A native of Harlotown, Montana, Joseph W. "Duke" Wellington was the son of Mr. and Mrs. LeClaire Wellington. Duke received his degree in agricultural education from Montana State University in 1929. He was the quarterback for the Bobcat football team for three years as well as being a member of the track team. From 1930 to 1936, Wellington taught vocational education and coached at Smith-Hughes. The following two years he worked on the family ranch in Harlotown. He returned to education from 1938 to 1939 teaching vocational agriculture and coaching at Broadwater County High School in Townsend, Montana. He married Mabel Morton in 1932, and they had one daughter, Barbara.
In 1940, he began his 32 career in the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the agricultural instructor at Stewart Indian School at Carson City, Nevada. He then became the supervisor of livestock and farming for the BIA for 17 western states before becoming the superintendent of the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy reservations in 1947. While at Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy, Wellington emphasized strong public relations and the utilization of a natural resources program and developed a range fencing program. He moved to North Dakota seven years later and was the superintendent of the Standing Rock reservation at Fort Yates, North Dakota. After recovering from a heart attack in 1956, he became the superintendent of the Indian School at Wahpeton, North Dakota, where he stayed until he retired in 1972.
In addition to his work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wellington was active in community affairs. He was the chairman of the United Fund, president of the Red River Bowling Association, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Elks, and various Masonic bodies including the Shrine. An avid golfer, he was director of the Bois de Sioux Golf Club. He was interested in youth activities and was a Boy Scout Committeeman as well as the director of Red River Council for Educational Television. He was a lover of Montana history and collected Indian artifacts and materials. He died January 17, 1994, in San Louis Obispo, California, and is buried with family in the Harlowton Cemetery, Montana.
The J. W. "Duke" Wellington papers have been separated into 8 series based on topical and departmental divisions. Included in the collection are papers Wellington collected during his 32-year career in the Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as a few family papers. Papers relating to administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, education, Government-Indian relations, Fort Belknap Reservation, Rocky Boy Reservation, Standing Rock Reservation, subject files on various tribes and issues and topics relating to American Indians as well as photographs are found in the Wellington collection.
Series 1 : Correspondence and Personal Papers, 1935-1972
Series 2 : LeClaire Wellington, Correspondence and Personal Papers, 1907-1915
Series 3 : Administrative Papers, 1876-1971
Subseries 1 : W. T. Hughes, U.S. Indian Agent, Correspondence, 1876-1878
Subseries 2 : Correspondence, 1876-1971
Subseries 3 : Superintendent's Memorandums, 1947-1966
Subseries 4 : Addresses and Speeches, 1947-1970
Subseries 5 : Legal Papers, 1920-1970
Series 4 : Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1940-1971
Subseries 1 : Subject Files
Subseries 2 : Conferences and Workshops, 1940-1967
Subseries 3 : Information Circulars, 1948-1952
Subseries 4 : Memorandums, 1949-1971
Subseries 5 : News Releases, 1949-1971
Subseries 6 : Orders and Reports, 1948-1956
Series 5 : Education, 1941-1971
Subseries 1 : Correspondence and Memorandums, 1943-1971
Subseries 2 : Speeches and Papers, 1955-1970
Subseries 3 : Subject Files, 1941-1971
Series 6 : Government-Indian Relations, 1778-1971
Series 7 : Subject Files, 1895-1974
Subseries 1 : General, 1929-1971
Subseries 2 : Fort Belknap,1895-1954
Subseries 3 : Rocky Boy, 1947-1954
Subseries 4 : Standing Rock, 1913-1957
Subseries 5 : Tribes, 1932-1970
Subseries 6 : American Indian Issues and Topics, 1938-1971
Subseries 7 : Clippings, 1947-1974
Series 8 : Slide Narratives and Photographs
This collection is open for research.
Series 8 contains content identified by Archives and Special Collections as Culturally Sensitive to Indigenous People(s). Please consult the archives staff for more information on access to culturally sensitive indigenous materials.
J. W. "Duke" Wellington donated his papers to Special Collections in several shipments from 1973-1976. An audiocassette interview with Wellington formerly assigned collection number 1143 was added on July 12, 2017.
This collection was processed 2017 July 12
[Creator Name], [Date of Creation], [Brief Description of Object], Folder [#], Box [#], [Collection Name], [Collection #], Montana State University (MSU) Library, Bozeman, MT
Publications that Wellington collected were separated for cataloging into either Special Collections or the general book collection. An inventory of removed materials is available.
One artifact, an arrow, was separated and transferred to the Museum of the Rockies in November 1989.
Copyright in the materials, including photographs and slides created by J. W. Wellington, remains with his estate.
Additional copies of photographs, slides, and narratives are held by the Montana Historical Society: J.W. "Duke" Wellington photograph collection (PAC 82-51) and by the Newberry Library: J. W. "Duke" Wellington slide collection (Ayer Modern MS Wellington). The amount of duplication between the three collections is unknown.
Wellington served as superintendent for several reservations during his career with the Bureau of Indian affairs. Included in Series 1 are awards, certificates, and clippings he collected. In addition, Series 1 contains correspondence he received while superintendent. Correspondence relating to the BIA and Wellington's work is also included in Series 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
Tobias Moran, 1970; Don Jensen, 1957
Duke was a native of Harlotown, Montana, where his father was a rancher and his mother was postmistress. Series 2 contains business papers and correspondence regarding his parents' ranch including land sale prices in the Harlotown area, a stock certificate for the Meagher-Fergus Telephone Company, an assessment list, and a collection of postage stamps.
As an administrator and supervisor in the BIA, Duke was responsible for the running of the office. The papers in Series 3 are the correspondence, office memorandums, addresses, speeches, and legal papers concerning the offices Wellington worked in and supervised. Also included is Series 3 are photocopies of the correspondence of Indian Agent W. T. Hughes from 1876-1878. The materials have been separated into five subseries
W. T. Hughes was an Indian agent at Standing Rock Agency in North Dakota. The photocopied correspondence in Series 3 are letters he wrote and received concerning the agency. Issues include budgets, overuse of food supplies, transferring Indians to the agency, and Department of the Interior information.
During his career in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wellington was responsible for correspondence in his office. The correspondence in Series 2 cover a wide range of topics and issues Wellington faced while at Fort Belknap, Rocky Boy, Standing Rock and Wahpeton Indian School. Topics include Indian policies, reservation activities and conditions, working with tribal councils and American Indians, law and order on the reservation, and office policies and practices.
The Superintendent's Memorandums found in Series 3 are memos Wellington wrote concerning the various offices he supervised while in the BIA.
Series 3 also contains addresses and speeches delivered on American Indian topics such as withdrawing federal supervision of the American Indian, aims and objectives of the Indian service, the outlook for the American Indian, graduation addresses at Wahpeton Indian School, individual rights of members of tribal organizations, and the American Indian way of life. The addresses and speeches have been arranged chronologically. Other speeches on education can be found in Series 5.
Legal papers found in Series 3 include court cases before the Claims Commission, petitions, attorney's contract, and a juvenile court case. The papers have been arranged chronologically.
As an employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Duke received paperwork concerning the philosophy and practices of the department. Included in Series 4 are handouts and programs from conferences and workshops as well as Bureau circulars such as information circulars, memorandums, news releases, orders, and reports. Subject files of various policies and general information regarding the BIA are also included. The materials have been separated into six subseries.
Many conferences and workshops were held to discuss issues concerning the Bureau of Indian Affairs. They have been divided into general conferences, conferences for Area Directors, and Superintendents Conferences.
Series 4
One large area of work in the BIA was education. Series 5 contains correspondence, speeches, and reports dealing with education practices and policies on various Indians reservations and the teaching of American Indian children. Also included in Series 5 are subject files dealing with educational philosophy, teaching materials, information on boarding schools, Wahpeton Indian school in North Dakota, workshop material for teachers, and newsletters and pamphlets on education.
Subseries 1 of Series 5 contains correspondence and memorandums dealing with education issues concerning American Indians and reservation schools. Many are letters Wellington wrote to various Indian agencies on the condition of their schools and farms while he was supervisor of education, livestock and dairy in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Subseries 2 of Series 5 contains speeches and reports concerning American Indian education and schools.
Wellington collected many subject files on issues relating to education. Subseries 3 of Series 5 contains files on teaching American Indians, the Wahpeton Indian School, approaches to American Indian education, educational newsletters and pamphlets, boarding schools, educational philosophy, curriculum development, and teacher orientation workshops.
Series 6 contains papers dealing with the relationship between the government and American Indians. Included are reports from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior during the late 1800s, treaties with various tribes, and circulars, memorandums, and correspondence regarding legal relations.
Treaties and Agreements, Sioux, Hunkpapa Band, 1865; Yanktonai Band, 1865; Upper Yanktonai Band, 1865
Treaties and Agreements, Sisseton and Wahpeton Band of Sioux Indians, 1872; Wahpeton Indian School, 1904-1913
Series 7 contains subject files Wellington collected on various issues dealing with American Indians and the role of the superintendent. Most of the series contains information on three of the reservations Wellington work at including Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy in Montana and Standing Rock in South Dakota. He also collected material on American Indian issues such as civil rights, culture and heritage, employment, lands, religion and legends, welfare, self-rule, unemployment, and health as well as collecting subject files on various tribes like the Apache, Blackfeet, Sioux, and Shoshone. He also collected general clippings and material on policies and information regarding American Indians. He wrote short narratives on several of these topics, giving his perspective on the issues.
Wellington collected many general subject files on various issues concerning American Indians. Subseries 1 of Series 7 contains general histories and reports he collected as well as miscellaneous papers. Many of these subject files contain narratives by Wellington explaining the material as well as giving his opinion and viewpoint on the issues.
(Memo from J. Milton McKee, Consultant)
Wellington's first position as superintendent was at the Fort Belknap Consolidated Agency with headquarters in Harlem, Montana. Wellington oversaw both the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy Subagency. Subseries 2 of Series 7 contains subject files Wellington collected on Fort Belknap. Material on Rocky Boy are found in Subseries 3. Subject files on Fort Belknap include reports and programs regarding Fort Belknap, tribal histories and legends, and minutes from tribal and community council meetings.
As a subagency of the Fort Belknap Consolidated Agency, some of the information on Rocky Boy can also be found in Subseries 3. Subject files in Subseries 3 of Series 7 contains information of plans for creating the Rocky Boy reservation and the history of the agency as well as minutes from various council meetings.
After spending seven years as superintendent at Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy in Montana, Wellington transferred to Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota. Wellington was superintendent at Standing Rock until 1956 when he suffered a heart attack. Subject files in Subseries 4 of Series 7 contains papers from the Aberdeen Area Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs which included Standing Rock, information on economic and social conditions on the reservation, histories and reports, fiscal problems and conditions at the Standing Rock agency jail.
In addition to the tribes Wellington worked with as superintendent of the Fort Belknap, Rocky Boy and Standing Rock reservations, he also tried to collect information on various American Indian tribes across the United States. Subseries 5 of Series 7 contains material on tribes such as the Apache, Cherokee, Hopi, Sioux, and Blackfeet. He also collected regional material on Indian groups.
Subseries 6 of Series 7 contains subject files on American Indian issues and topics such as civil rights, culture and heritage, economic development, health, lands, religion, legends, self-rule, and welfare.
Subseries 7 of Series 7 contains clippings Wellington collected on various American Indian issues. Most are newspaper clippings. The newspaper scrapbook concentrates mainly on Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy, although also contains articles on American Indian issues and information on the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Remembrances of 25 Years Ago and the Indian Fight on Roberts Creek
As a superintendent, Wellington was able to witness several American Indian ceremonies and activities. Series 8 contains photographs of various celebrations at the Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap reservations including the Fool Dance, Sun Dance, and the opening of the Feathered Pipe Bundle. Typed narratives, which Wellington wrote to accompany the slide sets, are found in folders 14-22 of box 17. Wellington also wrote narratives on some of the non-ceremony photographs, which are found in folder 23 in box 17. Also included in the photographs are pictures of Wellington and his father's ranch in Harlotown. Photographs of tribal herds, members of tribal councils, and American Indians are in series 8 as well. Several photographs of the 1952 flood at Fort Belknap, road damage at Rocky Boy and several accidental deaths at both reservations are also included in the series. In addition, the series contains three D. F. Barry prints. Paintings and drawing by American Indian artists George Shields of the Fort Belknap reservation and Andrew Standing Soldier, a Pine Ridge Sioux from North Dakota are also included. This grouping includes an audiocassette interview conducted by Merrill G. Burlingame with Wellington regarding this collection of his papers.
This series contains content identified by Archives and Special Collections as Culturally Sensitive to Indigenous People(s). Please consult the archives staff for more information on access to culturally sensitive indigenous materials.
Wellington originally donated several slide sets of the ceremonies along with narratives to Special Collections. He wanted a copy made for himself as well as the Smithsonian. However, he was unhappy with the lack of display facilities and the appraisal price for the slides and therefore asked that all slide sets be returned to him, which the library staff did. Typed narratives Wellington wrote, intended to accompany the slide sets, remain in the collection.
(J. W. "Duke" Wellington)
(Wellington Ranch)**
(Wellington Ranch)**
(Fort Belknap)**
no prints (negatives only)
no prints (negatives only)
no prints (negatives only)
(Fort Belknap)**
(Fort Belknap Flat Pipe Bundle, 1951)
no print (negative only)
(Fort Belknap Fool Dance, Fort Belknap Reservation, July 1906)
Fool Dancers blowing whistle
(Fort Belknap Fool Dance, circa 1948)
(Fort Belknap Winter of 1949/50)**
no print (negative only)
no prints, (negatives only)
(Fort Belknap Flood of 1952)**
(Fort Belknap Flood of 1952)
(Fort Belknap Flood of 1952)
(Fort Belknap Flood of 1952)
(Fort Belknap Tribal Herd, 1948)
no print (negative only)
(Fort Belknap Tribal Herd, 1948)
(Fort Belknap Results of Drunken Driving, circa 1948)**
(Rocky Boy)**
(Charlie DuBois)
(Rocky Boy Death in a burned house after a drinking party)**
(Rocky Boy Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Stabbing Victim)**
(Rocky Boy)
(Crow Reservation)**
(D. F. Barry prints)
(Photographs)
(Photographs)
(Photographs)
(Photographs)
(Photographs)
(Photographs)
(Photographs)
(Paintings and Drawings)
(Paintings and Drawings)
(Paintings and Drawings)
(Paintings and Drawings)
Historical map of Standing Rock Reservation; Official map of Standing Rock Reservation, Map of Fort Belknap Reservation, 1940; Land Status Map of Rocky Boy Reservation; Historical maps of Indian reservations