Requests from Families to Send Students Home

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request of J. H. Cushaway for the returns of Mary and Nora Cushaway. He notes that he has received the money for their return and he has determined to let them go home.

S. S. Burleson seeks the return home of William and Sarah Archiquette from the Carlisle Indian School at the request of Chief Skenandoah, William Archiquette, and Mrs. John Archiquette. Burleson states that the students have been at school for eight years and their family desires their return.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to a letter from S. S. Burleson requesting the return of William and Sarah Archiquette at the request of their mother. Pratt notes that he would like the statements in the letter verified as he includes two enclosures including a letter from William showing that he is content on his outing. 

In addition…

Louis Brunette requests the return of his son Charles Brunette from the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request of Louis Brunette for the return of his son Charles Brunette. Pratt notes that Charles has now informed him that his enrollment was objected to by both his parents. As a result, Pratt recommends that if his return fare is paid for to allow him to return home.

Correspondence related to claims from parents on the Cattaraugus Reservation of children at the Carlisle Indian School related to the return of their children. A. W. Ferrin, U.S. Indian Agent for New York Indians, relative to their claims from their children that they do not receive enough food to eat. Richard Henry Pratt suggests that these…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to a request from Betsy White for the return of her grandson Ely S. Parker from the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt notes that he has made an inspection of the kitchen and dining room and interviewed students and found no complaints among the students. He also provides the weight of the students from the Seneca Nation…

James Williams requests the return of his daughter Julia Williams from the Carlisle Indian School and to finish her term of enrollment at the Mt. Pleasant Government school. In addition, he requests that his other daughter be allowed to enroll at Mt. Pleasant.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards letter of Levi Levering in regards to the return of his relative Louis (here Lewis) Levering. Both Pratt and Levering believe that a return by Lewis to his home would be disastrous and that he should remain at Carlisle. Pratt writes that Lewis would likely remain if he has a little encouragement.

Mary M. Kennedy requests the return of her granddaughter from the Carlisle Indian School. Kennedy notes that the students like the school but they do not have enough to eat and that the students are sick despite Richard Henry Pratt claiming otherwise. Kennedy further states that her granddaughter is homesick because Pratt is scolding the New…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request of James Williams for the transfer of his daughters, Sarah and Julia, to the Mt. Pleasant School. Pratt notes that the authorization on the part of the Office of Indian Affairs in granting this request will cause a large amount of trouble for Carlisle and that he might as well transfer all Chippewa…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to complaints of Bertha Parker regarding her brother Ely Parker and her cousin Nellie Kennedy both of whom are students at the Carlisle Indian School. Parker further claims that both have claimed that they are not getting enough food to eat and that Pratt is lying when he tells them that they are gaining weight. In…

Mary M. Kennedy writes to the Office of Indian Affairs requesting that the New York students at the Carlisle Indian School be returned. Kennedy claims that the students are not receiving enough food to eat. In addition, one student whose father requested his return was claimed to be healthy by Richard Henry Pratt but upon his return he was…

John and Mary Archiquette ask Thomas J. Morgan to order the return of their children William and Sarah from the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt replies to the request for the return of William and Sarah Archiquette by their parents. Pratt notes that every year after their required enrollment had ended the students were offered the opportunity to return home and they choose to stay at Carlisle. He ends his letter by discussing his discontent with the continued…

Jerry R. Fisher requests the return of his son Belknap Fox from the Carlisle Indian School due to his own health and that of his son.

Mary M. Kennedy writes to Thomas J. Morgan asking him to help her granddaughter at the Carlisle Indian School. Kennedy claims that her granddaughter is in danger and that all of the students are afraid of Richard Henry Pratt. Kennedy ends her letter by requesting the return of her granddaughter.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request by Jerry R. Fisher for the return of his son Belknap Fox from the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt notes that Fox is one of the most promising students at the school but that the school physician has long worried about his health. As a result and due to the agent's support for the request, Pratt agrees…

A. W. Ferrin forwards petition of the Cattaraugus Reservation requesting the return of certain pupils from the Carlisle Indian School. The petition claims that parents were misinformed and that some students were taken without consent, parents are unhappy with the treatment of their children, that students are not getting enough academic…

Mary M. Kennedy requests the return of her granddaughter, Flora Patterson, from the Carlisle Indian School due to her health.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to Mary M. Kennedy's request to return her granddaughter Flora Patterson. Pratt notes that Patterson died at the Racine Home in Philadelphia, after having contracted quick consumption.

David and Martha Patterson request the return of their son Abner Patterson from the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter requesting the return of the son of Chief Plato. Pratt notes that the Carlisle Indian School has never enrolled any members of the Mescalero band of the Apache Nation. Nor have any of the Apache students at Carlisle heard of the student mentioned in the request. Pratt ends by…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request for the return of Abner Patterson from his parents Martha and David. Pratt notes that Abner is an extremely healthy student who would benefit from remaining at Carlisle for the agreed upon period.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the request of John Uyya to be returned to his home.