Guide to the Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society

Current Filters
Click filter to remove

Displaying 1 - 10 of 51

Algonquin materials, Selected materials, 1676-1930, on Indian linguistics

Culture:

Innu includes: Montagnais, Mountaineer

Inuit includes: Inuk, Eskimo (pej.), ᐃᓄᐃᑦ

Algonquin

Abenaki includes: Abnaki

Language:French | Algonquin | Latin

Date:1637-1847

Contributor:Vaultier, Peter | Crespieul, François de, 1639-1702 | Cuoq, J. A. (Jean André), 1821-1898 | Laure, Pierre-Michel, 1688-1738

Type:Text

Extent:8 items

Description: Part of a collection comprised of religious and linguistic materials in various Native American languages. Many were written by Jesuit missionaries of New France, although Cuoq was Sulpician. These eight items primarly concern the Algonquin language and include linguistic and religious materials in French, Latin, and Algonquin such as prayers, hymns, canticles, music, catechisms, etc. A few items incorporate some Abenaki, Inuit, and Innu language material as well. There is also the 125-page Registre de Sillery 1637 a 1690 containing Native baptismal and confirmation records. Originals in the archives of the Séminaire de Québec at the Université Laval [formerly the Séminaire de Québec] and the Archives de l'Archeveche de Quebec.

Collection:Selected materials, 1676-1930, on Indian linguistics (Mss.Film.453)

Go to the collection

Benjamin Vaughan Papers

Language:English

Date:1791; 1819

Contributor:Vaughan, Benjamin, 1751-1835

Subject:Warfare | Sign language | Missions

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence

Extent:2 items

Description: Letter to Sir Joseph Banks, comments on "the ironic fate of American Indians, doomed to extinction." Mentions Indigenous warfare. Letter to John Vaughan, asks for books concerning Indians in the U.S. for William Vaughan. Refers to Benjamin Smith Barton as authority on the Indian. Mentions Indian policy of Jefferson and Madison. Expresses curiosity about sign language as discussed in Dunbar (1809). Includes quotation of William Vaughan to Benjamin Vaughan, November 17 (1815?), asking for information on the propagation of the Gospel among the Indians of Massachusetts and New England.

Collection:Benjamin Vaughan Papers (Mss.B.V46p)

Go to the collection

Cayuga materials, Selections from the correspondence of the Honourable James Logan

Culture:

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Cayuga includes: Gayogohó:no

Language:English

Date:November 21, 1748

Contributor:Weiser, Conrad, 1696-1760

Subject:Moravians | Missions | Pennsylvania--History

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence

Extent:1 page

Description: Letter to Richard Peters stating that Shickellamy is going to Bethlehem, apparently as a convert. Weiser expects "nothing but mischief by these people" (meaning the Moravians).

Collection:Selections from the correspondence of the Honourable James Logan, 1699-1750 (Mss.B.L82)

Go to the collection

Cherokee materials, American Philosophical Society Archives

Culture:

Cherokee

Language:English | Cherokee

Date:1818-1899

Contributor:Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844 | Meigs, Josiah, 1757-1822 | Cushing, Frank Hamilton, 1857-1900 | Mooney, James, 1861-1921 | Butrick, D. S. (Daniel Sabin), 1789-1847

Subject:Education | Missions | Linguistics | Anthropology

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Memoranda

Extent:8 items

Description: Items relating to Cherokee materials at the American Philosophical Society. Topics include a memorandum and letters written by Peter Stephen du Ponceau regarding Native languages, especially Cherokee; Du Ponceau, Abbe Correia da Serra, and John Vaughan's visit with two Cherokee boys being sent to school in Connecticut. One (Leonard Hicks) referred du Ponceau to Butrick's Cherokee grammar; D. S. Butrick's plan to prepare a Cherokee grammar modeled on Zeisberger's Delaware grammar, and other information on Cherokee language that he sent to du Ponceau upon the latter's request; Butrick's hope that these studies will aid the Cherokees, and his plea for attention to Cherokees seeking Christ; Frank Cushing's inquiries about a William Bartram manuscript once in possession of Samuel G. Morton according to notes of Ephraim G. Squier, and about a John H. Payne manuscript on Cherokees; and James Mooney's request about the location of John Howard Payne's manuscript on the Cherokee which was cited in Ephraim G. Squier's Serpent Symbol (1851). Other individuals mentioned include Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs, John Gambold, Isaac Minis Hays, and Rev. Samuel Worcester.

Collection:American Philosophical Society Archives (APS.Archives)

Go to the collection

Cherokee materials, Phillips Fund Collection

Culture:

Cherokee

Language:Cherokee | English

Date:1953, 1960-1961, 1972, 1976-1977, 1980-1981, 1984-1988, 1992-1999, 2012

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Dissertations | Essays | Reports | Vocabularies

Extent:1123 pages

Description: The Cherokee materials in the Phillips Fund collection consist of 19 items. Materials in this collection are listed alphabetically by last name of author. See materials listed under Bender, Druke, Fogelson, Huff, Ishii, Jordan, Kilroe, Kosmider, Nichols, Phillips, Phillips, Pulte, Rachlin, Ruff, Scancarelli, Sheidley, Uchihara, and Witthoft. Some of these materials may be restricted due to cultural sensitvity or privacy considerations.

Collection:Phillips Fund for Native American Research Collection (Mss.497.3.Am4)

Go to the collection

Cree materials, Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection

Culture:

Cree includes: Nēhiyaw, Cri

Language:English | Cree, Swampy

Date:April 15, 1872; April 30, 1945; October 1, 1948

Contributor:Young, Egerton Ryerson, 1840-1909 | Ahenakew, Edward

Type:Text

Genre:Vocabularies | Correspondence | Essays

Extent:3 items

Description: Young's "Rossville Mission Indian vocabularies," Cree vocabulary collected at the Rossville Mission near Norway House, Manitoba. Ahenakew's "The Cree Indians' theology," discusses various Cree conceptions of Muneto; describes attempt to acquire personal Muneto; mentions sun dance for Thunderbird. Letter from Ahenakew to Paul A. W. Wallace, transmits genealogy of his family and information on Skunkskin. Hopes to write on Metawiwin societies, mentions Tar Blanket and Susukwamoos as high in Metawiwin. People at Ahenakew's reserve have been Christian for four generations; has to travel to get ethnographic information.

Collection:Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection (Mss.Ms.Coll.200)

Go to the collection

Dakota and Lakota materials, ACLS collection

Culture:

Oceti Sakowin includes: Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Sioux

Lakota

Dakota includes: Dakȟóta

Language:Dakota | English | Lakota

Date:1838-1938 (bulk 1930s)

Type:Text

Extent:7500+ pages, 3300+ slips; 2 notebooks

Description: The Dakota and Lakota materials in the ACLS collection consist of a very large and diverse set of materials, and are located in the "Dakota" section of the finding aid, which provides a detailed listing of all contents. The vast majority of these materials were composed and assembled by Ella Deloria during the 1930s, both recorded from contemporary speakers and from various historical manuscript sources, which were sent to Franz Boas. The bulk of Deloria's materials are stories and speeches in typewritten manuscript form, with a transcription in the original language, followed by a literal word-for-word translation, then a free translation in English, and a section of footnotes commenting upon the original text and translation decisions. Some of her manuscripts occasionally lack one or more of these sections. These texts cover a wide range of topics, from traditional narratives, historical accounts, autobiographical stories, descriptions of games, customs, ceremonies, etc., and speeches, often concerning political affairs and economic conditions from the late-19th century to the 1930s. Names of numerous speakers are also given in the manuscripts themselves. Some of these materials were published, but most were not. Note that Deloria identifies the language recorded by using the terms "Teton" for Lakota language, and "Santee" and "Yankton" to indicate Eastern and Western dialects of Dakota language. The collection also includes a much smaller amount of material by Boas and others, primarily consisting of linguistics notes and musical analysis. A full list of places where the material was recorded has not yet been assembled.

Collection:ACLS Collection (American Council of Learned Societies Committee on Native American Languages, American Philosophical Society) (Mss.497.3.B63c)

Go to the collection

Delaware materials, Communications to the Historical and Literary Committee of the American Philosophical Society, 1816-1821

Culture:

Shawnee

Mohawk includes: Kanienʼkehá꞉ka

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Nanticoke

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Language:English | German | Delaware | Unami

Date:1781-1819 and undated

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Vocabularies | Notes | Essays

Extent:16 items

Description: These items includes notes, letters, and essays on the history, manners, and languages of Native peoples, particularly the Lenape ("Delaware"), sent by Heckewelder to the Committee and to members of the American Philosophical Society. Contains answers to queries, historical material (such as the arrival of Europeans; relations between the Delawares and Haudenosaunee), Indian speeches, replies to letters of Peter S. Du Ponceau, references to Swedish-Lenape translations, Indian writing, translations of English into Indian languages. Mentions Delaware individuals, both named and unnamed.

Collection:Communications to the Historical and Literary Committee of the American Philosophical Society, 1816-1821 (Mss.970.1.H35c)

Go to the collection

Delaware materials, Indian and Military Affairs of Pennsylvania, 1737-1775

Culture:

Wyandot includes: Huron, Wendat, Wyandotte, Huron-Wyandot

Shawnee

Miami includes: Myaamiaki

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Language:English

Date:1740-1760

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Passports | Instructions | Speeches | Reports

Extent:15 items

Description: Materials relating to Pennsylvania's relations with Delawares during the Seven Years' War era. Topics include provisions for Native allies; addresses by Native diplomats like Teedyuscung and representatives of Indians in Ohio; Teedyuscung's charges of land fraud and the Penns' rebuttal; a passport for Teedyuscung; Quaker support for Teedyuscung and involvement in Indian affairs; Quakers' address to the Governor and Council of Pennsylvania vindicating themselves from blame for Indian attacks; 1758 plans for a treaty with the Haudenosaunee and Delawares; other councils or meetings with Native individuals or groups; prices in Indian trade; sending out to Indians to bring in scalps; a first-person account, copied from and referring to other manuscripts, regarding trade on Ohio, history of Louisiana, French and Indian relations; Spangenberg's refutal of a charge that Moravian Indians are friendly with the French; instructions to Conrad Weiser for a 1754 trip to Augwick to determine sentiments of Haudenosaunee people, Delawares, Shawnees, Miamis, and Wyandots. Individuals mentioned include Iegra, Delaware George, Tanacharison, and Scarroyady.

Collection:Indian and Military Affairs of Pennsylvania, 1737-1775 (Mss.974.8.P19)

Go to the collection

Delaware materials, John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder letters, 1816-1822, to Peter Stephen Du Ponceau

Culture:

Shawnee

Ojibwe includes: Ojibwa, Chippewa, Ojibway

Powhatan

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Mandan includes: Nueta

Narragansett

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Cherokee

Creek

Language:English | German | Delaware

Date:1816-1822

Contributor:Heckewelder, John Gottlieb Ernestus, 1743-1823

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence

Extent:0.5 linear feet, circa 115 items

Description: Letters from Moravian missionary, historian, and linguist John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder, mostly to Peter Stephen du Ponceau with one to Caspar Wistar. Some of the replies from Du Ponceau are copied in the letter books of the Historical and Literary Committee. Heckewelder most frequently wrote of the publications he was working on or revising, particularly his Account of the Indian nations (1819), Narrative (1820), Heckewelder (1821), a Mohican (Mohegan) vocabulary, remarks on a Swedish-Delaware vocabulary, etc., some of which were to be published or republished by the American Philosophical Society. Many letters thus revolve around the research, writing, and publishing processes, including Heckewelder's responses to du Ponceau's edits and suggestions; his own edits, additions, lists of errors, etc.; his concern that errors by the typesetter could bring criticism on linguistic portions; new information and discoveries, such as the finding of a Maqua (Haudenosaunee) manuscript in the Moravian Archives; negative reviews and criticisms of his work, like an objectionable review in the North American Review (1819), a review in the Westchester Village Record disputing the role of Delaware as women, and William Darby's disagreement about Heckewelder's account of the killing of Native people by Williamson and his men; more positive responses to his work, like an honorary membership in the Massachusetts Peace Society for his Account (1819); translation of his work into German and other languages; and his insistence that the American Philosophical Society imprimatur appear on the title page, because as a Moravian he could not publish anything on his own relating to the Society of the United Brethren. Heckewelder repeatedly touched on Native languages and matters of linguistics: among other things, he referred to the Native vocabularies he himself had collected; a Swedish-Delaware catechism and dispute over "r" or "l" sound; difficulties in hearing Indian languages properly; difficulties in writing Native American languages; comparisons between his own findings and linguistic materials and scholarship published by others (of whom he was often critical); several examples of Delaware or Lenape words, roots, paradigms, gender, usage, etc.; and comparions of Delaware to other Native languages like Ojibwe, Shawnee, Natick, and Narragansett. Heckewelder's letters reveal him to be well-read and immersed in a network of similarly-minded scholars trading information and forwarding books and articles. Specific works by others mentioned include the Steiner article in Columbian Magazine (September 1789); a Pickering-Du Ponceau Dencke's version of St. John's Epistles in Delaware; Zeisberger's Bible translation and Life of Christ; Poulson's paper relating Welsh to Powhatan (which Heckewelder deems incorrect on the basis that Powhatan was Delaware); Pickering's essay on a uniform Orthography and spelling; Eliot's Bible translation; a paper by Zeisberger on Delaware being made men again (#865) and Zeisberger's replies (#341) to 23 queries of Barton (#1636); Loskiel's history (Heckewelder notes general verification in Loskiel for specific incidents and believes that the absence of certain incidents in Loskiel's history is the result of missionary discretion); works by Barton (he criticizes Barton for seeking speedy answers to questions of Indian origins, and for thinking Delaware and Iroquois related); and various publications of the Historical and Literary Committee. Heckewelder also wrote about "Indian affairs" such as the Jefferson-Cresap dispute (over Logan speech and affair); Benton's resolution concerning the Christian Indians and Moravian land; the speech of a Delaware at Detroit, 1781; and Heckewelder's role in the Washington City Society for Civilizing the Indians. Ethnographic topics include Native American names, place names, childbirth, swimming, friendship, treatment of captives, derivation of "papoose," names of trees and rivers, and various anecdotes. Other individuals mentioned include Rev. Schulz, Butrick, Colonel Arent Schyler De Peyster, Captain Pipe, Vater, Hesse, Gambold, John Vaughan, Charles Thomson, Thomas Jefferson, Deborah Norris Logan, Mitchill, Daniel Drake, Abraham Steiner, Noah Webster du Ponceau's brother, etc. Heckewelder's letter to Wistar regarding the Naked Bear traditions was printed (except last paragraph) in the Transactions of the Historical and Literary Committee of the American Philosophical Society 1: 363.

Collection:John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder letters, 1816-1822, to Peter Stephen Du Ponceau (Mss.497.3.H35o)