3. Provenance 5. Inventory 6. Subjects |
Providence historian, librarian Research notes, circa 1976-1985. Size: 8 ft. Catalog number: MSS 369 Processed by: Robin Flynn, April 1997. ©Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division |
In January, 1975, the Narragansett Indian tribe filed suit in federal district court to regain lands in southern RI which they claimed were illegally taken from them in 1880. In May, 1976, Paul R. Campbell and Glenn LaFantasie were hired by the RI Attorney General's office and the law firm of Tillinghast, Collins and Graham as historian for the defense, initiating research on the tribe which spanned over two years and several states. By the time their work for the court case was completed, the two historians had collected photocopies of over 9,000 documents dating as far back as 1524. Campbell and LaFantasie's work also provided the material for papers they co-wrote in 1978 about the Narragansetts, Narragansett Indians Land Controversies and Narragansett Country; for an undergraduate course which they co-taught at Providence College in 1977; and for a lecture series with the Rhode Island Historical Society in the spring of 1978. LaFantasie relied heavily on these materials to prepare annotations for The Correspondence of Roger Williams, 2 vols. (1988), which he edited for the Rhode Island Historical Society while serving as Editor of Publications from 1979 to 1985.
In other historical areas, Campbell co-wrote two books with Rhode Island author Patrick Conley: Providence: A Pictorial History (1982) and Firefighters and Fires in Providence (1985). Campbell served as Library Director at the Rhode Island Historical Society from 1979 to 1987.
This collection contains many of Campbell and LaFantasie's research notes for the Narragansett court case. It also includes research on Providence: A Pictorial History, the Providence Fire Department, and the Cranston Ore Bed. The notes consist mainly of photocopies of primary and secondary sources, trial documents, handwritten notes, drafts, and correspondence regarding publishing.
Campbell and LaFantasie donated the Narragansett notes jointly in late 1978 or early 1979, after the completion of the court case but before Campbell's appointment as RIHS library director. These papers were initially housed in administrative storage at the Aldrich House, and were not formally accessioned or made available to the public until 1990. The Cranston Ore Bed material (which was also jointly assembled from research done by Campbell and LaFantasie) was similarly transferred to the library in 1991. For the remainder of the collection, the accession information is unclear, but probably is the same.
Restriction note:
Many of the photocopied documents in the Narragansett series were used as documentary exhibits in the land claim case. Sources for some of these documents can be found either on the documents themselves, or in the "plaintiff's and defendants' requests for admissions" and the "index of documentary exhibits" in the trial documents (subseries 2). Researchers can also see the research grant correspondence in subseries 3 for a listing of locations from which many of the research notes came. In some cases, however, sources may be unclear or unavailable. In addition, in cases where copied manuscripts were obtained from institutions other than the Rhode Island Historical Society, permission to publish can be granted only by the institution which owns the records. The collection generally should be viewed as a reference collection only.
In the Narragansett series, much weeding for duplication among photocopied sources was done. However, due to the amount of photocopied material present, some duplicates may remain.
Much of the Providence and firefighter material has been kept in original folders, and all Cranston Ore Bed notes were kept in original folders and order.
Series 1: Narragansett Indian research.
Subseries 1 - Exhibit material for 1975 land claim trial. The material consists of photocopied primary and secondary sources, and for the most part is arranged chronologically. Box 3, folder 2 (1880-1883) includes the 1880 Act presented to the RI General Assembly appointing a commission to negotiate the purchase of all common tribal lands from the Narragansett Tribe, along with a list of the 324 Narragansetts approved as claimants in the land purchase by the Supreme Court.
1524-1683.
Box 1, folder 1. 1524 - 1639.
Box 1, folder 2. 1640 - 1649.
Box 1, folder 3. 1650 - 1655.
Box 1, folder 4. 1650 - 1659.
Box 1, folder 5. 1660 - 1662.
Box 1, folder 6. 1663 - 1664.
Box 1, folder 7. 1665 - 1666.
Box 1, folder 8. 1667 - 1669.
Box 1, folder 9. 1670 - 1674.
Box 1, folder 10. 1675 - 1676.
Box 1, folder 11. 1677 - 1678.
Box 1, folder 12. 1679.
Box 1, folder 13. 1680 - 1683.
1684-1862.
Box 2, folder 1. 1684 - 1686.
Box 2, folder 2. 1687 - 1689.
Box 2, folder 3. 1690 - 1697.
Box 2, folder 4. 1698 - 1699.
Box 2, folder 5. 1700 - 1719.
Box 2, folder 6. 1720 - 1729.
Box 2, folder 7. 1730 - 1745.
Box 2, folder 8. 1746 - 1749.
Box 2, folder 9. 1750 - 1759.
Box 2, folder 10. 1760 - 1764.
Box 2, folder 11. 1765 - 1769.
Box 2, folder 12. 1770 - 1779.
Box 2, folder 13. 1800 - 1824.
Box 2, folder 14. 1825 - 1832.
Box 2, folder 15. 1833 - 1845.
Box 2, folder 16. 1846 - 1850.
Box 2, folder 17. 1851 - 1862.
1864-1976 and other.
Box 3, folder 1. 1864 - 1870.
1871-1879 - no documents during this time period.
Box 3, folder 2. 1880 - 1883. includes the 1880 Act presented to the RI General Assembly appointing a commission to negotiate the purchase of all common tribal lands from the Narragansett Tribe, along with a list of the 324 Narragansetts approved as claimants in the land purchase by the Supreme Court.
Box 3, folder 3. 1884 - 1897.
Box 3, folder 4. 1898 - 1899.
Box 3, folder 5. 1900 - 1901.
Box 3, folder 6. 1902 - 1933.
Box 3, folder 7. 1934 - 1935.
Box 3, folder 8. 1936 - 1937.
Box 3, folder 9. 1938 - 1976.
Box 3, folder 10. Narragansetts- miscellaneous background.
Box 3, folder 11. Miscellaneous.
Box 3, folder 12. 1898 RI Supreme Court decision.
Box 3, folder 13. Mashpee and Nipmuck Indians.
Box 3, folder 14. Ct. State Library and Historical Society - Narragansett Indians.
Box 3, folder 15. Research notes.
Box 3, folder 16. Research notes.
Additional exhibit material.
Box 4, folder 1. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1675-1852.
Box 4, folder 2. Copies of Charlestown, RI deeds with index, 1742-1880.
Box 4, folder 3. Copy of Charlestown, RI tax book, 1822.
Box 4, folder 4. RI newspaper articles concerning Narragansett tribe status, meetings, & pow- wows, 1843-1976.
Box 4, folder 5. Census report information (c. 19th century) and PRC notes.
Box 4, folder 6. Receipt and letter book, Narragansett tribe, c. 1894-1902.
Box 4, folder 7. James N. Arnold's notes on Narragansetts, circa 1890s.
Box 4, folders 8-11. James N. Arnold biographical notes.
Box 4, folder 12-14. Articles and booklets, Narragansett research.
Box 4, folder 15. Narragansett tribe meeting minutes, 1/5/1945-8/31/1957. Some minutes for the council and executive board are interspersed.
Box 4, folder 16. Narragansett tribe meeting minutes, 1/26/1952-8/26/1957. (These do not appear to be duplicates of the above minutes.)
Box 4, folder 17. Narragansett tribe meeting minutes, 9/28/1957-10/29/1966.
Box 4, folder 18. Narragansett tribe meeting minutes, 5/6/1967-10/30/1970.
Box 4, folder 19. Narragansett tribe meeting minutes, 1/30/1971-6/23/1973.
Box 4, folder 20. Narragansett tribe meeting minutes, 7/28/1973-2/26/1977.
Subseries 2 - Trial documents Lists of documents used in case.
Box 5, folder 1. Plaintiff's answers to defendants' 1st set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 2. Report #1 to RI Attorney General, PRC & GL. (undated)
Box 5, folder 3. Plaintiff's answer to defendants' 2nd set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 4. Defendants' answers to plaintiff's 2nd set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 5. Defendants' answers to plaintiff's 3rd set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 6. Defendants' answers to plaintiff's (4th?) set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 7. Defendants' revised answers to plaintiff's (4th?) set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 8. Plaintiff's 5th set of interrogatories.
Box 5, folder 9. Defendants' answers to plaintiff's (1st?) request for admissions.
Box 5, folder 10. Plaintiff's 2nd set of requests for admission to defendants.
Box 5, folder 11. Defendants' answers to plaintiff's 2nd request for admissions (page one missing).
Box 5, folder 12. Plaintiff's 3rd set of requests for admissions to defendants (incomplete).
Box 5, folder 13. Defendants' answers to plaintiff's 3rd set of requests for admission to defendants.
Box 5, folder 14. Historical Commentary Regarding Plaintiff's (3rd?) Request for Admissions (PRC & GL)
Box 5, folder 15. Plaintiff's 4th set of requests for admission to defendants.
Box 5, folder 16. Defendants' request for admission to plaintiff (set 1, volume 1).
Box 5, folder 17. Plaintiff's answers to defendants' request for admissions (set 1, volume 1).
Box 5, folder 18. Defendants' 2nd set of requests for admission to plaintiff.
Box 5, folder 19. Index of documentary exhibits, #1-#1093, vol. II.
Box 5, folder 20. Plaintiff's motion to strike certain defenses.
Box 5, folder 21. Defendants' memorandum in opposition to motion to strike.
Box 5, folder 22. Proposed stipulations between plaintiff and defendants.
Box 5, folder 23. Defendants' responses to plaintiff's proposed stipulations to said defendants, which proposed stipulations are now deemed to have been filed as requests for admissions.
Box 5, folder 24. Notes (PRC), legal briefs, c. 1976.
Box 5, folder 25. Memoranda, applicability of Non-Intercourse Act of 1790 to various New England Indian land claims, 1977.
Box 5, folder 26. 3rd pre-trial order, September 1977.
Box 5, folder 27. Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act, 1978.
Subseries 3 - Providence College and other Narragansett research notes.
Box 5, folder 28. Chronology of Narragansett research (fragment of lecture), PRC.
Box 5, folder 29. Case statements (undated).
Box 5, folder 30. PC course notes.
Box 5, folder 31. PC course notes, 1800-1840 and 1900-1937.
Box 5, folder 32. PC course notes, cultural background of Narragansetts.
Box 6, folder 1. PC course notes.
Box 6, folder 2. PC course notes.
Box 6, folder 3. PC course notes.
Box 6, folder 4. RIHS lectures and notes, c. 1978.
Box 6, folder 5. Research notes, Chicago Title, RI report.
Box 6, folder 6. Narragansett research notes: Charlestown records and census information.
Box 6, folder 7. General Narragansett research notes, PRC.
Box 6, folder 8. Narragansett research: reference and source notes, GL.
Box 6, folder 9. Draft: Westerly history.
Box 6, folder 10. General Indian bibliography/Westerly.
Box 6, folder 11. Correspondence, Ct. and Mohegan case, 1977.
Box 6, folder 12. Correspondence, Chicago Title Insurance Co. research, 1977 and 1978.
Box 6, folder 13. Correspondence, RIHS request for research grant, 1978-79.
Box 6, folder 14. Federal grants, RI education and feeding programs, 1974-1977.
Box 6, folder 15. Historic village of the Narragansetts in Charlestown: nomination for National Register of Historic Places.
Box 6, folder 16. An Ethnohistorical Study of the Narragansett Indian Tribe and Tribal Council, 1850-1880: A Case of Boundary Maintenance and Dissolution (R.L. Roberts, III), with notes by GL.
Box 6, folder 17. Maine land claim, miscellaneous.
Box 6, folder 18. Mashpee trial notes, 1977-78.
Box 6, folder 19. Ct. State Library.
Box 6, folder 20. Task Force for Indian Affairs, 1978.
Box 6, folder 21. Providence Journal article clippings, 1978-1980.
Box 6, folder 22. Providence Journal article clippings, 1979-1982.
Box 6, folder 23. Narragansett Indians, McLoughlin chapter.
Box 6, folder 24. Receipts and purchase orders for research, 1976.
Box 6, folder 25. Miscellaneous Narragansett research.
The folder contains the following:
1. Letter to Glenn LaFantasie from Joseph O. Mehr (Providence Journal librarian.)
2. Miscellaneous article clipping, Providence Journal, 10/6/1886, re: RIHS.
3. Letter to Bureau of Indian Affairs (?) from Hattie L. Bennett of Wakefield, 1925.
4. Research paper, untitled and undated, Indian research, by Francis G. Hutchins.
5. Research paper, untitled, author and date unknown, about Non-Intercourse Act of 1790.
6. Research paper, The "King Tom" Farm, author unknown.
7. Names of Indian tribes and bands.
8. Narragansett Indian Council member list, exact date unknown, circa 1945-1977.
Box 6, folder 26. Miscellaneous loose notes, PRC.
Series 2: Pictorial History of Providence - research notes.
Items listed are photocopies of original printed material.
Box 6.
1636-1765.
1636-1765, rejected material.
1765-1790.
1790-1832.
1832.
1832-1845.
1845-1860.
1861-1867.
1868-1899.
1899-1929a: rejects.
Box 7.
1899-1929b.
1929-1945.
1945-1972.
1973-c.1981.
Providence illustrations - misc. notes and old orders.
Providence, view by an 1847 visitor.
Donning Co. Publishers.
RI historic photos.
Providence: A Century of Greatness, a critique by Patrick T. Conley.
Chinese in Providence.
Providence illustrations pending.
Providence illustrations: economic and population stats.
Corrections to text.
Winsor Publications, Inc.
Tables - charts, lists, etc.
Providence illustrations: bills.
Providence illustrations: specs.
Providence illustrations: permissions.
Providence illustrations: notes.
Providence illustrations: bibliography and leads.
Providence illustrations: background articles.
History of Providence, photocopies of articles (4 folders).
Rejected photos.
Rejected photos.
Providence Journal article clippings.
Correspondence.
Index to illustrations.
Series 3: Providence firefighter research notes.
Box 7.
Notable fires.
Arson.
Loose notes and photocopies of original material (2 folders).
Box 8.
Fire book - notes (2 folders).
Fire book - photos inventory.
Fire book - photos.
Fire book - photos.
Fire photos, 1800-1850.
Fire book, 1854-1899.
Fires 1900-1951.
Fire book completed 1900-1951.
Fire book, 1951-1984.
Oct. 1951-1980s.
Fire book, 20th century.
Fire laws and other documents.
Dept. rosters and stats, 1900-1951.
Fire book - pending.
Fire book - layout and miscellaneous notes.
Fire book - notes and drafts.
Fire book - original manuscript.
Fire book - bibliography.
Firefighter notes - miscellaneous.
Series 4: Cranston Ore Bed.
Box 8.
Research notes - history and ownership of Cranston Ore Bed, PRC & GL.
Research notes and photocopies of original material, PRC & GL.
Notes on poor in Cranston (GL).
Photocopies of Cranston City Hall records.
Photocopies of Cranston City Hall records.
Arnold, James Newell, 1844-1927.
Campbell, Paul R., 1948-.
Charlestown (R.I. : Town) - Land records.
Conley, Patrick T., 1938-.
Cranston Ore Beds.
Firefighters and Fires in Providence.
LaFantasie, Glenn.
Mashpee Indians.
Narragansett Indians.
Providence Fire Department - History.
Providence (R.I.) - History.
Westerly (R.I.) - History.
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RIHS1822