Idaho Superintendency of Indian Affairs

History
The Idaho Superintendency of Indian Affairs was established in 1863. After the Superintendency was abolished in 1870, after which the agents reported directly to the Office of Indian Affairs in Washington, DC. Correspondence continued to be filed under "Idaho" until the filing system was changed in 1881, however.

Records for Superintendencies exist in the National Archives and copies of many of them are also available in other research facilities.

Tribes
Nez Perce, Shoshone, Bannock, Coeur d'Alene, Kutenai, Pend d'Oreille, Spokan

Special Agent, Governors and Ex Officio Superintendents and Army Officer Detailed as Superintendent
George C. Hough served as special agent, 1866-1869, William H. Wallace March 10, 1863, Caleb Lyon February 26, 1864, David W. Ballard April 10, 1876, and Col. DeLancey Floyd-Jones June 17, 1876

Agencies
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.


 * Fort Hall Agency
 * Lemhi Agency
 * Nez Perce Agency

The Flathead and Blackfeet Agencies were under the jurisdiction of the Idaho Superintendency for a very short time in 1863-64.

Records
Records of the Idaho Superintendent of Indian Affairs, 1863-1870, are at the National Archives and have been microfilmed as their Microcopy Number M832. Copies are also available at the Seattle Regional Archives. This same set of microfilm of the records of the Idaho Superintendency are also available at the and its FamilySearch centers.

Letters received by the Office of Indian Affairs from the Idaho Superintendency, 1863-1880, 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 FamilySearch centers on their microfilm roll numbers 1661067 thru 1661083.