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Helen Hunt Jackson letters : to Amelia Quinton and Abbot Kinney : ALS, 1880 Dec.-1884 Feb.
BANC FILM 2438; BANC MSS 99/279 cz
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Title:
Helen Hunt Jackson letters: to Amelia Quinton and Abbot Kinney : ALS, 1880 Dec.-1884 FebCreator/Contributor:
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1830-1885, creatorCreator/Contributor:
Quinton, Amelia S. (Amelia Stone), 1835?-1926Creator/Contributor:
Kinney, Abbot, 1850-1920Abstract:
Ten letters to Mrs. Amelia Smith Quinton date from Dec. 18, 1880 to Feb. 19, 1884 and were written from Colorado Springs,
New York City, and various other locations including Brevoort NY, Warlington, Cambridge, and San Diego. Some of these are
brief notes about the logistics of gathering petitions, names of clergy who should be sent Jackson's book, and business relating
to other of Jackson's publications, including Ramona, which she hopes will reach people who wouldn't read A century of dishonor.
Others are lengthy and personal letters about Quinton's efforts on behalf of Native Americans, Jackson's perceived failure
of her book A century of dishonor, Indians of Colorado, tribes she hopes to visit, other organizers, and feelings of discouragement.
One letter contains detailed observations from a visit to the Indians at San Pasquale, about 30 miles northwest of San Diego,
where the deterioration of the situation for local Indians in the past sixteen years filled Jackson with indignation.
Seven letters to Mr. Abbott Kinney dated January to March 1882, from Santa Barbara, San Pedro, and Riverside relate to their
project undertaken as government commissioners to investigate the condition of Mission Indians in California. The letters
frequently describe the unsatisfactory boarding situations that Jackson finds herself in. Other topics include their travel
arrangements, her poor opinion of Santa Barbara, misadventures along her trip to California, difficulties on board Orizaba
out of San Pedro, a railroad suit her husband was involved in and his delays in joining her in California, explanations relating
to a joke of Jackson's which Kinney apparently took badly, and other matters. One letter, apparently to Kinney, is addressed
to Elusive Grace. Four other letters, addressed to S.M. or Sailing Master, dated Oct. 1882 to Oct. 1883 from Colorado Springs
and New York were probably also to Kinney. They include a request for information on soil for a previously mentioned "Industries"
article, reflections on a list of Tehachapi writings, visits to Indian villages, publication problems with Century, plans
for a trip to California, an article on Chinese for Harpers, and plans to check on their report in Washington.
Date:
1880 (issued)Subject:
n-us-caWomen's National Indian Association (U.S.)
Indians of North America
Indians of North America -- California
Lobbyists
Women authors, American -- 19th century
Indians, Treatment of -- North America
Indians of North America -- Government relations
Indians of North America -- California -- San Diego County
Hotels -- California
Women -- Societies and clubs
San Pasqual Valley (Calif.)
Santa Barbara (Calif.) -- Description and travel
United States -- Politics and government
Note:
Also available on microfilm with call number BANC FILM 2438.
Helen Hunt Jackson was a novelist, poet, author of children's stories, and investigator of the condition of Mission Indians
in California. Her 1881 book on the Native Americans, A century of dishonor, reported on the wrongs inflicted on the Indians
by the United States government. With Abbott Kinney she published an 1883 Report on the condition and needs of the Mission
Indians of California... which continued themes from A century of dishonor. Ramona, her popular novel published in 1884, was
a further product of her interest in the plight of California Mission Indians.
Amelia Stone Quinton was an active lobbyist for Native American rights from the 1879 until her death in 1926. She was active
in Philadelphia area grassroots efforts to further the Native American cause and was a leader in the Women's National Indian
Association which advocated missionary work, education, and federal allotments for the Indians.
Physical Description:
print
1 portfolio (.1 linear ft.)
1 microfilm reel : negative (BNEG Box 2759) and positive.
Language:
English
Identifier:
BANC FILM 2438
BANC MSS 99/279 cz