Large archive housed in two banker’s boxes, comprising five original manuscript diaries, typed transcripts of many other diaries, original photographs and photographic negatives, manuscript records of Dakota legends and tales gathered by Fiske, ephemera and manuscript material from the Dakota frontier, and more.
Important and historically valuable archive of original manuscript material and early transcriptions of Fiske’s writings, with other materials, preserved and passed down by Fiske’s close friend and associate Bill Lemons, with whom Fiske traveled extensively and engaged in numerous projects – consigned now by a member of the Lemons family. Frank B. Fiske was born on the Dakota frontier, the son of a soldier who later worked as a civilian wagon master at Fort Yates, North Dakota, on the Standing Rock Agency. The younger Fiske’s life was ever intertwined with the frontier and the Sioux Indians, attending school with members of the tribe, and eventually making extensive records of their history and legends. When, as a teenager, he started to study under post photographer Stephen T. “Dick” Fansler, Fiske made the Sioux the primary subject of his images. This was to continue for the rest of his life and career as a photographer. In 1900, the young Fiske took over for Fansler as the post photographer at Fort Yates, continuing in that position until the post was abandoned in 1903. Justly recognized for his superb photographs of the Sioux at a time of transition, as the warriors who fought Custer were setting into middle and old age, Fiske was also a keen student of Sioux history and culture. His diaries and writings include many records of native legends and lore, traditional stories, and more, including mundane but insightful accounts of daily events of life on the reservation. There are also narratives relating to the advance of Euro-American civilization, and historical events in the occupation. But primarily the diaries record his life in the Dakotas in the early part of the 20th century, half frontier, half civilized, an America at the crossing point. Among the items:
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Manuscript “History of the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation by Frank Bennett Fiske,” photocopy of the original typescript. Approx. 275 pp.
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Manuscript “History of the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation by Frank Bennett Fiske (Part II)” a working draft consisting of photocopies of several hundred pages of typescript, as well as of numerous letters (both handwritten and typed), documents, etc.
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Two original sepia-tone photographs on matte paper, "Mrs. Yellow Eyes" (pencil identification on verso), and two Indians seated on the bank of a river, each 8x10", framed.
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Nine original silver photographs by Frank B. Fiske, most with his inked imprint, 8x10” or a bit smaller. Includes: Scene at the Standing Rock Indian Agency, with buildings, many wagons, Indians, etc.; Grave of Sitting Bull; Agency School 1900 (captioned in ink); Block House & Magazine Old Fort Yates, N. Dak. (captioned in pencil on verso); Officer’s Row, Fort Yates, N. Dakota (captioned in pencil on verso); the “first school (Indian) in Fort Yates…” with 11-line pencil description on reverse; Parade Ground Old Fort Yates, N.D. (captioned in ink); etc. Plus 7 additional silver photographs by Fiske, apparently later printings, without captions or imprint.
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Five pencil manuscript diaries/notebooks, covering various intervals, four from 1905 to 1917, the last from 1947. In addition to being a record of events and activities, and Fiske's philosophical meanderings, they also serve as account books and list photographs taken and sold.
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Approximately 18 folders containing early typed transcripts of Fiske’s diaries, covering various periods from 1897 to 1950 (most from 1910 to 1917), averaging about 40 typed pages per folder.
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Notebook, approximately 57 pp. plus some blanks, used by Frank Fiske to record events and stories, including transcriptions from earlier sources (c.1890) to 1940. Among the earlier records are accounts of legal sanctions and punishments at the Standing Rock Indian Agency. Such as “Cetanatapika 5 days and hard work for catching hold of Iron Star and taking back 25 cents that he (Iron Star) had taken to pay Indian herders”; “Zintkanawambdi (Bird eagle) was given 25 days in guard house for taking a second wife, and she also gets 20 days for going with him knowing he was married…” Later entries include the tale of Brave Buffalo “a great medicine man” written in 1937; a visit from Two Shields, who “was 16 when Custer was wiped out, said he cut the dead, showed us how large a human heart is, saw it when he slit a soldier from his throat down. He leaped and scalped him, ears and all. He cut the hand off another…” and much more.
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Folder of manuscript musical scores, some of Native American chants, others of frontier songs, including some played on way to California during gold rush.
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Typescript, “Wilson (Gilbert Livingstone) Notebooks, 1905. 1 volume. Handwritten in pencil.” The typescript is 21 pp. plus introduction, which describes it as “A field notebook of Dr. Gilbert L. Wilson containing a stenographic transcription of the proceedings of a council held at the Standing Rock Reservation at Fort Yates, North Dakota, in 1905.” At the meeting, “Indian representatives describe their people’s needs and… express their grievances… The material is significant, then, not only because it is of historical and psychological import concerning the usual complex relations between Indians and whites but because it reflects Standing Rock Sioux attitudes at the time of the breaking up of their communal tribal life…”
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Manila file folder titled on front “Fiske’s typed out letters. Incredible history!” containing dozens of typed transcripts of letters between various correspondents including Fiske, most concerning Indian affairs from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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8-page manuscript (on both sides of 4 sheets), handwritten in ink, “An historical sketch of the establishment of St. Benedict Mission, Kenel, S.D.,” with pencil note “Written down by Father Bernard , St. ______? 1929”, with names at the end of Damasus Crowhead and Jovita Badger, Eyewitnesses. The ms. begins: “It was about 68 years ago that we, as far as we can remember had the first Blackrobe with us. I was at that time about 6 years old. The name of the priest was Rev. Father De Smet…”
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Manuscript “List of Indian Prisoners of War turned over to J.A. Stephan U.S. Indian Agent at Standing Rock, D.T., on the 22nd day of July, 1881…” [with] “List of Property of Indian Prisoners of War tuned over to J.A. Stephan…” each 1 page, stapled together, signed by C.C. Gilbert, Col. 14th Infantry. There were 2829 prisoners, broken down by age and gender (females under age 16 being the largest group); property included 543 ponies, 6 mules, 4 wagons, and 50 head of cattle.
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And much more. Working notes used in the cataloguing, offering many passages from the diaries, further itemization of the collection, and other details which space does not allow us to use in this published description, available upon request.