Guide to the Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society

Description: This entry is intended to encompass materials relating to James M. Crawford's interest in and study of Native North American languages. These items tend to be too general, too diffuse, or too vague in nature to easily fit under clear cultural or linguistic umbrellas. In Series III-D. Works by Crawford--Other, these items include "A Brief Account of the Indian Tribes of Northeast Georgia" (1962), a paper Crawford submitted in his Linguistics 170 class at Berkeley; Crawford's largely negative review of "Native Americans and Their Languages" by Roger Owen (1978); a typed copy of Crawford's "A Phonological Comparison of the Speech of Two Communities in California: East Bay and El Centro" (1964); typed drafts (with handwritten sections and penciled edits) of Crawford's "The Phonological Sequence ya in Words Pertaining to the Mouth in Southeastern and Other Indian Languages," which appeared in the volume “Studies in Southeastern Indian Languages,” which he edited (1975); and three folders pertaining to Crawford's other work on the edited volume “Studies in Southeastern Indian Languages,” including drafts, edits, notes, etc., of the preface and introduction Crawford wrote for the volume as well as exhaustive notes on bibliographic sources for several indigenous languages, including Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Natchez, Apalachee, Houma, Creek (Mukogean), Hitchiti, Seminole, Mobilian Jargon, Mikasuki, Alabama, Quapaw, Atakapa, Chitimacha, Timucua, Yuchi, Tuscarora, etc. (1970s). In Series IV-D. Research Notes & Notebooks—Other, items include a folder titled “Columbus Museum,” dated to July 1969, with research notes pertaining to Yuchi, Choctaw, Alabama-Koasati, Cherokee, etc., including the names and addresses of many potential language consultants for Yuchi, Shawnee, Catawba, Cherokee, etc., including some of the same people he visits in 1976 as described in “Mobilian Search—Notebook”; a folder labeled “Dialect Study (El Centro, East Bay),” with mostly handwritten notes and drafts pertaining to his "A Phonological Comparison of the Speech of Two Communities in California: East Bay and El Centro" (1964); “Haas Miscellany,” containing an Algonquian language chart attributed to Haas and two scraps of paper pertaining to her; “Miscellany,” containing notes on Maricopa, Digueno, Cocopa, Koasati, etc., as well as a plant specimen identified as Euphorbia chamaesyce; “Numerals from Indian Languages,” containing undated notes on numerals in Natchez, Muskogean, Hokan, Pomoan, Yukian, Wintun, Salinan, Esselen, Chumash, etc.; “Reconnaissance of Southeastern Indian Languages—Notebook,” a 1969 field notebook of a research trip mentioning numerous language consultants (Mrs. Rufus George, Yuchi and Cherokee, and Claude Medford, Creek?, prominent among them) and possible consultants, Choctaw, Seminole, Mikasuki, Cherokee, Lumbee, Creek, Chitimacha, Chickasaw, Shawnee, Yuchi, Tunica, Biloxi, Natchez, etc. people and languages, and commentary about relations between various groups, especially with Oklahoma groups [This item appears to be related to Crawford's research into the see also Mobilian materials]; “Mrs. Terrell—Notebook,” which contains a notebook of unidentified indigenous words elicited from consultants Mrs. Terrell and Mrs. Fletcher in April-May 1969; and “Unidentified,” containing sheets with a text in an unidentified indigenous language and its English translation. In Series VI. Course Material, there is a folder of materials relating to Crawford's coursework at Berkley, including “American Indian Languages--Linguistics 170 [1962]” as well as some Native North American material in an undated folder labeled “Seminars: 290a Theory; 290g American Indian Languages; Dialectology 216; 225; 130 Phonology—Notebook.” In Series II. Subject Files, there are materials relating to Crawford's research into to Mobilian, Cocopah, and Yuchi in “American Council of Learned Societies”; materials relating to his work in bilingual education under Title VII, particularly with the Yuchi in Oklahoma, in “Bilingual Education”; news clippings related to the work of Crawford and others in “Clippings”; records of payments to indigenous language consultants in “Informants' Receipts”; materials relating to Crawford's work with the Southeastern Indian Language Project via application materials in “National Science Foundation #1” and “National Science Foundation #2”; one folder of readers' reviews (pre-publication) and another folder of post-publication reviews of “Studies in Southeastern Indian Languages”; and a grant proposal to do field work to study Yuchi in Sapulpa, Oklahoma in “University of Georgia—Grant Proposal,” in which Crawford outlines not only his proposed study but some historical information about Yuchi people and language. Finally, Series I. Correspondence contains many exchanges about Crawford's work on Native North American languages. Most of this correspondence revolves around Crawford's submission of papers and articles to academic conferences and publishers. The most interesting items include a letter from Ilona May (Thomas) Keyaite, the daughter of a Cocopah consultant; letters and notes about 1735 drawings of Yuchi and Creek Indians in Georgia in a folder labelled “Sturtevant, William C.” [1977-1978]. This series also includes various letters and notes from the University of Georgia recognizing Crawford's professional accomplishments and awards, and a few letters documenting the difficult publication history of the volume on Southeastern Indian Languages.

Collection:James M. Crawford Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.66)

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Kaw materials, Frank G. Speck Papers

Culture:

Omaha includes: Umoⁿhoⁿ

Kaw includes: Kansa, Kanza

Language:English | Kansa | Omaha-Ponca | Iowa-Oto | Choctaw

Date:1904

Contributor:Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950

Subject:Linguistics | Oklahoma--History

Type:Still Image | Text

Genre:Notes | Vocabularies

Extent:9 pages; 10 photographs

Description: In Subcollection I, Series I, see item V(22B6), which contains miscellaneous notes regarding the Kansa language, including a 3-page vocabulary with numerals, 1 page of conjugations, and a 2-page vocabulary list. Some Ponca, Osage, and Otoe forms are included. In Subcollection I, Series III, see "4-40(a-j). Kansa (Kaw)," which contains 10 photographs.

Collection:Frank G. Speck Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.126)

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Lenape materials, Bruce L. Pearson Papers

Culture:

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Language:Delaware | English

Date:1960s-2000s

Subject:Linguistics | Food | Oklahoma--History | Kinship

Type:Text

Extent:ca. 5 linear feet

Description: The Lenape materials in the Bruce L. Pearson Papers are the largest section of the collection. Pearson worked with the Delaware Nation of Indians in Oklahoma from 1968 until the 2000s. Most of the Lenape material in the collection is in Series I, which is entirely Lenape files, especially with Jim Rementer and Nora Thompson Dean (Pearson's main consultant). Series IV contains twelve field notebooks (bulk 1968-1970s), each with consultants and contents listed. Series IX contains over 4 boxes of card files containing lexica and grammatical analysis. Many of the conferences in Series V relate to Lenape and other Algonquian languages. In Series VI, Lenape material can be found under Price and Bierhorst.

Collection:Bruce L. Pearson Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.265)

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Lenape materials, Frank G. Speck Papers

Culture:

Tutelo includes: Yesan

Shawnee

Pawnee includes: Chaticks si Chaticks, Chatiks si Chatiks

Mohawk includes: Kanienʼkehá꞉ka

Munsee

Nanticoke

Lenape includes: Lenni-Lenape, Delaware

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Cayuga includes: Gayogohó:no

Abenaki includes: Abnaki

Language:English | Delaware

Date:1895-1948

Type:Still Image | Text

Extent:57 folders

Description: Materials relating to Speck's study of Lenape (or "Delaware") history, language, and culture. Speck's correspondence with Delaware collaborators in Oklahoma relating to Lenape history, ethnographic data, linguistics, museum specimens, and reservation affairs, etc., might be of particular interest; there are also several tales related by Witapanóxwe, or War Eagle, other tales and texts (some with interlineal translation) from Josiah Montour and other unknown contributors, and 11 sketches of Lenape art designs. Other correspondence touches on Speck's efforts to collect specimens (and individuals and institutions interested in acquiring them), his efforts to collect paintings and sketches of ceremonies and designs, his fieldwork and expenses, financial support from the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana Historical Society, Shawnee data on Oklahoma Delawares, the Big House Ceremony, efforts to acquire a Delaware Big House to erect in Harrisburg, Delawares-as-women, etc. There are also at least 82 pages (in three folders) of Speck's field notes of ethnographic and linguistic data, and over 50 pages (in two folders) of Speck's miscellaneous notes (including some correspondence) on topics such as Gladys Tantaquidgeon and Lenape designs, botanical specimens, linguistic materials, museum specimens, the Walam Olum, the "Six Nation Delaware reservation", the celestial bear theme, native religion, reviews of Speck's publications, etc. Other notes cover Delaware grammar and vocabulary, Delaware clans and social organization, dualism in Delaware religion, the influence of Christianity on Delaware religion, the provenance of Delaware museum specimens obtained from Delawares in Oklahoma and Canada, biographical information on Joseph Montur and Nicodemus Peters, etc. There are also various drafts, essays, lectures and other writings by Speck on topics such as Delaware religion, ceremonies, peyote rites, designs, population, remnant populations in the east, history, place names, a Delaware bibliography and a notebook of reports to the University of Pennsylvania Research Committee on fieldwork among Oklahoma Delaware, St. Francis Abenaki, Munsee and Six Nations (Haudenosaunee) Delaware, Tutelo, Cayuga, 1931-1936.

Collection:Frank G. Speck Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.126)

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Natchez materials, Frank G. Speck Papers

Culture:

Natchez

Language:English

Date:1935 and undated

Contributor:Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950 | Fewkes, Vladimir J.

Subject:Anthropology | Ethnography | Oklahoma--History | Pottery

Type:Text

Genre:Notes | Newspaper clippings

Extent:3 folders

Description: The Natchez materials in the Frank G. Speck Papers consist of references found in 3 folders, all in Subcollection I, Series I, Section IV, "Southeast." In the "Archeaology" subsection, see Fewkes' article, "Southeastern Pottery." In that same Section, under Yuchi, see, IV(15H3) "Yuchi miscellaneous notes," which contains a Natchez reference. Finally, see IV(15J4), "Natchez -- a. Miscellaneous notes," containing Speck's miscellaneous notes on the Natchez in Oklahoma, which includes newspaper clipping photographs of men and women, "last members" of the Natchez tribe. Additional research in Speck's materials may reveal other references. Researchers are advised to use the "Find" function in their browser (usually Ctrl + F or Command + F) to locate instances of the culture term(s) in the finding aid for this collection.

Collection:Frank G. Speck Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.126)

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Pawnee materials, Susan Golla Papers

Culture:

Pawnee includes: Chaticks si Chaticks, Chatiks si Chatiks

Caddo

Language:English

Date:1970s

Contributor:Golla, Susan | Murie, James R.

Type:Text

Genre:Dissertations | Genealogies | Essays | Notes

Extent:0.5 linear feet

Description: The Pawnee materials in the Susan Golla papers relate to her master's thesis based on secondary sources at Georgetown University, titled "Skidi Pawnee Religion: A Structural Analysis", found in Series III, alongside notes in the next folder on various publications, including lists of towns and genealogies of Chief Big Eagle. The notes also briefly mention Caddo people. In Series IV is a photocopy of a large working manuscript by James R. Murie titled "Ceremonies of the Pawnee", with Golla's marginalia and table of contents, which was eventually edited and published by Douglas R. Parks.

Collection:Susan Golla papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.89)

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Seneca materials, Frank G. Speck Papers

Culture:

Seneca includes: Onöndowága

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Language:English | Seneca

Date:1921-1949

Type:Still Image | Text

Extent:16 folders

Description: Materials relating to Speck's interest in Seneca language, history, and culture. Several folders contain correspondence, including one with six letters from Jesse Cornplanter to Speck and others on topics such as his religious beliefs and changes in the way of life; praising Speck; pay for Native consultants; sending Christmas greetings; and husk faces. Other correspondence includes letters from Charles E. Congdon concerning Coldspring Longhouse ceremonies, use of stick and post in dance, Tonawanda and Cattaraugus medicines, congratulating Speck on his Iroquois (1945), describing Alleghany ceremonials, and giving a sketch of the arrangement of participants; from James M. Luongo concerning Seneca and other specimens; from Clara Redeye transmitting a 1941 picture of four generations and sending dolls; from Spencer F. William, a Seneca writer seeking work; from Evangeline Clark sending thanks for reprints, which she had sent to Suffolk University; from Merle H. Deardorff concerning consultant Clayton White, Pennsylvania place names, Speck (1942), and a lengthy discussion of the practices of Handsome Lake adherents; and from Speck to Deardorff concerning an Iroquois conference at Allegany. Other folders contain William N. Fenton's Seneca ceremonial calendar from Coldspring, 131 pages of organized, detailed field notes on ceremonies; Congdon's 4-page essay comparing the religion of Handsome Lake with Judaism and Greco-Roman spirits; Clayton White's description of the one-year death feast; Clayton White's description of a False Face Dance at Coldspring Long House, taken for Deardorff; Speck's miscellaneous notes containing words and two letters from Sherman Redeye to Speck concerning corn-husk masks; Speck's notes on the Oklahoma Seneca with an outline of ceremonials and a chart, with special attention to dances and funerary practices; and Ferdinand Isserman's student paper "Mythology of Seneca Indians." Some of these materials may be restricted due to cultural sensitivity.

Collection:Frank G. Speck Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.126)

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Seneca materials, George S. Snyderman Papers

Culture:

Seneca includes: Onöndowága

Seneca-Cayuga

Haudenosaunee includes: Iroquois, Onkwehonwe

Cayuga includes: Gayogohó:no

Language:English

Date:1798; 1940-1980

Type:Still Image | Text

Genre:Notes | Reports | Photographs | Stories

Description: The Seneca materials in the Snyderman Papers include information about the Kinzua Dam in Series III (the construction of which displaced 600 Seneca from the lands along the Allegheny River). A report on the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma is in Series IV. The photographs in Series V include images of Longhouses in Allegany and Cold Springs as well as images of Seneca people with whom Synderman worked including Clara and Sherman Redeye, Henry Redeye, with over one hundred black and white silver gelatin prints, postcards, and color Polaroid of the Allegany Senecas and St. Lawrence Mohawks of New York, taken by William N. Fenton, Frank Speck, and Snyderman. See also the entry in this guide for general "Haudenosaunee materials, George S. Snyderman Papers".

Collection:George S. Snyderman Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.51)

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Shawnee materials, Frank G. Speck Papers

Culture:

Shawnee

Language:English

Date:1903-1948

Type:Text

Extent:6 folders

Description: Materials relating to Speck's interest in Shawnee language, history, and culture. Includes an essay on Speck's visit to an excavation site at Fort Hill, Pennsylvania in July 1903 in which he identifies the site as Shawnee; a letter from Carl Voegelin and Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin transmitting lists of Shawnee dances to Speck; a letter from Wheeler-Voegelin concerning field data on Shawnee use of false faces; an undated report by Wheeler-Voegelin on general burial traits, including a brief account of field experiences and an 8-page outline of burial, funerary, and condolence procedure; a letter from Gladys Tantaquidgeon concerning Shawnee legends, asking about silk applique techniques, and enclosing news clippings; and 16 pages of Speck's miscellaneous Shawnee notes and correspondence, including two letters from Earl L. Poole (Reading Museum), together with a transcript of a 1747 letter of Conrad Weiser taken from American German Review: 12: 4, 18-19, April 1946, regarding meeting of Shawnees and Count Zinzendorf; a postal card from "C" on grasshopper war; a letter from Wheeler-Voegelin; a letter from War Eagle concerning Bread Dance; 1912 notes on Bread Dance and names given Speck; and notes on Shawnee clans.

Collection:Frank G. Speck Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.126)