1853 - Sac and Fox Agency
Creator: Green, Charles R.
Date: September 1, 1853
This item lists tribes under the Superintendency of Indians Affairs in St. Louis headed by B.A. James and Colonel Alfred Cummings. In particular, the item lists the Ottawas, Chippewas of Swan Creek, and the Black River Sacs and Foxes.

A brief sketch of Indian tribes in Franklin County, Kansas in 1862-1906
Creator: Romig, Joseph
Date: 1906
This item, written by missionary Reverend Joseph Romig of Franklin County, Kansas, contains a detailed history of the Native American tribes of Franklin County, Kansas, from 1862-1906. The cover indicates it is "for the benefit of the future generation of the county."

Chippewa Indian cemetery, Franklin County, Kansas
Date: Between 1930 and 1955
These are four photos of the Chippewa Indian cemetery near Ottawa and one photo of the Ottawa Indian cemetery. All photos were taken by the Kansas State Historical Society.

Chippewa, Ottawa and Munsee Indian cemeteries in Franklin County Kansas
Date: 1939
Four photographs from the Chippewa, Ottawa and Munsee Indian Cemeteries.

Cone Tinklers or Metal Arrow Points from the Jotham Meeker Farmstead, 14FR308
Date: 1845-1865
These artifacts were recovered from the Jotham Meeker farmstead site in Franklin County. Tinklers were used to decorate hair, clothes and other objects. They were often made of brass salvaged from other items. The artifact on the left is a cone tinkler, but the one on the right may be an arrow point instead of a tinkler. The site was excavated in 1985 at a Kansas Archeology Training Program field school. Jotham Meeker served as a Baptist missionary among the Ottawa on their reservation.

Dishes from the Jotham Meeker Farmstead, 14FR308
Date: 1845-1865
These dish fragments were recovered from the Jotham Meeker farmstead site in Franklin County. A wide variety of patterns were recovered from the site including dish sherds with shell-edged, transferware, spongeware, flow blue and hand painted patterns. The site was excavated in 1985 at a Kansas Archeology Training Program field school. Jotham Meeker served as a Baptist missionary among the Ottawa on their reservation. A wide variety of patterns were recovered from the site including dish sherds with shell-edged, transferware, spongeware, flow blue and hand painted patterns.

E.C. Thayer to Dr. J.W. McIntosh correspondence
Creator: Thayer, E.C.
Date: January 18, 1896
In this letter to Dr. J.W. McIntosh, E.C.Thayer discusses the character of James Murie, Pawnee breastworks, and tensions and conflicts betweeen the Pawnees, Omahas, and Sioux.

Harry E. Gillette to George W. Martin correspondence
Creator: Gillette, Harry E.
Date: June 12, 1910-August 30, 1910
Items in this correspondence detail the location of various Native Indian missions in Kansas, including the Munsee Mission, the Peoria Mission, the Ottawa Mission, and the Sac and Fox Agency.

Indians
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1863-1865 : Carney)
Date: 1863
These letters, spanning 1863, are from Kansas citizens and the Department of the Interior office of Indian Affairs to Kansas Governor Thomas Carney regarding Native Americans. They wrote asking for information on the Ottawa tribe and discussing hostilities from the Pawnee tribe. The office of Indian Affairs wrote about requisitions and funds.

Iron Key from the Jotham Meeker Farmstead, 14FR308
Date: 1845-1865
This lock key was recovered from the Jotham Meeker farmstead site in Franklin County. The key was recovered from the area of the print shop at the site. The key consists of a bow (the portion which is gripped and turned) and a blade (which slides into a keyway, also called a key hole). The site was excavated in 1985 at a Kansas Archeology Training Program field school. Jotham Meeker served as a Baptist missionary among the Ottawa on their reservation.

James Pricket to Robert Simerwell
Creator: Pricket, James
Date: August 26, 1827
In this letter to Robert Simerwell, James Pricket relays the details of his current job to Simerwell and the missionaries at the Carey Mission where he was working before he left the area. In particular, Pricket mentions that he is pleased with the Ottawas that he is working with, and that he is eager to help them as much as he can with their "temporal improvements," as well as their "religious instruction."

J.M. Haworth to Governor John St. John
Creator: Haworth, J.M.
Date: August 19, 1879
Indian Agent J.M. Haworth introduces to Kansas Governor John St. John the names of four Indian Chiefs who will be representatives of the Indian Temperance Society at the upcoming Grand Temperance Council.

John Brown, Jr., to John Brown
Creator: Brown, Jr., John
Date: June 22, 1855
This rather lengthy letter from John Brown, Jr., at Brownsville, K.T., to his father, John Brown, regarding the Kansas family's current situation, physically and economically. John, Jr., provides a hand-drawn map of the family's settlement in Franklin County (he calls it "Brown Co.") just west of Osawatomie. Brown also indicates that the land they were living on was "ceded by the Potawatomie Indians to Government," and that the Ottawa and Peoria lands would soon be available.

John J. Davies to General James William Denver
Creator: Davies, John
Date: January 16, 1858
In this letter to General James W. Denver, John Davies addresses a treaty between the United States and the Ottawas in the Kansas Territory. Davies explains that the treaty must be finalized because its delay could "put them [Ottawas] back very much in their improvements" with regard to "the arts of civilization."

John Tecumseh Jones
John Tecumseh Jones was part Ottawa Indian and served as an interpreter for the Ottawa Indians. He was known as Tauy Jones or Ottawa Jones. He was also supportive of the free state cause and his home was the target of proslavery forces.

John T. Jones to James W. Denver
Creator: Jones, John Tecumseh (Tauy)
Date: January 16, 1858
John T. Jones, an interpreter for the Ottawa Indians, wrote from Washington urging Governor James W. Denver to support ratification of a treaty between the U.S. government and the Ottawas. Jones reported that the Secretary of the Interior was not inclined to support ratification and he believed Denver, who had negotiated the treaty with the Ottawas during his tenure as Commissioner of Indian Affairs, could influence the decision.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. Crosby
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: January 10, 1834
In this letter to Rev. Crosby, of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, missionary Jotham Meeker expressed his interest in bringing the Christian gospel to the Ottawa Indians. Meeker was currently stationed at the Shawnee Baptist Mission in Indian Territory (today part of northeast Kansas). He was particularly concerned about their opposition to missionaries. Meeker also wrote about the influx of Indian tribes who were embracing agriculture.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. Lucius Bolles
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: February 13, 1839
In this letter, Jotham Meeker, a missionary to the Ottawa Indians, provided a description of his work teaching the Ottawa how to read and write in their own language. According to Meeker, the Ottawa were eager for their children to learn English as well. Meeker's mission was located near present-day Ottawa, Kansas. Reverend Lucius Bolles, the recipient of this letter, was Meeker's contact at the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. Lucius Bolles
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: October 30, 1834
Jotham Meeker, a missionary to the Ottawa Indians, wrote this letter to his contact on the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, Reverend Lucius Bolles. From this letter, it appears that the Ottawa had become more interested in Christianity. Furthermore, Meeker wanted an assistant to help in printing evangelical materials; this would allow him to devote more time to religious instruction and language education.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. Lucius Bolles
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: March 11, 1840
This fascinating letter by Baptist missionary Jotham Meeker describes recent Ottawa converts to Christianity and the Ottawa chief Ottowukkee's passionate stand against further missionary efforts. Apparently, just as Ottowukkee was about to drive the missionaries out of the area, he was struck by a sudden illness. According to Meeker, many of the Ottawa believed his sickness was a sign of God's judgment. Also, Meeker discusses David Green, a native convert who has joined Meeker as a missionary at the Ottawa Mission (near present-day Ottawa, Kansas). The recipient of this letter, Reverend Lucius Bolles, was Meeker's contact on the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. Lucius Bolles
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: July 8, 1840
In this fascinating letter, Jotham Meeker updated Reverend Lucius Bolles (of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions) on his missionary efforts among the Ottawa Indians in Kansas Territory. Meeker included excerpts from his journal to describe the turmoil among the Ottawa over Indian conversions to Christianity. On March 13, 1840, Meeker and his fellow missionary David Green, attended a council of the Ottawa and Chippewa that had been called to protest their missionary work. The Ottawa and Chippewa chiefs were concerned about the breakdown of their tribal society, customs, etc... and placed the blame squarely on the missionary's shoulders. The Ottawa Mission was located near present-day Ottawa, Kansas.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. Lucius Bolles
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: November 29, 1833
In this letter Jotham Meeker, a Baptist missionary to the Shawnee in Indian Territory, discussed the Ottawa Indians who were residing on Shawnee lands. Meeker spoke to several Ottawa chiefs about spreading the Christian gospel, and he hoped that he could work among them as a missionary. Also, Meeker discussed how the Ottawa may be forced to move once other tribes take possession of land in Indian Territory. He also mentioned the Methodist mission established among the Potawatomi. Reverend Lucius Bolles, the recipient of this letter, was Meeker's contact at the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions.

Jotham Meeker to Rev. S. Peck
Creator: Meeker, Jotham, 1804-1855
Date: August 15, 1849
Jotham Meeker, misionary and printer, arrived in Kansas in 1833 and set up a printing press at Shawnee Baptist Mission. Meeker joined the Ottawa Indians in 1837 and founded a mission on the Marais des Cygnes River where present day Ottawa stands. The Ottawa Indians began moving to Kansas from Ohio in the early 1830s. Meeker opened his letter with personal matters and them turned to affairs concerning the Indians in Kansas. He talked about cholera, which killed many Indians in the summer of 1849.

Kansas Territory versus Sanford M. Bickerstaff for selling liquor to Indians
Date: November 1856 - April 1857
These legal documents relate to the case of the Kansas Territory vs. Sanford M. Bickerstaff for selling liquor to members of the Ottawa tribe on October 20, 1856 in the Kansas Territory. Bickerstaff was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District, in Tecumseh during the November 1856 court term. The warrants for Bickerstaff's arrest were returned unserved. Two branches of the Ottawa tribe had been given 72,000 acres centered around the present-day town of Ottawa, KS. Alcohol was prohibited on Native American land from 1832-1953.

Kansas Territory versus Sanford M. Bickerstaff for selling liquor to Indians
Date: November 1856 - April 1857
These legal documents relate to the case of the Kansas Territory vs. Sanford M. Bickerstaff for selling liquor to members of the Ottawa tribe on October 10, 1856 in the Kansas Territory. Bickerstaff was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District, in Tecumseh during the November 1856 court term. The arrest warrant for Bickerstaff on April 1, 1857 was returned unserved. Two branches of the Ottawa tribe had been given 72,000 acres centered around the present-day town of Ottawa, KS. Alcohol was prohibited on Native American land from 1832-1953.