Title: A. C. J. Farrell Papers
Dates: ca. 1863-1950
Collection Number: 10066
Quantity: 2 feet
Abstract: Correspondence, notes, a play, essays, newspaper clippings, printed material written by A. C. J. Farrell. Legal materials regarding land cases for the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, Blackfeet, and other Northern Plains Indians. Alfred Conover Farrell served as an attorney for the Blackfoot Indians.
Provenance: A. C. J. Farrell donated this collection to the State Historical Society of North Dakota December 9, 1949. Additional materials were donated by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin in December 1989.
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.
Transfer: In 1989, photographs that were donated by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin were separated and placed into Photograph Collection 00832. Current item numbers 10066-00001 through 10066-00028 belonged to the Photograph Collection 00832. Other photographs found in the MSS 10066 were also transferred in 1989 to the Photo Archives to create Photograph Collection 00833. Current item numbers 10066-00029 through 10066-00093 were in Photograph Collection 00833. Both 00832 and 00833 have been placed back into MSS 10066.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Source: State Historical Society of Wisconsin manuscript register M79-156
Born in 1866 to a pioneer family, Alfred Conover Jack Farrell was raised in the Montana-Dakota border country. As a young man Farrell roamed the Dakota-Montana Territory applying himself to several different occupations including trapper, gold seeker, and Indian trader. Farrell also worked as a cowboy on the Dakota, Montana and Wyoming ranges. He studied law and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1900. He practiced law in New York and Washington, D.C. before returning to the West in the 1920s. He was admitted to the Oregon Bar in 1924 and practiced law there until the 1930s when he moved to California. In 1945 he went to Sayville, New York. He died in Minneapolis in the early 1950s.
During his early years Farrell traveled among and traded with the Blackfeet, Cree, Ojibway, Gros Ventre, and Chippewa tribes. He became familiar with their languages and created a Chippewa-English dictionary of terms he collected. He also collected artifacts representative of Indian life which he donated to the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
In 1914, Farrell was appointed legal council to the Blackfeet, Chippewa, and Gros Ventre Indian nations. He represented the Blackfeet Indians in a land claims case brought against the federal government in 1920. He withdrew from the case for health reasons but his research helped form the case which was decided in favor of the Blackfeet nation in 1933.
Farrell wrote many essays, articles, plays and poetry based on his knowledge of Indian life and lore.
BOX / FOLDER INVENTORY
Box: 1
1 A. C. J. Farrell family history, ca. 1883-1945
2 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1912-1950
3 Correspondence with Florence Davis, 1939-1948
4 Correspondence with Florence Davis, 1949-1950
5 Correspondence with L. B. Hanna, 1939-1946
6 Miscellaneous legal papers (contracts, certificates), 1900-1928
7 Indian Land Claim case court reports, ca. 1930-1935
8 Indian legends, 1909-1944
9 “Across the Plains in 1863: The Diary of Flora Bender Laughton,” 1863
10 Chippewa/English dictionary, 1880-1920
11 English/Cree/Ojibway dictionary, ca. 1940-1950
12 Newspaper clippings regarding American Indians, ca. 1907-1949
13 Newspaper clippings and publications regarding American Indians, ca. 1929-1935
14 Newspaper clippings and publications regarding frontier life, ca. 1909-1944
15 Research notes and memos regarding American Indian languages and culture, 1889-1946
16 Lecture and script notes, ca. 1920-1930
17 Newspaper articles written by A. C. J. Farrell regarding pioneers and Indian folklore, 1937-1942
18 Plays, n.d.
19 Articles, plays, and manuscripts, ca. 1934-1935
20 Manuscripts, ca. 1901-1940
21 Publications regarding Riel’s Rebellion, Indian land cases, and Manitoba, 1929-1934
22 Poems, ca. 1900-1933
23 Drawings by John White Alexander, n.d.
Oversize
Hand drawn U.S. Army Scout map in Dakota and Montana before the railroad and settler days
Photographs Inventory
Box 2:
10066-00001 Postcard with portrait of Charles M. Russell, n.d.
10066-00002 Postcard of first jail at Dunseith (D.T.), ca. 1882
10066-00003 Postcard of first house built in Dunseith (D.T.), ca. 1882
10066-00004 Postcard of blockhouse at Berthold (N.D.), n.d.
10066-00005 Postcard of cartoon with Charles M. Russell and friends, 1907
10066-00006 Postcard of Horn Weasel talking signs at Fort Belknap Reservation (Mont.), 1906
10066-00007 Postcard of Home Boy at Fort Belknap Reservation (Mont.), ca. 1906
10066-00008 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s cartoon titled “The Last Buffalo,” 1899
10066-00009 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s cartoon titled “The Christmas Dinner,” n.d.
10066-00010 Postcard of “Round up Horses in the Rope Corral,” n.d.
10066-00011 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “Waiting for a Chinook,” or “The Last of the Five Thousand,” ca. 1907
10066-00012 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “Scattering the Riders,” ca. 1905
10066-00013 Postcard of John Innes’s “The War Canoe,” ca. 1910
10066-00014 Postcard of John Innes’s “Stage Coach,” ca. 1910
10066-00015 Postcard of “The Signal,” featuring two American Indians on horseback, ca. 1910
10066-00016 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “Lone Wolf – Piegan,” ca. 1906
10066-00017 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “Powderface – Arapahoe,” ca. 1903
10066-00018 Postcard of John Innes’s “Buffaloes in a Blizzard,” ca. 1910
10066-00019 Postcard of John Innes’s “The Portage,” ca. 1910
10066-00020 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “Red Cloud,” ca. 1900
10066-00021 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “The First Furrow,” ca. 1901
10066-00022 Postcard titled “In the Bad Lands of Montana,” ca. 1910
10066-00023 Postcard of Charles M. Russell’s “Women of the Plains,” ca. 1905
10066-00024 Postcard titled “Canadian Indians Life, Chief Daywalker,” ca. 1910
10066-00025 Postcard of portrait of unidentified man, ca. 1905
10066-00026 Postcard titled “The Call of the Wild,” with wolf howling at moon, ca. 1930
10066-00027 Postcard of portrait of Hector Crawler, Stoney Indian Chief, ca. 1931
10066-00028 Postcard of portrait of unidentified man, titled “Waiting for their stage,” ca. 1890
10066-00029 Portrait of Chief Red Thunder, member of the Pembina Band of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, ca. 1890
10066-00030 Four black bears in tree, ca. 1932
10066-00031 Strange Horse, Plenty Coups, and Whirlwind Soldier in Washington (D.C.), 1921
10066-00032 Little Plume, Boy, A. C. J. Farrell, Starr, Bull Child, Many Hides, Cleans Up, Kicking Woman, Bad Marriage, in Montana, 1924
10066-00033 Boom Boom Bear (left) and Long Knife (right) hunting near Yelllowhead Pass in Alberta, 1904
10066-00034 Two unidentified Crow women, ca. 1930
10066-00035 Samuel S. Perry portrait, ca. 1910
10066-00036 Crossed Sticks, last Medicine Priest of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, ca. 1895
10066-00037 Attean Camps in Jackman (Me.), ca. 1905
10066-00038 Samuel S. Perry and unidentified men near canoes at Attean Camps in Jackman (Me.), ca. 1905
10066-00039 Samuel S. Perry and unidentified men near canoes at Attean Camps in Jackman (Me.), ca. 1905
10066-00040 General Brook’s Camp near Pine Ridge (S.D.), January 17, 1891
10066-00041 Flying Eagle, head chief of all the northwest Cree, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), 1920
10066-00042 Acoasin, Chippewa from Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), ca. 1910
10066-00043 Acoasin, Chippewa from Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), ca. 1924
10066-00044 Dog Man, Chippewa from Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), ca. 1924
10066-00045 Falls Down Standing, Chippewa woman from Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), ca. 1924
10066-00046 Simiquan (Comes from Above), wife of Rising Sun, from Dunseith (N.D.), ca. 1907
10066-00047 Sa-gon-ake-skung (Rising Son), from Dunseith (N.D.), ca. 1907
10066-00048 Cekema kee kee (Chief Voice), ca. 1907
10066-00049 Osh-kee-oo (The Young One), ca. 1907
10066-00050 A-noy-zhogu, ca. 1907
10066-00051 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell in western clothing, Montana, ca. 1894
10066-00052 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell in western clothing, ca. 1887
10066-00053 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell sitting in chair with squirrel on lap, ca. 1902
10066-00054 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell riding Foxy the horse, North Dakota, ca. 1905
10066-00055 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell, 1923
Box 3:
10066-00056 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell and Bull Child, Montana, 1924
10066-00057 Interior of lodge showing the alter, Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00058 Interior of lodge, Crazy Dance, Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00059 Interior of lodge with unidentified men beating on drum (tom-tom), Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00060 Two unidentified men sit in front of tipi, ca. 1907
10066-00061 Unidentified man with horses in front of woodpile, ca. 1907
10066-00062 Interior of lodge with dancers in action, Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00063 Unidentified group of American Indian men in lodge, Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00064 Unidentified group of American Indian men in lodge, Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00065 American Indian camp at Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00066 American Indian camp at Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00067 American Indian camp at Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00068 Exterior of lodges at Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00069 Lodges and erected poles for tipi, lodge on the left is abandoned, right is new lodge, Sun Dance, ca. 1907
10066-00070 Group of unidentified men stand around pole, possibly at Blackfeet Powwow in Bow River (Alta.), ca. 1896
10066-00071 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell at Blackfeet Powwow at Bow River (Alta.), ca. 1896
10066-00072 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell at Blackfeet Powwow at Bow River (Alta.), ca. 1896
10066-00073 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell at Blackfeet Powwow at Bow River (Alta.), ca. 1896
10066-00074 Yellow Hair and three unidentified women, n.d.
10066-00075 Bivoy-at and Yellow Hair at Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), n.d.
10066-00076 Standing Chief, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), 1938
10066-00077 Standing Chief and Young Man, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), 1922
10066-00078 Standing Chief, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), 1938
10066-00079 Young Man and Standing Chief, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), 1932
10066-00080 Standing Chief, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation (N.D.), 1932
10066-00081 Two Guns Whitecalf, Blackfoot, from Blackfeet Indian Reservation (Mont.), 1931
10066-00082 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell with grizzly bear head, n.d.
10066-00083 A. C. J. “Jack” Farrell with grizzly bear head, n.d.
10066-00084 Grizzly bear head in trees, n.d.
Box 4:
10066-00085 Oklahoma City street scene, 1889
10066-00086 “Villa of Brule,” Lakota tipi camp near Pine Ridge (S.D.), horses on White Clay Creek, 1891
10066-00087 Portrait of Ka-Kee-Noo-Wazh (Flying Eagle), head chief of Turtle Mountain Chippewa, 1918
10066-00088 Portrait of A. C. J. Farrell’s mother, ca. 1870s
10066-00089 Ma-chee-pe-nes (Bad Thunder), Turtle Mountain Ojebway Indian, member of the Buffalo Order, ca. 1905
10066-00090 Group of unidentified American Indian men posing for portrait, 1889
10066-00091 Cree Indian camp on the reservation in Alberta, 1904
10066-00092 Unidentified Blackfeet sitting between tipis, n.d.
10066-00093 Indian camp on the Blackfoot Reservation, possibly in Montana, n.d.
10066-00094 A. C. J. Farrell portrait
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