Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1793, Mar. 28 | Born, Albany County, N.Y. |
| circa 1808 | Entered Union College, Schenectady, N.Y. (later attended Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt.) |
| 1810-1817 | Glass manufacturer, Geneva, N.Y.; Salisbury, Vt.; and Keene, N.H. |
| 1817-1818 | Western trip through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, and Arkansas |
| 1819 | Published A View of the Lead Mines of Missouri, Including Some Observations on the Mineralogy, Geology, Geography, Antiquities, Soil, Climate, Population, and Productions of Missouri and Arkansaw, and Other Sections of the Western Country. New York: Charles Wiley |
| 1820 | Accompanied Lewis Cass on expedition to Lake Superior and upper regions of the Mississippi Valley |
| 1821 | Published Journal of a Tour into the Interior of Missouri and Arkansaw, from Potosi, or Mine á Burton, in Missouri Territory, in a South-west Direction toward the Rocky Mountains, Performed in the Years 1818 and 1819. London: R. Phillips Published Narrative Journal of Travels through the Northwestern Regions of the United States, Extending from Detroit through the Great Chain of American Lakes to the Sources of the Mississippi River, Performed as a Member of the Expedition under Governor Cass in the Year 1820. Albany, N.Y.: E. & E. Hosford |
| 1822-1841 | U.S. Indian agent for the Lake Superior region |
| 1823 | Married Jane Johnston (died 1842) |
| 1828 | Helped found the Historical Society of Michigan |
| 1828-1832 | Member, legislative council of Michigan Territory |
| 1832 | Helped found the Algic Society, Detroit, Mich. Led expedition resulting in identification of the source of the Mississippi River |
| 1834 | Published Narrative of an Expedition through the Upper Mississippi to Itasca Lake, the Actual Source of This River, Embracing an Exploratory Trip through the St. Crois and Burntwood (or Broule) Rivers, in 1832. New York: Harper |
| 1836-1841 | Superintendent of Indian affairs for Michigan |
| 1839 | Published Algic Researches, Comprising Inquires Respecting the Mental Characteristics of the North American Indians. First Series. Indian Tales and Legends. New York: Harper & Bros. Later edition published in 1856 as The Myth of Hiawatha and Other Oral Legends. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott |
| 1842 | Visited Europe |
| 1844-1845 | Published Oneóta, or the Red Race of America. New York: Burgess, Stringer |
| 1845 | Agent in census of Iroquois for State of New York |
| 1846 | Published Notes on the Iroquois. New York: Bartlett & Welford |
| 1847 | Married Mary E. Howard Published Inquiries, Respecting the History, Present Condition, and Future Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States. Washington, D.C. Also issued as an appendix to Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States, vol. 1 (see below) |
| 1847-1857 | Special agent, Office of Indian Affairs, to gather, collate, and edit information on Native Americans in the United States |
| 1849 | Paralyzed |
| 1851 | Published Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers: With Brief Notices of Passing Events, Facts, and Opinions, A.D. 1812 to A.D. 1842. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo |
| 1851-1857 | Published Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo. Reissued in 1860 as Archives of Aboriginal Knowledge. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo |
| 1853 | Published Scenes and Adventures in the Semi-Alpine Region of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo |
| 1855 | Published Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1830: Resumed and Completed, by the Discovery of Its Origin in Itasca Lake, in 1832. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo |
| 1858-1859 | Interpreter, Office of Indian Affairs |
| 1861-1864 | Confined to bed |
| 1864, Dec. 10 | Died, Washington, D.C. |