Legal and Government Documents

The Chief Clerk for the Secretary of War forwards a series of documents to the Secretary of the Interior regarding the transfer of the Carlisle Barracks from the War Department to the Interior Department. First, Adjutant General E. D. Townsend issues Special Orders No. 194 stating that Richard Henry Pratt now officially works in Indian…

Secretary of War Alex Ramsey transmits to Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz a report from Lieutenant E. T. C. Richmond indicating that the transfer of the Carlisle Barracks from the War Department to the Interior was completed on January 6, 1880 and correspondence regarding said transfer. Also attached is an official order from Major…

Captain William G. Mitchell issues Special Orders No. 52 ordering the transfer of the Carlisle Barracks from the War Department to the Interior Department, with the Barracks' commanding officer Lieutenant E. T. C. Richmond overseeing the transfer and taking inventory of the value of the transferred goods and buildings. Major General Winfield S…

Descriptive Statement of young people recruited for the Carlisle Indian School from Pine Ridge Agency, as prepared by the acting Indian Agent for Pine Ridge J. W. Alder. Of the 27 names on this list, only 18 ultimately traveled to Carlisle, the parents perhaps having changed their minds about sending their children. The names of the other 9 do…

A card which records Richard Henry Pratt's appointment as Superintendent of an "Industrial School for Indians at Carlisle, Pa." Another note on the card indicates that Pratt's appointment was "transferred from the Appointment Division to the Indian Division" in December of 1888.

A page that accompanies this card indicates that Pratt's…

Richard Henry Pratt requests a six-month supply of two dozen different blank administrative forms used by the United States Indian Affairs division of the Department of the Interior.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry…

Richard Henry Pratt requests a six-month supply of various blank administrative forms used by the United States Indian Affairs division of the Department of the Interior.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "…

Richard H. Pratt transmits a "Special" Estimate for Stationary form for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880. 

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-80."…

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra A. Hayt sends Lieutenant Richard H. Pratt a six-month supply of two dozen different blank administrative forms used by the United States Indian Affairs division of the Department of the Interior. Pratt acknowledges the receipt of the stationary.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives…

Letter from Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra A. Hayt to Indian Agent M. B. Kent at the Great Nemaha Agency that authorized the selection of "6 or 7 promising children" to undergo health screenings and to be brought by Agent Kent to the Carlisle Indian School. Hayt stated that some recruits should be from the Sac & Fox Tribe and the Iowa…

By command of Brigadier-General Pope, Assistant Adjutant-General E. R. Platt orders that two Lipan Apache children at Fort Hays, Kansas be sent to the Carlisle Indian School.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "…

Estimate of funds for the second quarter of 1880 amounting to $11,350 for areas covering subsistence, employee pay, repairs, clothing, mechanical industries, supplies, and contingencies.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75,…

Acting Secretary of the Interior A. Bell encloses to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs agreements allowing Richard Henry Pratt to rent 10 acres of land from Annie and Laura Alexander and allowing Pratt to rent 8 acres of land from Benjamin Sanno. The land, which will be rented for a full calendar year, is intended for "agricultural industry…

The service record card for Marianna Burgess's employment with the Office of Indian Affairs. The card indicates that she began working as a teacher at the Pawnee Agency in 1873 then left to become a teacher at Carlisle in 1880. She continued to teach at Carlisle until 1884 when she became a Truant Officer, a Registering Officer, then the…

Second Auditor O. Ferriss allows Sheldon Jackson's claims for $197.97 and $23.90 for travel expenses incurred while transporting Indian students from New Mexico to the Carlisle Indian School in the Summer of 1880. Jackson encloses the claim to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and asks him to send the money as soon as possible because he needs…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a the lease and contract for the Parker Farm. The lease and contract stipulate how the government will farm under the lease.

Captain Richard H. Pratt submits a report that lists new employees (Florence M. Carter, M. E. Snyder), those who have left the school (Mary Pain, Emma C. Sickels, Thomas Stewart Jr., Margaret Wilson, H. H. Shiverick), and those who have changed positions (Ella L. Patterson, Anne S. Ely). These reports include personal information about those…

Richard H. Pratt submits a report that lists new employees (A. J. Wetzel and Lavinia Bender) as well as one who had left the school (Thomas Baird). These reports include personal information about those being hired as well as reasons for departure for those leaving. 

Richard H. Pratt submits a report that lists employees who have left the school (T. S. Reighter and Alice M. Robertson). These reports include reasons for departure for those leaving. 

Richard Henry Pratt forwards for approval the lease agreement between the Carlisle Indian School and Samuel K. Humrich for a 225 acre farm beginning on February 17, 1883.

Henry Morgan Teller, Secretary of the Interior, approves the lease.

Richard Henry Pratt submits a report that lists a new employee (George W. Kemp). The report includes personal information about those being hired. An explanatory cover letter is included.

T. S. Childs makes a report to the Office of Indian Affairs on Carlisle Indian School and the Indian Training School at the Hampton Institute. Childs report was prompted by complaints made against the Hampton Institute related to the health and discipline of students. Childs report focuses mostly on Hampton while examining Carlisle in order to…

Correspondence discussing the appropriation of $37,500 for improvements to the Carlisle Indian School including the acquisition of the neighboring Parker farm, a new large boys’ dormitory, a school barn, and some other improvements.  A letter from Pratt explaining the need for the new facilities is included as part of the document.

Documents pertaining to the United States Government's purchase of the Parker Farm. Included are a copy of the deed transferring title to the Government, other prior deeds, abstract of the title, map outlining the tract of land, copy of an act of the State of Pennsylvania consenting to the U.S. Government purchasing the Parker Farm, and county…

This is a card tracking the details of Richard Davis' employment with the Office of Indian Affairs. He began working at Carlisle as an assistant disciplinarian in 1887, resigned in 1888, and returned as a dairy manager/dairyman from 1891 to 1894.

Note: upon request for Davis' Official Personnel Folder at the National Archives in St. Louis…