Large collection of stories handwritten in Meskwaki (Fox) syllabary by various authors. These were collected by Truman Michelson in Tama, Iowa. The writers include Alfred Kiyana, Jack Bullard, C.H. Chuck, Bill Leaf, Sakihtanohkweha (Mrs. Bill Leaf), Joe Tesson Jr., Shapochiwa, Harry Lincoln, Jim Peters, Sam Peters, Charles Papakie, Lucy Lasley, and possibly Jim Mamasaw. The other writers are unidentified. Only a rough English translation of one of the stories is present.
This collection contains all 20 original folios of Thomas Loraine Mckenney and James Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with biographical sketches and anecdotes of the principal chiefs. The folios were published and sent to subscribers between 1836-1844 and include 120 hand-colored lithographic plates. As Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1824-1830, McKenney commissioned and collected portraits of Native American leaders, the majority painted by Charles Bird King. These portraits, along with biographical text by James Hall, form the basis of History of the Indian Tribes of North America.
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes all 20 folios of Thomas Loraine Mckenney and James Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with biographical sketches and anecdotes of the principal chiefs in their original wrappers. Each folio includes six hand-colored lithographic plates along with biographical essays on Native American leaders, both men and women, from the early 19th century.
Native Communities represented in these volumes include—Sauk, Meskwaki (Fox), Shawnee, Osage, Anishinaabe (Chippewa/Ojibwa), Mississippi Choctaw, Mdewakantonwan Dakota (Mdewakanton Sioux), Eastern Band of Cherokee, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Oto, Seneca, Chaticks Si Chaticks (Pawnee), Yanktonnai Nakota, Muskogee (Creek), Omaha, Iowa, Sac and Fox (Sauk and Fox), Oklahoma Cherokee, Lenape (Delaware), Numakiki (Mandan), Euchee (Yuchi), Potawatomi, Seminole, Mohawk, Menominee (Menomini), Quatsino Kwakwaka'wakw, Odawa (Ottawa), Pikuni (Piegan) [Blackfeet Nation, Browning, Montana], Powhatan, Kaw (Kansa).
The lithographs were cataloged individually with P (print) numbers P27694-P27813, though not physically separated from their volumes.
Please note that the language and terminology used in this collection reflects the context and culture of the time of its creation, and may include culturally sensitive information. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Arrangement:
Arranged by foilio number.
Biographical / Historical:
Thomas Loraine McKenney was born in 1785 to a family of Quakers in Hopewell, Maryland. Following the abolition of the U.S. Indian Trade program in 1822, McKenney (1785-1859) was appointed to the new position of Superintendent of Indian Affairs, which he held from 1824-1830. During his time as Superintendent of Indian trade in Georgetown, McKenney hired the painter Charles Bird King and began developing a governmental collection of portraits of prominent Native chiefs and elders who visited Washington. Between 1821-1842, King painted over 100 portraits with some assistance from friend and student George Cook.
Following his dismissal from the War Department by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, McKenney moved to Philadelphia to begin the process of getting his collection of portraits reproduced as lithographs with original hand coloring. The publication would document the extensive collection of King paints, many of which were later lost in a fire that destroyed part of the Smithsonian castle in January 1865.
This process was aided by Edward C. Biddle, a Philadelphia printer, who published the first volume (parts 1-6) in 1836 of what would be a three-volume set of 20 folios. James Hall (1793-1868), a judge and known writer, was hired to write text based on McKenney's research. Later parts were published between 1836-1844 by Frederick W. Greenough (parts 7-13), J.T. Bowen (part 14), and by Daniel Rice and James G. Clark (15-20). Several octavo editions were later published.
Provenance:
Provenance is unknown, part of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation collection when the MAI became the NMAI in 1989.
Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America folios and lithographs image #, NMAI.AC.115; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Plate 1 (P27754): Keokuk, Chief of the Sacs & Foxes. Colored lithograph of Chief Keokuk (Kiyo 'kaga [Watchful Fox/One Who Moves Alert]/Kiyo-Kaga/Keokuk, Sr.), Sauk, ca. 1780-1848. First plate in Book 11.
Plate 2 (P27755): Ne-O-Mon-Ne, an Ioway Chief. Colored lithograph of Ne-O-Mon-Ne (Neomonne), Iowa. Second plate in Book 11.
Plate 3 (P27756): Kee-Shes-Wa, a Fox Chief.
Colored lithograph of Kee-Shes-Wa (Keesheswa), Meskwaki (Fox). Third plate in Book 11.
Plate 4 (P27757): Tah-Ro-Hon, an Ioway Warrior. Colored lithograph of Tah-Ro-Hon (Tahrohon), Iowa. Fourth plate in Book 11.
Plate 5 (P27758): Wat-Che-Mon-Ne, an Ioway Chief. Colored lithograph of Chief Wat-che-mon-ne (Watchemonne [The Orator]), Iowa. Fifth plate in Book 11.
Plate 6 (P27759): Tustennuggee Emathla or Jim Boy, a Creek Chief. Colored lithograph of Tustennuggee Emathla (Jim Boy), Muskogee (Creek). Sixth plate in Book 11.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America folios and lithographs image #, NMAI.AC.115; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Plate 1 (P27748): Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiah, or Black Hawk a Saukie Brave. Colored lithograph of Black Hawk (Muck-A-Tah-Mish-A-Kan-Kaik/Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiah), Sauk, ca. 1767-1838. First plate in Book 10.
Plate 2 (P27749): Kish-Ke-Kosh, a Fox Brave. Colored lithograph of Kish-Ke-Kosh (Kishkekosh), Sac and Fox (Sauk & Fox). Second plate in Book 10.
Plate 3 (P27750): Wa-Pel-La, Chief of the Musquakees. Colored lithograph of Wa-Pel-La (Wapella), Sac and Fox (Sauk & Fox). Third plate in Book 10.
Plate 4 (P27751): Ap-Pa-Noo-Se, Saukie Chief. Colored lithograph of Ap-Pa-Noo-Se (Appanoose), Sac and Fox (Sauk & Fox). Fourth plate in Book 10.
Plate 5 (P27752): Tai-O-Mah, a Musquakee Brave. Colored lithograph of Tai-O-Mah (Taiomah), Meskwaki (Fox). Fifth plate in Book 10.
Plate 6 (P27753): Not-Chi-Me-Ne, an Ioway Chief. Colored lithograph of Not-Chi-Me-Ne (Notchiminne), Iowa. Sixth plate in Book 10.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America folios and lithographs image #, NMAI.AC.115; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Plate 1 (P27718): Wa-Na-Ta, The Charger, Grand Chief of the Sioux. Colored lithograph of Wa-Na-Ta (Wanata [The Charger]/Waanatan) Yanktonnai Nakota, ca. 1795-1848. First plate in Book 5.
Plate 2 (P27719): Peah-Mas-Ka, a Musquawkee Chief. Colored lithograph of Peah-Mus-Ka (Peahmuska/Peahmaska), Meskwaki (Fox). Second plate in Book 5.
Plate 3 (P27720): Ca-Ta-He-Cas-Sa-Black Hoof, Principal Chief of the Shawanoes. Colored lithograph of Ca-Ta-He-Cas-Sa (Catahecassa [Black Hoof]), Shawnee. Third plate in Book 5.
Plate 4 (P27721): Chippeway Woman* and Child. Colored lithograph of Anishinaabe (Chippewa/Ojibwa) woman and child. Fourth plate in Book 5. *The original description includes the word "Squaw" which is considered a derogatory and offensive term.
Plate 5 (P27722): Okee-Maakee-Quid, a Chippeway Chief. Colored lithograph of Chief Okee-Maakee-Quid (Okeemaakeequid), Anishinaabe (Chippewa/Ojibwa). Fifth plate in Book 5.
Plate 6 (P27723): Wa-Em-Boesh-Kaa, a Chippeway Chief. Colored lithograph of Wa-Em-Boesh-Kaa (Waemboeshkaa), Chippewa/Ojibwa. Sixth plate in Book 5.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America folios and lithographs image #, NMAI.AC.115; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Plate 1 (P27694): War Dance.
Colored lithograph of a Sauk and Meskwaki (Fox) war dance. First plate in Book 1. In later publications this same image is labeled as "War Dance of the Sauk and Foxes.
Plate 2 (P27695): Red-Jacket, a Seneca War Chief.
Colored lithograph of Red Jacket (Sa-go-ye-wat-ha [He Keeps Them Awake]/Sagoyewatha/Otetiani), Seneca, ca. 1750-1830. Second plate in Book 1.
Plate 3 (P27696): Kish-Kal-Wa, A Shawanoe Chief.
Colored lithograph of Chief Kish-Kal-Wa (Kishkalwa/Kish-Kallo-Wa/Kishkallowa), Shawnee. Third plate in Book 1.
Plate 4 (P27697): Mo-Hon-Go, an Osage Woman.
Colored lithograph of Mo-Hon-Go (Mohongo), Osage. Fourth plate in Book 1.
Plate 5 (P27698): Shin-Ga-Ba-W'ossin, a Chippeway Chief.
Colored lithograph of Chief Shin-ga-ba-w'ossin (Shingaba W'Ossin [Image Stone/The Figured Stone]), Anishinaabe (Chippewa/Ojibwa). Fifth plate in Book 1.
Plate 6 (P27699): Push-Ma-Ta-Ha, a Choctaw Warrior.
Colored lithograph of Push-Ma-Ta-Ha (Pushmataha), Choctaw, ca. 1764-1824. Sixth plate in Book 1.
Biographical / Historical:
Published by Frederick W. Greenough, 23 Minor Street, Philadelphia.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America folios and lithographs image #, NMAI.AC.115; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Story of Red Leggins handwritten in Meskwaki (Fox) syllabary with an English paraphrase by Ida Poweshiek. These texts were collected by Truman Michelson in Tama, Iowa.The author of the story was originally identified as Bill Leaf, but the Meskwaki text is not in his hand. The writer may be Joe Tesson, Jr.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 2985
Local Note:
Title changed from "Red Leggins Legend" 4/30/2014.
Primarily Meskwaki (Fox) word lists handwritten by Alfred Kiyana and other ethnological and linguistic notes. Topics include medicines; foods fed to sick people; laxatives; names of dogs and horses; ethno-etymology; and ethno-ichthyology. There are also lists of founders of ceremonies and rules governing membership in tribal dual division appropriate to various gentes. Some notes are in Truman Michelson's hand. These materials were collected by Michelson in Tama, Iowa.
Two notebooks containing an autobiography of Lucy Lasley, handwritten in Meskwaki (Fox) syllabary by Lasley and Joe Peters with an English translation by Ida Powesheik.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 2997
Local Note:
This manuscript is not the same autobiography published in the 40th Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology.
Meskwaki (Fox) syllabic texts and linguistic notes collected by Truman Michelson in Tama, Iowa. The Meskwaki texts were handwritten by Jack Bullard and Edward Davenport. Bullard authored "Red Eagle" and "What Thunderers Did," both with English translations by Michelson. There is also an English translation by Michelson of MeùÞkwihowa, another story by Bullard; the original Meskwaki text is not present. Davenport's texts include stories of his departure from Tama and arrival with "Flodo Keahna" at Carlisle; a visit to Ringling Bros. circus (1918); and a trip to the town of Carlisle. English translations, handwritten by Michelson, are present for all three stories. Also present are a phonetic version by Davenport of his first story and a phonetic version of his third story transcribed from a dictation by Harry Lincoln. The collection also contains linguistic notes, including short texts by Lincoln, and place names.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 2830
Local Note:
Title changed from "Vocabulary; phrases; syntax; legend" 4/30/2014.
Autobiography of an unidentified Fox woman, handwritten in Meskwaki (Fox) syllabary. Truman Michelson obtained this manuscript through Harry Lincoln in the summer of 1918.
Notebook containing six ethnological texts handwritten in Meskwaki (Fox) syllabary by Frank Shawata. The titles are "Camp police," "Buffalo-Fish," "Localization of manitous," "Names of months," "Wolf gens," and "Eagle gens."
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 3351
Other Archival Materials:
See Manuscript 3350 for English translations of texts.
A diagrammatic list of Meskwaki (Fox) expressions, in phonetic text, giving "Meskwaki tiers of earth", numbered 1,2,3,4, and "sky divisions", numbered 5,4,3,2,1. Includes glosses and notes. Information collected from Alfred Kiyana.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 1314
Local Note:
Title changed from "Tiers where super-animals are located, etc." 3/14/2013.
Meskwaki (Fox) syllabic text handwritten by Alfred Kiyana on Snail dance, with English translation by Truman Michelson and an unidentified writer. There are also 12 pages of vocabulary notes on the Meskwaki texts in the same unidentified hand. Story and notes collected by Michelson in Tama, Iowa.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 2606
Local Note:
Title changed from "Snail dance Legend" 3/27/2014.
