Report-1849, October 12

Transcribed report on the activities of the Indian Manual Labor School Thomas Johnson, Superintendent Manual Labor School to O. Brown, Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated Oct 12, 1849

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Fort Leavenworth Ind. M.L. School
Oct. 12th 1849

Dear Sir

   as the agent recently appointed for this agency has not yet arrived I have taken the liberty of forwarding to you directly a copy of our annual report, in which you will perceive as well as from our quarterly reports that our school is still moving on with reasonable success, notwithstanding the embarrassments from having the Cholera in the community, and from many other causes that we have had to contend with. I think there has been an increasing desire for education especially among the Shawnees, manifested during the past year. The Shawnees and portions of their tribes are becoming a working people, and are making considerable progress in the arts of civilized life. But two things operate very much against them. First. The want of suitable laws among themselves for the protection of their persons and property Secondly. Their disposition to move about from place to place. Not infrequently after having worked hard+ built a comfortable house, and made a convenient little farm, they immediately take a notion that some new place will suit them better and move off right away to commence anew and this [sic] in some instances their large tracts of land prove a disadvantage to them. For many years my mind has been directed to the probable destiny of these remnants of Tribes west of Missouri, and I am fully satisfied that they never can be extensively improved as separate nations, and that the time will come when it will be best for our government to throw around this country some form of government and buy up the surplus lands belonging to these little Tribes, leaving a reservation in each Tribe for those who are not willing to live among civilized people, and let the enterprising part of each nation hold property in their names and live among the whites and take their chance with them, and at a suitable [time] when they were found qualified for it let them have citizenship with the whites. I believe that more of the Indians in this part of the country would be brought to enjoy the benefits of civilization on this than on any other plan ever presented to my mind. I have conversed with a number of the more intelligent in the different Tribes and I have no doubt but some such arrangement could be made soon if the government should think proper to commence it.

   Our crops this year of Hay and Oats were tolerably good and also of the different kinds of vegetables, but our corn crop is far short of an average one, in consequence of the almost constant rains through the entire season. But I think with proper economy we shall be able to winter our stock, as we have considerably reduced our number of cattle and hogs.

   I have not time to add more at present as I am much pressed with business.

I have the honor to
be yours with due respects
Thos Johnson
Supt. F.L. Ind. M.L.S.

Hon. O. Brown
Com. Ind. Affrs.

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Number of scholars of different sexes and tribes.

Five apprentices not included in the above

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[Transcribed from microfilm roll number MS980 frames 1055-1056 in the collections of the Kansas State Historical Society, (National Archives Microfilm Series M234, roll 784) by Roger Berg Jr., May, 1991; also Reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1849, 1850, p. 149, 150.]