Welch Dakota Papers, Summarization

This Blog contains ALL the Alfred Burton Welch documents that have survived his death in 1945.  I received the material in the late 1950’s.  My Grandfather (A. B. Welch’s brother) had crammed notes, manuscripts, photos, clippings and small artifacts into old steamer trunks, loose and not indexed in any fashion.

Immediately upon A. B. Welch’s death, his Indian Friends came calling on my Grandfather (who was staying at Welch’s home in Mandan, North Dakota) to pay their respects to the white man they had treated as an Indian. 

However, they then began foraging around the house and retrieving items that they had given (or sold) to A. B. Welch…..as this practice was apparently in keeping with Indian tradition. 

My Grandfather was forced to join the foraging and “save” as much material as possible, shipping it to the West Coast for storage and my eventual possession and incorporation into this Blog.

My major hobby for over 50 years has been working these papers into a semblance of order, starting on my 1911 Underwood Typewriter (used in college), through all the ages of copy machines and computers, and eventually ending up with a split screen Dell. 

I had no idea what the result, or use, of my “hobby” might be when I started this work…..but I like the end-product and I trust that you will find items of interest in your reading.

Everett Cox

September 2012

 

Now, I recommend that you ‘click’ (lasso) the Master Index to the left and start an interesting ride through the late 1800’s and early 1900’s