1856 One-Cent Coin from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1856-1872
This one-cent coin was found at the Canville Trading Post in Neosho County near the Osage Reservation and was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. The obverse of the coin shows Liberty with braided hair surrounded by stars and the date 1856. The reverse side shows an oak leaf wreath surrounding the words "ONE CENT." Large one-cent coins were discontinued in 1857 and replaced with smaller one-cent coins of the size we use today. The Canville Trading Post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

1985 Excavation Images at the Jotham Meeker Farmstead, 14FR308
Date: 1985
These images were at the Jotham Meeker farmstead site in Franklin County during the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school in 1985. Jotham Meeker served as a Baptist missionary among the Ottawa on their reservation. Shown are a transect through the cellar depression showing the rubble fill, a coffee grinder part in situ, three shots of hearths 1 and 2, draining the cellar depression after heavy rains, and a map of the excavated areas of the site.

Act establishing commission for treaties with Osage Indians a creation of trail
Date: March 3, 1825
This act was written establishing a commission to make treaties with the Osage Indians to create the Santa Fe Trail and treaties with the Osage tribes.

Axe Head for War or Tourist Trade?
Date: Unknown
This metal axe head has a somewhat confusing history. It was purchased from a museum in Wisconsin in 1956 and at that time was noted as coming from the Osage tourist trade. At some point prior to the purchase the axe head was covered with gilt paint. Later scholars argued for the axe to more likely be an example of a Missouri War Axe, a type of hand axe used for hand-to-hand fighting among tribes along the Missouri River. Which do you think it might be?

Brass Ring from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1847-1872
This brass ring was found at the Canville Trading Post in Neosho County near the Osage Reservation. It was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. During the 1800s it would have been bright and shiny, but time has dulled its shine. The Canville Trading Post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

Butt End Plate from 14MY340
Date: 1785-1870
This butt end plate was recovered from a possible Osage camp site in Montgomery County. Little is known about this site. The brass end plate was used to protect the butt end of a gunstock.

Buttons from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1847-1872
An assortment of buttons were found at the Canville Trading Post site, 14NO396, in Neosho County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. They include both fancy and plain buttons made from glass, shell, bone, jet, and brass. The Canville Trading Post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

Buttons from the Wea Mission, 14MM322
Date: 1837-1857
These buttons were recovered from the Wea Presbyterian Mission in 1997 by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and crew. The excavations revealed foundations for the Mission house, a spring house, and an outbuilding in addition to a filled in well. The Wea Mission (1834-1837) changed functions over time: the Osage River Subagency (1837-1844), the Wea and Piankeshaw Baptist Mission (1844-1857) and other occupants until 1909 when the house burned. The three buttons are all 4-hole sew through buttons, one each of metal, wood, and rubber.

Captain Lewis Hanback's final report
Creator: Hanback, Lewis
Date: 1875
This document is Captain Lewis Hanback's final report of an 1875 investigation into a conflict between Captain Ricker's company of state militia and a band of Osage Indians that occurred in 1874. The Osage Indians had filed a complaint with the Department of the Interior, claiming that the U. S. military had attacked a peaceful Indian encampment and stolen their horses and other property. Captain Lewis Hanback was ordered to take down testimonies and determine the circumstances surrounding the conflict. This final report summarizes these testimonies and includes a short history of Barbour County where the altercation took place.

Catholic Church at Osage Mission, St. Paul, Kansas
Date: Between 1865 and 1875
A photograph of the Catholic Osage Mission established in Neosho County, Kansas. The center part of the building was erected in 1847.

Chief Bacon Rind, Chief of the Osage Indians
Date: Between 1870 and 1890
Photo of Chief Bacon Rind, Chief of the Osage Indians

Chief Bacon Rind, Chief of the Osage Indians
Date: 1924
Studio portrait of Chief Bacon Rind, Chief of the Osage Indians.

Chief Bacon Rind, former Chief of the Osage Indians
Date: Between 1870 and 1890
Magazine illustration of Chief Bacon Rind, former chief of the Osage Indians.

Chief Bacon Rind, Lizzie Ne-ho-Jah, and Forrest W. Chouteau
Date: 1926
A studio portrait of Chief Bacon Rind, Wah-she-hah, an Osage Indian, and Lizzie Ne-Ho-Jah, his second wife, a Kansa Indian; Forrest W. Chouteau, a Kansa Indian, and an unidentified man. A patron suggests the unidentified man (back right) may be Emitt E. Thompson, Kansa Chief, born 1902-1938. The photograph was possibly taken on their wedding day, May 13, 1926. They were married in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

C. M. Ricker to Charles Morris
Creator: Ricker, C. M.
Date: November 6, 1874
Captain C. R. Ricker of the Kansas State Militia, Medicine Lodge, Kansas, writes to Adjutant General Charles Morris of Topeka concerning a band of Pawnee Indians. Ricker notes that the Indians are just east of Medicine Lodge and believes they intend to fight a band of Osage Indians. Though this band had not disturbed any person or property, they were burning the prairie. Ricker suggests that the burning is an attempt by the Indians to further destroy settler's rangeland already devastated by drought and grasshoppers. Ricker asks for instructions on dealing with this "friendly" band of Pawnee. The threat of an Indian uprising on Kansas' southern boarder in 1873 led Governor Thomas Osborn to employ the state militia and appeal to President Ulysses S. Grant for federal troops and arms.

Coins from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1857-1881
These coins were found at the Canville Trading Post in Neosho County near the Osage Reservation and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. The flying eagle cent, issued in 1857 or 1858. The obverse of the coin has an eagle in flight and the reverse has the denomination surrounded by a wreath. The 1881 penny sometimes called an Indian Head cent or Indian Head penny shows Liberty with a head dress on the obverse side. The reverse side shows an oak wreath and shield surrounding the words "ONE CENT." This coin post dates the Trading Post. The Canville Trading Post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

Conchos from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1847-1872
These three conchos were found at the Canville Trading Post in Neosho County near the Osage Reservation. They were donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. Conchos were used to decorate clothing, saddles and bridles. These conchos may be made of German silver, which is actually a copper alloy with nickel. The Canville Trading Post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

Cone Tinkler from the Wea Presbyterian Mission, 14MM322
Date: 1837-1857
This cone tinkler was recovered from the Wea Presbyterian Mission in 1997 by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and crew. The excavations revealed foundations for the Mission house, a spring house, and an outbuilding in addition to a filled in well. The Wea Mission (1834-1837) changed functions over time: it served as the Osage River Subagency (1837-1844), the Wea and Piankeshaw Baptist Mission (1844-1857) and then had other occupants until 1909 when the house burned. Tinklers were used to decorate hair, clothes and other objects.

Dishes from the Jotham Meeker Farmstead, 14FR308
Date: 1845-1865
These dish fragments were recovered from the Jotham Meeker farmstead site in Franklin County. Shown are dish sherds made of a variety of materials including whiteware, yellowware, and redware. Decorative techniques include transferware, spongeware, banded ware, 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.

Dishes from the Wea Mission, 14MM322
Date: 1837-1857
These dish sherds were recovered from the Wea Presbyterian Mission in 1997 by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and crew. Though the dish sherds are often quite small, a wide variety of patterns were recovered from the site including dish sherds with molded patterns, patterns created by transfer printing, called transferware, and by sponging with color, called spongeware. The excavations revealed foundations for the Mission house, a spring house, and an outbuilding in addition to a filled in well. The Wea Mission (1834-1837) changed functions over time: it served as the Osage River Subagency (1837-1844), the Wea and Piankeshaw Baptist Mission (1844-1857) and then had other occupants until 1909 when the house burned.

Doll Fragments from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1847-1872
Though the phrase "It cost and arm and a leg" was coined after Word War II, this doll paid the price much earlier that that time period. Shown are the right arm and hand and a midsection of a leg. These two doll fragments were recovered from the surface of the Canville Trading Post and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. The Canville Trading Post was located near the Osage Reservation in Neosho County. The post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

E.A. Herod to George W. Martin
Creator: Herod, E.A.
Date: October 02, 1902
In this letter, E.A. Herod, professor of mathematics at Northwestern Territorial Normal School, relates what he knows about a battle between Confederate soldiers and Osage Indians that took place in southeast Kansas during the Civil War.

Earring from the Canville Trading Post, 14NO396
Date: 1847-1872
This metal (possibly lead) earring was recovered from the Canville Trading Post located near the Osage Reservation in Neosho County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1994. The earring is similar to a ball and cone type, which were a common trade item in the 19th century. There are two small holes near base of the earring. The Canville Trading Post was established in 1847 by A. B. Canville. When the Osage reservation land was ceded to the United States in 1870, the Osage left for Oklahoma and Canville followed in 1872.

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.

English Gunflint from the Wea Mission, 14MM322
Date: 1837-1857
This gunflint was recovered from the Wea Presbyterian Mission in 1997 by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and crew. The gunflint, quarried and manufactured in southern England, and has a single dorsal arris. Gunflints were used to generate a spark in a flintlock musket or pistol and as strike-a-lights for lighting a fire. The excavations at the site revealed foundations for the Mission house, a spring house, and an outbuilding in addition to a filled in well. The Wea Mission (1834-1837) changed functions over time: it served as the Osage River Subagency (1837-1844), the Wea and Piankeshaw Baptist Mission (1844-1857) and then had other occupants until 1909 when the house burned.