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
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
.
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.
General George H. Crook Collection, 1885-1977, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.1242.[item number].
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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
folder 1, item MS.1242.B
Letter from Crook to Jefferson Davis 1885 September 11
In the letter, Crooke is indicating to Jefferson Davis how difficult it is to collect valuable "Indian relics."
Library purchase from Dawson's Bookshop, 1973 February 2.
Letter was reproduced in
The Masterkey," volume 47, number 2, page 75, 1973 April-June issue.
folder 1, item MS.1242.C
folder 1, item MS.1242.D
folder 2
Apache Wars report circa 1886
Bequest from Charles Fletcher Lummis to the Southwest Museum, 1910 February 28.
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.
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.