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Page 339

The Oklahoma Historical Society receives in exchange for the Chronicles, the historical and ethnological magazines of many State. Taking these publications together they make almost a complete compendium of American History. The student of history will find in these magazines authentic data and historical material, much of which has never before been published. The Society keeps these quarterly publications on file so that student visitors and research workers may have access to them.

issued quarterly by MacMillan and Company. The leading article in the July 1931 number is entitled: "The Diplomacy of the Louisiana Cession." This article is by Arthur S. Aiton of the University of Michigan. It is an exhaustive study of the history of this important part of our country, including Oklahoma, from the landing of the first white man until the Louisiana Purchase. The official data in this article is authenticated by many foot notes.

In this number is an article entitled, "Connecticut Taxation and Parlimentary Aid preceeding the Revolutionary War," and another lengthy article by Arthur C. Cole of Western University, entitled, "Lincoln's Election and Immediate Menace to Slavery in the States." Also many other documentary notes and suggestions.

published at Iowa City for July 1931, devotes much space to a discussion of the "Iowa Academy of Science." This magazine also has quite a long account of a visit paid to the "cultured folk" of Iowa by Bronson Alcott in 1870 and 1871. Also some "Pen Sketches" of, the Big Woods of Iowa. It will be a revelation to many that Iowa ever had "big woods."

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devotes much space to the Rock Island County Sequi-Centennial Celebration held at Rock Island in 1930. It has also an historical and biographical write up of some of the earlier settlers of that State. Naturally, no Illinois historical publication is complete without some new material on the life of Lincoln. In this issue is a very enlightening article by Dr. Louis A. Warren, director of the Lincoln Research Foundation, entitled: "Lincoln's Early Political Back Ground." To the student of this national hero the article is something of a revelation and well worth studying.

is an interesting publication and it has a wealth of romantic historical sources to draw from: The northwest "Where Rolls the Oregon," "The Hudson Bay Company," "54-40 or Fight," "Lewis and Clark," "The Founding of Astoria," "John C. Fremont," "The Whitmans," "The Applegates," and the "Modocks," are all themes for the historian. The Oregon official publication is always interesting to the student of history of the northwest.

is another publication from the far northwest with the same historical back ground as has the State of Oregon. The leading article in the July number is entitled: "The Oregon Convention of 1843." This convention held in Cincinnatti, Ohio, in July 1843, was presided over by that distinguished Kentucky statesman, Richard M. Johnson, and was participated in by the leading statesmen of America. The declaration announced that the Oregon convention was held for the purpose of "adopting such measures as may induce the immediate occupation of the Oregon Territory by the arms and laws of the United States of North America." There is some real history in this article. Another interesting story is "Fraser River Gold Rush Adventures 1858." There are also many notes on the early settlements.

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contains some historical data of general interest but the greater part is taken up with family genealogical records. Kentucky believes in pedigrees for her fine horses and genealogy as a basis for her aristocratic citizenship. There was, once upon a time a trio of these Kentucky beliefs—not to say boasts—but the passage of the eighteenth amendment has officially eliminated one of them and it is not polite even to mention it.

published by the Michigan Historical Society, "Annual dues $2.00, magazine free to the members, devoted to the life, resources, industries, people, politics, government wars, institutions and achievements of Michigan." This is certainly a wide field to cover in the one hundred and sixty page publication. The three featured articles are—first: "The School of Music at the University of Michigan." This can hardly be termed history, but it comes with the purview of this magazine. Second: "Detroit Medical Reminiscences," this is no doubt a very interesting article for the disciples of Aesculapius. Third: "The Big Mound at Springwells." This is a most interesting and instructive article both to the historian and the archaeologist.

There are a number of shorter historical articles; the most interesting one that the writer noticed is entitled, "Indian War Council Held at Detroit in 1700" written by the Honorable William Renwick Riddle, LLD., DCL., Fr. Historical Society (London). This is, indeed, a real contribution to early Indian history.

The leading article is entitled, "The Morale of the American Army in the Latter Half of 1776." It is written by Allen Bowman, AM. Huntington College, Indiana. This is not only Virginia history but it is American history. The historical statements are all well worth reading by any student of the history of the Revolutionary War.

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Then there is a series of letters written by the Byrd family commencing in 1775. There is also much genealogy of the F. F. V. To those of us who trace our lineage back to the Old Dominion, this is good reading.

Topics written about are many. "Pioneer Days in Old Sparta," and continued articles on the early life of Joseph Pulitzer—and the founding of the Post Dispatch. There is also a continued biographical story of Joseph B. McCullagh, by Walter Stephens.

There is no copy in the magazine that will interest early Oklahomans more than the three page sketch of the life of "General James C. Jameson, A Fillibuster in Nicaraua; Pike County Man Became Missouri Adjutant General." An Oklahoman historian would add to this title "A Pioneer in Oklahoma and Adjutant General of the Territory of Oklahoma." No citizen who ever lived in Oklahoma had a more picturesque or more romantic life. General Jameson died in Guthrie, Oklahoma, November 17, 1916, age 86 years. Indeed, he was at one time the "Grand Old Man of Oklahoma.

does not print so many pages as historical magazines of many states, yet there is some real western history, not to say wild west history, contained in its sixty pages. The first is entitled, "Gunnison in Early Days," by C. E. Hagie, Professor of history in the Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado. This is followed by an article pertaining to Archaeological Surveys, by a Michigan Professor.

Then an interesting and instructive article tells of the explorations of Capt. Zebulon M. Pike, the man for whom Pikes Peak was named. Pike was killed in the War of 1812. There is also an historical story of the first manufactory of iron in Colorado by A. B. Sanford. An old diary of a freighting trip from Kit Carson to Trinidad in 1870 by P. G. Scott, is included.

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contains an article under the caption: "Harmful Practices of Indian Traders of the Southwest—1865—1876." This article is of interest to the student of Oklahoma history in as much as its author exploits at length the charges against the Secretary of War, Gen. William W. Belknap, of having solicited and accepted bribes from the post trader at Fort Sill. The post trader at Fort Sill was John S. Evans, known as Jack Evans. These and other charges cast a gloom over the administration of General Grant and caused Secretary Belknap to resign to escape impeachment.

The author by his text and citation of authorities proves conclusively that Jack Evans was the victim of a hold-up conceived by Belknap and a New York merchant and he was not guilty of having given a bribe. Jack Evans was licensed post trader at Fort Sill, while his brother Maj. Neal Evans, was the licensed post trader at Fort Reno. When Oklahoma was opened to settlement April 22, 1889, Neal Evans had a large post trader's store at Fort Reno, but about a year after the opening the building burned down with the total loss of both, building and all of his large stock of merchandise.

Maj. Neal Evans represented the highest type of an American gentleman, a kind, considerate, honest, and upright man. His daughter, Miss Hettie, married Wm. H. Maurer of El Reno, Oklahoma, late United States District Attorney, now deceased. Mrs. Maurer is now a resident of Oklahoma City.

contains about 140 pages but not of much material interest to western readers. One story published in this journal is entitled, "Stage Coach Business in the Hudson Valley," and another, "Attempts to Form New States in New York and Pennsylvania." Then another with the caption, "The Patrons of New Netherland." This takes one back from about 1620 to 1650. Of course, there is a good deal of Holland Dutch about this story. One will think he's reading Washington Irving's Knickerbocker History of New York.

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published by the Minnesota Historical Society contains articles of interest to the readers in that State, a list of the recent accessions to their museum, and several pages devoted to a review of recently published books.

contains articles and references to the early history of the "Tarheel State." The story that especially interested the writer was two documents on the Battle of Kings Mountain. These contain excerpts from letters written by Major Ferguson and Lord Cornwallis, both of the British Army.

published by the Tennessee Historical Society is loaded with good material. The fact is, Tennessee is a great repository of history and this number has so many good things that a former citizen of that State would read it from cover to cover. This magazine has less than 100 pages, yet the subscription is $3.00 annually. One of the most interesting articles is entitled, "Johnson's Plan of the Restoration in Relation to that of Lincoln." It also tells of the visit of Aaron Burr to Nashville in the year 1805, when he was thinking of starting a government of his own in the Mississippi Valley.

Chronicles of Oklahoma receives in exchange the publicatons of several other historical societies including Utah Historical Quarterly, Louisiana Historical Quarterly, Georgia Historical Quarterly, Florida Historical Society, and North Dakota Historical Quarterly. The Indiana Historical Bureau publishes a monthly magazine called the Historical Bulletin. Want of space prevents us from even briefly reviewing all these publications in this number of the Chronicles.

D. W. P.

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