Archives West Finding Aid

Where applicable, the papers have been arranged in a manner which reflects the arrangement of the Pierre Jean De Smet Papers, Cage 537. The papers have been arranged in eight series: Correspondence, Drawings, Genealogy, Legal Documents, Maps, Miscellanea, Reference Materials, and Writings. Dates assigned to folders reflect the span of years of the original materials to which the copies, correspondence, notes, transcripts, etc. pertain. Folders labeled "undated" either contain copies, etc. of undated original material, or, Knox's notes on general information or unspecified correspondence.

The Correspondence series contains transcripts of correspondence held by Washington State University as well as photocopies of originals and transcripts obtained from other repositories and transcripts made by Knox of material held by other repositories. Some transcripts have notes in the margins made by Knox. The "Notes" in the Correspondence series are Knox's notes on specific letters written by De Smet or related to him. See the Reference Materials series for similar notes. Francois De Smet's incoming correspondence is a copy of a letter from J.B. Druyts, S.J. The copies of Pierre Jean De Smet's correspondence include letters to De Smet's family, P.J. De Nef, Jean Nicollet, P. Hoeken, Colonel Mitchell, and various Jesuit superiors. The copies of Eugene Laveille's correspondence are letters to Francois De Smet. The copies of Archibald McDonald letters are addressed to John McLaughlin. The miscellaneous correspondence includes letters from P.J. Arnoudt to Pierre Jean De Smet, Paul to Charles De Smet, Ferdinand Coosemans to Charles Van Mossevelde, and F. Deynoodt to Francois De Smet. The Reference Materials series includes several card files.

Boxes 5-8 include an alphabetical listing of people, subjects, words, and events related to Pierre Jean De Smet. This alphabetical file also includes references to specific letters containing references to the index entry, including people, subjects, or events. Similar references to people, subjects, or events are also filed in a chronological file to Pierre Jean De Smet's correspondence. The chronological file references De Smet's correspondence as well as events occuring in the year referenced. Cards describing occurences in a specific year are filed in front of references with specific dates. These cards with specific dates include information concerning the contents of specific letters, or people or events mentioned in the letter referenced. This chronological file also references information on letterheads, notes on Eugene Laveille's letters to Paul Adrien De Smet, and notes on the correspondence of Archibald McDonald with De Smet and others about Fort Colville (copies of McDonald's correspondence are filed under "Correspondence, McDonald). Box 9 includes an alphabetical and a chronological file. The alphabetical file is similar to the alphabetical file described above. It contains notes on subjects, people, books (filed by author), and events. The file also includes some notes on the contents of letters filed under addressee or subject. The chronological file includes notes on De Smet's incoming and outgoing correspondence, both at Washington State University and at other repositories, including published correspondence. It also includes notes on general events in De Smet's life, filed by year. Filed behind the main run of notes are notes on Francois De Smet's correspondence included in his (Francois') letterbook, and filed by letterbook number, and notes on the Annales de l'Association de la Propagation de la Foi, Precis Historiques and De Smet's letters published therein.