Finding Aid to the General George H. Crook Collection MS.1242

Anna Liza Posas

Library and Archives at the Autry

2013

210 South Victory Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91502

rroom@theautry.org

URL: https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives

Contributing Institution: Library and Archives at the Autry

Title: General George H. Crook Collection

Creator: Crook, George, General

Creator: Howard, O. O.|q(Oliver Otis)

Identifier/Call Number: MS.1242

Physical Description: 0.1 Linear Feet (2 folders)

Date (inclusive): 1885-1977

Date (bulk): 1885-1890

Abstract: General George Crook (1852-1890) was a career United States Army officer who is best known for his service during the United States Civil War and Indian Wars in the late 19th Century. This collections consists of correspondence, an Apache Wars report by Crook, and Crooke's obituary written by O. O. Howard. This material was created between 1885 and 1890. There is also a bibliography created by the Southwest Museum Library, circa 1977.

Language of Material: English .

Scope and Contents

This collections consists of correspondence and an Apache Wars report by Crook. The collection also includes Crooke's obituary written by O. O. Howard in 1890 June and a bibliography of books and articles held in the Southwest Museum Library, circa 1977. The bulk of the material was created between 1885-1890.

Preferred Citation

General George H. Crook Collection, 1885-1977, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.1242.[item number].

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Conditions Governing Access

Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

Custodial History

With the exception of the Crook bibliography, MS.1242.D, this collection was assembled by Southwest Museum staff from Library acquisitions made between 1910-1973. Some of the items were originally from the collections of Charles Fletcher Lummis and Joseph Amasa Munk. The bibliography was created by Southwest Museum staff some time before 1977.

Processing History

Finding aid completed by Anna Liza Posas, 2013. Final processing of collection and publication of finding aid made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Biographical Note

General George Crook (1852-1890) was a career United States Army officer who is best known for his service during the United States Civil War and Indian Wars in the late 19th Century.

He was born in 1828 September 8 on a farm near Taylorsville, Ohio. He graduated from West Point in 1852 and spent the first part of his military career in Northern California and Oregon. He fought in the Apache Wars from 1871-1875 where he led a campaign against the legendary Chiricahua Indian leader, Geronimo.

General George Crook earned a reputation for diplomacy and developing a respect for the Native American tribes he was ordered to fight against.

His campaign with Geronimo would be the last of his military career. Crook remained a senior officer and during his last years he worked vigorously against white encroachments on Indian lands. According to the Lakota chief Red Cloud, a one-time adversary, Crook "never lied to us. His words gave the people hope."

Crook died on 1890 March 2.

Related Materials

George Crook Papers, A 024, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Indians of North America -- Wars

Apache Indians -- Wars

Indians of North America -- Antiquities

Fort Bowie (Ariz.)

Correspondence

Bibliography

Obituaries

Davis, Jefferson

Lummis, Charles Fletcher

United States. Dept. of the Interior

folder 1, item MS.1242.A

Letter from Crook to Secretary of the Interior 1889 April 8

Scope and contents

Crook is recommending Charles Fletcher Lummis as an Indian Agent for the Pueblo Indians.

Acquisition

Bequest from Charles Fletcher Lummis to the Southwest Museum, 1910 February 28.

folder 1, item MS.1242.B

Letter from Crook to Jefferson Davis 1885 September 11

Scope and contents

In the letter, Crooke is indicating to Jefferson Davis how difficult it is to collect valuable "Indian relics."

Acquisition

Library purchase from Dawson's Bookshop, 1973 February 2.

Publication note

Letter was reproduced in The Masterkey," volume 47, number 2, page 75, 1973 April-June issue.

folder 1, item MS.1242.C

Crook obituary by O.O. Howard 1890 June

Acquisition

Donated to the Library as part of the Munk Library of Arizoniana, 1910 April 7.

folder 1, item MS.1242.D

Bibliography circa 1977

Scope and contents

Bibliography was created by Southwest Museum staff. The title of the bibliography is "General George Crook in Arizona: bibliography of books and articles in the Library of the Southwest Museum, Highland Park, California."

folder 2

Apache Wars report circa 1886

Acquisition

Bequest from Charles Fletcher Lummis to the Southwest Museum, 1910 February 28.

Scope and contents

This is a partial hand-written report by General Crook. The report starts on page 22

Report includes information on "Indian raids" in Mexico and activities in Fort Apache, For Navajo, Fort Bowie, and Fort Marion. There is also mention of the Chiricahua Indians and Geronimo.

Separated Materials

Transferred from MS.1 Charles Fletcher Lummis Collection, folder title, "partial copy of report by General George Crook," from Box 159. Transferred 2013 August 7 by Anna Liza Posas, Archivist.