This series contains 472 photographs (470 nitrate negatives and 2 gelatin silver prints) photographed by Reverend James O. Arthur while serving as a missionary for the Reformed Church of America on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico from 1914 to 1919. A few images were also shot in 1913 and 1925. Among the images are depictions of buildings such as houses, churches, sawmills, and a tuberculosis hospital; groups such as Indian school students, the Ladies Aid Society Sewing Circle, and the Indian police and fire brigade; activities such as sewing, fishing, hunting, and building construction; agriculture such as farming, harvesting, and thrashing oats; animal husbandry such as branding calves; animals such as bears, bobcats, coyotes, deer, horses, sheep, turkeys, and wolves; events such as picnics and Indian Fair; games such as basketball, tug-of-war, and potato races; objects such as cradleboards, beaded belts, beaded bags, and baskets, as well as a hide painting by Chief Naiche; and landscapes in New Mexico including Sierra Blanca, White Mountain, White Sands, Rio Grande, and Elephant Butte Dam.
Many photographs in this series are outdoor snapshots of individuals and families from the Mescalero Apache, Chiricahua Apache, and Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache communities including Duncan Balatchu (Warm Springs Apache), Hannah Balatchu (Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache), Helen Chatto (Chiricahua Apache), Hugh Chee (Chiricahua Apache), Sam Chino (Chiricahua Apache), Eugene Chihuahua (Chiricahua Apache), Louisa (Louise) Chihuahua (Chiricahua Apache), Viola Chihuahua (Chiricahua Apache), Eliza Coonie (Quineh), William Coonie (Quineh; Mescalero Apache), Asa Daklugie (Fort Sill Apache), Maude Daklugie (Daklugee), Tom Duffy, Isabel Enjady (Mescalero Apache), Clarence Enjadi, Charles Evans, Dora Istee (Esttee), Evan Istee (Esttee), Jasper Kanseah, Jr. (Chiricahua Apache), Anna Kazhe (Chiricahua Apache), George Lemieux (Mescalero Apache), Alta Naiche, Amelia Naiche, Christian Naiche, Jr. (Chiricahua Apache), Cornelia Naiche, Chief Naiche (Natchez; 1857-1921; Chiricahua Apache), Maggie Pellman (Pelman), Chief Juan Sanspuer, Christian Naiche, Jr. (Chiricahua Apache), Juan Sanspuer (Sans Puer), and Oswald Smith (Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache) among others.
Other photographs document Reverend Arthur's wife Katherine Arthur (1883-1960), his sister Jessie M. Arthur, his daughter Margaret Jean Arthur (1913-2010), and his sons James Arthur, Jr. (1915-2002), John Paul Arthur (1917-1987), and Robert Lee Arthur (1919-2000). Additional individuals depicted in the images include William Bookout, Reverend James Dykema, Reverend E. B. Fincher, Rev. Robert D. Hall, Lee Ritchie, and Lucy Robinson (government nurse).
It is believed that Reverend Arthur used a Vest Pocket Kodak camera and a 3A Kodak Pocket camera to shoot these images.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Reverend James O. Arthur photograph collection; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Outside portrait of Jessie M. Arthur (age 16) holding her nephew James, Jr (age 8 months). Jessie is the sister and James, Jr. is the son of missionary Rev. James Arthur. Photographed on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, New Mexico.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Reverend James O. Arthur photograph collection; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Outdoor portrait of Margaret Jean Arthur in a dress and hairbow. She is the daughter of missionaries Rev. James and Katherine Arthur. Photographed on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, New Mexico.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Reverend James O. Arthur photograph collection; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
James Arthur, Jr. poses outdoors on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, New Mexico. He is the son of missionaries Rev. James and Katherine Arthur.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Reverend James O. Arthur photograph collection; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Group standing behind a boulder so that only their heads show. They are from left to right: Margaret Jean Arthur (age 4), James Arthur, Jr. (age 2), missionary Katherine Arthur, John Paul Arthur, and Josie Ritchie. Photographed in Ruidosa, New Mexico.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Collection Rights:
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Collection Citation:
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Reverend James O. Arthur photograph collection; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
