These papers largely relate to Jones' career as U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1897-1904. They illustrate the changing policy of the government toward Indians, the social attitudes that dominated that policy, and the evolving system of civil service criteria for appointments within the department.
The PERSONAL PAPERS, 1897-1911, include some biographical information on Jones; papers relating to his private business, particularly the Mineral Point Zinc Company; newspaper clippings on events during his term as commissioner; and honors, certificates, and other personal mementos.
The CORRESPONDENCE files, 1873-1911, include twelve letterpress books of outgoing correspondence files, one unbound file of letters written by Jones as commissioner, and incoming correspondence. The letterpress books are indexed by name of correspondent. The subjects of these letters include policy questions, complaints and reports on conditions and employees from the various reservations, interdepartmental correspondence, letters of recommendation and appointments, and general information on Indians and the operation of their reservations. Copies of four letters from Theodore Roosevelt, dated September 3, 1903, December 12 and 22, 1903, and December 23, 1904, are included in the incoming correspondence. (The originals of these letters were also received and have been placed in the vault.)
The SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS FILES, 1902-1904, involve two cases of land leasing controversies that were under scrutiny during Jones' service as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The Standing Rock Reservation (North and South Dakota) controversy involved leasing grazing lands to area farmers without Indian permission. The files include an article by George Kennan that appeared in The Outlook stirring the controversy, and both drafts and final copy of Jones' replies to the charges; records of congressional hearings and transcripts of tribal council meetings; reports on the commission's policy; newspaper articles reporting the debate; and related correspondence, including letters from President Theodore Roosevelt. The less controversial records of the investigation of mineral leasing in Uinta and Uncompahgre Indian Reservations in Utah contain reports on the gilsonite mineral deposits, department policy reports, and records of congressional hearings. Maps of both reservations are available in the Historical Society's Map collection (see separations listings). Originals of T. Roosevelt letters are in the vault.
The REPORTS AND HEARINGS series, 1897-1905, contains information on the development of policies and the rulings on internal regulations. It includes reports on legislation and information sent to congressional committees, investigations of complaints on personnel and hearings of Indian claims, and official reports of policy on education, lands, finance, and the general goals of Indian policy.
The TRAVEL NOTEBOOKS contain notes of interviews with Indians by Jones as he traveled to various reservations, and the PUBLICATION, which describes land annexation and Indian policy historically, is Jones' personal copy of The Louisiana Purchase and Our Title West of the Rocky Mountains with a Review of Annexation by the United States by Binger Hermann (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1898).
