Joseph Kipp Letter to Colonel Guido Ilges

Joseph Kipp Letter to Colonel Guido Ilges, April 22, 1883

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Kipp, Joseph, 1849-1913
Title: Joseph Kipp Letter to Colonel Guido Ilges
Dates: April 22, 1883
1883042218830422
Quantity: 1 folder
Collection Number: Collection 0825, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary: The Joseph Kipp Letter to Colonel Guido Ilges, April 22, 1883 was written by the fur trader Joseph Kipp from Fort Conrad, near what is now known as Shelby, Montana to Colonel Guido Ilges, the Post Commander of Fort Assiniboine. The letter discusses how Joseph had already told General Ruger about the condition of the Piegan Indians.
Repository: Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Joseph Raven Quiver Kipp was born on November 29th, 1849, on Heart River Dakota. Joseph was born to a fur trader named James Kipp and Marita Kipp, who was a full blood Mandan Native American. Joseph followed in his father's footsteps and became a fur trader with the American Fur Company, which caused him to be at Fort Union in 1857 and then at Fort Benton from 1862 to 1864. Then six years later Joseph was working as the United States' guide. While working as a guide, Joseph was working for Major Baker and Baker was heading towards the camp that was killed, but Joseph had warned Baker that he was heading towards the wrong camp. However, Baker did not trust Joseph and threatened to shoot him. Forty years after the massacre Joseph talked about what had happened and said that he himself counted 217 bodies. After this horrific event, Joseph took in three children that had managed to escape the Baker massacre. Then on March 17, 1911 Joseph married Margurite Neat-A-Sin-Ne Kipp. Two years later Joseph passed away in Browning Montana on December 12, 1913. Joseph Raven Quiver Kipp is buried in Saint Michaels Cemetery.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Joseph Kipp Letter to Colonel Guido Ilges, April 22, 1883 was written by the fur trader Joseph Kipp from Fort Conrad, near what is now known as Shelby, Montana to Colonel Guido Ilges, the Post Commander of Fort Assiniboine. The letter discusses how Joseph had already told General Ruger about the condition of the Piegan Indians. He says that they are approaching a state of starvation quickly. Joseph writes that he thinks an immediate presence of troops in the area would be better than a scouting party and suggests a permanent camp of cavalry. He also notes that with everyone's attention directed towards the actions of the Cree Indians, no one was noticing the Piegans killing cattle off the reservation to stave off starvation. Joseph tells Guido that action should be taken to prevent the starvation of the Piegans.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

The Letter to Colonel Guido Ilges, April 22, 1883 was donated to Montana State University by Harry Cookrum from Bozeman, Montana in 1970.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2018 June 19

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents