Guide to the Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society

Description: This volume contains extracts of Benjamin Smith Barton's "New Views of the Origin of the Tribes and Nations of America" (Philadelphia, 1797), with additions by Peter S. Du Ponceau. The bulk of the volume is comprised of word list of 54 words with equivalents listed in a range of 50-70 languages. While Barton listed no authority, Du Ponceau cited sources. Languages with words listed include Chitimacha, Atakapa, Cherokee, Osage, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Nottoway, Kansa, Omaha, Dakota, Pawnee, Nanticoke, Gros Ventres, Miami, Mi'kmaq, Seminole, Quapaw, Yuchi, Delaware, Ojibwe, Shawnee, Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Tuscarora, Natches, Wyandot, Creek, Mahican, Mohegan, and many others. The word list includes the terms for God, heaven, and sky, as well as various terms relating to kinship, parts of the body, weather, and more. The volume also includes notes on sounds of the Otomi (Othomi) observations on declension; observations about the Omaha, Kansa, Oto, Arkansas, and Missouri languages; and notes on symbol and sound. Also includes a newspaper clipping of a review (in German) of Barton's "New Views" that appeared in "Göttingische Anzeigen von gelehrten Sachen," June 17, 1799.

Collection:A comparative vocabulary of Indian languages (Mss.497.B28)

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Algonquian materials, American Philosophical Society Archives

Culture:

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

Wampanoag includes: Wôpanâak

Shawnee

Ojibwe includes: Ojibwa, Chippewa, Ojibway

Onondaga includes: Onöñda'gega'

Nanticoke

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Language:English

Date:1816-1888

Contributor:Reynolds, Henry Lee | Horsford, Eben Norton, 1818-1893 | Tooker, William Wallace, 1848-1917 | Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844

Subject:Labrador--History | Linguistics | Place names | Material culture

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Minutes

Extent:8 items

Description: Materials relating to Alonguian languages and cultures, as well as to the publication of pieces on those subjects. Topics include an essay submitted by Reynolds on Algonquian metalsmiths; Tooker's request for a copy of Heckewelder's comparative Algonquian vocabularies for his work on Long Island place names; two letters revolving around Horsford's efforts to publish the American Philosophical Society manuscript of Heckewelder's comparative Algonquian vocabulary with his edition of Zeisberger's Onondaga dictionary; Du Ponceau on Native languages described as Huron, Delaware, Minsi, Mohicon, Natick, Chippeway, Shawanoe and Nanticoke; and two items relating to a manuscript found on the coast of Labrador which Du Ponceau presented to the APS in facsimile and which he believed to be Algonquian.

Collection:American Philosophical Society Archives (APS.Archives)

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Comparative vocabularies of several Indian languages

Culture:

Tuscarora includes: Ska:rù:rę'

Unkechaug includes: Unquachog

Shawnee

Ojibwe includes: Ojibwa, Chippewa, Ojibway

Oneida includes: Onyota'a:ka

Onondaga includes: Onöñda'gega'

Nanticoke

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Miami includes: Myaamiaki

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Creek

Chitimacha

Cree includes: Nēhiyaw, Cri

Cayuga includes: Gayogohó:no

Cherokee

Chickasaw

Choctaw includes: Chahta

Algonquin

Atakapa includes: Atacapa

Date:n.d., 1792-1808?; 1802-1808

Contributor:Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Subject:Linguistics

Type:Text

Genre:Vocabularies

Extent:1 volume

Description: 4 pages of words from Jefferson's standard form, with equivalents in Mohiccon and three other languages numbered as 1, 6, 7 (Mohiccon), and 8. A comparative vocabulary of 22 languages, arranged tabularly to follow Jefferson's standard printed vocabulary form. Languages include Delaware, Unami, Monsi, Chippewa, Knisteneaux, Algonquin, Tawa, Shawanee, Nanticoke, Mohiccon, Unkechaug, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Miami, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Tuscarora, Chetimacha, and Atacapa.

Collection:Comparative vocabularies of several Indian languages (Mss.497.J35)

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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)

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

Culture:

Shawnee

Ojibwe includes: Ojibwa, Chippewa, Ojibway

Powhatan

Narragansett

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Mandan includes: Nueta

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)

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

Culture:

Tuscarora includes: Ska:rù:rę'

Shawnee

Susquehannock includes: Conestoga

Seneca includes: Onöndowága

Piscataway includes: Conoy

Onondaga includes: Onöñda'gega'

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Mohawk includes: Kanienʼkehá꞉ka

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Cayuga includes: Gayogohó:no

Language:English

Date:1702-1753

Type:Text

Extent:52 items

Description: Correspondence and other materials relating to Indian affairs. Topics include diplomacy with the Haudenosaunee, including various delegations to and from the Haudenosaunee, diplomatic gifts and expenses, and Maryland's efforts to treat with anxieties about French intrigues, overtures, and inroads on Indian loyalty; land claims and disputes; Lancaster Treaty of 1744; two Delaware Indians accused of murder; Ohio Company; Indians' tensions with Virginians; and Indians in Ohio. Individuals (other than contributors) mentioned include Hotquantgoehle, Shickellamy, Andrew Montour, George Croghan, Colonel Burnett, Canasadego, Lord Cornbury, Indian Harry, Allumapis, and Lapaghpitton.

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

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Journal, 1760, of the great council of the different Indian nations

Culture:

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

Shawnee

Seneca includes: Onöndowága

Onondaga includes: Onöñda'gega'

Ojibwe includes: Ojibwa, Chippewa, Ojibway

Nanticoke

Mohawk includes: Kanienʼkehá꞉ka

Meskwaki includes: Mesquakie, Musquakie, Sac, Sauk, Fox, Sac-and-Fox

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Miami includes: Myaamiaki

Mingo

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Kickapoo includes: Kikapú, Kiikaapoa

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Language:English

Date:1760

Contributor:Post, Christian Frederick, 1710?-1785 | Hays, John, 1729 or 1730-1796 | Teedyuscung, Delaware chief, 1700-1763

Type:Text

Genre:Microfilms | Journals | Travel narratives

Extent:1 reel

Description: Christian Frederick Post was a Moravian missionary and observer of Native peoples and cultures; he was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1768. This journal of Post's, who was in the company of fellow colonist John Hays and Delaware leader Teedyuscung (and also mentions Delawares Isaac Still and Moses Tattamy), relates to Post's mission as a representative of the Governor and Council of Pennsylvania to the Ohio Valley Indians and the conference held near the Ohio River in 1760. Copy in clerk's hand. Concerning message carried to Mingos (Haudenosaunee, in the Ohio Valley) and other Ohio Indians, return of colonists taken captive during the Seven Years' War, and other happenings on the journey. Includes description of conjuring ceremony. This is a microfilm of an original in possession of Mrs. Henry P. Gummere.

Collection:Journal, 1760, of the great council of the different Indian nations (Mss.Film.204)

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Lenape materials, American Philosophical Society Archives

Culture:

Yuchi includes: Euchee

Taíno includes: Arawak

Onondaga includes: Onöñda'gega'

Ojibwe includes: Ojibwa, Chippewa, Ojibway

Munsee

Natchez

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Lokono includes: Arawak

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Language:English | Delaware | Onondaga | Munsee

Date:1800-1893

Subject:Linguistics | Missions | Pennsylvania--History | Place names

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Reports | Memoranda | Vocabularies

Extent:21 items

Description: Items relating to Lenape materials at the American Philosophical Society, generally referred to as "Delaware" in the original materials. Topics include requests for materials (a loan of a map of the "Indian Walk," or Walking Purchase, 1737; the Society of the United Brethren for Propagating the Gospel Among the Heathens wants the return of documents deposited by the Brethren for Heckewelder as listed in the Transactions of the Historical and Literary Committee of the American Philosophical Society 1); requests for information (on David Zeisberger as a missionary to the Indians); of materials (Zeisberger's Delaware grammar; John G. E. Heckewelder's paper on Personal names; Heckewelder's edits in case of a second edition of his Account of the Indian nations (1819)); donated materials (Roth's "Life of Christ" in Delaware, #1176; a French translation of Heckewelder's account done by Chevalier John Du Ponceau; materials from Heckwelder himself; documents relating to the Paxton boys from Samuel Fisher; authentic extracts of official Swedish papers relative to their settlements in America as well as translations of extracts of Acrelius (1759)); Heckewelder's Delaware grammar and work in general; a list of botanical names with equivalents in Delaware, Onondaga, and occasionally Munsee; Matthew S. Henry's work on a dictionary of Place names (#1164) and his comparison of Heckwelder and Rev. Jesse Vogler; and Peter S. du Ponceau's own work on Native languages (mentions Delaware, Arawak, Natchez, Yuchi, Ojibwe, and Mahican) and his work for the APS. Other individuals mentioned include Robert M. Patterson, Zaccheus Collins, Mathew Carey, Daniel G. Brinton, Sir William Johnson, Severin Lorich, Charles Pickering, Samuel S. Haldeman, Rev. der Schweinitz, Usher Parsons, and John Vaughan.

Collection:American Philosophical Society Archives (APS.Archives)

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Linguistics materials, Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection

Culture:

Unangax̂ includes: Aleut, Unangas, Unangan, Алеу́ты, Унаӈан, Унаӈас

Scaticook includes: Scatticook, Schaghticoke

Onondaga includes: Onöñda'gega'

Mohawk includes: Kanienʼkehá꞉ka

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Cherokee

Chibcha includes: Muysca, Muisca

Language:English

Date:April 11, 1803; November 1, 1953

Contributor:Humboldt, Wilhelm von, 1767-1835 | Witthoft, John

Subject:Linguistics | Moravians | Missions | Pennsylvania--History

Type:Text

Genre:Correspondence | Reports

Extent:2 items

Description: Item 1: Letter from Humboldt to William Smith asking for a copy of Barton (New Views of the Origin of the Tribes and Nations of America, 1797), and any other works pertaining to North and Middle American languages. Item 2: Witthoft's "Preliminary listing of resources in American Indian languages in the Archives of the Moravian Church." Includes eighteenth- and nineteenth-century materials described as "Algonquin, Delaware, Iroquois, Mohawk, Onondaga, Eskimo, Cherokee, Checameca, Mahican, and Scatticook". Compilers include Zeisberger, Pyrlaeus, Dencke, Heckewelder, Gambold, Ettwein, etc.

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

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Menominee materials, Floyd G. Lounsbury Papers

Culture:

Oneida includes: Onyota'a:ka

Potawatomi includes: Pottawotomi, Neshnabé, Bodéwadmi

Menominee includes: Menomini, Mamaceqtaw

Mohican includes: Mahican, Muhhekunneuw

Language:English | Menominee | Oneida | Potawatomi | Mahican

Date:Undated

Contributor:Joos, Martin | Satterlee, John V.

Subject:Linguistics | Wisconsin--History

Type:Text

Genre:Notebooks | Vocabularies | Stories | Personal names

Extent:1 notebook

Description: The Menominee materials in the Lounsbury Papers consists solely of one notebook of field notes collected by Martin Joos. The Menominee consultant named is John Satterlee.

Collection:Floyd G. Lounsbury Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.95)