Skip to Search



A Guide to the Indian Affairs - Florida Seminoles Collection

Finding aid prepared by John R. Nemmers

University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
August 2004


Descriptive Summary

Title: Indian Affairs - Florida Seminoles Collection
Dates: 1820-1974
Bulk: 1881-1947
Extent: 3.75 linear ft. 10 Boxes
Identification: MS 147


Scope and Content

Photocopies of documents in the National Archives including correspondence, annual reports, and other papers primarily related to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The majority of the files contain correspondence sent to the Office of Indian Affairs between 1820 and 1897. Over fifty years of statistics and historical information about the Seminole Indians can be found in annual reports, which span 1895 to 1947. Topics for both the correspondence and reports include population census, land ownership, health, income, the Seminole War, "Florida Indians emigrating west of the Mississippi," Indian negroes, Seminole prisoners, education, crime, an Industrial School, and whiskey consumption. In addition, the collection includes a small group of catalogs created by the National Archives listing microfilm and resources pertaining to Native Americans.


Access or Use Restrictions

Access

Collection is open for research.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Indian Affairs - Florida Seminoles Collection, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.


Series 1 - Annual Reports, 1895-1947

Photoduplicated annual reports containing narratives and statistics for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The reports, which were submitted to the Office of Indian Affairs (Bureau of Indian Affairs) and the U.S. Indian Service, include population census, land ownership, health, income, and related information. Several reports were submitted by Lucien A. Spencer, Special Commissioner, and by Francis J. Scott and J.L. Glenn, Superintendents of the Seminole Agency. This series is arranged chronologically.

Box 1

Annual Reports (Statistics). 1895-1897
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1913-1917
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1918-1923
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1925-1929
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1930-1932
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1933-1934
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1936-1940
Annual Reports (Statistics). 1941-1947



Series 2 - Letters Received Chronological Files, 1820-1839

Photoduplicated correspondence received by Commissioner of Indian Affairs primarily pertaining to the Seminole Tribe and Florida Indians. Topics include the Seminole War, "Florida Indians emigrating west of the Mississippi," Indian negroes, Seminole prisoners, health, and population rolls. The files in this series are arranged chronologically.

Box 2

July-December. 1820
July-December. 1823
January-June. 1824
July-December. 1824
January-June. 1825
July-December. 1825
July-December. 1825
January-February. 1826

Box 3

March-June. 1826
July-December. 1826
January-June. 1828
July-December. 1828
January-June. 1829
July-December. 1829
January-June. 1830
July-December. 1830
January-June. 1831
July-December. 1831
January-June. 1832
July-December. 1832
January-June. 1833
July-December. 1833
January-June. 1834
July-December. 1834
January-June. 1835
July-December. 1835

Box 4

January-June. 1836
July-December. 1836
January-June. 1837
July-December. 1837
January-June. 1838
April-June. 1838
July-December. 1838

Box 5

October-December. 1838
January-March. 1839
April-June. 1839
July-December. 1839
October-December. 1839



Series 3 - Letters Received Chronological Files, 1881-1897

Photoduplicated correspondence received by the Office of Indian Affairs primarily pertaining to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Topics include land, education, crime, population, tribal leadership, and health. This series is arranged chronologically.

Box 6

Letters Received. 1881
Letters Received. 1882
Letters Received. 1883
Letters Received. 1884
Letters Received. 1885
Letters Received. 1886
Letters Received. 1887
Letters Received. 1888

Box 7

Letters Received. 1889
Letters Received. 1890
Letters Received. 1891
Letters Received. 1892
Letters Received. 1892

Box 8

Letters Received. 1893
Letters Received. 1894
Letters Received. 1895
Letters Received. 1896
Letters Received. 1897



Series 4 - Letters Received Subject Files, 1881-1897

Photoduplicated correspondence received by the Office of Indian Affairs primarily pertaining to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Topics include land acquisition, the Christian Church, whiskey consumption, field work, education, crime, the Industrial School, health, and an anti-government attitude among the Seminoles. J.E. Brecht is a subject of much correspondence (e.g., pertaining to whiskey matters). The files in this series are arranged alphabetically according to subject.

Box 9

Anti-Government Attitude Among Seminoles (on homesteads, influence of white traders). 1891
Christian Meddling. 1884-1896
Education. 1881-1892
Health and General Condition. 1891-1892
Industrial School (lumber, oxen, saw mill, environment, administration). 1891
Industrial School (lumber, oxen, saw mill, environment, administration). 1892
Industrial School (lumber, oxen, saw mill, environment, administration). 1893-1897
Land Acquisition: Reservations and Homesteads. 1884-1888
Land Acquisition: Reservations and Homesteads. 1889-1892

Box 10

Land Acquisition: Reservations and Homesteads. 1894-1897
Visits to the Seminoles, Field Work. 1891-1894
Whiskey, Temperance, Traders, Cattlemen. 1889-1895
Whites Stealing Cattle from Tribe and a Seminole-Managed Store. 1890



Series 5 - Publications, 1965-1974

Catalogs and pamphlets by the National Archives and a publishing company listing microfilm and other resources pertaining to Native Americans. This series is arranged alphabetically.

Box 10

"The American Indian: Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications". 1972
"Library of American Indian Affairs" (Catalog). 1974
National Archives Pamphlet Accompanying Microcopy No. 234. 1966
National Archives Pamphlet Accompanying Microcopy No. 606. 1965



Selected Subjects and Access Points

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog:
Organizations:
United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Subject Terms:
Indians of North America--Government relations.
Seminole Indians.
Seminole Tribe of Florida.
United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs.


For further information, please contact: Special Collections Access Services.

University of Florida Home Page