Title: Zahn Family
Dates: ca. 1870-1970s
Collection Number: 00900
Quantity: 90 items
Abstract: Consists of images of William Presley Zahn, his wife Kezewin (Josephine Mary), and children, including Judge Frank B. Zahn and Clara Zahn Ramey. Collection also includes copies of portraits of Native American chiefs and individuals, celebrations, historic images and images from the Standing Rock Reservation, Fort Yates (N.D.).
Provenance: The initial donation (photographs 00900-00001-00046) were donated by Jean Tyree Hamilton. Most of the photographs are copies, which are for reference use only. Copies and originals are identified in the inventory below. Diane Partington Thomas, great-granddaughter of William P. Zahn, donated photographs 00047-00072 in January 2015, which were digitized by SHSND staff, and returned to Thomas. Photo collection 00535 was added to the collection in December 2015.
Property Rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Copyrights to this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U.S. Code or an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Related Collections:
William Zahn (Photograph Collections: A0249, A1637, A2535, B1000, B1001, B1002)
Frank Zahn (Photograph Collections: 00535, B1004, B1005, B1006, B1007, B1008, B1009, B1014, C3729)
00032-SI-07 Mrs. Gladys J. Zahn Oral History Photograph Collection
00032-SI-7a Frank Zahn (copy of an old tape recording), Fort Yates
MSS 10162 Frank Zahn Papers
MSS 11064 Clara Zahn Ramey Family
MSS 20067 William P. Zahn Papers
MSS 21133 Mike and Linda Graham, Frank Zahn Research
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, WILLIAM ZAHN
William Presley Zahn was born on October 25, 1849 to William Zahn and Winyan Waste (sister of Chief John Grass). William married Princess Kezewin (Josephine Mary) Cloud, daughter of Chief Flying Cloud and relative of Sitting Bull. They had three sons and six daughters. William was an interpreter and soldier at Standing Rock Agency, and was one of the 26 soldiers who first helped establish Fort Yates in 1873. In 1874 he was with Custer's Company G., 17th U.S. Infantry on the expedition to the Black Hills to find gold. In 1893 he was with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in Chicago as interpreter at the display of Sitting Bull's cabin. He was also a trader with a post on Standing Rock Reservation. William P. Zahn died on September 8, 1936.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, FRANK ZAHN
Francis “Frank” Benjamin Zahn, later known as Chief Flying Cloud, was born May 4, 1890 at Standing Rock Reservation and was educated there. He graduated from the Riggs Institute in Flandreau (S.D.) in 1912 and from the Carlisle Indian College in Pennsylvania in 1915 with a major in law. He served in World War I as a member of Company 6 of the 351st Infantry, 88th Division. Upon his discharge in 1919 he attended Aakers Business College in Fargo for two years. He then accepted a position as official interpreter at Standing Rock Reservation, which was followed by his appointment as Chief Judge of the Court of Indian Offenses, Bureau of Indian Affairs, of both North and South Dakota. He retained that position until his retirement in 1960. Zahn was a free-lance writer, wrote a column for the Fort Yates Newspaper and collaborated with Stanley Vestal and Walter Hairghurst in writing books. He was an Indian delegate to Washington, D.C. on several occasions, a concert violinist, artist, and acted in three Hollywood movies, including "They Died With Their Boots On." Zahn was a member and former commander of several American Legion posts, the State Historical Society , former member of the Sioux County Advisory Board, member of the Bismarck Executive Club and the Bismarck-Mandan Civic Music Association. On May 5, 1947, Zahn married Gladys Fisher in Sioux Falls (S.D.). They had four children: Frank Jr., Louis, Winona Moltz, and Maria L. Hayes. Frank Zahn died July 3, 1966.
Sources: "Frank B. Zahn, Historian, Judge, Dies Here Sunday," Bismarck Tribune, July 5, 1966
"Born in Teepee, Judge Zahn Feels Allegiance both to Whites, Indians," Mandan Pioneer, September 13, 1963
"William Zahn" [biography], South of the Cannon Ball: A History of Sioux, The War Bonnet County, May E. Hinton, p. 258
"Wm. P. Zahn" [series], Sioux County Pioneer-Arrow, September 4-25, 1936.
PHOTOGRAPHS INVENTORY
00900-00001 Blackfoot tipis at the fair, Bullhead (S.D.) 1954
00900-00002 Chief Flying Cloud and Frank Zahn in parade at All American Indian Days, Sheridan (Wyo.) 1954
00900-00003 Blackfoot dancers with hoops 1940-1959
00900-00004 Oglala first prize winner on horseback, All America Indian Days parade, Sheridan (Wyo.) 1954
00900-00005 First to Fly (Assiniboine), Ft Laramie Hatchet, a Crow, John Sitting Bull, American Horse (Oglala) 1940-1959
00900-00006 Grey Eagle, Frank Zahn, and Little Crow (Santee) 1954
00900-00007 Chief Little Crow, Frank Zahn and Chief Flying Cloud, All America Indian Days, Sheridan (Wyo.) 1954
00900-00008 Harleysville Post Office (probably Pennsylvania) 1890-1899
00900-00009 Young Skunk, brother of No Water 1940-1949
00900-00010 Crow scaffold burials XX
00900-00011 Crow dancers 1930-1939
00900-00012 William Presley Zahn 1870
00900-00013 Farmer Given's log house at Cannon Ball Substation circa 1886
00900-00014 Frank Zahn and Te Ata (Chickasaw guest, Mrs. Clyde Fisher) at ceremonial dances, Bull Head (S.D.) 07/04/1935
00900-00015 Frank Zahn, Te Ata, One Bull at Bull Head (S.D.)07/04/1935
00900-00016 Frank Zahn and One Bull at Bull Head (S.D.) 07/04/1935
00900-00017 Mary Louise Defender, Miss Indian America 1954
00900-00018 Lewis F. Crawford, Bear Soldier, Frank Zahn, Little Soldier, Usher L. Burdick and Black Bear in front of the Standing Rock circa 1925
00900-00019 William P. Zahn family 1895-1905
00900-00020 Frank B. Zahn at Sitting Bull's Grave in the old military cemetery, Fort Yates (N.D.) 1930-1939
00900-00021 Little Crow, Frank Zahn and Grey Eagle at the spot where Custer fell, Custer Battlefield, Garryowen (Mont.) 1955
00900-00022 Burial of Sitting Bull's son, Patala 1884
00900-00023 Chief Two Bear (Upper Yanktonai) circa 1870
00900-00024 Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Philadelphia (Penn.) circa 1870
00900-00025 Frank Zahn and One Bull, Bullhead (S.D.) 07/04/1935
00900-00026 Frank B. Zahn, mayor of Moorhead (Minn.) and Little Crow circa 1953
00900-00027 Lean Warrior, Chief White Bear, Frank Zahn, Ole Eielson, Crowman, White Buffalo and Elk (Sioux) circa 1925
00900-00028 Indian woman at work 1900-1930
00900-00029 Bison grazing on Battle Mountain (S.D.) circa 1930
00900-00030 Merchants Hotel, Winona (D.T.) circa 1884
00900-00031 Gatling gun, Fort McKeen (D.T.) 1877
00900-00032 Mad Bear, Hunkpatina Band, Lower Yanktonai 1872
00900-00033 First to Fly (Assiniboine with a Fort Laramie hatchet), a Crow, John Sitting Bull, American Horse (Oglala) XX
00900-00034 John LaMonte, Antoine Claymore (Clement) and their wives circa 1870
00900-00035 William P. Zahn and daughter Josephine Zahn (Gipp-Menz-Pleets) 1899
00900-00036 Frank Zahn on horseback, Standing Rock Reservation 1927
00900-00037 White Bull 1930-1949
00900-00038 Indian man in traditional dress 1950-1960
00900-00039 Young Eagle Council at Two Shield Hall 4 miles N of Fort Yates on Porcupine Creek 1927
00900-00040 Carlisle Indian delegates at Conference with Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Rapid City (S.D.) 03/02/1934-03/04/1934
00900-00041 Frank Zahn 1954
00900-00042 Frank Zahn circa 1925
00900-00043 Frank Zahn and Old Bull 1950-1960
00900-00044 Gall ca. 1885
00900-00045 Sitting Bull standing with pipe 1884
00900-00046 Sitting Bull 1880-1892
00900-00047 Frank Zahn's casket at Boelter's Home, Fort Yates (N.D.) 07/03/1966
00900-00048 Mourners leaving meeting house at Frank Zahn's funeral, Fort Yates (N.D.)07/03/1966
00900-00049 Leaving Fort Yates meeting house for church Frank Zahn's funeral, Fort Yates (N.D.)07/03/1966
00900-00050 Color and Honor Guard leading Frank Zahn funeral procession, Fort Yates (N.D.)07/03/1966
00900-00051 Frank Zahn funeral procession approaching church, Fort Yates (N.D.) 07/03/1966
00900-00052 Flowers on Frank Zahn's grave, Fort Yates (N.D.) 07/03/1966
00900-00053 William and Kezewin Zahn tombstone, Fort Yates (N.D.)07/03/1966
00900-00054 Frank Zahn open casket at wake, Fort Yates (N.D.) 07/03/1966
00900-00055 Flowers at Frank Zahn's funeral, Boelter's Funeral Home, Fort Yates (N.D.) 07/03/1966
00900-00056 Blows Away or Whirlwind Woman circa 1910
00900-00057 Clara Zahn and her sister-in-law Josephine Zahn 1910
00900-00058 Clara Zahn Ramey circa 1975
00900-00059 Clara Zahn Ramey with shawl circa 1975
00900-00060 Fighting Woman (Kisawea) circa 1910
00900-00061 First Communion portrait, Fort Yates (N.D.) circa 1935
00900-00062 Francis Zahn and Nicholas Blanket (White Eyes) circa 1945
00900-00063 Helen Zahn circa 1925
00900-00064 Irene Zahn First Communion portrait circa 1900
00900-00065 John Zahn circa 1925
00900-00066 Kezewin (Mrs. William) Zahn, Jessie, Alberta, and Howard Watson circa 1930
00900-00067 Fort Yates Public School Class of 1941
00900-00068 William Presley Zahn ca. 1875
00900-00069 Victor Zahn with his son, William Presley Zahn, Bill Zahn circa 1936
00900-00070 William Presley Zahn circa 1870
00900-00071 William Presley Zahn 1920-1936
00900-00072 William Zahn, Jr. Christmas card 1935
00900-00073 Portrait of an American Indian man on horseback with arms outstretched looking toward the heavens XX
00900-00074 Copy of a charcoal portrait of Frank Zahn from a photo by Frank B. Fiske 1932
00900-00075 Image of Frank Zahn (Chief Flying Cloud) from the Sunday Herald American Pictorial Review 11/1941
00900-00076 Joe LaFramboise ca. 1890
00900-00077 Crazy Walking ca. 1910
00900-00078 White Ghost (Sioux) ca. 1900
00900-00079 Fire Heart (Blackfeet Sioux) XX
00900-00080 Group portrait, Fort Yates (N.D.) 1905-1910
00900-00081 Mrs. Red Cloud ca. 1905
00900-00082 Robert P. High Eagle 1892-1899
00900-00083 William Presley Zahn circa 1910
00900-00084 Frank Zahn, U.S. Vice President Charles Curtis, Red Tomahawk, Governor Lynn Frazier, and unknown 06/21/1929
00900-00085 Red Tomahawk and Frank Zahn circa 1925
00900-00086 Joseph Wicks escorting Frank Zahn into the North Dakota House Chamber 02/22/1955
00900-00087 Francis Zahn presenting pipe and certificate to Basil O'Connor (Chief Leading Eagle) 1953
00900-00088 Frank Zahn, Red Tomahawk and man on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington (D.C.) 06/21/1929
00900-00089 Tom Frosted (White Bear) XX
00900-00090 Slohan (Crawler) 1931
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