Copybook of James McLaughlin, U.S.Indian Agent, Devils Lake Agency, Fort Totten, N.D, (Section Seven of Eight Sections) December 1 1877 to January 31, 1878, Original Material, First Time Published

This is Section Seven of Eight Sections…The seventh batch of  64 Letters of 493 Devils Lake Copybook Letters. 

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This copybook encompasses all the official letters written by Indian Agent, James McLaughlin, during this time frame.  It is the closest one can come to a diary of daily life at Devils Lake 1876-1878 (albeit from a white man’s perspective)

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Originals of this Material were Donated to National Archives November 2005, as requested, since it was stated that these letters had been written “on government time,”  hence they did not belong in private hands.

As copies of the letters are posted the index item will be highlighted.  Subject Matter of Letters deemed important will also be highlighted.  All letters in this copybook are included (no matter how routine sounding). The letters in this Section Six were typed with my 1911 Underwood in the 1970’s.

shields339-devils-lake-map

 December 1877

Letters No. 379-383-384: Dec. 1, Three routine letters.

Letter No. 385:  Dec. 1, November Agency Report.  Indians finally have enough clothing and food for the winter.

Letters No. 386-387: Dec. 1, Two routine letters.

Letter No. 388:  Dec. 3, You have disallowed our cook for this quarter.  Two months into the quarter!!!  He is very important to this Agency as my Indians are scattered on individual plots rather than clustered around the Agency.

Letter No. 389: Dec. 8, Need to pay Jamestown Agent.

Letter No. 390: Dec. 7, Routine transmittal.

Letter No. 391: Dec. 8, McLaughlin answers complaint from Hon. Com. Regarding awarding of grocery bid.  EXCELLENT LETTER..

Letter No. 392: Dec. 8, I may be fired as a result of the bidding complaint. EXCELLENT RESPONSE TO HIS CATHOLIC PRIEST IN WASHINGTON, DC.

Letter No. 393: Dec. 12, More comments to his Agent about his being accused of conniving to defraud justice!

Letter No. 394: Dec. 15, Tidying up loose ends with Jamestown Agent.

Letters No. 395-396: Dec. 14, Questioning freight charge on lumber.

Letter No. 397: Dec. 10, Ordering delivery of a sewing machine.

Letter No. 398: Dec. 15, Resigning as Notary Public.

Letters No. 399-D400-401-402-403-404:  Dec. 15, Five routine letters.

Letter No. 405: Dec. 18, Explaining some errors to Hon. Com.

Letter No. 406-407: Dec. 22-24, Two routine letters.

Letter No. 408: Dec. 24, Explaining why he issued more pork.  Ran out of flour and this was a way for Indians to flavor their food.  EXCELLENT LETTER.

Letters No. 409-410-411-412: Dec. 24-29, Four routine letters.

Letter No. 413: Dec. 29, Recommend we deal with Indian Trader as he is matching Jamestown prices.

Letters No. 414-415: Jan. 1, two routine letters.

Letter No. 416: Dec. 31, December Agency update.  INTERESTING.

Letters No, 417-418-419-420-421-422-423: Dec. 31– Jan. 5, Seven routine letters.

 January 1878

Letter No. 425: Jan. 1, Recap of Catholic School activity to Bishop of Minnesota.  Even ThreeMedicine Men came in to be baptized!!!!!

Letter No. 426: Jan. 5, Routine letter.

Letter No. 427: Jan. 8, Recap of activity to Father Brouillet, Washington, DC, and thanking him for interceding on the accusations from Hon. Com. regarding bid handling.

Letter No. 428: Jan. 11, Where is my stationery.  I am borrowing now.

Letter No. 429: Jan. 10, Powers of Attorney transmittal.

Letters No. 430-431: Jan. 14, Two routine letters.

Letter No. 432: Jan. 17, Regarding Indians freighting from Jamestown.

Letter No. 433: Jan. 19, Routine transmittal.

Letter No. 434: Jan. 15, Regarding payment to cook denied by Hon. Com.

Letter No. 435: Jan. 19, Argument with Hon. Com.over issue of salt.

Letter No. 436: Jan. 19, Routine transmittal.

Letter No. 437: Jan. 19, Regarding payment to cook denied by Hon. Com.

Letter No. 438: Jan. 22, Photo ot Two Bears received.

Letter No. 439: Jan. 22, Estimate of funds received for 1st quarter.  But you have not given me any info on school contract.

Letter No. 440: Jan. 26, Routine transmittal.

Letter No. 441: Jan. 26, Will this Agency share in proceeds of sale of other reservations.?

Letter No. 442: Jan. 26. Transmitting estimates of supplies.  However, you shorted me considerably on last year and we are running out of everything.

Letter No. 443: Jan. 30, Pass to Turtle Mountain vicinity for 11 well-behaved Indians.

 

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December 1877

Letters No. 379-383-384: Dec. 1, Three routine letters.

devil378-379

Letter No. 385:  Dec. 1, November Agency Report.  Indians finally have enough clothing and food for the winter.

devil385

 

Letters No. 386-387: Dec. 1, Two routine letters.

devil386-387

Letter No. 388:  Dec. 3, You have disallowed our cook for this quarter.  Two months into the quarter!!!  He is very important to this Agency as my Indians are scattered on individual plots rather than clustered around the Agency.

devil388a

devil388b

devil388c

Letter No. 389: Dec. 8, Need to pay Jamestown Agent.

devil389a

devil389b

Letter No. 390: Dec. 7, Routine transmittal.

devil390

Letter No. 391: Dec. 8, McLaughlin answers complaint from Hon. Com. Regarding awarding of grocery bid.  EXCELLENT LETTER..

devil391a

devil391b

devil391c

devil391d

Letter No. 392: Dec. 8, I may be fired as a result of the bidding complaint. EXCELLENT RESPONSE TO HIS CATHOLIC PRIEST IN WASHINGTON, DC.

devil392

Letter No. 393: Dec. 12, More comments to his Agent about his being accused of conniving to defraud justice!

devil393a

devil393b

Letter No. 394: Dec. 15, Tidying up loose ends with Jamestown Agent.

devil394a

devil394b

Letters No. 395-396: Dec. 14, Questioning freight charge on lumber.

devil395-396

Letter No. 397: Dec. 10, Ordering delivery of a sewing machine.

devil397

Letter No. 398: Dec. 15, Resigning as Notary Public.

devil398

Letters No. 399-D400-401-402-403-404:  Dec. 15, Five routine letters.

devil400-402

devil403-404

Letter No. 405: Dec. 18, Explaining some errors to Hon. Com.

devil405a

devil405b

Letter No. 406-407: Dec. 22-24, Two routine letters.

devil406-407

Letter No. 408: Dec. 24, Explaining why he issued more pork.  Ran out of flour and this was a way for Indians to flavor their food.  EXCELLENT LETTER.

devil408a

devil408b

Letters No. 409-410-411-412: Dec. 24-29, Four routine letters.

devil409-411

devil412

Letter No. 413: Dec. 29, Recommend we deal with Indian Trader as he is matching Jamestown prices.

devil413

Letters No. 414-415: Jan. 1, two routine letters.

devil414-415

Letter No. 416: Dec. 31, December Agency update.  INTERESTING.

devil416a

devil416b

Letters No, 417-418-419-420-421-422-423-424: Dec. 31– Jan. 5, Eight routine letters.

devil417

devil418-420

devil421-423

devil424_0

Janaury 1878

 

Letter No. 425: Jan. 1, Recap of Catholic School activity to Bishop of Minnesota.  Even ThreeMedicine Men came in to be baptized!!!!!

 

devil425a

Letter No. 426: Jan. 5, Routine letter.

devil426

 

Letter No. 427: Jan. 8, Recap of activity to Father Brouillet, Washington, DC, and thanking him for interceding on the accusations from Hon. Com. regarding bid handling.

 

devil427a

 

devil427b

 

Letter No. 428: Jan. 11, Where is my stationery.  I am borrowing now.

 

devil428

 

Letter No. 429: Jan. 10, Powers of Attorney transmittal.

 

devil429

Letters No. 430-431: Jan. 14, Two routine letters.

devil430a

devil431

 

Letter No. 432: Jan. 17, Regarding Indians freighting from Jamestown.

 

devil432

Letter No. 433: Jan. 19, Routine transmittal.

devil433

 

Letter No. 434: Jan. 15, Regarding payment to cook denied by Hon. Com.

 

devil434

 

Letter No. 435: Jan. 19, Argument with Hon. Com.over issue of salt.

 

devil435

 

devil435b

Letter No. 436: Jan. 19, Routine transmittal.

devil436

 

Letter No. 437: Jan. 19, Regarding payment to cook denied by Hon. Com.

 

devil437

 

Letter No. 438: Jan. 22, Photo ot Two Bears received.

 

devil438

 

Letter No. 439: Jan. 22, Estimate of funds received for 1st quarter.  But you have not given me any info on school contract.

 

devil439

Letter No. 440: Jan. 26, Routine transmittal.

devil440

 

Letter No. 441: Jan. 26, Will this Agency share in proceeds of sale of other reservations.?

 

devil441

 

Letter No. 442: Jan. 26. Transmitting estimates of supplies.  However, you shorted me considerably on last year and we are running out of everything.

devil442

 

Letter No. 443: Jan. 30, Pass to Turtle Mountain vicinity for 11 well-behaved Indians.

devil443