Native American Employment in Indian Service

Richard Henry Pratt seeks authority for allowing Joshua Given to serve as an interpreter for three chiefs Kiowa Agency while they visit Washington D.C.

Richard Henry Pratt provides his views on having graduates from the Carlisle Indian School and other industrial training schools fill agency instructor positions. Pratt notes that he does not believe this a good system due to the lack of training among Indian apprentices in their trades which would not allow them to be competent teachers. In…

Pratt telegraphs that General J. F. B. Marshall urges that Flora Well Known and George Hill depart soon so that they can be employed as teachers in the Crow School. 

Nellie Londrosh writes to Richard Henry Pratt seeking his help in fulfilling her appointment as an assistant teacher at the Winnebago Industrial School. Londrosh documents that she arrived without orders and the Superintendent refused to place her in the position until he heard from Washington D.C. Pratt forwards the letter to the Office of…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from George W. Scott, the Superintendent of the Fort Stevenson School, regarding sending Carlisle student George Thomas to take over their harness shop. Pratt notes that he has had no reply from the Office of Indian Affairs regarding his request.

George W. Scott, Superintendent of the Fort Stevenson School, asks if Richard Henry Pratt will be able to send George Thomas to take over the harness shop at the school. Pratt in forwarding the letter to the Office of Indian Affairs refers to a previous letter he has written that he has not heard back from the office, noting that Thomas is…

Richard Henry Pratt refers to a letter from the Office of Indian Affairs authorizing him to send George Thomas to the Fort Stevenson School to take over the harness shop. However, he notes that no provision was made for transportation.

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs forwards the letter to the Secretary of Interior recommending the…

M. L. McKenzie, Clerk in Charge of the Pawnee Agency, requests the return of Luther Kuhns to the agency in order for him to employed as a carpenter at the agency. Richard Henry Pratt forwards the request to the Office of Indian Affairs stating Kuhns qualifications and noting that he will only be leaving school a month early and asks for…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards letters from George and Lina Bushotter requesting positions as teachers in the Indian Service preferably in the Southwest. Pratt adds that George Bushotter was one of the first students he brought to the Hampton Institute and has spent many years learning as well as acquired some experience as a teacher.

Richard Henry Pratt replies to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding a request from Susie Gray for a position at the Pawnee School. Pratt notes that he would place Gray in an assistant position and returns her letter.

Richard Henry Pratt provides a report to the Office of Indian Affairs on Frank Conroy upon his application for a position as a blacksmith in the Indian Service.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter to the Office of Indian Affairs' he wrote to W. F. Canfield, Superintendent of the Fort Totten Training School, regarding his opinion on filling teaching positions with former students.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request of Acting Agent Henry W. Sprole for the return of Martha Washington so that she may work as a teacher at the agency school. 

Richard Henry Pratt informs the Office of Indian Affairs that former student Mary Barada is an efficient seamstress and recommends her for a position at the Lemhi Indian School.

William A. Mercer informs the Office of Indian Affairs that former student John Godfrey has accepted the position of disciplinarian at the Pipestone School at the reduced salary proposed by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

Including documents from Benjamin Caswell's time as a government employee, this service file was compiled at the Office of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. Although Caswell began his career as an assistant disciplinarian at Carlisle from 1893-1895, this folder focuses on the second half of Caswell's career. He worked as Superintendent of Cass…

Carlisle Indian School Superintendent Moses Friedman compliments Commissioner of Indian Affairs R. G. Valentine on his commitment to employing Indians in the Indian Service whenever they can pass the civil service examinations. Friedman believes that this will give Indians "confidence and ambition" and that employing Indians will be "the…

Carlisle Indian School Superintendent Moses Friedman requests that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs returns his report on the statistics of Indian students on outing and on Indians employed by the Government because it was unfinished when Friedman initially sent it to the Commissioner. Second Assistant Commissioner C. F. Hauke declines…