American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

ZEPHIR, David. Autograph letters signed to Daniel B. Henderson. Lake Andes, SD (2 letters, 1907). -- Greenwood, SD (8 letters, 1910-1911). -- Ravinia, SD (9 letters, 1916-1919). -- Together, 19 letters from Sioux Representative David Zephir, mostly relating to arranging meetings in South Dakota or Washington, DC, between various tribal representatives and Daniel Henerson. A few relate to land allotments and unfair treatment of vulnerable, uneducated Yankton Sioux. Conditions generally good. Complete list of letters available upon request. 

[With:] PEO PEO-THOLEKT. Typed letter signed ("Peo-peo-toh-likt") to Daniel B. Henderson. Spalding, ID, 9 October 1917. -- Autograph letter signed ("Peopeo-toh-liket") to Daniel B. Henderson. Spalding, ID, 9 September 1929. -- Together, 2 letters from Nez Perce Chief Peo Peo Tholekt, the first of which communicates that the chief has not heard anything related to the Moscow Bank Case, and expresses his frustrations: "As you know more than one hundred indians lost their money in the Moscow Bank, and I feel that the Governmnt should remunerate the indians for these losses as we were wards of the Government and were not given that protection that should have been bestowed upon us." The chief then tells Henderson that he plans to visit Washington in January of the following year in order to receive more information. He concludes, "However I shall expect an early report from you as two years is a long time for even an indian to wait."

[With:] Typed document signed by 90+ men and women (many with thumbprints), bestowing Power of Attorney upon Daniel B. Henderson, "to represent us...before the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the Secretary of the Interior in the matter of our applications for enrollment as members of the La Pointe Band of Chippewa Indians for allotment on the Bad River Reservation..." June 1915. 10pp. significant chipping to edges and spots of discoloration and darkening throughout. -- Typed document signed by Chairman of the Meeting of Indian Delegations, John W. Carl, and Secretary of the same organization. 26 January 1917. Resolution requesting that Daniel B. Henderson transmit a request for the Delegation of Indians to meet the President of the United States, "to afford the Indians an opportunity to...pay their respects to him and to hear such words of council as he may be pleased to offer." 1p, creased with darkening and chipping to edges. -- Together, 2 typed documents designating Daniel Henderson as a representative for various Indian groups. 

[With:] Manuscript letter signed by Harry Owhi and Ben Owhi, along with multiple other parties with thumbprints accompanying names including Carter Fisher, Elijah Williams, Willie Andrews, and Sam Fisherman. To Daniel B Henderson. Nespelem, WA, 14 June 1918. 5pp. Chipping to edges, some darkening throughout. Letter is written in response to the fact that an Indian Agent wants the tribe to brand their cattle and engage in particular breeding practices. The writer points out that these are “Indian” stock, not received from the government.

[With:] HENDERSON, A. (draftsman). Map Showing the Government Surveys of the Klamath Indian Reservation Oregon made by George Mercer, in 1871 Wm. Thiel, in 1888, and W, C. Elliott, in 1900; also The Original reservations boundaries claimed by the Klamath and Modoc Tribes and the Yahooskin Band of Snake Indians, residing on the reservation, parties to the Treaty of October 14, 1864 (16 Stat., 707). “Prepared by A. Henderson, draftsman, from data contained in G.L.O. surveys, Survey maps, Indian Bureau and other public documents.” Land included in various surveys shown in different colors. 28 x 33 in.

[Also with:] 3 additional documents, including a letter to Henderson on Department of the Interior stationery, a mortgage bond certificate made out to Henderson, and a letter to Henderson from Ira Butterfield regarding compensation for wood taken from his wife's property. -- Together, 3 documents belonging to Daniel B Henderson, dated 1887 to 1922.

Daniel Brosius Henderson, Sr. (1862-1940) spent the bulk of his career litigating on behalf of America's Native peoples. He was born in Hancock, Maryland, attended the University of Virginia, and by the late 1800s had established a law practice in Kansas City, Missouri. After more than a decade in Missouri, Henderson and his growing family returned to Virginia in 1901. It was in Washington, DC, where the young lawyer would distinguish himself as a prominent attorney with a specialization in Indian claims litigation. Over the course of a decades long career, he represented the claims of multiple tribes in disputes against the US government, winning a major case for the Klamath tribe in 1937.