Lot
21 
[Indians - Pawnee] Pawnee Indian Raid on Council Grove, Kansas Mo. Sep 28, cds ties 1857, 3¢ dull red, staddle s.e. at left, on 1860 yellow cover to J.W. Denver in Sacramento, Cal., printed "Northrup & Co., Bankers, Kansas City, Mo." corner card, endorsed "Via Overland", straightline "Due 7" handstamp, original 1860 illustrated letterhead enclosure with splitting along fold; some cover faults, Fine and scarce use. Scott No. 26 Estimate $400 - 600.
This letter was sent to Sacramento via the Butterfield Overland Mail prepaid 3¢ (less than 3,000 miles between Kansas City and San Francisco). The postmaster at Kansas City (still called "Kansas") was not aware of this special rate and marked the cover DUE 7 to make up the normal 10¢ rate for mail traveling more than 3,000 miles.
The enclosure addressed to John W. Denver in his capacity as former Commissioner of Indian Affairs concerns a bank's claim against the Pawnee Indians: "You will no doubt remember the claim which we had against the Pawnee Indians for stealing horses from our Trading House at Council Grove and will also remember the fact of Mr. Munken having went up to Pawnee Village & meeting you & the Indians, thats when the Indians promised to pay for the horses stolen…".
Realized: $3,500
Lot
22
[Indians - Sac & Fox Nation] "Agency For Sacs and Foxes, Osage River, Feby 5th 1847", dateline on folded letter signed by the Indian Agent John Beach to Burlington Iowa, entered mails with "Westport Mo., Feby 10" postmark and matching "10" rating, he is arranging for payment of a treaty award to an Indian girl who has just attained the age of 18 years: "I am glad to hear that the Farrar half breed is of age, for it is some trouble and one bond the less, under which to be held…all I need as a suitable receipt and satisfactory evidence of the woman's majority, which probably the Dept. will require. The receipt of course to be signed by her - unless being white, under wardship as non compos, it would be deemed more advisable to forward the receipt of the guardian in which case the facts should be properly supported. But probably the half breed's receipt only witnessed, will be the least trouble. The receipt…may embrace this form. -" and "Received [place] Octo. 26th 1846, of John Beach, U.S. Indian Agent, One Thousand Dollars, being the sum granted to me by the Sacs and Foxes, per treaty of Sept 1836…", this letter was carried privately from the Agency to Westport where it entered the mails for Burlington; Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $475
Lot
23
[Indians - Sac & Fox Nation] "Sac & Fox Agency, Jan 17", manuscript postmark on 3¢ Nesbitt entire addressed to J.W. Denver, Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington D.C., Very Fine and rare use. Estimate $200 - 300.
The Sac & Fox Agency in what is now the State of Kansas had its own post office. John Denver later became the Governor of Kansas Territory.
Realized: $675
Lot
24
[Indians - Unorganized Territory] "Fort Snelling, Jany 6th", manuscript postmark and matching "10" re-rating on New York Oct. 1846 printed Academy of Natural Science circular addressed to the Minister of Ojibwa Mission in Sault de Ste. Marie, Mich., origin red "New-York Nov 22" cds crossed out and red "2" rating for circular rate, Very Fine and interesting use. Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
25
[Indians] Boonville Mo. May 22, 1856, clear strike of cds and matching "Free" rating handstamp with "J. C. McKibbin M.C." free frank on cover addressed to J.W. Denver as acting Governor in Lecompton Kansas Terr., letter from John S. Chapman requesting to be appointed Indian Agent for the "Kaws" (Kansas) Indians, Chipman was a persistent applicant for these types of political appointments as he had previously applied unsuccessfully to be Indian Agent for the Shawnees and then the Wyandotts; Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $900
Lot
26
[Indians] [Fort Atkinson - Arikara Campaign] "Fort Atkinson 27 July 1824", dateline on letter from Col. Henry Leavenworth to Benjamin O'Fallon, Indian Agent in the Territory, letter confirms that Leavenworth placed no blame on the Indian Agent for the debacle at the villages, signed by Leavenworth, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
In 1823, a large fur trading expedition led by William H. Ashley ascended the Missouri River. On June 2, at the Arikara villages in what is now South Dakota, the Indians defeated and routed Ashly's men in a surprise attack. In the battle 15 trappers or boatmen were killed and 9 more were severely injured. Responding to a plea for help from the survivors, Col. Henry Leavenworth ordered the 6th Infantry to prepare for a campaign. Within four days he was headed upriver with 220 soldiers and 30 of Ashley's survivors. Along the way he enlisted the aid of 60 white trappers and several hundred Sioux warriors. Before departing he sent the following message to General Atkinson at St. Louis: "We go to secure the lives and property of our citizens and to chastise and correct those who have committed outrages upon them.".
Realized: $475
Lot
27
[Indians] "Fort Crawford, Prairie Du Chine, 4th Jany. 1822", datelined folded letter with "Public Service, George Gooding" free frank, probably carried by military courier from Fort Crawford to St. Louis, entered mails 49 days after written with red "St. Louis Mo. Feb 22" cds and manuscript "Free" rating to J.C. Calhoun, Secretary of War in Washington D.C., letter states: "Your letter of June 15th 1821, appoint me Sutler for the Post of Prairie du Chiene I this day received. I had been previously informed that such an appointment was made out for me, by Lieut. Kirbee, Actg. Adjt. General, and reported to him my acceptance of the same, and in person to Capt. John Fowle, Commanding, at Prairie du Chiene in the month of September last."; fold splitting, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Following the War of 1812, the U.S. Army returned to Prairie de Chien, which had been occupied by the British. In June 1816, a new fort named Fort Crawford was built over the ruins of the British fort, destroyed by them before leaving the area. It was named for William H. Crawford, James Madison's Secretary of War. The fort was part of the Indian factory system and was used also to keep the peace between white settlers and the local Native American tribes. Lt. Col. Henry Leavenworth was among the early commanders of the fort. One of the largest councils in U.S. history was held at the fort in 1825, when over 5,000 representatives from nearly a dozen Native American nations gathered to discuss and sign the first Treaty of Prairie du Chien. Fort Crawford was abandoned in 1826 after a major flood of the Mississippi River swamped it. The garrison was transferred to Fort Snelling. The fort was rebuilt with stone on a higher site in 1829-35.
Realized: $220
Lot
28
[Indians - Kenekuk and the Kickapoo Indians] Weston Mo. Mar 21, red cds and matching "Paid" handstamp with manuscript "Paid 25" rating on 1844 folded letter to Rev. Milton Badger in New York City, original letter from Rev. E. Wright of the Presbyterian Church: "About four miles from Weston on the opposite side of the river & in sight of W. is the village of Kickapoos - a tribe of Indians numbering about 600 - I passed a Sab. there recently & preached to a small Congregation of them through an interpreter. The Methodists have a mission there - about 40 are members of the Ch. An old Indian of 100 years, gave special attention to the preachings - He lately became a Christian - When converted he enquired of the Minister if Jesus Christ could save an old warrior like him, who had killed so many men. As we went to the Mission Church we saw a large company of Indians gathering to hear Kenekuk the Prophet preach. He does much harm - persuades the Indians that he knows their thoughts & has often been to heaven. He says that white men killed Jesus Christ before he had made an atonement for the Red Men he Kenekuk, is sent to make an atonement for the Indian! It was truly affecting to see them assembling to hear such a vile man. Govt. built him a church about 30x50 (log) but it seems fast going to decay - 2 or 3 of the prophet's former adherents were at our meeting, now hopeful Christians - Kenekuk has an oblong clip on which are carried 5 emblems - which he pretends to have obtained in heaven on one of his visits, & which he calls his bible.", Very Fine and quite interesting content. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $850
Lot
29
[Indians] Office Indian Affairs, North District, California, printed corner card on official business cover addressed to Wm. P. Dole, Commissioner of Ind. Affairs in Washington D.C., "Marysville Cal. Aug 21" cds and matching "Free" rating handstamp, clean and Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $550
Lot
30
[Indians] "Providence Station, May 29, 1835", datelined on letter that entered the mails with manuscript "Fort Towson, A.R., June 16. 1835" postmark and matching "25" rating from L.A. Potts to her sister, Fanny, wife of Simmerwell, one of the Baptist Indian Missionaries of the McCoy family, addressed to her at Westport, Mrs. Potts was married to a missionary to the Choctaws, some interesting content, her return address is given as "Direct Fort Towson, Choctaw Nation, West Red River"; some light foxing, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
The letter reports on a woman killed by a tornado and the establishment of the mission school: "…during the time I staid at Gulls I supported two Indian children whom I took from Thomas and three poor white children whose mother was killed in a storm of wind at that place…The Choctaws in our District are all full bloods they do not speak any english and never had any teachers until we arrived here the last of April. Gov has not yet erected the school house but Mr Potts with the natives has succeeded in putting up a rough cabin and has now a fine school of fifteen scholars we expect more. Through an interpreter he preaches to large and attentive congregations. The situation is attended upon our part with many privations but our hearts are full of tender concerns for the welfare of these precious souls, two thousand looking directly up to us for instructions by precept and example…".
Realized: $290