Newberry Library - Diary Leech Lake Agency, headquarters at Walker, Minn., 1899 Feb. 25

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Open book William A. Mercer diary, February 24-April 8, 1899

Title Diary Leech Lake Agency, headquarters at Walker, Minn., 1899 Feb. 25 - Apr. 8

Creator Mercer, W. A. (William Allen)

Date 1899-1899

Place Leech Lake Indian Reservation (Minn.), Minnesota--Walker, Walker (Minn.)

Language English

Subjects Indian agents, Ojibwa Indians, United States

Description Forms part of the Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection (Newberry Library)
Formerly known as Ayer MS 916.5.
For more information, consult the Special Collections Info. File.

Summary Diary kept Feb. 24 - Apr. 8, 1899, by Capt. W.A. Mercer, recording his activities as acting Indian agent of the new Chippewa Leech Lake Agency in Cass County, Minn. Also summary of Mercer's movements from his appointment on Jan. 5, 1899, to his Feb. 24 arrival in Walker, Minn. (base of operations until the agency could be constructed). Entries discuss Mercer's efforts to locate, plan, and construct agency facilities; rumors of Indian hostility toward the appointment of an army officer agent; council meetings with William Bonga, Flatmouth, and other members of the Pillager band; Indian drunkeness; the purchase of agency boats in Racine, Wisc.; and the reestablishment of the old sawmill. Mercer also notes his opposition to the 1889 law allowing the sale of reservation timber lands, which he believes is not in the Indians' best interests.

Biographical/Historical Note Army officer (8th Infantry, 1880-1898, 7th Cavalry, 1898-?) and acting Indian agent, Leech Lake Agency, Minn., 1899-1901. Prior to his Jan. 5, 1899, transfer to the new Chippewa agency at Leech Lake, Capt. Mercer had been acting Indian agent at the Omaha and Winnebago Agency in Nebraska. Although Mercer arrived and began establishing the Leech Lake facility in February, 1899, Congress did not formally authorize its creation until Mar. 1, 1899.

Extent 1 item (28 p.) ; 16 cm

Format Diaries, Manuscripts, American

Archival Collection Title Edward E. Ayer Collection

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Ayer MS 3181

BibID 133064

Size 1084px × 1609px 5.02 MB

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

File Created 11/13/2013

Filename 991330648805867_Ayer_MS_3181_00001.tif

Unique Identifier NL11I089