Minnesota Superintendency of Indian Affairs

United States American Indian Research  Bureau of Indian Affairs  Superintendencies  Minnesota Superintendency

History
The Minnesota Superintendency of Indian Affairs was established in 1849. After the Superintendency was abolished in 1856,responsibility for its agencies was transferred to the Northern Superintendency.

The records of the Minnesota Superintendency of Indian Affairs relate to almost all aspects of Indian Administration within its jurisdiction. There are documents relating to negotiation and enforcement of treaties, land matters, Indian emigration and subsistence, intrusions on Indian lands, law and order, annuity and other payments, inter-tribal hostilities, military operations, depredation claims, traders and licenses, missionaries and schools, location of agencies, construction and repair of buildings, purchase and transportation of goods and supplies, employees and accounts.

The St. Peters Agency was responsible for four main bands of Sioux, or Dakota, Indians. These were the Sioux of the Mississippi-- Sisseton, Wahpeton, Mdewakanton, and Wahpekute.

Governors and Ex Officio Superintendents
Alexander Ramsey April 2, 1849,and Willis E. Gorman, April 1, 1853

Agencies

 * Chippewa Agency
 * La Pointe Subagency
 * Prairie du Chein Agency
 * Sandy Lake Subagency
 * St. Peters Agency
 * Turkey River Agency
 * Winnebago Agency

Records
Agencies and subagencies were created as administrative offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its predecessors. Their purpose was (and is) to manage Indian affairs with the tribes, to enforce policies, and to assist in maintaining the peace. The names and location of these agencies may have changed, but their purpose remained basically the same. Many of the records of genealogical value (for the tribe and tribal members) were created by and maintained by the agencies.

Records of the Minnesota Superintendent of Indian Affairs, 1849-1856, are at theNational Archivesand have been microfilmed as their Microcopy Number M842. Copies are also available at the Chicago Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration. This set of microfilm of the records of the Minnesota Superintendency is also available at the and its family history centers.

Letters received by the Office of Indian Affairs from the Minnesota Superintendency, 1849-1856, have been microfilmed by the National Archives as part of their Microcopy Number M234. Copies are available at the National Archives and at the and its family history centers on their microfilm roll number 1661158.