An Inventory of the Records of the Executive Central Committee of the Convention of Delegates from the Seven Yearly Meetings (Hicksite) on Indian Affairs, 1869-1884
General International Standard for Archival Description
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081-1399 U.S.A.(610)328-8496
Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, December 2000.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Records, 1869-1884
Convention of Delegates from the Seven Yearly Meetings (Hicksite) on Indian Affairs. Executive Central Committee
Biographical History for: Records, 1869-1884
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTE The Convention of Delegates was an association of seven Hicksite Yearly Meetings who managed Indian affairs in the Northern Superintendency during the period of President U.S. Grant's “Peace Policy.” In 1867, a conference was held in Baltimore of the Indian Committees of Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Genesee, Ohio, and Indiana Yearly Meetings, which sent a memorial to the Government expressing willingness to serve with the Indians in the West. In 1869, President U.S. Grant announced his “Peace Policy.” Hicksite Friends were given control of the Northern Superintendency. This area covered most of the present State of Nebraska, including seven tribes on six reservations with an Indian population of about 6,000. General conferences were attended by delegates of six Hicksite Yearly Meetings (seven when Illinois was organized in 1875) to consider the various problems throughout the period of active participation with the Government. In 1871, the Convention decided to appoint a Central Executive Committee to represent the Yearly Meetings in the intervals between the general conferences. B. Rush Roberts was Secretary of this body, and Dillwyn Parrish succeeded him. Samuel M. Janney was placed in charge as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Northern Superintendency. When he retired in the fall of 1871, he was replaced by Barclay White of New Jersey. In 1876, White received orders from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to close his office, ostensibly for financial reasons. Friends who continued as Indian Agents reported directly to the Commissioner in Washington. With government approval, the Conference named Barclay White as Friends Special Indian Agent to periodically visit and inspect the reservations from 1877 to 1878. The decline of participation in the Convention was relative to the decreasing role of Hicksite Friends in the management of the Northern Superintendency. The official relationship of the Society of Friends with the Federal Government deteriorated after the election of Hayes in 1877. Between 1877 and 1882, the reform efforts of the Department of the Interior, which intended to reassert government, produced numerous investigations, and all but one of the Quaker Agents resigned. By 1885, Quaker assistance and oversight was limited to the Santee Sioux Agency.
SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE RECORDS This collection contains the records of the Executive Committee of the Convention of Delegates from the Seven Yearly Meetings (Hicksite) Indian Affairs, 1869-1884. In includes correspondence and reports of Indian agents, extracts from minutes and reports, financial records, legislative documents, and printed materials published by the convention. Persons represented include William Burgess, John G. Gasmann, Albert L. Green, Samuel M. Janney, M.B. Kent, Thomas Lightfoot, William H. Macy, Dillwyn Parrish, B. Rush Roberts, Joseph Webster, Barclay White, and Howard White.
Indian agents--United States
Indians of North America--Government relations--1869-1934
Indians of North America--Missions
Quakers--Indians of North America
Quakers--Social Service--United States
Society of Friends--Missions--United States
Society of Friends--Indians of North America
Burgess, William, d.1905
Gasmann, John G.
Green, Albert Lamborn, 1845-1947
Janney, Samuel M.(Samuel McPherson), 1801-1880
Kent, Mahlon B., d.1929
Lightfoot, Thomas, 1821-1896
Macy, William H., 1805-1887
Parrish, Dillwyn, 1809-1886
Roberts, Benjamin Rush
Webster, Joseph
White, Barclay, 1821-1903
White, Howard, 1844-1916
Convention of Delegates from the Seven Yearly Meetings
series
Ser. 1 Minutes
Central Executive Committee
Extracts and Rough Drafts
Ser. 2 Correspondence
Correspondence
A.Ls.S. of members of the Central Executive Committee, Samuel Janney, Barclay White, and government officials.
Ser. 3 Reports
From Barclay White
Creation of From Barclay White
Time of Creation of From Barclay White
From Indian Agents
Creation of From Indian Agents
Time of Creation of From Indian Agents
Ser. 4 Financial Records
Financial Records.
Miscellaneous
Reports of expenditures, bills, and receipts of Barclay White and members of the Executive Committee.
Ser. 5 Miscellaneous
Background Statement
Creation of Background Statement
Time of Creation of Background Statement
Statistics of Indian Agencies
Creation of Statistics of Indian Agencies
Time of Creation of Statistics of Indian Agencies
Memorials to the President and other government officials
Creation of Memorials to the President and other government officials
Time of Creation of Memorials to the President and other government officials
Legislative Documents
Creation of Legislative Documents
Time of Creation of Legislative Documents
Miscellaneous Printed Materials
Creation of Miscellaneous Printed Materials
Time of Creation of Miscellaneous Printed Materials
Newspaper Clippings
Ser. 6 Committees
“Committee appointed to look after routine Indian business at Washington and to assist our Ex Indian Agents in the settlement of their accounts”
Collection of A.Ls.S. (and copies), reports, financial accounts, and other miscellaneous papers
Most addressed to Barclay White; includes documentation of the case of Ex Agent J. W. Greist of the Otoe Agency.