Ase-tite, Comanche, in Indian Territory
Creator: Bliss, W. P.
Date: Between 1875 and 1877
This cabinet card of Ase-tite, a Comanche, was made in Indian Territory in the late 1870s by William P. Bliss. Bliss was a photographer in the 1860s, 1870s and perhaps 1880s who is known to have worked in Kansas, Indian Territory, and New Mexico. Following his discharge from the Army, Bliss opened a photographic business in Topeka in 1864 or 1865. By 1870, he had moved his family to the Wichita area, where he both farmed and worked as a photographer. From there, he went to Indian Territory, first to the Cheyenne Agency at Darlington in late 1874 or early 1875, and soon thereafter to Fort Sill. By 1878 or 1879 Bliss had moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. This cabinet card was an early donation to the Historical Society. Its accession date of March 29, 1878, means the photograph was likely made in the 1875-1877 period. The cabinet card carries no photographer's imprint, but the accession information attributes it to Bliss, as do two other known examples of the same image.

Austin Smith to Jedediah Smith
Creator: Smith, Austin
Date: September 24, 1831
This letter is from Austin Smith to his father, Jedediah Smith, Sr. In the letter, Austin informs his father of the death of his brother, Jedediah Strong Smith, who was killed by Comanche Indians on May 27, 1831, near the Cimarron River.

Comanche family in Indian Territory
Date: Between 1870 and 1878
This carte-de-visite of a Comanche couple and their son was made in Indian Territory in the 1870s. The photographer is believed to have been either William S. Soule or William P. Bliss. Soule is well-known for the photographs he made of Southern Plains Indians in the late 1860s and early 1870s. He arrived at Fort Dodge in 1867, moved briefly to Camp Supply a couple of years later, then relocated to Fort Sill, where he remained until returning to Boston in late 1874 or early 1875. The photographer William P. Bliss moved from Wichita, Kansas to Indian Territory about the time Soule left. He was based first at the Cheyenne Agency at Darlington, then moved to Fort Sill. Some photographs thought to have been originally created by Soule also were marketed under the Bliss imprint. This carte-de-visite is one of at least fifty collected by Charles L. Wilson in the 1870s. Born in West Virginia, Wilson lived in Kansas most of his life, residing in St. George, Manhattan, Miltonvale, and Topeka. Little is known about how and why he acquired the cartes-de-visite. Notations on many of them suggest they were procured in Indian Territory; some notations also indicate that Wilson was a member of Company L of the Kansas Eleventh Cavalry. Because that regiment disbanded several years before the images were made, his military service was probably unrelated to acquisition of the photos. The Wilson collection is characterized by the unique style in which each carte-de-visite is mounted. The mounts obscure whatever photographer's imprint may exist on the original cards. However, several images in the Wilson collection can either definitely be attributed to Soule and/or they have been found to carry the Bliss imprint in other known examples.

Comanche Indian
Date: Between 1870 and 1879
This is a cabinet card photo of an unidentified Comanche Indian wearing his war regalia.

Comanche man and woman in Indian Territory
Creator: Soule, William Stinson, 1836-1908
Date: Between 1869 and 1875
This carte-de-visite of a Comanche man and woman is believed to have been made in the early 1870s by William S. Soule at Fort Sill, Indian Territory. Soule is well-known for the photographs he made of Southern Plains Indians in the late 1860s and early 1870s. He arrived at Fort Dodge in 1867, moved briefly to Camp Supply a couple of years later, then relocated to Fort Sill, where he remained until returning to Boston in late 1874 or early 1875. The carte-de-visite is one of at least fifty collected by Charles L. Wilson in the 1870s. Born in West Virginia, Wilson lived in Kansas most of his life, residing in St. George, Manhattan, Miltonvale and Topeka. Little is known about how and why he acquired the cartes-de-visite. Notations on many of them suggest they were procured in Indian Territory; some notations also indicate that Wilson was a member of Company L of the Kansas Eleventh Cavalry. Because that regiment disbanded several years before the images were made, his military service was probably unrelated to acquisition of the photos. The Wilson collection is characterized by the unique style in which each carte-de-visite is mounted. The mounts obscure whatever photographer's imprint may exist on the original cards. More than one photographer is represented in the collection; however, many of the images, including this one, can either definitely be attributed to Will Soule or are deemed likely to be his work.

Comanche man in Indian Territory
Creator: Bliss, W. P.
Date: Between 1875 and 1877
This cabinet card of a Comanche man was made in Indian Territory in the late 1870s by William P. Bliss. The cabinet card has a notation identifying the subject as a Comanche chief named Lone Wolf, but this is likely an error. Another example of the same photograph identifies the subject as being a Comanche named Wild Horse. William Bliss was a photographer in the 1860s, 1870s and perhaps 1880s who is known to have worked in Kansas, Indian Territory, and New Mexico. Following his discharge from the Army, Bliss opened a photographic business in Topeka in 1864 or 1865. By 1870, he had moved his family to the Wichita area, where he both farmed and worked as a photographer. From there, he went to Indian Territory, first to the Cheyenne Agency at Darlington in late 1874 or early 1875, and soon thereafter to Fort Sill. By 1878 or 1879 Bliss had moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. This cabinet card was an early donation to the Historical Society. Its accession date of March 29, 1878, means the photograph was likely made in the 1875-1877 period. The cabinet card carries no photographer's imprint, but the accession information attributes it to Bliss, as does the other known example of the same image.

Comanche Wooden Ladle
Date: 1881-1884
This ladle was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1920. The ladle is carved from one piece of light colored wood. It was purchased from a member of the Comanche Tribe in the 1880s.

Council at Medicine Lodge Creek
Creator: Howland, J.
Date: November 16, 1867
This drawing by J. Howland, originally printed in Harper's Weekly, depicts the council between representatives of the U.S. government and the Kiowa and Comanche tribes at Medicine Creek Lodge, Kansas, in 1867. At this council the Kiowa, Comanche, Plains Apache, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes signed three successive treaties with the United States government, collectively known as the Medicine Lodge treaty.

Die Indianer der Vereinigten Staaten
Creator: Hunnius, Ado, 1842-1923
Date: 1870-1900
This item contains an article on the Indians of the United States written by Carl Julius Adolph Hunnius. Known as Ado to his friends and colleagues, Hunnius was a Civil War veteran, Indian Wars veteran, artist, writer, and long time resident of Kansas. The article, printed entirely in German, contains information compiled by Hunnius on the Native American tribes in the United States. Details include the branch of the tribe (Stamm), place of residence (Wohnsitz), county, and the total number of men, women and children (Manner, Weiber, und Kinder) for each tribe. The information provided in the article was taken from the offical reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The article also mentions that there were a total of 100,000 civilized Indians, 135,000 half-civilized Indians, and 81,000 "Wild" Indians.

Eastman's map of Kansas and Nebraska territories showing the location of the Indian reserves according to the treaties of 1854
Date: Between 1854 and 1856
This map shows the locations of the new or reduced lands of Indian tribes according to the treaties of 1854. With the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, the former Indian Territory was opened to white settlement, and the government looked for ways to relocate the native tribes who had made their homes in Kansas. To create more land for white settlement, George Manypenny, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, negotiated treaties with Indian tribes that ceded much of the Indians' lands to the government. This land could then be sold to white emigrants. Naturally, these events helped to exacerbate existing tensions between settlers and Native Americans, contributing to the Indian Wars that occupied the U.S. Army during and after the American Civil War.

Fort Zarah
Creator: Hunnius, Ado, 1842-1923
Date: 1914
Description of Fort Zarah written by Carl Julius Adolph Hunnius in 1914. Fort Zarah was an active military fort in Great Bend, Kansas, from 1864-1869, and Hunnius had been to the fort while serving with Major General Winfield Scott Hancock during the Indian pacification campaign of 1867. Hunnius's descriptions of Fort Zarah provide the sizes of the buildings located at the fort, and includes a drawing of the fort.

Heap Wolves, Comanche Chief
Creator: Soule, William Stinson, 1836-1908
Date: Between 1868 and 1878
This is a stereograph showing Heap Wolves, a Comanche Chief. The stereograph is number 196 in the series taken by William Stinson Soule.

History of the 19th Kansas Cavalry--Indian War of 1868-69
Creator: Jenness, George B.
Date: 1869
This history of the 19th Kansas, written by the commander of Company F, George B. Jenness, is mainly composed of extracts from his diary. It includes details about where each company was raised, the names of the officers, organization and implementation of orders, the rigors of army life, and troop movements. Jenness' history also includes information about Samuel J. Crawford, the governor of Kansas, who resigned his position to assume command of the regiment on November 5, 1868. The document contains a copy of a letter from General Philip H. Sheridan to Governor Crawford about the need for calling up troops. Information on Native Americans, including interactions between troops and Native Americans, is also contained within this item. Jenness mentions captive chief including Satanta.

Horseback, Comanche Chief
Creator: Soule, William Stinson, 1836-1908
Date: Between 1868 and 1878
This is a stereograph showing Horseback, a Comanche Chief. It is stereograph number 177 in a series taken by William Stinson Soule. On the reverse (not pictured) is a stereograph showing the White House in Washington, D.C.

Horseback's Son, a member of the Comanche tribe
Creator: Soule, William Stinson, 1836-1908
Date: Between 1868 and 1878
This is a stereograph showing Horseback's Son, a member of the Comanche tribe. It is number 162 in a series of stereographs taken by William Stinson Soule. On the reverse (not pictured) is stereograph number 161 showing the Old State House in Boston, Massachusetts.

Ho-Wear, Comanche Chief
Creator: Soule, William Stinson, 1836-1908
Date: Between 1868 and 1878
This is a stereograph showing Ho-Wear, a Comanche Chief. It is number 171 in a series of stereographs taken by William Stinson Soule. On the reverse (not pictured) is a stereograph showing a battle ground at Concord, Massachusetts.

Indian lodge at Medicine Creek, Kansas
Creator: Howland, J.
Date: October 1867
This illustration portrays Indian dwellings at Medicine Lodge Creek. In October 1867, the United States government signed peace treaties with the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Indians, removing these tribes to reservations. This illustration was published in Harper's Weekly. Funds for digitization provided by Mr. Steve Peckel in memory of William Chalfant.

Indian Territory, with parts of Neighborning States and Territories
Creator: Hunnius, Ado, 1842-1923
Date: September 1869
This map drawn by Ado Hunnius at the request of Major General J.M. Schofield was compiled under the direction of 1st Lieutenant Henry Jackson, 7th U.S. Cavalry. The chief engineer was Bvt. Major General A.A. Humphreys. The map illustrates the locations of forts, rivers, Indian tribes and reservations in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma). The neighboring states include: southern Kansas, northern Texas, western Missouri, western Arkansas and the territories of New Mexico, and Colorado

Indian treaties. Peace agreed upon with the Comanches and Kiowas
Creator: New York Times Company
Date: October 25, 1867
This brief article published n the New York Times describes the treaty signed by the Comanche and Kiowa tribes at Medicine Lodge Creek, Barber County, Kansas, in 1867. According to the terms of the treaty, these tribes would relocate to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) and in return they would receive provisions and annual annuity payments of $2500. The article also mentions that the treaties with other tribes, including the Cheyenne, Apache, and Arapaho, will be concluded shortly.

Kansas Adjutant General general correspondence, 1871
Creator: Kansas. Adjutant General's Office
Date: 1871
This correspondence includes letters received by the Kansas Adjutant General on a variety of topics but most of the letters request arms or troops to protect settlers from feared raids by Indians in the area. Many letters also inform the state of the enrollment of local militias for such protection in absence of assistance by state units. Requests for information on filing claims for damage from Indian raids are also included, as are requests on Price Raid claims. The correspondents often identify groups of Indians and their location. Tribes mentioned include the Cheyenne, Sioux, Comanche, Kiowa, Pawnee, Otoe, and Omaha. March 31st correspondence from the Department of the Missouri commander John Pope at Leavenworth informs Governor James Harvey of Indians given permission by the Indian Bureau to hunt buffalo between the Solomon and Arkansas rivers, particularly Red Cloud and other bands of Sioux. An April 4th letter from Governor Harvey orders Adjutant General David Whittaker to proceed to the frontier to inform the settlements of such permission and to avoid conflict.

Kansas and Nebraska
Creator: Wells, J.G.
Date: 1856
Map detailing the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and surrounding states. Identified on the map are rivers, Indian lands, the Santa Fe Trail, and the Oregon Trail. This map is provided through a co-operative project between the Lecompton Historical Society and the Kansas Historical Society. Partial funding was provided by the Ross and Margaret Wulfkuhle Charitable Trust and the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area. Copies of this map are available for viewing at both the Kansas Historical Society and Lecompton Historical Society.

Kiowa trail
Date: Between 1905 and 1915
Accounts of the Kiowa trail, which traveled from Wichita, Kansas through Harper, Kingman, and Barber counties. This trail's origins date back to the early 1870s and was used primarily for trade.

Letters of Safeguard for To-sa-wi from the Confederate States of America
Creator: Pike, Albert
Date: August 15, 1861
This letter of safeguard was presented to To-sa-wi, a chief of the Comanche Indians, by Albert Pike, Indian Commissioner of the Confederate States of America. The document ensures that To-sa-wi will have safe passage, without molestation, and that he is guaranteed the protection of the Confederate States.

Medicine Lodge pageant
Creator: Howes, Charles C.
Date: 1961
This is a motion picture film of the Medicine Lodge Indian Peace Treaty Pageant which commemorates the great Peace Council of 1867 between the U.S. Government and the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Kiowa Indians. The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty re-enactment is staged in a natural amphitheater, near the actual site of the council where the Medicine River and Elm Creek converge near Medicine Lodge, Barber County, Kansas. The film also discusses early explorers, the extermination of the buffalo, the beginning of the cattle industry, and Carry Nation and the temperance movement.

Mexican boy, Comanche captive, in Indian Territory
Creator: Soule, William Stinson, 1836-1908
Date: Between 1869 and 1875
This carte-de-visite of a Mexican boy is believed to have been made in the early 1870s by William S. Soule at Fort Sill, Indian Territory. An inscription on the image indicates that he was a captive of the Comanche. William Soule is well-known for the photographs he made of Southern Plains Indians in the late 1860s and early 1870s. He arrived at Fort Dodge in 1867, moved briefly to Camp Supply a couple of years later, then relocated to Fort Sill, where he remained until returning to Boston in late 1874 or early 1875. This carte-de-visite is one of at least fifty collected by Charles L. Wilson in the 1870s. Born in West Virginia, Wilson lived in Kansas most of his life, residing in St. George, Manhattan, Miltonvale, and Topeka. Little is known about how and why he acquired the cartes-de-visite. Notations on many of them suggest they were procured in Indian Territory; some notations also indicate that Wilson was a member of Company L of the Kansas Eleventh Cavalry. Because that regiment disbanded several years before the images were made, his military service was probably unrelated to the acquisition of the photographs. The Wilson collection is characterized by the unique style in which each carte-de-visite is mounted. The mounts obscure whatever photographer's imprint may exist on the original cards. More than one photographer is represented in the collection; however, many of the images can either definitely be attributed to Will Soule or, as in this case, are deemed likely to be his work.