Montana Governor's Office: Montana Indian Historical Jurisdiction Study Records, 1851-1975

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Governor
Title
Montana Governor's Office: Montana Indian Historical Jurisdiction Study Records
Dates
1851-1975 (inclusive)
Quantity
6 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
RS 266
Summary
This collection (1851-1975) consists of copies of documents housed in the National Archives and the Seattle Federal Records Center affecting Montana Indians and reservations and including copies of treaties, statutes, executive orders, and reports compiled and microfilmed by Historical Research Associates (HRA) of Missoula, Montana. Also included are four volumes containing a description of the project, a review of Montana Indian policy, individual reservation histories, lists of legislative acts, list of documents on microfiche, a bibliography, significant excerpts from the reservation superintendents' annual reports, and an index to archival documents on Montana Indian reservations.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The "General Appropriation Act of 1977," appropriated money for the Governor's Office to undertake treaty review and research of Indian Affairs in the State of Montana. In December 1977, the Governor's Office contracted with Historical Research Associates (HRA) of Missoula, Montana, to conduct research into treaties, statutes, and executive orders affecting Montana reservations. Particular emphasis was to be placed on those documents concerning reservation establishment and boundary delineation. A few months after the award of this contract, the Governor's Office expanded the project to issues involving Indian hunting and fishing rights. HRA staff reseachers began work on the treaty review and research project in December, 1977. Following the compilation of documents involving boundary and/or fishing issues, staff researchers began an investigation of various annual reports of Indian agents in Montana. In addition, a researcher traveled to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and to the Seattle Federal Records Center in Seattle, Washington, to investigate archival documents relating to Indian affairs. Concomitant with the collection of archival documents, a researcher prepared legislative histories for some 50 significant treaties, acts and executive orders. By early spring, 1979, some 15,000 pages of documents had been collected and organized by project team members. At this point, research historians began compiling brief overviews of treaties, statutes and executive orders that affected various Montana reservations. In June, 1979, the Governor's Office contracted with HRA to supervise the microfilming of all documents. That process was completed in October of 1980.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection consist of copies of documents housed in the National Archives and the Federal Records Center (Seattle) regarding treaties, statutes, executive orders, and reports affecting Montana Indians and reservations compiled and microfilmed by Historical Research Associates (HRA), Missoula, Montana. Also included are four volumes published by HRA containing a description of the project, a review of Montana Indian Policy, individual reservation histories, a list of legislative acts, a list of documents on microfiche, a bibliography, significant excerpts from the Reservation Superintendent's Annual Reports, and an index to archival documents of Montana Indian reservations. [Transferred by Al Newell, HRA, March 23, 1981, and July 26, 1981.]

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series.

Location of Collection

32:5-1

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information is available upon request.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

Printed Materials Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1-1a /
Guides and Index
undated

Legislative Materials Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 1
Treaties, laws, executive orders (general)
1858-1920
2 / 2
Treaties, laws, executive orders (general)
1920-1975
2 / 3
Treaties, laws, executive orders (general)
1824-1975
2 / 4
Blackfeet Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, and executive orders (regarding allotments, timber rights, irrigation, land cessions, railroad right-of-way, school districts, non-Indians on reservation)
1824-1975
2 / 5
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (general)
1825-1917
2 / 6
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding allotments and claims)
1880-1953
2 / 7
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding irrigation)
1891-1946
2 / 8
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding land cessions)
1886-1937
2 / 9
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding non-Indians on reservation)
1873-1958
2 / 10
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding railroad right-of-way)
1864-1893
2 / 11
Crow Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding schools)
1918
2 / 12
Flathead Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (general)
1855-1966
2 / 13
Flathead Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding allotments and claims)
1904-1969
2 / 14
Flathead Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding irrigation)
1904-1964
2 / 15
Flathead Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding land cessions)
1905-1968
2 / 16
Flathead Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding non-Indians on reservation)
1871-1916
2 / 17
Flathead Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding railroad right-of-way, schools, townsites)
1882-1952
2 / 18
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding allotment, claims, irrigation, and land cessions)
1824-1930
3 / 1
Fort Peck Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding allotments, claims, irrigation, land cessions, non-Indians on reservation, and schools)
1824-1975
3 / 2
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (regarding allotments, irrigation, and non-Indians on reservation)
1868-1968
3 / 3
Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation: treaties, laws, executive orders (general)
1908-1974
3 / 4
Act of May 25, 1824 (regarding authorization for negotiations for 1825 treaties)
1824
3 / 5
Fort Laramie Treaty (documents)
1851
3 / 6
Flathead and Blackfeet Treaties (documents)
1855
3 / 7
Crow and Northern Cheyenne Treaties (documents)
1868
3 / 8
Act of July 2, 1864 (legislative history)
1864
3 / 9
Act of June 5, 1872 (legislative history)
1872
3 / 10
Act of March 3, 1873 (to establish the Judith Basin Reserve)
1873
3 / 11
Act of April 15, 1874 (to establish Greater Blackfeet Reservation)
1874
3 / 12
Act of April 11, 1882 (regarding Crow Indians cession of land and allotments)
1882
4 / 1
Act of July 10, 1882 (regarding Crow Indian land cessions to Northern Pacific Railroad)
1882
4 / 2
Agreement of September 2, 1882 (regarding Flathead Indians)
1882
4 / 3
Act of July 4, 1884 (regarding Indian Trust Fund Stocks)
1884
4 / 4
Act of May 15, 1886 (regarding appropriations for Indian programs)
1886
4 / 5
Act of February 8, 1887 (regarding alllotment in severalty, the Dawes Act)
1887
4 / 6
Act of February 15, 1887 (regarding right-of-way for the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway Company)
1887
4 / 7
Act of May 1, 1888 (regarding the establishment of reservations)
1888
5 / 1
Act of August 19, 1890 (regarding appropriations for Indian programs)
1890
5 / 2
Act of September 25, 1890 (regarding the sale of a section of Crow Indian Reservation to U.S. government)
1890
5 / 3
Act of February 28, 1891 (regarding extention of Indian benefits under allotment in severalty, Dawes Act of 1887)
1891
5 / 4
Act of March 3, 1891 (regarding cession of land in Crow Indian Reservation)
1891
5 / 5
Act of July 13, 1892 (regarding appropriations for Indian programs)
1892
6 / 1
Act of March 2, 1895 (regarding appropriations for Indian programs)
1895
6 / 2
Act of June 10, 1896 (regarding Blackfoot and Fort Belknap Indian Reservation land cessions)
1896
6 / 3
Act of July 1, 1898 (regarding appropriations for Indian programs)
1898
7 / 1
William McKinley's Executive Order, March 19, 1900 (regarding the removal of Northern Cheyenne Indians to the Crow Indian Reservation)
1900
7 / 2
Act of March 3, 1903 (regarding the exempt status of the Five Civilized Tribes)
1903
7 / 3
Act of April 23, 1904 (regarding survey and allotment within the Flathead Indian Reservation)
1904
7 / 4
Act of April 27, 1904 (regarding cession and allotment of Crow Reservation lands)
1904
7 / 5
Act of May 8, 1906 (regarding allotments)
1906
7 / 6
Act of March 1, 1907 (regarding allotments of Blackfeet Indian Reservation lands)
1907
8 / 1
Act of April 30, 1908, (regarding allotments on Flathead Indian Reservation, appropriations for various Indian programs, and relief for Indians on Rocky Boys Indian Reservation)
1908
8 / 2
Act of May 30, 1908 (regarding allotment of Fort Peck Indian Reservation)
1908
8 / 3
Act of February 11, 1915 (regarding the survey of lands on the Fort Assinniboine Military Reservation to open it for settlement)
1915
8 / 4
Act of September 7, 1916 (regarding opening Fort Assinniboine Military Reservation for settlement, and establishing the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation)
1916
8 / 5
Act of June 30, 1919 (regarding appropriation for various Indian programs, disposing of unalloted land on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation)
1919
9 / 1
Act of June 4, 1920 (regarding the cession, survey and allotment, and disposal of surplus lands on the Crow Indian Reservation)
1920
9 / 2
Act of March 3, 1921 (regarding allotment of lands on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation)
1921
9 / 3
Act of September 21, 1922 (regarding extending the time for allotments on the Crow Indian Reservation)
1922
9 / 4
Act of February 14, 1923 (regarding allotments)
1923
9 / 5
Act of June 3, 1926 (regarding appropriation for various projects on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation)
1926
9 / 6
Act of June 18, 1934 (regarding granting Indians the freedom to organize local governments, financial institutions, etc.)
1934
10 / 1
Act of May 14, 1935 (regarding addition to the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation)
1935
10 / 2
Act of August 31, 1937 (regarding the removal of certain lands from the Crow Indian Reservation)
1937
10 / 3
Act of March 28, 1939 (regarding addition to Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation)
1939
10 / 4
Act of August 13, 1946 (regarding Indian claims in the U.S. Court of Claims, creation of an Indian Court of Claims, and an Claims Commission)
1946
10 / 5
Act of August 18, 1950 (regarding rehabilitation of landless Indians on the Rocky Boy's Reservation)
1950
10 / 6
House Concurrent Resolution 108, August 1, 1953 (regarding the removal of certain Indian tribes from wardship status)
1953
10 / 7
Act of July 12, 1960 (regarding penalties for the destruction of boundary and warning signs on reservations)
1960
11 / 1
Act of January 4, 1975 (regarding Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act)
1975

Subject Files Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
11 / 2
Blackfeet Indian Reservation (regarding non-Indians herding cattle across reservation; timber rights; hunting and fishing in and around Glacier National Park; the reduction of Indian Reservations; allotments; the townsite for Browning; female Indians and their rights to alloted lands; and intertribal marriage)
1883-1908
11 / 3
Blackfeet Indian Reservation (regarding railroad right-of-way; allotments; fishing permits; townsite for Midvale; surplus lands appraisal; townsite for Blackfoot; Great Northern Railroad; opening reservation for settlement on surplus lands)
1909-1913
11 / 4
Blackfeet Indian Reservation (regarding common hunting ground, surplus lands, allotments, hunting and fishing permits (The Blackfoot Project), hunting in and near Glacier National Park)
1914-1915
11 / 5
Blackfeet Indian Reservation (regarding hunting in and near Glacier National Park, re-allotments, hunting and fishing regulations, U.S.-Canadian boundary easements)
1916-1918
11 / 6
Blackfeet Indian Reservation (regarding hunting in and near Glacier National Park; surplus lands; re-allotment; hunting and fishing permits; townsite for Browning; irrigation; fee patent lands; legal juridiction for prosecuting Indians committing crimes on the reservation; tribal land leases; agricultural, oil, and gas development)
1919-1939
11 / 7
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation (regarding extention of reservation to Tongue River; allotments; white encroachment; inspection of reservation; map (1931); adjustment of Northern Pacific land grant; hunting and fishing on tribal lands; and surplus lands appraisal)
1884-1938
11 / 8
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation (regarding landless Indians; hunting and fishing on reservation; Tongue River Reservation; surveys; allotments; status of land adjacent to reservation; World War II and its effect on services for Indians; schools; governing bodies on reservation; The Wheeler-Howard Act; water rights; Fighting Bear, Hollowbreast, and John Medicine Bird speeches; poverty; and land leases)
1941-1958
12 / 1
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (regarding the Little Rockies Mountains and the boundaries of the reservaiton; right-of-way; white settlement on ceded lands; Indian sale of houses to non-Indians; removal of Indians at Fort Belknap; petition opposing allotments; trespassing on reservation; hunting and fishing; and townsites)
1884-1934
12 / 2
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (regarding allotments; non-ward Indians; Blackfoot, Blood, Piegan and Gros Venture Indians; fishing and hunting on reservation; Indian land tenure; subsistance homestead lands; legal juridiction for crimes committed on the reservation; and the Bureau of Indian Affairs)
1935-1960
12 / 3
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding Northern Pacific Railroad right-of-way; relationship with Missoula and the Bitteroot Valley; timber rights on reservation in regards to railroad; extention of boundaries; trespassing of cattle and stockmen; surplus lands; Peter Ronan; and opening the reservation for settlement)
1881-1910
12 / 4
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding allotments, hunting and fishing on the reservation, townsite for Ronan, right-of-way for the Northen Pacific Railroad, timber sales, and boundaries of reservation)
1881-1910
12 / 5
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding allotments, timber rights; "Villa Estates"; boundaries, hunting and fishing; right-of-way for the Northern Pacific Railroad; and Flathead, Kootenai, Nez Perce, Pende Orlene, Competency Commission for the Flathead Reservation.)
1911-1933
12 / 6
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding hunting and fishing on reservation; statement of purpose and jurisdiction for Office of Indian Affairs; jurisdiction of U.S. courts in regard to Indian offenses; the Flathead Tribal Council; the Montana Power Company; allotments; state highways in and around the reservation; and the U of M Biological Station.)
1911-1913
12 / 7
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding legislation to end the loss of reservation land due to allotment system; hunting and fishing on reservation; Confederated Flathead Tribes; Kicking Horse Reservoir; Indian cattle grazing on lands adjacent to reservation; and the Natural Resources Survey (1934))
1934-1935
12 / 8
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding grazing on public domain; hunting and fishing; the Confederated Flathead Tribes; timber; Indian Reorganization Act; and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.)
1934-1935
13 / 1
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding reorganization of Indian Justice Courts; the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; hunting and fishing licences; Blue Bay Townsite; Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and Pablo National Wildlife Refuge; grazing on state lands; Flathead Irrigating Project; and boundaries.)
1936-1942
13 / 2
Flathead Indian Reservation (Blue Bay Camp, Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and Pablo National Wildlife Refuge; hunting and fishing on reservation; the Flathead Irrigation Project; grazing; wildlife conservation; U.S. Attorney General's opinions on jurisdiction; and aggreement between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council and the State Fish and Game Commission)
1936-1942
13 / 3
Flathead Indian Reservation (regarding grazing (i.e. Flathead Tribal Council and Montana State Fish and Game Commission agreement); Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and Pablo National Wildlife Refuge; Flathead Fish and Game Ordinance; Lake Ronan Dike; legislation regarding liquidation of tribal property; status of ward Indians; Flathead tribes purchase of the 1920 Allotments; and legislation ending federal supervision of reservation)
1943-1959
13 / 4
Fort Peck Indian Reservation (regarding hunting and fishing on reservation; boundaries; "Agreement with the Indians of the Fort Berthold Agency" (December 14, 1886); Gros Venture and Mandan Indians; "Proceedings of Council with the Sioux Indians of Fort Peck Agency"; agreements with Gros Venture, Piegan, Blood, Blackfeet and River Crow Indians to reduce reservations; and St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railway Company right-of-way)
1883-1888
13 / 5
Fort Peck Indian Reservation (Great Northern Railway Company / St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway right-of-way; timber; gravel harvesting adjacent to right-of-way (Wolf Point, Montana); appraisal and leasing of gravel pits on reservation; stockyards at Oswego, Montana; relinguishment of right-of-way on abandoned sites and re-location of right-of-way; mineral rights on allotted lands; settlement of Fort Peck Reservation surplus lands; hunting and fishing on reservation; and John J. Abers vs Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indidan Reservation)
1890-1956
13 / 6
Rocky Boy Indian Reservation (legislation to open Fort Assiniboine Military Reservation (1916); fish hatchery on Big Sandy Creek; hunting and fishing on reservation; conflicts with Havre, Montana; Cowan Irrigation tract, and expanding reservation; relief for Great Falls Indians (1931); and landless Indians in Montana)
1916-1953
14 / 1
Crow Indian Reservation (regarding opening a segment of Crow Reservation to settlement (Emigrant Gulch, Crevice Gulch, etc.); survey and right-of-way for Northern Pacific Railroad; modifying the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868; timber harvesting by railroad beyond the right-of-way; construction of houses by white settlers on right-of-way; and railroad driving cattle across reservation)
1880-1883
14 / 2
Crow Indian Reservation (regarding reduction of Crow Reservation; Northern Pacific Railroad driving cattle across the reservation; Rocky Fork & Cooke City Railroad Company right-of-way (including grazing and timber rights); boundaries; grass burning by Northern Pacific Railroad Company; white encroachment on ceded lands; allotments; Cree Indians; and legislation proposed to open unalloted lands on reservation)
1884-1912
14 / 3
Crow Indian Reservation (regarding livestock raising on reservation; opening up the reservation to white farmers/ranchers; and "Proceeding of Crow Indian Council," November 22-23, 1913)
1913
14 / 4
Crow Indian Reservation (regarding assistance to young and ailing Crow Indians in Montana; opening the reservation to settlement by whites; legislation calling for allotment and leasing of reservation lands; developement of natural resources by tribal leadership; speeches by Plenty Coups regarding allotment and lease policies; legislature giving Montana Indians access to U.S. Court of Claims; citizenship for Indians; fishing and hunting regulations; land grants for schools; sale of allotted land held in trust to American Veterans of Foreign Wars; rights of Canadian Cree Indians; and townsites)
1916-1923
15 / 1
Crow Indian Reservation (regarding legislation on allotments, Crow Tribal Council contracting attorney to represent the tribe in irrigation dispute with local farmers; hunting and fishing rights on and off reservation, Crow Claims under the Fort Laramie Treaty; legislation on self-government; the Wheeler-Howard Bill; and transplanting black bear and grizzly on reservation)
1926-1953
15 / 2
Crow Indian Reservation (regarding Indian Reorganization Act and legislative efforts to destroy it; placing control of wildlife resources on reservation with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs; limiting non-Indian travel on the reservations; hunting and fishing rights on the reservation and law suits brought against the U.S. government; jurisdiction of Indian Courts; legislation to abolish the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and a listing of legislation regarding Indians (82nd session of Congress, 1953))
1926-1953

Reports Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
15 / 3
Secretary of Interior Annual Reports
1855-1865
15 / 4
Secretary of Interior Annual Reports
1866-1871
15 / 5
Secretary of Interior Annual Reports
1872-1877
15 / 6
Secretary of Interior Annual Reports
1878-1890
16 / 1
Secretary of Interior Annual Reports
1891-1899
16 / 2
Secretary of Interior Annual Reports
1900-1906

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Indians of North America--Claims--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Legal status, laws, etc.--Montana
  • Indians of North America--Treaties--Montana

Geographical Names

  • Blackfeet Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Crow Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Flathead Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Fort Peck Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Rocky Boys Indian Reservation (Mont.)