Archive of documents regarding the Sioux Indians, mostly pertaining to issues with Chief John Grass at the Standing Rock reservation in 1881, plus one earlier report regarding rations provided to the Santee Sioux in 1868. This archive contains a series of manuscript documents detailing a leadership crisis at the Standing Rock Agency involving Chief John Grass of the Blackfoot Sioux. Accused by fellow chiefs, Indian policemen, and witnesses of conspiring with General W. P. Carlin to undermine Indian agent Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—Grass is portrayed as obstructing farming efforts, resisting assimilation, and challenging agency authority. Testimony both supports and refutes the charges, with some affirming Grass's loyalty and others accusing him of manipulation and dishonesty. The collection includes council proceedings, multiple depositions, and eyewitness accounts, offering a rare and detailed snapshot of tribal politics, federal authority, and internal conflict during a volatile period in U.S.–Native American relations.
Includes:
1. Rivet-bound manuscript DS, signed “J. M. Stone,” five pages both sides, 7.75 x 12.5, December 21, 1868. Report of Indian Agent J. M Stone in reply to charges made by Wabashaw, Wakute, and Big Eagle, concerning a violation in a contract for delivering rations. In part: "I will say in regard to this complaint and in justice to myself and the contractor Mr. F. J. Dewitt, who has been furnishing subsistence for the Indians of this Agency for the past two years, that at no time during that period have we been without supplies at the Agency to subsist all the Indians…In accordance with the wishes of the Indians their rations of Beef and Flour have been issued to them on Monday and Thursday of each week. This has been done regularly for the past two years, except during one week early last spring when our flour on hand was running low…As to the intimation that I am in any way interested in the proffits of the Contractor it is utterly false and absurd. I am not…The supposition that I am interested in any other way is not entertained by one among every hundred Indians in the Tribe and with those who made the Statement it is but a groundless suspicion talked into their heads by designing White men and Half-breeds such as may be found hanging around the outskirts of every Indian reservation trading whisky and exercising every conceivable demoralizing influence upon the Indians." He goes on to address other concerns related to the subsistence contract, including some inconsistencies and misconceptions related to the delivery of cattle and their fodder. Signed at the conclusion in ink by J. M. Stone, and further certified by a missionary.
2. Manuscript copy of the proceedings of a council of the Standing Rock Sioux, nine pages both sides, 8 x 12.5, April 15, 1881. True manuscript copy of testimony against Chief John Grass, related to an alleged conspiracy with General W. P. Carlin to undermine the authority of the Indian agent, Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—at Standing Rock. In part: "Bull Head, Captain of the Policemen, states: 'All the Indians who held a council on the 12th inst. with Gen. Carlin are a worthless, lazy and indolent set, and but few of them work on farms. John Grass, Chief of the Blackfoot, is a liar and does not tell the truth. He is always speaking against the rules of the Great Father. When the Agent directed that a working club of young men should be started among the Indians, John Grass stopped them from working, and we do not want John Grass to be Head Chief any longer'…Chief Fire Heart, says: 'We have constantly reported John Grass, Chief of the Blackfoot, as an unruly and bad Indian. John Grass wishes us to remain Indians, and advises the people not to listen to the Agent or the great father…Head Chief Two Bears, of the Lower Yancktonnais, says…'The Indians that you see at this council were very angry when they heard what had happened at the council held in the garrison last Tuesday, and were so anxious to come and deny what was said and done there that in order to come here today they swam over the Porcupine River which is very high'…
Chief Big Head says: 'I am now going to tell the truth. I want to listen to the words of the great father. These people here today have always followed the advice of the Agent: they have cut their hair and worn white men's clothes. Last summer when we were in Washington John Grass spoke well of the agent. Now he speaks against him. John Grass is a two faced man and cannot be believed. We do not want a military man for agent. Last summer we were promised horses by the Great Father, and now John Grass forgets it'…Head Chief Thunder Hawk says: 'We have had several agents here who gave us no instructions as to how we should work and now that it is said the present agent is going away…it is our wish that he shall remain. He has helped us to farm better than any…We want to go and see the great father about the business of the agency and we want to take the agent with us."
After further testimony come the names of the 247 Sioux in attendance, including "Rushing Eagle," "Standing Bear," "Iron Eagle," "Bald Head," "Red Top," "Crow Feather," "Red Hawk," "Takes the Gun," "Blue Thunder," "Medicine Horse," "Bobtail Elk," "Step on His Arrows," "No Heart," "Four Thighs," "White Owl," and "Breaking Armor."
3. Manuscript copy of a deposition by three Sioux chiefs, one page both sides, 8 x 12.5, April 15, 1881. Manuscript copy of a deposition by the Sioux chiefs in relation to potential efforts to undermine the authority of the Indian agent, Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—at Standing Rock, marked "duplicate." In part: "Two Bears, Big Head and Thunder Hawk Head chiefs of the Lower and Upper Yanktomais and Uncapapas bands of Sioux Indians located at Standing Rock agency D.T. who under oath depose and say: That hearing J. A. Stephan agent was going to leave them, they went to the house of Louis Primeau…and requested the said Louis Primeau to write a letter for them to the Hon: Commissioner of Indian Affairs, requesting that J. A. Stephan be retained as their agent and that eight chiefs be allowed to go to Washington to see the President. The Deponents state that they apprised John Grass, Head Chief of the Blackfeet band of their intentions of having this letter written, he fully approving of same. They being all of the same mind. The deponents state they had the letter written without the solicitation of any whomsoever and without the knowledge of J. A. Stephan agent."
4. Manuscript copy of a deposition taken against Chief John Grass, one page, 8 x 12.5, April 16, 1881. Notarized manuscript copy of a deposition regarding the Sioux chief, marked "duplicate," in relation to potential efforts to undermine the authority of the Indian agent, Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—at Standing Rock. In part: "'Crazy Walking,' Lieut. of Indian Police who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say: That on or about 11th day of April 1881 he was at the Lodge of Thunder Hawk Head Chief of the Uncapapa band of Sioux Indians located at Standing Rock agency and there met John Grass Head Chief of the Blackfeet band. The said John Grass then and there told the Deponent that he had signed a letter written by Louis Primeau on or about the 9th day of April to the Hon: Com. of Indian affixed relative to the retention of J. A. Stephan as agent at Standing Rock agency and fully endorsed and approved of same. The deponent further states that Chiefs Thunder Hawk and Bear's Rib were present when John Grass made the above mentioned statement."
5. Manuscript copy of a deposition taken at Standing Rock by Louis Primeau, three pages on two sheets, 8 x 12.5, April 21, 1881. Notarized manuscript copy, in part: "Statement of the officers and members of the Indian Police belonging to the Standing Rock Indian Agency, regarding the interference, with their official duties, by John Grass, Head Chief of the Blackfoot Indians. 'During the summer of 1880 we organized a working club composed of the young men belonging to the Blackfoot Indians, for the purpose of attending and pushing to completion all the agricultural and other work that might be required for the advancement of the Indians: we were to help build houses and fences, plow and harvest the crops of such Indians as belonged to the club, as well as of those of others who might desire or need our assistance.
John Grass interfered with the club, and in a council held with them urged them to abandon the project, stating that we should not work and that he had some other things for us to do than working. His efforts were successful, and the working club was abandoned.
We desire to say further that John Grass has on several occasions, interfered with us whilst in the performance of our duties as policemen, thus degrading us in the eyes of the Indians. John Grass has said several times to us, 'you are all behind me, I am the Chief and I am the proper person to say to the Indians what they should do; between you (the policemen) and the Agent you are always trying to make the Indians work, when you ought to know, that the more work you do, the sooner the government will quit supporting me.'
Because we stopped the 'Kiss Dances,' when we were ordered to do so by the Agent, John Grass would talk and work against us as policemen, he has told us that the 'Kiss Dance' was not prohibited by the authorities at Washington, and that it was only done by the Agent.
We believe that we could get the Blackfoot Indians to do more work, and to feel better disposed towards all of us, if John Grass was removed from his position of Head Chief." Primeau records the names of the witnesses and Indian policemen, the likes of "Afraid of Bear, Captain of Police," "Iron Eyes," "Crow Feather," "White Blackbird," "Red Heart," "Yellow Wolf," "Takes the Gun," "Red Bear," and "Not Afraid of Anything."
6. Four manuscript copies of testimony taken against Chief John Grass, five pages on four sheets, 8 x 12.5, circa April 1881, charging him with conspiring with General W. P. Carlin to undermine the authority of the Indian agent, Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—at Standing Rock. The first, in part: "Thunder Hawk, Head Chief of the Uncapapa band of Sioux Indians located at Standing Rock, D.T….under oath deposes and says that on or about April 11th A.D. 1881, Crazy Walking, Bear's Rib and John Grass were at his lodge, at this meeting he heard John Grass state that he had signed a certain letter written by Louis Primeau relative to the retention of J. A. Stephan as agent at Standing Rock and the visit of eight chiefs to Washington."
In another, Mrs. Mathilda Galpin testifies that she "had a conversation with John Grass (a chief of the Blackfoot band of Sioux Indians located at Standing Rock Agency)…John Grass stated to Deponent that General Wm. P. Carlin sent for him four times to have a council with him. At the fourth summons John Grass stated he went to see Gen. Carlin and that he John Grass made damaging statements against the agent J. A. Stephan…Carlin assured him of his protection and informed him that the Agent J. A. Stephan could not depose him as chief."
In the third, "'White Bear,' a Lower Yanktonnai Indian of the Standing Rock Agency" attests that he was part of a group that went "to see General Carlin about the horses and guns which had been taken away…When we arrived at General Carlin's Headquarters the General said something has been done and that is the reason I sent for you; all things that an done by the Indian Agent, are done scantily, and that is why you are now so poor…when you get another agent I will see that you are paid for the horses and guns taken from you."
In the last, Chief Drag the Wood, Chief Running Walk, and Walking Eagle, "Indians belonging to the Standing Rock Indian Agency" attest that a "statement made by White Bear is correct."
7. Manuscript copy of a deposition by Chief John Grass, one page, 7.75 x 12.5, circa April 1881. Manuscript copy of a deposition by the Sioux chief in relation to potential efforts to undermine the authority of the Indian agent, Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—at Standing Rock. In part: "John Grass Head Chief of the Blackfoot band of Sioux Indians being called to the U.S. Indian Agents office makes the following statement voluntarily: I was not at Genl. Carlin's Council on Jan'y 2d. I and my band never spoke against our present agent in any way. He has always treated us honestly and right. We desire no change…The above is a correct translation of Jno. Grass speech, Chas. Primeau, Elvin Agard, Interpreters."
8. Manuscript copy of a deposition by Chief Big Head, one page, 7.75 x 12.5, circa April 1881. Manuscript copy of a deposition by the Sioux chief in relation to potential efforts to undermine the authority of the Indian agent, Father Joseph A. Stephan—known as the 'fighting priest'—at Standing Rock. In part: "Big Head, head Chief of the Upper Yantanais band of Sioux Indians makes the following statement: Neither my self or band ever spoke a word of dissatisfaction against our present agent. He has treated us well and we have no fault to find…A true copy of Big head's statement, Chas. Primeau, Elvin Agard, Interpreters."
In overall fine condition.
