University of
Oklahoma Libraries
Western
History Collections
Arza Bailey
Collins Collection
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American Collections Directory
Arza
Bailey Collins served as a U.S. Farmer for the Shawnee Agency from 1912 to
1933. His instruction in the art of
farming and livestock was directed to the Sac & Fox and Iowa Indians who
were under the administration of the Shawnee Agency. Collins and other agency employees were required to keep accurate
records of their activities, and to make weekly reports to the agency
superintendent. Collins recorded his
actions and travel in small, pocket-sized notebooks then used these notes to
write his weekly reports. Thus, the
bulk of this collection contains these diaries and reports. Collins also recorded births, deaths, and
marriages of some of the Indians under his instruction, although the records
are probably incomplete. He also
recorded victims of a 1916 smallpox outbreak.
Box 1 Travel diaries and ledger books, 1912-1937.
1. April 10, 1912 - August 30, 1912
2. July 7, 1913 - May 2, 1914
3. May 18, 1914 - May 15, 1915
4. May 18, 1915 - March 4, 1916
5. March 11, 1916 - December 30, 1916
6. January 1, 1917 - February 17, 1917
7. March 19, 1917 - September 4, 1917
8. April 15, 1918 - May 18, 1918
9. January 2, 1922 - May 6, 1922
10. May 8, 1922 - October 7, 1922
11. October 9, 1922 - March 30, 1923
12. April 16, 1923 - November 3, 1923
13. November 5, 1923 - March 21, 1924
14. March 31, 1924 - September 17, 1924
15. September 29, 1924 - May 12, 1925
16. May 18, 1925 - December 25, 1925
17. January 4, 1926 - July 15, 1926
18. July 16, 1926 - January 2, 1927
19. January 3, 1927 - June 9, 1927
20. June 13, 1927 - December ?, 1927
21. January 2, 1928 - June 30, 1928
22. July 2, 1928 - January 27, 1929
23. September 23, 1929 - June 6, 1930
24. January 5, 1931 - October 31, 1931
25. November 1, 1931 - February 20, 1932
26. March 14, 1932 - September 17, 1932
27. March 13, 1933 - June 21, 1933
28. Births, deaths, and marriages, 1918
29. Expense ledger, small pox victims, April
- May 1916
30. Annuity record book, 1934 - 1937
Box 2 Record and ledger books,
reports, correspondence, and legal documents, 1913-1936.
Ledgers:
1. Oil and gas royalty accounts, 1919
2. Labor/material estimates, 1930-1931
3. List of Indians and description of
farms and livestock, n.d.
4. "Things to do" list, circa
1921.
5. Births, deaths, and marriages,
1913-1918
6. Allotment descriptions, receipts,
marriages, disbursements, n.d.
Folders:
1. Weekly reports of 1922 to the Supt. of the Shawnee Indian
Agency, J. L. Suffecool.
2. Weekly reports for 1923 to the Supt. of the Shawnee Indian
Agency, J. L. Suffecool.
3. Weekly reports for 1924 to the Supt. of the Shawnee Indian
Agency, J. L. Suffecool.
4. Weekly reports for 1925 to the Supt. of the Shawnee Indian
Agency, J. L. Suffecool. (incomplete file)
5. Correspondence. re:
right-of-way deed for A.T. and S.F. Railroad on land of Cora Bass.
6. Correspondence and receipts. re: establishment of Harrell Cemetery, November 1924 - April
1925.
7. Correspondence and affidavits. re: A.B. Collins and Joe
Pickard dispute over lease privileges; also other grievances filed against
Collins.
8. Correspondence. re:
estate of Alexander Buchanan, September 1927 - March 1929.
9. Report to "Mr. Berry", Field Inspector on A. B.
Collins' activities, January 25, 1930 - February 21, 1931; also receipts for
government property, 1928-1932; and a sign plate which reads, "A. B.
Collins, U.S. Farmer".
10. Property listings for Sac & Fox and Iowa Indians; (in back
cover there is an address list for Kickapoo Indians) circa 1935-1936.
11. One book of poetry:
Chambers, Henry T., Young Man's
Country (Bristow, Oklahoma: The
Coronado Press, 1934).
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