Title: Roy Johnson and Louis Pfaller
Dates: 1867-1975
Collection Number: 10691
Quantity: 45 feet
Abstract: Newspaper clippings, articles, photographs, maps, pamphlets, and correspondence documenting the research of two historians, Johnson and Pfaller, on Major James McLaughlin, forts, battles, railroads, steamboats, exploration, pioneers, frontier humor, Native Americans, weather, murders, schools, missionaries, etc.
Provenance: The State Historical Society of North Dakota acquired the Johnson and Pfaller Papers from Assumption Abbey in June 1996. The biographical sketches were researched and written by Janet Beltran.
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.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH – Louis Lawrence Pfaller O.S.B.
Louis Lawrence Pfaller was born at Herreid, South Dakota, March 12, 1923. His father died at a young age and he and his three brothers (Anton, Andrew, and Mike) were raise by his mother, Wallie.
Louis Pfaller came to Richardton in 1937 to do his undergraduate studies. He became a monk in 1943 and was ordained a priest in 1948, both at Assumption Abbey, Richardton, ND. He received a Master of Arts in History in 1950. from Loyola UNiversity.
While at Assumption Abbey Pfaller was a rector and instructor for missions and retreats, and did pastoral work at various parishes. Pfaller also served as chaplain at Sacred Heart Priory, 1956-1857 and as missionary at Twin Buttes, ND, 1964-1975. The Mandans adopted him with the name Blackened Shield.
His interest as an historian was wide ranging and was used in the classrom, as head of the Prep School 1952-1955 and the College 1958-1962, impacting students over many years. He published articles on local history and was president and member of the Board of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. He focused on James McLaughlin and the Roy Johnson Papers. In 1968 he received a grant to collect, arrange, and edit the Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Major James McLaughlin Papers.
Louis Pfaller died at Assumption Abbey November 2, 1979.
Sources:
Monkhouse: The Chronicle of Asumption Abbey, by Terrence G. Kardong
Bismarck Tribune
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH – Roy Paul Johnson
Roy P. Johnson was born at Hendrum, Minnesota May 1, 1899 to Bernhard S. and Kaia (Eckman) Johnson. Bernhard Johnson was a section foreman for the Great Northern Railway. Johnson had two brothers, Lief and F. N. and two sisters, Margaret and Malfried. He attended high school in Halstead, MN and attended the University of Minnesota and Moorhead State College. He married Mary Cordelia LeVitre of Moorhead, MN on June 15, 1921 and there were no children.
In 1916 Johnson was a station agent’s helper and station agent. In 1917 he worked for Western Union telegraph and in 1919 became an Associated Press telegrapher for various newspapers. In 1922 he was the AP telegrapher to the Fargo Forum. In 1927 he worked as a photographer and in the editorial department of the Forum where he worked for many years. He served as a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy in World War II. After the war he returned to work as a journalist and author. His interests included daily news, historical research and writing of regional history, photography and collecti9ng original local source material. He had numerous historical articles published in journals and the Fargo Forum. In 1982 Clarence A. Gasrud published, Roy Johnson’s Red River Valley: a Selection of Historical Articles first Printed in the Forum form 1941-1962.
In 1958 Johnson was appointed to the advisory council for the Civil War Centennial Commission and in 1959 was presented a Civil Service Award from the Fargo Eagles Lodge. In 1960 Johnson was appointed historic advisor to the Dakota Territorial Centennial Commission and to Minnesota committees for centennial observance of the Civil War and Sioux Uprising. He was a member of the Elks Lodge of St. Paul, MN; Shiloh Masonic Lodge; Fargo American Legion; Fargo YMCA advisory board; St. John’s Hospital advisory board charter member; North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Manitoba historical societies; Treasurer and Director of the Clay County (MN) Historical Society; The Westerners, Chicago Chapter; and the Roman Catholic Church.
Roy Johnson died at Fargo on February 20, 1963.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The collection is not processed and has only a preliminary inventory. The materials were originally collected by Roy P. Johnson, who gave them to Father Louis Pfaller. Pfaller worked on the collection, did further research, and added his letters, notes and research materials. It is not evident where the Johnson Papers left off and the Pfaller Papers began as they are intermingled.
BOX / FOLDER INVENTORY
Box 1:
1 Westerners, the (Brandbook)
2 Ash, Ben, memoirs
3 Barry, D.F., Photographs
4 Fisk Expedition
5 Fort Dilts
Box 2:
Fort Abercrombie
Box 3:
1 Wildlife, ND (plants & trees)
2 Fort Manuel Lisa, SD
3 Gibbon, General John
Box 4:
Sully, General Alfred
Box 5:
1 State Historical Society of North Dakota
2 Big Mound, Battle of
3 Brave Bear murder case
Box 6:
1 Dakota Territory & Centennial
2 De Trobriand
3 Dead Buffalo Lake, Battle of
4 Cass County, ND
5 Fort Berthold
Box 7:
1 Fort Buford
2 Fort Pierre
3 Fort Yates, Steele, Fisk, Big Horn, Union
4 Fort Stevenson
5 Fort Union & nearby Forts
6 Forts, trading posts, agencies
7 Apple Creek, Battle of
8 Fenian Invasion
9 Frontier characters
10 Expeditions, frontier
11 Horner, Sgt. Jacob
Box 8:
Indians (Part 1)
Box 9:
Indians (Part 2)
Box 10:
1 History, general
2 Fiske, Frank B.
3 Fort Ransom
4 The Record, index of
5 Kittson, Norman W.
6 Fort Dufferin
7 Middle Border Bulletins
8 Cavalier, Charles
9 Sully's 1865 Expedition
10 Pope, Gen. John
Box 11:
Wright, Major Dana
Box 12:
1 Little Missouri, Badlands, Battle of
2 Killdeer Mountain, Battle of
3 Badlands
4 Whitestone Hill, Battle of
5 Custer Expedition, 1876, photos
Box 13:
1 Steele, Col. Matthew F.
2 Wemett, W. M.
3 Utley, Robert M.
Box 14:
Custer Trail, maps, sketches
Box 15:
1 Teepee Book, excerpts from
2 Archaeology, ND
3 UND
4 Pfaller, Father Louis
5 Sibley, Gen. H.H.
6 Writing, Creative
Box 16:
Railroading, date on (Part 1)
Box 17:
Railroading, date on (Part 2)
Box 18:
1 Moorhead, MN data on
2 Bottineau, Pierre
3 Steamboating, Red River
4 Manitoba Historical & Scientific Society
5 Territorial Crime, (Brughier case)
6 Fort Meade
7 Deming, Rev. A. T. (RRV edition)
8 Neal, Bigelow
Box 19:
1 Holy Cross, also Lewiston
2 Andreas Atlas of Dakota, excerpts
3 Anders, Major Frank L.
4 Nicollet, J. N.
5 Chronology, ND& Manitoba
6 Fort Wadsworth
7 Twin Lakes stockade
8 Elm River
9 Verendrye
10 Fort Pembina
Box 20:
Georgetown
Box 21:
1 Frog Point
2 Taylor, Joseph Henry
3 Fort Thompson, also Crow Creek Agency
4 Hawk's nest
5 Chapin, Jasper B.
6 Beadle's Pocket Library (Diamond Dick, etc.)
7 Artists, frontier & later
8 Maps, ND
9 Maps, MN
10 Traill, W. J. S. (also TR Pat McCloy)
Box 22:
Photographs, historic (Part 1)
Box 23:
Photographs, historic (Part 2)
Box 24:
Photographs, historic (Part 3)
Box 25:
Photographs, historic (Part 4)
Box 26:
Photographs, historic (Part 5)
Box 27:
Photographs, historic (Part 6)
Box 28:
1 Fort Totten and steamboats
2 Floods
3 Historical literature
Box 29:
Fargo, historical notes on
Box 30:
1 Northrup, Captain Anson
2 Reno, Major Marcus A.
3 Turtle Mountains
4 Fort Garry
5 Newspapers, old copies
6 Oddities, historical
7 Authors, letters from
8 Pioneer Stories, misc.
9 National Archives
10 Clay County history MN
11 Maps, misc.
Box 31:
1 Literary notes, misc.
2 Becker County, MN
3 Weather
Box 32:
1 Probstfield, R. M.
2 ND, misc.
3 Frontier humor, tragedy
4 Bruhier, John, murder case
5 Clay County, MN Illustrated
6 Clay County Historical Society MN
Box 33:
1 Winnipeg
2 Indian attacks
3 Genin, Rev. J. E.
4 Red River Trails
5 Hatch's Battalion
6 Abercrombie, Gen. John J.
7 Graham, Duncan
8 Weapons
9 Breckenridge, MN
10 Bentley, L. R.
11 Rogers, William Allen
12 Blizzards
13 Griggs, Captain Alexander
14 Wainright, Reverend Richard
15 Nickles, W. B., Moorhead, MN Editor
Box 34:
De Camp, Ralph, early artist
Box 35:
1 Photographers, (Whitestone Hill)
2 Divet Story
3 Symphony Orchestra, Fargo-Moorhead
4 Speeches, by RPJ
5 Fisher's Landing
6 Bonanza Farming
7 Mills, pioneer flour and grist
8 Thompson's station
9 Bodkin, W. J.
10 Blanchard, J.B.
11 Jimmy from Cork
12 Fergus, James
13 Bryant, William Cullen
14 Geological Survey, I. S. (Powell)
Box 36:
1 Gates, John
2 Freeman, Captain Ambrose
3 Lewis and Clark
4 Fort Pomme de Terre
5 Graham's Point
6 Old Crossing
7 Camp Release
8 McCauleyville
9 Crawford, Charles W.
10 Krebsbach, Vernon
11 Eggleston, Edward
12 Murphy, Francis (Fort Rice)
Box 37:
1 Sitting Bull
2 Peace Garden
3 Walster, Harlow L.
4 Fargo Forum
5 Bismarck/Mandan, history of
6 Kurz, Rudolph F., artist
7 Davis, Capt. Nelson A.
8 Sheyenne City
9 McDonald, Donald
10 Lafayette City
11 International, steamboat
Box 38:
Stagecoaching, Red River
Box 39:
1 Patten, Major George W.
2 Stirling Sisters
3 Hatgrave, J. J. (Red River)
4 Grace, Bishop Thomas L.
5 Cheadle
6 Vander Horck, Capt. John
7 Red River census, 1860
8 Whitford, Joe
9 Ransom County history
Box 40:
Long, Stephen expedition (also Keating #403)
Box 41:
1 Montana
2 Selkirk colony
3 Surveying, early
4 Griffin, Edward
5 Blakely, Captain Russell
6 Tache, Bish. Alexander
7 Northrup, Anson, steamboat
8 Northrup, George, scout
9 Otter Tail County, MN
10 Settlers, Red River Valley
12 Selkirk, Lord
13 Mattison, Ray H.
14 Lull, C. V. P.
15 Russell, Don
16 Maps, historical
17 Eastman, Dr. Charles A.
Box 42:
De Smet, Father (Part 1)
Box 43:
De Smet, Father (Part 2)
Box 44:
De Smet, Father (Part 3)
Box 45:
1 Books recommended by friends
2 Godfrey, Captain E. S.
3 Gerard, Fred F.
4 History sources, local
5 Trysil
6 Almanacs
7 Will, George F.
8 Hurley, Sister Helen Angela
9 Western sources of history, "True West"
10 St. Mark's Church
11 Photographs, misc.
12 Johnson, Leif E.
13 Lake Agassiz
14 Tanner, John
15 Religion
Box 47:
1 Photographs, P. Jay Haynes
2 Black Hills Pioneer
3 Sisseton-Wahpeton reservation
4 Indian treaties
5 Auto Accidents
6 Buffalos
Box 48:
Book Dealers
Box 49:
1 Basken, Molly
2 Writers Conference, Missoula, MT
3 Arctic Barrens
4 Manuscripts index, ND Hist. Soc.
5 Pallister, John
6 Terry, General Alfred H.
7 Larpenteur, Charles
8 Bruguier, Theophile
9 Rulo, Charles
10 Goose Rapids
11 Biography
Box 50:
Keogh Trail
Box 51:
1 Moorhead, William H.
2 Hudson Bay Company
3 Taylor, Bayard
4 Telegraph Lines, early
5 Aymond, Capt. Frank, & Chas. C. Coffin
6 Seat of Empire Book
7 Bernhardson story
8 Sheyenne River
9 McLeod, Martin
10 Grand Forks, history
11 Owego
12 Pidgeon Point
13 Carts, Red River
14 Poetry, pioneer
15 Riel, Louis
16 Hudson Bay
17 Historically yours
18 Aulneau, Father
19 Log drives
20 Walhalla
21 Craig, Sergeant Hugh
22 Fort Abraham Lincoln
23 De Mores, Marquis
Box 52:
1 Belcourt, Rev. G. A.
2 James, Jesse
3 Malnoria, Chas. Sr.
4 Agard, Louis
5 McKenzie, Alex
6 Rain-in-the-Face
7 Gall, Chief
8 Crazy Horse
9 Crow Dog vs. USA.
10 Marsh, Andrew
11 Creighton, Charles (Chips)
12 Hosmer, J. Allen
13 Gay
14 Hickok, J. (Wild Bill)
15 Franklin Expedition
16 Vigilantes
17 Slaughter, Linda
18 Arnold, Ben
19 U.S. Mail
20 Nobles Expedition
21 Texas Historical Society
22 Soldiers graves
23 Sommereisen, Reverend Valentine
24 Caledonia
Box 54:
1 St. Boniface Cathedral
2 Seeger, Capt. J. S.
3 Houston, David H.
4 Dentists, early
5 Schools, early
6 Stevenson, Donald
7 Oregon Trail
8 Sumner Expedition
9 Fur Trade, Red River
10 Rosser, Gen. Thomas L.
11 Brunsdale, Norman
12 Cheese factories
13 Breweries
14 Cows
15 Kurtz & Mackall
16 Teaming
17 Mark Twain
18 Epigrams
19 Bond, Wesley
20 Lutheran Church
21 Halstad, MN
22 Hendrum, MN
23 Hutchinson, E. R.
24 Smith, Job
25 Moccasin
26 Moorhead, MN Daily News
27 Slides, The
28 Movius, G. W. (Spike)
29 Porter, Dr. H. A.
30 Dakota Territory, 1st Census
31 Pelton, E. H.
Box 55:
1 Art
2 Cody, W. F. (Buffalo Bill)
3 Cemeteries
4 Carrier pigeons
5 Wheaton, Colonel Loyd
6 Longest sentence in English language
7 Oakley, Annie
8 Thortvedt, Orabel
9 Rolette, Joseph
10 Census, special of 1861
11 Agricultural College, ND
12 Schelderup, Bim
13 Murders
14 Hayes, President Rutherford B.
15 Stanley, Robert, stage driver
16 Blanding, ND
17 Rae, Dr. John
18 Knox, Olive
19 Christmas
20 Hotels
21 Trading Posts
22 Earthquakes
23 Oakes Site
24 County boundaries, changes in
25 Trapping
26 Editorials
27 Churches
28 Dates, important
29 Physicians, early
30 Mosquitoes
31 Preachers
32 Lumbering
33 Elevators, grain
33 Viets, Frank
35 Evans, Albert
36 Riel, Louis, also 242
37 Lewiston, Lewis
38 Gingras, Antoine
39 Overlanders, The
40 Dakota City
41 Northern Pacific Railroad
Box 56:
1 Slayton Family
2 Chippewa stage station
3 Alexandria, MN
4 Bohnsack, Charles
5 Butte, St. Paul
6 Paulson, H. D. by-gone years columns
7 Otter Tail City
8 Dickson, Robert
9 Red River
10 Smith, B. W.
11 Glyndon, MN
12 Tornados
13 Canadian trip of 1955
14 Fairs
15 Battlefields
16 Sacks, Ltd., Montreal
17 Marble, Manton
18 Hind exploring expedition
19 Harper's magazine
20 Glueck, Alvin, excerpts from his mss.
21 Stein, Adam
22 Ghost towns
23 Hales, James
Box 57:
Personal (RPJ)
Box 58:
1 Telephones
2 Chatterbox
3 Auto accidents (also 213)
4 Clement, Basil
5 Burdick, Usher L.
6 Minnesota Historical Society
7 St. John's Hospital
8 Lakes
9 Schools
10 Minnesota History
11 Automobiles, history of
12 Wild Rice, ND
13 Education
Box 59:
1 Morse Club
2 Catholic Faith
3 Lynchings
4 Dams, Fort Berthold Indian Removal
5 White House, letters
6 Cattle (also 283)
7 Gold discoveries
8 St. Ansgar Hospital, MN
9 Tenney, Luman H.
10 Fires
11 Elmer, Rev. O. H.
12 Lime Kilns
13 Wells Fargo Express
14 Scott, Capt. J. W.
15 Diseases
16 Winship, George B.
17 Journalism
18 Fletcher Story
19 Brown, Joseph R.
20 Keating Narrative
21 Woods-Pope Expedition
Box 60:
1 Book reviews
2 South Dakota maps
3 South Dakota Historical Society
4 Coxey's Army
5 Ohio
6 Medora
7 American Philosophical Society
8 Library of Congress
9 Institute for Regional Studies
10 Renville, J.
11 Trees- tree planting
12 Itasca Park
13 Nebraska Historical Society
14 Columns, editorials
15 Owens Expedition
16 Mennonites
17 Fargo Tornado
18 Douglas, William
19 Warren Expedition
20 Montana Historical Society
21 Mississippi Valley Historical Assoc.
22 Wisconsin Historical Society
23 Smithsonian Institute
24 Necrologies
25 Museums, Private
26 Thompson, David
27 Beltrami
28 Caxton Printers
29 Stevens, Prof. O. A.
30 Leadership
31 Greeley Expedition
32 Colonies, NP RR.
33 Burlington, (ND) RR
34 Lee, Ida Prokop
35 Cunningham, Maj., Expedition
36 Fort Gaines
Box 61:
1 Civil War Centennial Commission
2 Brown, George D.
3 McCloy, T. R. (Pat)
4 Rivers
5 Human Rights
6 Lund case
7 Gooding, Walter C.
8 Watson Crossing
9 Boutwell, Rodney C.
10 Bates, Capt. J. C.
11 McAuliffe, Eugene
12 Mooers, Calvin Mrs.
13 Ross & Haines
14 Geography
15 Writing Rocks
16 Nature
17 Washburn, ND
18 Bicycles
19 Cahill, Holger
20 Connolly, James B.
21 Missouri Historical Society
22 Treasure hunting
23 Stephanson, Vihjalmar
24 Farming & Ranching
25 Little Rock
26 Donan, Col. Pat
27 Bridges
28 Clouston, Robert Ms.
29 Hales, Andrew
30 Alaska
31 Hillsboro Banner
32 Ferries
33 Tabashaw, Chief
34 Fort Ripley
35 Braddock's Defeat
36 Newberry Library
37 Plat Sheets, twp.
38 Stevens Expedition of 1853
39 Smith, Lt. Col. J.F., Expedition
40 Sayer, Guillaume, (Wm.)
41 Ballenden, John
42 Lund, Olaff
43 Ramsey Expedition
44 Place Names
45 McCloy, Pat
46 Checkered Years
47 Nuskoda
48 Sweeney, James, narrative
49 Meyers, Pvt. Frank, narrative
Box 62:
1 Horticulture
2 Porrest, Earle R.
3 Encyclopedia Brittanica
4 Aviation
5 Cowboys
6 Rekindling Campfires, (index)
7 Robinson, Judge, J. E.
8 Missionaries, early
9 Burke, John
10 Fort Daer
11 Forty-ninth Parallel
12 GAR & American Legion
13 Column 8 extras
14 Leisure
15 Lord Gordon Gordon
16 Essay Contest (Dakota Centennial)
17 Water
18 New Mexico
19 Column 8 extras
Box 63:
1 Courts
2 Chicago Historical Society, IL
3 Directories, Fargo, ND 1879
4 Historical notes from Fargo Argus
5 Woolworth, Alan R.
6 NDSU
7 Traill County
8 Photography
9 Palmer, Bertha
10 Sibley, ND
11 Tower City, ND
12 Schmirler, A.A.A.
13 Boy Scouts
14 Stickney, Dr. & Dorothy
Box 64:
Roosevelt, Theodore
Box 65:
1 Gannon, Clell
2 Hanson, Joseph Mills
3 Missouri River
4 Whipple, Bishop Henry B.
5 Beach, N. Dak.
6 Yellowstone Confluence Commission
7 Vikings & Rune Stones
8 Norway Trip, 1960
9 Oil
Box 66:
Johnson, Roy P.
Box 67:
1 Chautauqua
2 Reid, Russell
3 Hebron, ND
4 Paxson, artist
5 Marty, Bishop Martin
6 Nielson, Minnie
7 Marshall County, MN
8 Yerkes, Charles Tyson
9 Hughes, Bob
10 Desegregation
11 Morgan, Louis Henry, Journal
12 Hawley, MN
13 Santa Fe & SW of U. S.
14 Elephant Hunt
15 Hagen, Olaf J.
16 Belfield, ND
17 Laroque's Journal
Box 68:
Miscellaneous
Box 70-80
Newspapers and oversize material
Address:
612 East Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Get Directions
Hours:
State Museum and Store: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F; Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We are closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. We are closed at noon Christmas Eve if it falls on Mon.-Thurs. and are closed all day if it falls on Fri.-Sun.
State Archives: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F, except state holidays; 2nd Sat. of each month, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 701.328.2091 or archives@nd.gov.
State Historical Society offices: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F, except state holidays.
Contact Us:
phone: 701.328.2666
email: history@nd.gov
Social Media:
See all social media accounts
