Page View
United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, for the year 1855
([1855])
[Northern superintendency], pp. 40-47
PDF (3.1 MB)
Page 40
REPORT OF THE No. 8. NORTHERN SUPERINTENDENCY, lilwaukie, October 1, 1855. SIR: In obedience to the regulations of the Indian Department I submit my annual report. Of the Indian tribes under the superintendency of this office the Oneidas, Stockbridges, and Brothertons are commonly classed among the civilized Indians, while the Menomonees have, so far, been classed and considered as uncivilized or wild Indians. However, this tribe of Indians have lately, and particularly within the last year, improved much and made considerable progress towards civilization. In accordance with the stipulations of the treaty of May 12, 1855, the means were furnished to begin a systematic effort to improve and civilize them, and though I had hoped that more progress would be made this season, the results obtained are such that perhaps the his- tory of the civilization of Indian tribes will not show an instance where more has been accomplished in so short a time. The leading idea expressed in my report of October 27, 1854, that, "as much as practicable, all the work to be done for the Menomonees is to be done by them, and whites are to be employed only to superintend the work and to teach them how to work," has been adhered to; and when funds for improvements to be made were placed in my hands, (Febru- ary 1, 1855,) many of the Indians were persuaded to go to work at getting out fence rails, fence posts, timber, clearing, grubbing, and some at making shingles, &c. A part of this work was done by different individuals, while other parts-were performed by the young men of one or more bands, forming themselves, under their own fore- men, into gangs of hands. A carpenter shop was at once put into operation, and the public buildings b3ing erected at the pay-ground are offering a fine opportunity for a number of the young men to be instructed in the carpenter trade. A dwelling house for one of the teachers, and the agency and interpreter's house, have already been built by Indian hands; and a number of young men have made such progress that, in building houses for themselves, they need no instruc- tion from the carpenter who is superintending the work at the public buildings. Many young men show, comparatively, far more inclina- tion for, and dexterity and perseverance in, mechanical labor than farm labor; and, to some extent, the old prejudice of looking upon farm labor as properly to be left to the women is clinging to them. However, since the new agent, authorized by Congress to be appointed in lieu of the Green Bay sub-agent, has taken charge of their im- provements (in May last) they have made considerable progress in farming. In addition to the remaining working cattle-of the few yoke fur- nished them annually under stipulations of the treaty of 1836-ten yoke were delivered to them in May last, and these cattle are now well provided for; and under the instruction of a competent farmer, a number of the Indians'are learning well to attend to and drive cattle. It is to be expected that enough land will be ploughed to enable the 40
As a work of the United States government, this material is in the public domain.| For information on re-use see: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/Copyright