Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 2059, MtBC, us
Wessel, Thomas R.
Thomas R. Wessel Indian Claims Commission
Research Papers
1855-1979
13.6 linear feet
The Thomas R. Wessel Indian Claims Commission Research Papers
consists of documents collected for the "Historical Report on the Blackfeet Indian
Reservation in Montana" prepared by Thomas R. Wessel. These documents are photocopies of
annual reports, agency reports by supervisors and special inspectors and reservation agents
dealing with the administration of the Blackfeet Tribes and their reservation. Also included
is correspondence from residents and other interested parties and inspection reports on
agricultural programs, schools, irrigation and cattle, copies of the ledger pages recording
the Blackfeet Tribe disbursements of funds under treaties, acts and agreements of 1883,
1896, 1907, 1930, commissioned reports, photocopies of testimony, exhibits, briefs, finding
of facts and other legal papers before the Indian Claims Commission complete the
collection.
Collection materials are in English
Historical Note
Dr. Thomas R. Wessel graduated from Iowa State University in History and earned his
Master's and PhD degrees at the University of Maryland. He was professor of History and head
of the Department of History and Philosophy at Montana State University before his
retirement in the year 2000. He has authored numerous papers on the history of agriculture
and American Indians and regularly published reviews for several professional publications.
Dr. Wessel was retained as a researcher during the early 1970s to prepare a historical
report on the Blackfeet Indian tribe for the Indian Claims Commission. While engaged in this
activity he gathered the materials found in this collection.
In 1946, Congress passed the Indian Claims Commission Act as an independent agency to hear
and determine claims against the United States by any tribe, band or other group of American
Indians residing in the United States. Grievances of an Indian tribe were brought before the
three-member Commission (later expanded to five members) who were appointed by the
president. Decisions were reviewed by the U.S. Court of Claims and the Supreme Court if
necessary. Originally created for 10 years, the Commission lasted until 1978 when it was
abolished. The U.S. Court of Claims took over pending cases. To establish its case, a tribe
presented evidence about tribal history and culture by experts in anthropology, ethnology
and history to establish that land claimed was rightfully attributed to that particular
tribe. Tribal reservation records were also introduced. If the tribe was determined to have
proven its case, the value of the land at the time the land was taken was decided and the
U.S. Government paid the tribe compensation.
Docket 279-D: The Blackfeet Tribe of Indians, Plaintiff vs. The United States of America,
Defendant was created on September 25, 1974 when the Blackfeet Tribe claims were severed
from the consolidated Dockets 279-C and 250-A and became a standalone claim. Many of the
documents for evidence were carried over from the prior Dockets and are present here.
Evidence presented to the Indian Claims Commission for Docket 279 -D came from the records
of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75 and the Office of the Secretary of the
Interior, Record Group 48 from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at
Washington DC and the Federal Records Centers (FRCs) at Denver, Colorado, Seattle,
Washington and Suitland, Maryland. The documents collected for the "Historical Report on the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana" prepared by Thomas R. Wessel are photocopies of
annual reports, agency reports by supervisors and special inspectors and reservation agents
dealing with the administration of the Blackfeet Tribes and their reservation.
Correspondence from residents and other interested parties and inspection reports on
agricultural programs, schools, irrigation and cattle are prominent along with the handling
of allotments. Also included are copies of the ledger pages recording the Blackfeet Tribe
disbursements of funds under treaties, acts and agreements of 1883, 1896, 1907, 1930 and
others. A summary of the disbursements by category is also present.
Commissioned reports of other historians and experts in land use including the oil and gas
industry are also included in the research. The collection includes reports of the General
Accounting Office (GAO)and General Service Administration (GSA). Many of these reports were
created for Docket 279-C (The Blackfeet and Gros Ventre Tribes of Indians, residing upon the
Blackfeet and Fort Belknap Reservations in the State of Montana, Plaintiffs vs. The United
States of America, Defendant) and Docket 250-A (The Fort Belknap Indian Community sometimes
referred to as the Gros Ventre Tribe and Assiniboine Tribe of Fort Belknap Indians vs. The
United States of America, Defendant). Many have handwritten margin notes and arguments or
points of view. The documents collected for Docket 279-C carried over as necessary to the
Blackfeet Docket 279-D. Docket 279-C and 250-A and Docket 279-D photocopies of testimony,
exhibits, briefs, finding of facts and other legal papers before the Indian Claims
Commission complete the collection.
Series 1 Collected photocopies of records of Blackfeet from Records Group 75 and 48 from
the NARA and FRCs of Denver, Colorado, Seattle, Washington and Suitland, Maryland
Subseries 1 Records of the BIA and Department of Interior at NARA and FRCs, 1899-1974
Subseries 2 Records of the BIA, Blackfeet Agency, Browning MT from NARA and FRC Denver
1874-1942
Series 2 Blackfeet Reservation disbursement records based on treaties, acts and agreements,
1855-1936
Series 3 Papers related to, or contracted for, Dockets 279-C, 250-C, and 279-D
Series 4 Testimony, exhibits and indexes, briefs, and other legal papers
This collection is open for research.
Photocopies of research reports and records from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and
Department of the Interior, Indian Division gathered for Docket 279 -D of the Indian Claims
Commission were donated by Thomas R. Wessel to Special Collections in 1976 and 1979. The
collection was initially reported to the Library of Congress National Union Catalog of
Manuscript Collections and assigned entry number 79-630.
This collection was processed 2009 May 13
Blackfeet Tribe of the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana-Claims vs. United States
United States-Bureau of Indian
Affairs
United States-Dept. of the
Interior
United States-General
Accounting Office
United States-General Services
Administration
United States-Indian Claims
Commission
United States-Office of Indian
Affairs-Blackfeet Agency
Blackfeet Indian Reservation
(Mont.)
Siksika Indians-Claims
Civil Procedure
and Courts
Native
Americans
Montana
Series 1
Record Groups 75 and 48 of the BIA and Department of
Interior
Photocopied files of the records for the Blackfeet from NARA and Federal Records
Centers are present in this collection. They were organized chronologically in two
groups with the second devoted to the Blackfeet Reservation at Browning, Montana.
Subseries 1
Records of the BIA and Department of Interior at NARA
and FRCs
1899-1974
Photocopied records of the activities of the Federal Government and Blackfeet Tribe
from 1899 to 1974 including annual reports, assorted correspondence vouchers,
statistical and targeted reports on conditions and activities on the Reservation.
Correspondents include the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, various Indian Agents,
investigative agents for special problems and residents, white settlers nearby and
others. Materials were in proximate chronological order and may have several grouped
together when a particular issue is being discussed and resolved.
1/1
1899
1/2
1900
1/3
1901
1/4
1902
1/5
1903
1/6
1904
1/7
1905
2/1
1906
2/2
1907
2/3
1908
2/4
1909
2/5-6
1910
3/1
1910
3/2-3
1911
3/4-5
1912
4/1
1913
4/2-3
1914
4/4
1915
5/1
1915
5/2-3
1916
5/4
1917
6/1
1917
6/2-3
1918
6/4
1919
7/1-2
1920
7/3
1921
7/4-5
1922
8/1-2
1923
8/3-4
1924
8/5-6
1925
9/1
1926
9/2
1927
9/3-4
1928
10/1-2
1929
10/3-4
1930
10/5
1931
11/1
1931
11/2-3
1932
11/4-5
1933
12/1-2
1934
12/3-4
1935
12/5-6
1936
13/1-2
1937
13/3-4
1938
13/5-6
1939
14/1-2
1940
14/3-4
1941
14/5-6
1942
15/1
1942
15/2-3
1943
15/4-5
1944
15/6
1945
16/1
1945
16/2-3
1946
16/4
1947
16/5
1948-1969
16/6
1971-1974
Subseries 2
Records of the BIA for Blackfeet Agency, Browning MT
from NARA and Denver Records Center
1874-1942
This group of photocopied documents includes reports of the Blackfeet Agents at
Browning MT, annual reports plus assorted issues on the reservation related to the
schools, rations, housing, stock and agricultural issues, the allotment program, land
use, tribal government, medical needs and relationships with white neighbors.
Financial reports, billings and statistics are also present. The documents have been
chronologically arranged.
17/1
1861-1874
17/2
1875
17/3
1876
17/4
1877
17/5
1878
17/6
1879
17/7
1880
17/8
1881
17/9
1882
18/1
1883
18/2
1884
18/3
1885
18/4
1886
18/5
1887
18/6
1888
18/7
1889
19/1-2
1890
19/3
1891
19/4
1892
19/5-6
1893
19/7-8
1894
20/1-2
1895
20/3
1896
20/4
1897
20/5
1898
20/6
1899
20/7
1903
20/8
1904
20/9
1905
20/10
1906
20/11
1908
20/12
1914-1916
20/13
1919
21/1
1920-1923
21/2
1926-1928
21/3
1930-1931
21/4
1933
21/5
1934
21/6
1935
21/7
1936
22/1
1937
22/2
1938
22/3
1939
22/4
1940
22/5
1941
22/6
1942
22/7
Misc. materials
(not dated or semi-legible)
Series 2
Blackfeet Reservation disbursement records based on
treaties, acts and agreements
1855-1936
A collection of the copied ledger pages for disbursements of funds by category for the
Blackfeet Tribe in accordance with established acts, treaties and agreements with the
United States government and photocopy of a summary of all disbursements by category.
Included are some items not directly used in Wessel's history for Docket 279-D.
23/1
Treaty of 1855 disbursements
23/2
Act of April 30,1908 list of categories
23/3
Summary of disbursements, GOA for all treaties, acts
and agreements
July 1969
23/4
Provisions
1883
1896
1907
23/5
Education
1883
1896
1907
1930
23/6
Per capita cash payments
1883
1896
1907
1929
1936
23/7
Agricultural aid
1883
1896
1907
23/8
Clothing
1883
1907
23/9
Survey and allotting
1907
23/10
Industrial assistance
1883
23/11
Expense of Indian council meetings and
delegations
1883
1896
1930
23/13
Agency buildings and repairs
1883
1896
1907
23/13
Feed and care of livestock
1883
24/1
Purchase of livestock
24/2
Pay and expenses of range riders
24/3
Indigent Indians
1883
24/4
Indigent Indians
1930
24/5
Work and stock animals
1907
1896
24/6
Pay of attorneys
1894
1924
1935
24/7
Purchase of land
1883
24/8
Rehabilitation, construction of houses, wells, fences,
etc.
1936
24/9
Medical expenses
1883
1907
24/10
Miscellaneous agency expenses
1883
24/11
Autos, vehicles, maintenance repairs
1883
24/12
Household equipment and supplies
1883
1896
24/13
Hardware, glass and oil
1883
1896
24/14
Fuel and light
1883
24/15
Expenses, care and sale of timber
1883
24/16
Indian dwellings
1896
24/17
Pay of farmers, stockmen, laborers
1883
1896
24/18
Pay of clerks, teamsters, stenographers and typists,
mechanics, butchers
1883
1896
24/19
Pay of miscellaneous employees
1883
1896
Series 3
Papers related to, or contracted for, Dockets 279-C,
250-C, and 279-D
Copies of reports by independent historians, government agencies, and published
treatises on the history and financing of Indians in Montana especially the Blackfeet at
the Browning Reservation and the Fort Belknap Reservation and their related communities.
Some were contracted by either the plaintiffs (Blackfeet Tribe and Fort Belknap Tribes)
and some by the United States Government as defendant. Records of the exploration for
oil and gas (including a copy of the Seminole Nation (of Oklahoma) suit before the
Commission), the grazing of cattle and allotments on the reservations were analyzed and
interpreted as well as the chronicle of the history of the reservation through official
reports and records.
25/1
US General Accounting Office Re: Petition of the
Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan and Gros Ventre Nations residing upon the Blackfeet and Fort
Belknap Reservations in the State of Montana and... (vol 1.)
March 28, 1929
25/2
US General Accounting Office Re: Petition of the
Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan and Gros Ventre Nations residing upon the Blackfeet and Fort
Belknap Reservations in the State of Montana and... (vol 2.)
March 28, 1929
25/3
US General Accounting Office Re: Petition of the
Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan and Gros Ventre Nations residing upon the Blackfeet and Fort
Belknap Reservations in the State of Montana and... (vol 3.)
March 28, 1929
25/4
US General Accounting Office Re: Petition of the
Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan and Gros Ventre Nations residing upon the Blackfeet and Fort
Belknap Reservations in the State of Montana and... (vol 4.)
March 28, 1929
25/5
US General Accounting Office Re: Petition of the
Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan and Gros Ventre Nations residing upon the Blackfeet and Fort
Belknap Reservations in the State of Montana and... (vol 5.)
March 28, 1929
25/6
Docket No. 204 - A copy of the Seminole Nation (of
Oklahoma) suit before the Commission)
June 24, 1966
26/1
Dockets 279-C and 250-A: GSA Report Re: Petitions of
July 16, 1969
26/2
Dockets 279-C and 250-A: Accountants' report on review
of GSA and GSO reports and supporting documents
April 2, 1971
26/3
Dockets 279-C and 250-A: Accounting report on Research
on Accounting Procedures
26/4
Dockets 279-C and 250-A: Accounting report on Delivery
of goods and supplies
1880-1920
26/5
Dockets 279-C and 250-A: Accounting report on Property
other than Money Ft. Belknap and Blackfeet Reservations
September 24, 1974
26/6
Docket 279-C and 279-D: Supplemental general
accounting report
December 17, 1974
26/7
Docket 279-C and 279-D: Appendix A-4 to supplemental
accounting report
December 16, 1974
26/8
Docket 279-D: Oil and Gas: Management of Oil and Gas
Resources on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation 1873-1946 by J. H. Ashford, Jr. And K.
M. Raymond
August 30, 1975
26/9
Dockets 279-C, 250-A and 279-D "Economic Changes in
Montana Affecting the Blackfeet" Gates, P. W.
1975
(a draft of following publication)
27/1
Dockets 279-C, 250-A and 279-D "A History of Economic
Influences on the Fort Belknap and Blackfeet Indian Reservations" by Dr. P. W.
Gates
August 1975
27/2
Docket 279-D "An historical analysis of the
administration of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation by the United States, 1855-1950's"
by Michael F. Foley
circa 1975
27/3
Docket 279-D Footnotes for "An historical analysis of
the administration of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation by the United
States"
"1855-1950's"
Series 4
Testimony, exhibits and indexes, briefs, and other legal
papers
Copies of assorted legal documents present at hearings before the Indian Claims
Commission for Docket 279-C and Docket 250-A (combined) and Docket 279-D. They include
the historians exhibits and digests of those exhibits, exceptions to the U.S.
Government's financial and accounting evidence, motions for rehearing and other
pertinent documents.
28/1
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Digest of Historian's Exhibits
(vol 1) pg 1-165
28/2
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Digest of Historian's Exhibits
(vol 2) pg 166 - 329
28/3
Docket 279-D - Digest of Historian's Exhibits pg
329A-499
28/4
Docket 279-D - Digest of Historian's Exhibits pg
500-653 (cont.)
28/5
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Plaintiffs requested findings
of fact and brief - Introduction and fiscal findings
29/1
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Plaintiffs requested findings
of fact and brief -Footnotes to Plaintiffs requested findings of fact
29/2
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Petitioners' exceptions to
defendant's accounting
January 26, 1971
29/3
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Defendant's response to
Petitioners' exceptions to defendant's accounting
April 1971
29/4
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Petitioners' Motion for order
for supplemental accounting and for partial summary judgment and memorandum on support
thereof
August 24, 1971
29/5
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Memorandum of history of
Docket No. 250 submitted in response to the request of the commission made April 26,
1971 during the course of trial in the above-mentioned dockets
October 14, 1971
29/6
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Opposition to Plaintiffs'
motion for order for supplemental accounting and for partial summary
judgment
November 1, 1971
29/7
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Petitioners' reply to
defendant's opposition to Petitioners' Motion for order for supplemental accounting
and for partial summary judgment
November 12, 1971
29/8
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Petitioner's reply to
defendant's Opposition to separate Motion of petitioner Assiniboine Tribe of Ft.
Belknap Indians for partial summary judgment and for pleading to conform to the
proof
November 16, 1971
29/9
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Defendant's motion for
rehearing
December 21, 1973
29/10
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Plaintiffs' response to
defendant's motion for rehearing
January 14, 1974
29/11
Dockets 279-C and 250-A Plaintiffs' motion to amend
their supplemental exceptions to defendant's accounting reports
January 30, 1975
29/12
Docket 279-D Order severing separate claims of
Blackfeet tribe from consolidated dockets
September 25, 1974
29/13
Docket 279-D Plaintiffs' supplemental exceptions to
defendant's supplemental accounting reports
February 6, 1975
29/14
Docket 279-D Plaintiff's Exhibit MF-2199
errata
November 28, 1975
29/15
Docket 279-D Plaintiffs requested findings of fact and
brief - concerning fiscal matters
29/16
Docket 279-D Plaintiffs requested finding of fact and
brief concerning fiscal matters - footnotes
30/1
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.1)
30/2
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.2)
30/3
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.3)
31/1
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.4)
31/2
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.5)
31/3
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.6)
32/1
Docket 279-D "Historical report on the Blackfeet
Reservation in northern Montana " defendant's exhibits files prepared by Thomas Wessel
(vol.7)
32/2
Defendant's exhibits
(loose in file)
32/3
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#1-6
32/4
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#7-26
32/5
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#27-41
32/6
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#42-59
33/1
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#60-72
33/2
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG#
73-95
33/3
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#96-99
33/4
Docket 279-D Defendants Exhibits - Oil and Gas - OG
#100-126
33/5
Docket 279-D Plaintiffs requested findings of fact and
brief - Oil and Gas Findings
33/6
Docket 279-D Footnotes to Plaintiffs findings of fact
and brief - Oil and Gas Findings
34/1
Docket 279-D Testimony of David A. Bentzin and Maynard
E. Robertson, Jr. (vol V)
December 8, 1975
34/2
Docket 279-D Testimony of Maynard E. Robertson, Jr
(resumed), (vol. VI)
December 9, 1975
34/3
Docket 279-D Testimony of James Harvey Ashford, Jr and
Kenneth Raymond, (vol. XI)
January 7, 1976
34/4
Docket 279-D Testimony of Kenneth Raymond (resumed)
(vol. XII)
January 8, 1976
34/5
Docket 279-D Testimony of James Harvey Ashford, Jr.,
(vol. XIXa)
January 21, 1976
34/6
Docket 279-D Testimony of James Harvey Ashford, Jr.
(Resumed) (XIXb)
January 21, 1976
34/7
Docket 279-D Testimony of James Harvey Ashford, Jr.
(Resumed) and Kenneth Raymond (vol. XX)
January 22, 1976
34/8
Docket 279-D Testimony of Kenneth Raymond (resumed)
and Thomas R. Wessel, (vol. XXI)
January 23, 1976