Samuel Gay Morse Native American photographs, approximately 1890-1900

Overview of the Collection

Photographer
Morse, Samuel G. (Samuel Gay), 1859-1921
Title
Samuel Gay Morse Native American photographs
Dates
approximately 1890-1900 (inclusive)
Quantity
18 photographic prints (1 box)
14 glass plate negatives ( 1 box)
Collection Number
PH0480
Summary
Photographs of Native Americans of the Washington coast
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Selections from the collection can be viewed on the Libraries Digital Collections website. Permission of the Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Samuel Gay Morse was born in Santa Cruz, California in 1859 and his family moved to Port Angeles, Washington when he was an infant. From 1892 to 1894, Morse was sheriff of Clallum County; later he served as an Indian agent for the Makah Indians at Neah Bay. The bulk of his photographs were made during this six-year period. He served as Clallum County commissioner from 1904 to 1905, then moved to Aberdeen, where he was captain of police. He next went to Mora and operated a fish cannery. In 1920, Morse returned to Port Angeles, where he operated a grocery store until his death in 1921.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains photographic prints and glass plate negatives depicting Native American men and women, mostly of the Makah tribe. Both individual and group portraits are included. The photographs were made on the Washington coast between Neah Bay and Taholah in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View the digital version of the collection

Most of the images are included in the Native American microfiche.

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions might exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

Processed by Shannon B. Lynch and Marion Brown, 2008.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder item
1/1 1 Aschadaback, or Peter Brown, Chief of the Makah 1890-1900
1/1 2 Che-poo circa 1890-1900
1/2 3 William Dick's mother circa 1894-1900
1/2 4 Mrs. Dog circa 1894-1900
1/2 5 Clallum Jackson seated on boat
Jackson's home was the village at Clallum Bay, but he later lived at Neah Bay.
circa 1900
1/2 6 Man known as General Jackson circa 1894-1900
1/2 7 Mrs. Clallum Jackson wearing cap and blanket, Neah Bay circa 1894-1900
1/2 8 Ketub or Mrs. David circa 1898
1/3 9 Okutter with carved wooden figures circa 1899
1/3 10 Owatta (Morse 51) circa 1894-1900
1/3 11 Yadde bassa, a woodcarver, totem, or toy maker circa 1890-1900
1/4 12 Yarlado circa 1898
1/4 13 Makah man circa 1894-1900
1/4 14 Man with downcast eyes circa 1894-1900
1/4 15 Makah man circa 1894-1900
1/5 16 Makah man, Neah Bay (Morse 44)
Caption on photograph: "Flat-head Makah, Neah Bay."
circa 1890-1900
1/5 17 Makah man circa 1894-1900
1/5 18 Man wearing scarf around head circa 1890-1900
1/5 19 Man wearing key around neck circa 1890-1900
1/5 20 Woman weaving basket and rocking infant in cradle (Morse 40)
Infant is Mrs. Colfax of Neah Bay.
1902
1/5 21 Woman wearing scarf and earrings circa 1890-1900
1/6 22 Woman, seated, with arms crossed circa 1894-1900
1/6 23 Makah or Clallum couple; man is wearing sea captain's uniform circa 1890-1900
1/6 24 Woman in fringed dress circa 1890-1900
1/6 25a Group of women with donkey (Morse 62)
Front row, right to left: Ta-lo-ah, Chi-poo, Edwin Haight's mother-in-law, John Markishtum's grandmother, Edwin Haight's mother, Clako-kuk, Jennie Howe, unknown woman. Back row, right to left: Nora Barker's father's aunt, unknown, Queen Annie, Mrs. James Guy or Yarlado, Lida Colfax's great-grandmother, Ush-la-buht, three unknown women.
circa 1890-1900
1/6 25b Group of women with donkey
Same as 24a, but reads "16 to 1".
circa 1890-1900
1/6 26 Seven boys (Morse 183)
Caption on photograph: "Some future citizens."
undated
1/7 27 Quinault men with sea lions after a hunt, Taholah, WA
Eight people with sea lions killed on a hunt. Far left is Mary Cole Strom, the child next to her is probably George Strom, her son, the man in the white shirt is Harry Jim James, the man at the far right is Otto Strom, and the man standing next to him is his adopted son, Charlie White Strom. [identifications obtained from relatives]
circa 1902
1/7 28 Fish-drying racks and smokehouse circa 1898
1/7 29 Woman tending fish drying on racks, Neah Bay circa 1890-1900
1/7 30 Group of Makah on the beach at Neah Bay
Caption: Makah Indians Gambling. Neah Bay.
circa 1890-1900
1/7 31 Native woman seated with blankets wrapped around her, Port Angeles, Washington 1895
1/7 32 Makah potlatch gathering, Tatoosh Island, Washington
This is the right half of a panorama photograph. The left photograph of the panorama is missing but has the copy negative number NA703.
1895

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Indians of North America--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Makah Indians--Photographs
  • Makah Indians--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Quinault Indians--Photographs
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Morse, Samuel G. (Samuel Gay), 1859-1921--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Neah Bay (Wash.)--Photographs