Letters, January-June 1908

(ca. 65 items: letters, telegram) Letters addressed to Edward M. Wistar. Box 5 (Text) correspondents include: Samuel M. Brosius; R.S. Burnett; Charles Curtis; Irvin C. and Ethel L. Dickinson; John M. Doan; Davis H. Forsythe; Myra E. Frye; Merrill E. Gates; Isaac T. Gibson; J.J. and E.A. Hill; Abigail C. Haworth; William P. Haworth; John B. Garrett; Rachel Kirk; Charles F. Larrabee; Francis E. Leupp; Harvey Matlack; Edward W. Nicholson; John Nicholson; John Printup; Walter and Jessie Ratcliff; Thomas Ryan; Frank A. Thackery; John C. Thomas; Edward B. Vreeland; Herbert Welsh; Francis A. White

Topics discussed include: in general, news of the various missions and the people running them, especially in the letters of William P. Haworth; severe (final) illness of John Nicholson; transferring efforts from Hillside to another more pioneer station; conference between representatives of the various mission boards which work among Native Americans; Haworth's visit to Hillside (Skiatook, Cherokee Nation) and the Osage (Wahzhazhe) Nation; smallpox at mission to the Absentee Shawnee Tribe; Isaac T. Gibson's visit to Hominy; R.S. Burnett troublesome to W.P. Haworth; Kansas Yearly Meeting and assumption of responsibility for additional meetings; recommendations of missionary secretaries to board of Indian Commissioners (on alcohol, mescal, dancing, etc.); Martin J. Bentley and the Kickapoo people; Thackery writes (3.3.1908) that the "case represents one of the greatest frauds that has ever been attempted" and thinks "(contrary to the Senate Committee which investigated the case) that Martin J. Bentley is the worst man connected with the whole transaction... he has been assisted in the work by men of influence in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs"; tuberculosis among Native Americans (see Leupp's letter, 3.18.1908); letter (3.31.1908) from John Printup, a Tonawanda Seneca, inquiring about citizenship for Native Americans; relationship of the Indian Rights Association to the government re: criticism of Washington, strong support for Brosius (see Gates' letter of 4.27.1908); land reserved for Friends at missions and legislation; discussion of Friends (an "honor roll") prominent for work with Native Americans also includes letters to: D.H. Forsythe, from: Edward M. Wistar re: his grandfather's work with Native Americans William P. Haworth, from: Isaac T. Gibson re: visit to Harmony [Hominy?] Walter Smedley, from: William P. Haworth John Nicholson, from: John M. and Rachel Ratcliff re: Bible to be presented to the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma (Bah Kho-Je)