Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Roberts papers, 1882-1963
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Roberts, John, 1853-1949
- Title
- John Roberts papers
- Dates
- 1882-1963 (inclusive)Date of CollectionDate of Collection
- Quantity
- 1.5 cubic ft. (6 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 00037
- Summary
- The collection contains material regarding John Robert’s mission work on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.
- Repository
-
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English, , Arapaho, and , Shoshoni
Historical NoteReturn to Top
John Roberts was an Episcopalian missionary who worked among the Arapaho and Shoshone peoples on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. He was born in 1853 at Rhuddlan in North Wales. He was educated in Wales and later received an M.A. from Oxford University in England. He was ordained a deacon in 1878. In 1883, John Roberts was sent to the Shoshone Indian Reservation in Wyoming to work among the Indians and to organize missions among the white settlers in the adjacent territory. While there, he established St. Michael’s Mission for the Arapahos as well as the United States Government Indian Boarding Industrial School for the Shoshones and Arapahos. He translated Biblical texts and church material into the Arapaho and Shoshone languages with assistance from Fremont Arthur, Michael White Hawk, and Charles Lajoe. He died in June of 1949 at his home on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
There are numerous notes and drafts as well as printed versions of Robert’s translations of church literature into the Arapaho and Shoshone languages. Other material includes history of the region and biographical information about Roberts and his family, friends and prominent citizens of the area including Sacagawea.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright InformationThe researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Preferred Citation
Preferred CitationItem Description, Box Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Alternative Forms Available
Existence and Location of CopiesDigital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:8180/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~36~36.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Related Materials
Related MaterialsThere are no known other archival collections created John Roberts by at the date of processing.
Acquisition Information
Acquisition InformationThe John Roberts Papers were given to the University of Wyoming by Elinor and Charles Markley between 1946 and 1954. Further material was received from Edward N. Roberts in 1967 and 1968 and from Beatrice Crofts in 1978 and 1980.
Processing Note
Processing InformationThe collection was processed by Elizabeth Hokanson in August 1992. It was revised by D. Claudia Thompson in February 2002 and August 2015.
Links to digitized folders were added in August 2010 by Ben Goldman.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I.: TranslationsReturn to Top
Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Contains manuscripts, working notes and printed versions of John Roberts’s translations into Arapaho and Shoshone of Christian and Episcopalian texts.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | undated | |
| 1 | 2 | circa 1899 | |
| 1 | 3 | 1900-1905, undated | |
| 1 | 4 | 1902-circa 1915 | |
| 1 | 5 | 1905-1931 | |
| 1 | 6 | 1912-1915 | |
| 1 | 7 | undated | |
| 1 | 8 | circa 1895 | |
| 1 | 9 | 1901 | |
| 1 | 10 | undated | |
| 1 | 11 | 1903 | |
| 1 | 12 | 1912 | |
| 1 | 13 | undated | |
| 1 | 14 | undated | |
| 1 | 15 | 1927, undated | |
| 1 | 16 | undated | |
| 1 | 17 | undated | |
| 2 | 1 | undated | |
| 2 | 2 | 1899 | |
| 2 | 3 | 1899-1900 | |
| 2 | 4 | 1895 | |
| 2 | 5 | undated | |
| 2 | 6 | undated | |
| 2 | 7 | circa 1899 | |
| 2 | 8 | undated | |
| 2 | 9 | undated |
Series II.: Personal Papers Return to Top
Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Contains biographical information on John Roberts, notes and manuscripts primarily by John Roberts on Lander and Wind River area history and on the Arapaho and Shoshone people, correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, and a notebook.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 10 | 1884-1933 | |
| 2 | 11 | 1884-1941, undated | |
| 2 | 12 | 1922-1923 | |
| 2 | 13 | 1933-1934 | |
| 2 | 14 | Biographical - Wyoming State Journal Tribute Issue (photocopy) |
Feb. 8, 1933 |
| 2 | 15 | Clippings – “Pioneer Landerites” |
1911-1955 |
| 2 | 16 | Clippings – Sacajawea |
1904-1963 |
| 2 | 17 | Clippings – Washakie |
1900-1960 |
| 2 | 18 | 1892-1899 | |
| 5 | 1885-1941 | ||
| 5 | Correspondence to and from John Roberts |
1882-1945 | |
| 5 | Correspondence to and from John Roberts regarding Sacajawea |
1905-1937 | |
| Folder | |||
| 2 | 20 | Financial Documents: bills, invoices, checks |
1884-1912 |
| 2 | 21 | undated | |
| 2 | 22 | undated | |
| 2 | 23 | 1914, undated | |
| 2 | 24 | undated | |
| 5 | Historical Notes and Manuscripts - Sacajawea |
undated | |
| Folder | |||
| 2 | 25 | 1926, undated | |
| 2 | 26 | 1899, undated | |
| 2 | 27 | undated | |
| 2 | 28 | undated | |
| 2 | 29 | undated | |
| 2 | 30 | undated | |
| 2 | 31 | 1939 | |
| 2 | 32 | 1901 | |
| 2 | 33 | Notebook of John Roberts Contains list of Lander residents,
expenses, sermon texts, translations, etc. |
1883-1888 |
Series III.: PhotographsReturn to Top
Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Includes mission schools, pupils, and employees. Also contains images of the Roberts and Brown families and events and people on the Wind River Reservation.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 34 | undated | |
| 2 | 35 | circa 1900 | |
| 2 | 36 | circa 1880s | |
| 2 | 37 | 1889-1931 | |
| 2 | 38 | 1886, undated | |
| 3 | 1 | undated | |
| 3 | 2 | circa 1880s-1923, undated | |
| 3 | 3 | 1896-1949 | |
| 3 | 4 | 1892 | |
| 3 | 5 | circa 1880s | |
| 3 | 6 | undated | |
| 3 | 7 | undated | |
| 3 | 8 | undated | |
| 3 | 9 | ca. 1900, no dates | |
| 3 | 10 | 1900 |
Series IV.: Manuscript Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 11-13 | "Sixty Six Years on the Wind River Indian Reservation:
A Ministry", typed manuscript biography of John Roberts by Elinor Roberts
Markley |
undated |
Series V.: Oversize material and Artifacts Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 4 | Wyoming State Journal, Lander, Wyoming, Pages 1-2, 5-6 of
newspaper containing information about John Roberts |
1933 |
| 4 | Fort Washakie, Shoshone Mission School, unidentified
school, group portrait |
1892-1901, undated |
| 6 | Buffalo Robe |
undated |
Additional Container ListsReturn to Top
The American Heritage Center is in the process of converting its older container lists to a more accessible format. This link is to an older version of a container list.
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Episcopalians -- Wyoming
- Indians -- North American -- Missions
- Indians -- Wyoming
- Wind River Indian Reservation (Wyo.)
- Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918
- Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945
- Wyoming -- History -- To 1899
Personal Names
- Sacajawea
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries
Processed by D.C. Thompson
2005; 2015
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
