.
The Indians living in Minnesota were mainly Sioux, Chippewa, and Winnebago. There were also some Assiniboin and Mandan, but these Indians had few contacts with the superintendent.
When the superintendency was established, the Winnebago and St. Peters Agencies were assigned to it. These agencies previously had been assigned to the St. Louis Superintendency. The Winnebago Agency was responsible for the Winnebago Indians and, until 1850, the Chippewa Indians living in Minnesota; the St. Peters Agency was responsible for the Sioux Indians.
In 1850 the La Pointe Subagency, which had been moved from Wisconsin to Minnesota and renamed the Sandy Lake Subagency, was placed under the Minnesota Superintendency. In the following year it became the Chippewa Agency; and it was made responsible for the Chippewa of the Mississippi already living in Minnesota and previously assigned to the Winnebago Agency as well as for the Chippewa of Lake Superior who were being moved into Minnesota from Wisconsin and Michigan.
The Minnesota Superintendency was discontinued in 1856, and its three agencies were transferred to the Northern Superintendency. The headquarters of the Northern Superintendency was moved from Milwaukee, Wis., to St. Paul.
1849-56. 3 ft.
Letters received (including some copies of letters sent), petitions, affidavits, subpoenas, muster rolls, contracts, bonds, proposals for supplying goods, invoices, vouchers, estimates, requisitions, receipts for annuity goods, statements of funds remitted, abstracts of disbursements, statements of account current, property returns, and other records. Some of the records concern Territorial matters other than Indian affairs. Arranged by year and thereunder in part by kind of record and in part by subject (particularly, schools and the removal of Indians). The letters received for each year, except those arranged under subject headings, are arranged by source (particularly, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and each of the agencies in the superintendency) and thereunder chronologically.
1849-56. 4 vols. 8 in.
Handwritten copies. Included are some letters sent by the Governor in his capacity as Governor rather than as superintendent. Arranged
chronologically. In the first volume there is an alphabetical index to names of addressees and to subjects; and in the third volume there is an incomplete index.
Records of the Montana Superintendency
The Montana Superintendency was established in 1864 with the organization of Montana Territory. Montana had been part of Idaho Territory since 1863; and before 1863 it was divided between Washington and Dakota Territories. The Territorial Governor served as ex officio superintendent until 1869; thereafter a separate superintendent was appointed. Until 1869 the headquarters of the Montana Superintendency was located at the Territorial capital -- Bannock, 1864-65, and Virginia City, 1865-69. After 1869 the superintendency headquarters was located at Helena.
The principal tribes in Montana were Blackfeet (Sihasapa), Piegan, Blood (Hainan), Grosventre, Flathead, Kutenai, Pend d'Oreille, Crow, Assiniboin, and several bands of Sioux.
The Blackfeet and Flathead Agencies were the original agencies in the Montana Superintendency. They remained in the superintendency throughout most of its existence. (From September 1865 until February 1866 the Flathead Agency was assigned to the Idaho Superintendency.) Between 1867 and 1869 there were several special agents in Montana Territory. The Crow Agency was established in 1869. The Milk River Agency was established in 1870; it was moved in 1873 to Fort Peck on the Missouri River; and it was renamed the Fort Peck Agency in 1874. The Fort Belknap Agency was established in 1873 for the Indians still living along the Milk River.
The Montana Superintendency was discontinued on June 30, 1873. Thereafter the agents in Montana reported direct to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington.
1867-73. 1 ft.
Letters received, contracts, bonds, licenses, affidavits, proposals, vouchers, receipts, invoices, estimates, requisitions, financial statements, statements of letters received, reports on farming, and other records. Included are some telegrams received and a few copies of letters sent. The records are arranged by year and thereunder for the most part by kind of record. The letters received are arranged by source (mainly, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and each of the agencies in the superintendency) and thereunder for the most part chronologically. For some years, especially 1868, there are few records.
June 27, 1869-Jan. 10, 1879. 1 vol. 1 in.
Handwritten copies. Arranged chronologically. No copies of letters sent during other periods have been found, except the few that are among the records described in entry
1142.
Records of the Moqui Pueblo Agency
The agency for the Moqui Pueblo Indians (now called Hopi Indians) was established in 1869 at Fort Wingate, Ariz. In 1871 it was moved to Fort Defiance; and in 1874 it was moved about 75 miles vest to the Moqui Reservation. The agency was under the supervision of the Arizona Superintendency until that superintendency was abolished in 1873. It was consolidated with the Navajo Agency in 1883. It was made an independent agency again in 1899. Records of the agency now in the National Archives are for only the years 1875-83.
1875-83. 10 in.
Letters received, handwritten copies of letters sent, circulars, invoices, bills of lading, statements of public funds, reports concerning personnel, and other records. Arranged by year, thereunder by type of record, and thereunder for the most part chronologically.
1882-83. 1 vol. 1 in.
Press copies, chiefly of letters sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Arranged chronologically. A few loose letters for the years 1879-81 have been inserted in the volume.
1880-82. 1 vol. 1 in.
A diary kept by the agent. There are some separate notes concerning the Reverend Charles A. Taylor, a missionary, and the planting of a garden.
1878-83. 1 vol. 2 in.
Contains statements of receipts and disbursements of funds and goods. Entries for receipts and for disbursements are on facing pages; and the entries for each are arranged chronologically.
Records of the Nett Lake Agency
The Nett Lake Agency was established in 1908 for the Chippewa Indians living on the Bois Fort Reservation in northern Minnesota. These Indians previously had been under the La Pointe Agency. In 1919 the agency was consolidated with the Fond du Lac Agency.
1908-14. 2 vols. 2 in.
Included in these books are a diary of events, a transcript of council proceedings, abstracts and lists concerning allotments, digests of court findings, a register of employees, a record of irregular labor (chiefly on forest fires), and financial records. Arranged in part by subject and in part chronologically. There is an alphabetical subject index in each volume.
1914-17. 1 vol. 1 in.
Entries for individual receipts or disbursements give date, from
whom received or to whom disbursed, purpose, quarter of year, voucher number, and the amount received or disbursed under different appropriation headings. Arranged chronologically.
Records of the Nevada Superintendency
The Nevada Superintendency was established in 1861 and remained in operation until 1870. There are records of the superintendency, however, for only the period of service of the last superintendent, Maj. Henry Douglas, 1869-70. The superintendency headquarters was at Carson City.
The principal tribes living in Nevada were Paiute, Washo, and Shoshoni. During 1869 and 1870 there were two agencies in Nevada. The South East Nevada Agency (or Pi-Ute Agency) was responsible for the Paiute Indians living in southeastern Nevada and adjacent parts of Utah and Arizona. The Nevada Agency was responsible for the other Indians in Nevada. After the Nevada Superintendency was abolished in 1870, the agents reported direct to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington.
1869-70. 2 in.
Chiefly letters received, but including a few copies of letters sent. The letters are divided according to source: letters from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and certain other officials, letters from agents and from farmers on reservations, and letters from others. Thereunder they are arranged chronologically by date of letter; the letters from agents and farmers, however, are arranged by name of agency or reservation. In the volumes of letters sent (entry
1151) there are chronological registers of letters received.
1869-70. 2 vols. 1 in.
Handwritten copies. Arranged chronologically. In each volume there is an alphabetical index to names of addressees and subjects. There are also marginal notations of the page numbers for other letters sent to the same addressee. In each volume there is also a register of letters received during the period covered by the volume. For the letters received, see entry
1150.
1869-70. 1 in.
Population computations, statements of letters received, statements of persons employed, contracts, estimates, statements of funds remitted, lists of checks paid, and other records. Arranged by kind of record.
1869-70. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
A record of credits and debits to accounts kept for different kinds of expenses. Arranged by account. There is an alphabetical subject index.
Records of the New Mexico Superintendency
The New Mexico Superintendency was established at Santa Fe in 1850 -- with the organization of New Mexico Territory -- to replace the Santa Fe Agency, which had been established on March 28, 1849. New Mexico originally included Arizona and parts of Colorado and Nevada. When Colorado and Arizona Territories were established in 1861 and 1863, respectively, New Mexico was reduced to its present boundaries. Until 1857 the Territorial Governor served as ex officio superintendent; thereafter a separate official was appointed.
The principal Indians in New Mexico were Ute, Apache, Navajo, Pueblo, Pima, Papago, and Maricopa.
In 1851 Congress authorized the appointment of four agents to serve under the superintendent. At first these agents did not have specific assignments but were sent wherever the superintendent decided they were needed. Regular agencies were gradually established for the different tribes. The first permanent agencies were the Navajo (1852), Southern Apache (1852) -- Mimbreņo, Mogollon, Coyotero, and, for a time, the Mescalero Apache Indians; Utah (1853) -- various bands of Ute and at times the Jicarilla Apache Indians; Abiquiu (1854) -- Capote Ute and Jicarilla Apache Indians until 1862 and thereafter Capote and Wiminuche Ute Indians; and Pueblo (1854). The Tucson Agency was established in 1857 for the Pima, Papago, Maricopa, and Apache Indians, who lived mainly on the land acquired by the Gadsden Purchase. It was abandoned in 1861, when Confederate troops occupied the area. Control was not reestablished until after Arizona had been made a separate superintendency. The Conejos Agency for the Tabaquache Ute was established in 1860 and was transferred to the Colorado Superintendency in 1861. The Mescalero Agency was established in 1861. In 1862 the Cimarron Agency for the Jicarilla Apache and Moache Ute replaced the Utah Agency. The Navajo Agency, although located in Arizona after 1868, remained in the New Mexico Superintendency.
The New Mexico Superintendency was abolished in 1874. Thereafter the agents in New Mexico reported direct to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington.
Described among the records of the New Mexico Superintendency is one letter book (see entry 1165) maintained by the Cimarron Agency. There are separate records of the Southern Apache Agency (entries 1217-1222).
1852-53; Sept.-Nov. 1863. 1 vol. 1 in.
A daily record of events and transactions, such as visits of Indians, arrivals and departures of agents, issuance of licenses to traders, issuance of instructions, arrival and departure of mail, and payments made. Included are some statements of the United States in account with the superintendent, 1869-73. Arranged chronologically.
1850-74. 6 ft.
Letters received (with some copies and drafts of letters sent), circulars, vouchers, invoices, bills of lading, financial statements, property returns, licenses, contracts, proposals, estimates, printed Army orders, and other records. There are some records concerning Territorial matters other than Indian affairs. Arranged by year and thereunder for the most part by kind of record. The letters received are usually divided according to source: those from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, those from agents in the superintendency, and those from others. Thereunder they are arranged for the most part chronologically; letters from agents may be arranged by name of agency and thereunder chronologically. There are no letters from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs after February 1872. For the main series of letters sent, see entry
1158. For segregated letters from Agent Christopher (Kit) Carson, see entry
1157. For segregated documents in Spanish, see entry 1156. For other documents concerning financial matters, see entries
1160-1164.
1852-59. 2 in.
Chiefly letters received from agents and other persons, which were segregated from the main series of incoming correspondence (entry
1155). Not all the documents written in Spanish for the years given above have been so segregated, and none of the later ones have been segregated. Arranged in rough chronological order.
1854-60. 2 in.
Letters written by Carson while he was agent at the Utah Agency. They were segregated from the main series of incoming correspondence of the superintendency (entry
1155) in the Bureau in 1914. Arranged chronologically.
1851-73. 9 vols. 1 ft.
Press copies. Arranged for the most part chronologically. The 1851 and some of the 1852 letters are included with the 1857 letters. In some of the volumes there is an alphabetical index to names of addressees. There are other copies and drafts of letters sent with the letters received and other records described in entry
1155.
1859-69. 1 vol. 1/2 in.
This book was used at different times and for different purposes. For 1859-60 there are records of accounts of the Navajo Agent and a diary kept by him for a few days. There are also a list of expenses incurred in feeding Pueblo Indians in 1866, a list of goods that were transferred to Superintendent Norton in 1866, and a list of purchases that were made in 1869. For 1869 there are also copies of endorsements on letters received by the superintendent and referred to other officials. These endorsements were continued in the volume described in entry
1161.
1853-57, 1871. 1 vol. 1 in.
Begun as a chronological record of debits and credits to the cash
account ("cash book"). There are also accounts for special funds, such as the Rescue Fund, Contingent Fund, Treaty Fund, and Pueblo Fund, and for payments of salaries. For 1871 there are accounts for salary funds, the Apache Fund, the Incidental Fund, and miscellaneous expenses. For later cashbook, see entry
1161. For other ledgers, see entries 1163 and
1161.
1861-65, 1869-72. 1 vol. 1 in.
For 1861-65 there is a chronological record of debits and credits to the cash account of the superintendent. There are entries for many of the same transactions in the journal described in entry
1162 and in the ledger described in entry 1163. There is also a check account for 1861-62. For 1869-72 there are copies of endorsements on letters received by the superintendent and referred to other officials, most frequently to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Arranged chronologically. For earlier cash account, see entry
1160. For earlier endorsements, see entry 1159.
1861-66. 1 vol. 2 in.
A chronological record of transactions concerning the transmittal of funds to agents. There are also a few statements of account current. The journal entries include page references to the ledger described in entry
1163. There are no journal entries for the period August 1863-June 1865. There are entries for many of the same transactions in the cashbook described in entry
1161.
1861-69. 1 vol. 2 in.
A record of transactions concerning transmittal of funds to agents. It consists chiefly of accounts for individual agents, but there are also some general accounts. The accounts are arranged for the most part chronologically by date of first transaction. Until 1866 the ledger entries include page references to the chronological journal described in entry
1162. See also the cashbook described in entry 1161. For other ledgers, see entries
1160 and 1164.
1863-64, 1870-74. 1 vol. 1 in.
This ledger was maintained by the superintendency for the period
1863-64 and by the Southern Apache Agency for the period 1870-74. There are general statements of account current and accounts for particular funds and for individuals. There are also some records of issues, including some for 1865 and 1866. Arranged roughly by type of account. For other superintendency ledgers, see entries
1160 and 1163. For other records of the Southern Apache Agency, see entries 1217-1222.
July 1-Oct. 23, 1870. 1 vol. 2 in.
Press copies. There are letters for only the period when Maj. W. P. Wilson was agent. During 1869 and the early part of 1870 the volume was used for some letters sent by Army officers at Cimarron. Arranged chronologically.
1849-50. Negligible.
Letters received, vouchers, invoices, and other records maintained by Capt. Henry Dodge. The letters received are separated from the other records; records in each group are arranged chronologically. Dodge became agent of the Navajo Agency in 1853, which may account for these records' being among those of the New Mexico Superintendency.
Records of the New York Agency
The New York Agency, originally known as the Six Nations Agency, was established in 1792. It remained in operation, either as an agency or subagency, until 1949. There are, however, records of the agency in the National Archives for only the years 1938-49. The Indians living in New York at this time were Allegheny and Cattaraugus Seneca, Tonawanda Seneca, Tuscarora, Onondago, Cayuga, Oneida, and St. Regis. In 1938 the agency headquarters was at Salamanca; it was moved to Buffalo in 1939 and back to Salamanca in 1947.
1938-49. 4 ft.
Letters received, copies of letters sent, reports, copies of tribal acts and resolutions, certificates of election, contracts, leases, affidavits, briefs, questionnaire forms, rosters, schedules, maps, plats, clippings, and other records. Most of the records relate to tribal relations and tribal government or land matters, particularly leases. Arranged by a modified version of the decimal subject classification system used by the central office of the Bureau (see entry
121). Within each classification the records are arranged for the most part chronologically. At the end of the series there are some unclassified records, including some employee record cards. There are a few records dated earlier than 1938.
Records of the Northern Superintendency
The Northern Superintendency was established in 1851 as part of the general reorganization of the field service in that year. The superintendent was informed that he would have charge of the Indians living in Wisconsin and Michigan, that is, the Indians of the Mackinac Agency and Sault Ste. Marie Subagency in Michigan (Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians), and the Indians of the Green Bay Subagency in Wisconsin (Menominee, Oneida, and Stockbridge Indians). There were also some stray Potawatomi Indians and other Indians in Wisconsin. Mackinac and Sault Ste. Marie had previously been under the Michigan Superintendency; and the Green Bay Subagency had not been assigned to a superintendency since the discontinuance of the Wisconsin Superintendency in 1848. The Northern Superintendency actually had little contact with Indian affairs in Michigan. The Sault Ste. Marie Subagency was consolidated with the Mackinac Agency in 1852; and the Mackinac Agent usually reported direct to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington. When the superintendent inquired concerning his authority in 1853, he was informed that his superintendency included only the Menominee, Oneida, and Stockbridge Indians. In 1855 Green Bay was made a full agency.
The superintendent made his headquarters briefly at Green Bay and then at Sheboygan. The superintendent who was appointed in 1853 established his office at Milwaukee. In 1856 the Minnesota Superintendency was discontinued and its agencies were transferred to the Northern Superintendency. The superintendent was ordered to move his headquarters to St. Paul, Minn. Until 1857, however, he alternated between St. Paul and Milwaukee. The agencies in Minnesota consisted of St. Peters (Sioux of the Mississippi Indians), Winnebago, and Chippewa (Chippewa of the Mississippi Indians). Beginning in 1857 the Green Bay Agency was no longer responsible to the Northern Superintendency, and the agent reported direct to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington. In 1858 the La Pointe Agency was established -- under the Northern Superintendency -- for the Chippewa of Lake Superior living in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1863 many of the Winnebago and Sioux Indians and the Winnebago Agency were moved to Dakota Territory; but they remained under the Northern Superintendency.
In 1865 the Northern Superintendency was completely reorganized. Its office was moved from St. Paul, Minn., to Omaha, Nebr. It was made responsible for the Omaha, Pawnee, Otoe (Oto and Missouri Indians), Great Nemaha (Iowa and Sauk and Fox of the Missouri Indians), and Winnebago Agencies in Nebraska and the Upper Platte Agency (Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Sioux Indians), then located at Fort Laramie but later moved into Nebraska. Only the Winnebago Agency, which had been moved from Dakota to Nebraska, had previously been assigned to the Northern Superintendency. The other agencies were transferred from the Central Superintendency. The Chippewa and La Pointe Agencies were no longer attached to a superintendency. The St. Peters Agency, which had been moved to Dakota Territory, was transferred to the Dakota Superintendency. In 1866, however, it was moved to Nebraska and was again within the limits of the Northern Superintendency. This agency became known as the Santee Sioux Agency.
The Upper Platte Agency was moved to Dakota in 1868; and in 1869 it was transferred to the Dakota Superintendency and renamed the Whetstone Creek Agency. In 1875 the Pawnee moved to Indian Territory; and in 1876 the Pawnee Agency was transferred to the Central Superintendency.
The Northern Superintendency was discontinued on June 30, 1876. Thereafter the Otoe, Omaha, Great Nemaha, Winnebago, and Santee Sioux agents reported direct to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington.
With the records of the Northern Superintendency there is one letter book of the Winnebago Agency (see entry 1182).
1851-76. 6 ft.
Letters received, drafts and copies of letters sent, vouchers, receipts, invoices, bills of lading, estimates, bids, contracts, statements of funds remitted, abstracts of disbursements, property returns, Treasury Department notices, affidavits, licenses, annual reports, school reports, rosters, reports concerning employees, applications of Indians for credit from traders, circulars, schedules, and other records. For the period before the removal of the superintendency to Omaha in 1865 this is the principal series for letters received, but there are few letters for 1861-65. Arranged by year and thereunder for the most part by kind of record. The letters received during each year are usually divided according to source, particularly from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and each of the agencies in the superintendency, and thereunder chronologically. Most of the letters received during 1865-76 are in the series described in entries
1172-1174. The record copies of letters sent for most years were kept in letter books (entries
1169, 1170, 1175, and
1177-1179).
1851-56. 3 vols. 6 in.
Handwritten copies of letters received and letters sent. Arranged chronologically. There is a register in each of the first two volumes. For original letters received, see entry
1168. For later copies of letters sent, see entry 1170.
1857-61. 1 vol. 3 in.
Handwritten copies of letters to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, agents, and others. Arranged chronologically. For earlier copies of letters sent, see entry
1169. For later copies of letters sent, beginning in 1865, see entries
1175 and 1177-1179. See also the letters received and copies of letters sent that are described in entry
1168.
1865-66. 1 vol. 1 in.
There are two sets of statements, or registers, of letters received in somewhat different form -- one for June
1865-February 1866 and another for June 1865-September 1866. There are statements of letters sent for July-November 1865. Each set is arranged chronologically, either by date of receipt of letter or by date of letter. For the letters, see entries
1172 and 1177. For later registers of letters sent, see entry
1176.
1865-67; Dec. 1868-May 1869. 4 vols. 7 in.
Original letters. Arranged chronologically. At the end of the last volume there are some letters from agencies, October 1868-May 1869. For statements of letters received, 1865-66, see entry
1171. For other letters received, see entry 1168. Few of the letters received from the Commissioner after 1867 are in the series. For letters from agents and others, see entries
1173 and 1174. For letters sent to the Commissioner, see entries
1175 and 1177.
1866-69; Apr.-Nov. 1870. 5 vols. 1 ft.
Chiefly original letters received from agents, but including a few from others. Arranged in rough chronological order, often with a number of letters from one agency together. For other letters, see entries
1168 and 1174. For letters received from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, see entry
1172. For letters sent, see entries 1175 and
1177-1179.
1871-76. 3 ft.
Letters received during Barclay White's period of service as superintendent. Arranged by chronological periods of varying length, thereunder alphabetically by surname of writer, and thereunder chronologically. The letters for several periods are missing. For earlier letters, see entry
1173. See also the letters described in entry 1168. For letters sent, see entries
1177-1179.
1865-66. 1 vol. 2 in.
Press copies. Arranged chronologically. There is an alphabetical index to names of addressees. The same letters are copied in the two series of handwritten copies described in entries
1177 and 1178.
1869-75. 5 vols. 1 in.
Serve as guides to most of the copies of letters described in entries 1177 and
1178. There are separate registers for letters to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and for letters to agents and others. There are two registers for each group in separate volumes for 1869-70 and 1871-73; respectively. In the fifth volume there are a register of letters sent to the Commissioner, 1873-75, and a register of letters sent to agents and others, 1873-74. Beginning in 1874 letters to agents were copied in indexed press copy books (entry
1179). The registers of letters sent to the Commissioner are arranged by jurisdictions (the superintendency and each of the agencies) to which they relate and thereunder chronologically. The registers of letters sent to agents are arranged by name of agency, with a separate section for letters sent to
others, and thereunder chronologically. For earlier statements of letters sent to the Commissioner, see entry
1171.
1865-76. 4 vols. 9 in.
Handwritten copies. There are a few letters to other Washington officials. Arranged chronologically. For registers, see entries
1171 and 1176. For copies of letters, 1851-61, see entries
1169 and 1170. Except for those among the records described in entry
1168, no copies of letters to the Commissioner have been found for the period May
1861-July 1865. See also the letters for 1865-66 that are described in entry 1175. For letters to agents and other persons, see entries
1178 and 1179. For letters received from the Commissioner, see entries
1168 and 1172.
1865-74. 3 vols. 7 in.
Handwritten copies. Arranged chronologically. For registers, see entry 1176. For earlier copies, 1851-61, see entries
1169 and 1170. No copies of letters have been found for the period May 1861-July 1865, except those among the records described in entry
1168. For later press copies, see entry 1179. See also the letters for 1865-66 that are described in entry
1175. For copies of letters sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and to other Washington officials, see entry
1177. For letters received, see entries
1168 and 1172-1174.
1874-76. 2 vols. 3 in.
Press copies. Arranged chronologically. In each volume there is an alphabetical index to names of addressees. For earlier handwritten copies, see entry
1178. For letters sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and to other Washington officials, see entry
1177. For letters received, see entries
1168 and 1172-1174.
1851-55. 1 vol. 3/4 in.
Copies of vouchers, 1851; statements of account current. 1852-53; registers of vouchers, 1851-53; abstracts of disbursements and statements of account current, 1853-55; and rosters of employees, 1852. Arranged in the order listed and thereunder for the most part chronologically.
1866-68. 1 vol. 1 in.
General statements of receipts of funds and disbursements by the superintendent. The entries for receipts and for disbursements are on facing pages; entries for each are arranged chronologically. For some quarters there are also abstracts of disbursements for the superintendency and for individual tribes and agencies.
1846, 1848, 1851-52, 1856-62, 1865-66, 1873. 1 vol. 2 in.
Handwritten copies. For 1851-52 there are financial statements
rather than letters. The records are arranged chronologically. There
is a register of letters in the back of the volume.