Letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham September 2, 1881
	Cheyenne and Arapahoe Agency Darlington Sept ^2nd 1881 My Dear loving Mother Good morning I will try to write to you and tell about that your loving boy Mr Paul¹ I hear about him but he will take up work to do about Good ways Perhaps you know this Summer Since I come home Indian Country after time all Kiowa Indian and we had gone about 75 miles and make big Medicine heathen dance² Mr Wicks was at Kiowa Agency befor Mr Paul want go to See Medicine dance Mr Wicks Speak to them and Say Mr ¹Paul Caryl Zotom was another Indian warrior who had been imprisoned with David Pendleton Oakerhater. ²Probably refers to the Sun Dance, one of the most sacred of Cheyenne ceremonies. Oakerhater's Cheyenne name is translated both "Making Medicine" and "Sundancer." His glyph, or signature, shown at the top of this page shows the lodge built for the Sun Dance with a dancer inside it.
	Page 2 Paul pleased dont go to see heathen Medicine dance Paul very cross Mr Wicks Stop not say any more Paul go way about 75 miles I think that Cheyenne Indians about four hundred They he will go to See them what we have doing all know about that Mr Paul will with us Indian Soldiers I was very Sorry to hear it Every night take up Blanket go to See her heathen Girls I think we Stay about three weeks at Indian Camp Since I come home at the west I will not Stay all night at Indian Camp Perhaps
	Page 3 Some time the Same that temptation Catch me I do not know maybe not God know Just I am going try hard to fight with temptation and try hard throw away all bad thing My Dear Mr Wicks every time I ask him what I do and he will Say Yes and So I try hard to do so I am very glad to See Florida boys and Some other Indian Young Mens to take up work very hard No talk English do not know how read Books and write No Christian Man Some very long hair Just work very hard and to
	Page 4 help Agency Miles every three months he got Some Sixty dollars Some Seventy five dollars Some Ninety dollars I think to hire very good works I know every body wants money to do busy that They Ministers Drs teachers Agency Captains Farming and make houses My people befor do not know work hard Just now he understanding Some to do busy and got Some Money and So almost all liked to do busy Now Last Thursday first Sept 1st 1881 Some Indian Children Come back at Cheyenne Mission also teacher all come back from
	Page 5 at the East both very glad to Met to them also very happy opens school room Evening Indian boys and Girls very nice Singing and Pray Superintendent Spoke and also Miss Susie Hamilton very nice Speak My Dear Good Mother Mrs Mary D Burnham Your good letter of the Aug 23^rd I was very glad to hear from you and thank you very much I will took up your letter and read to it all my folk all very glad to hear it you most good health and improving also read to him letter Riding on the Sky
	Page 6 and tell about all what it means and look up me he will not Say to me that letter I Show him Mr J D Miles and Mr Wicks Mr Miles Say good do not understand Riding on the Sky Mrs Burnham our good friends To day in the morning after Breakfast I take walk about three half miles want to See Mr Wicks for gone way I am very Sorry I do not to See him about Seven oclock go way down to Kiowa Agency I think we stay about Two Months I don't know that Mr Henry Pratt³ get a long I never hear about him My Dear ³Henry Pratt was the English name taken by another of Oakerhater's fellow prisoners.
	Page 7 House Mother do you think that first builds Hospital and Church on Just only myself I don't think ^bestthat first builds Hospital I know that all My people Indian do not understand Yet Indian boys and Girls beginning Sick want home at Indian tent Some get well Some go dead at the Indian tent and So I don't want first make Hospital I think befor that first build Church and Mission house both great best Just I tell about you what I think not So what do you think and do so good I am Stay at Cheyenne School
	Page 8 house now all full room Mr Wicks Stay at Mr Campbell house here about three half miles Most every day I take walk three half miles and come back together make Seven miles down to Darlington Some get very tired but with very warm Sun hot Dear House Mother I don't know Perhaps Some time you will Some thing Send at the West You must put all name You know that last box Send to Mr Wicks Some around give the Indian Some Send down to Kiowa Agency and Some put yet is room at Mr Campbell house
	Page 9 I don't know what he do Maybe Some time friend give to them I must close write my folk all Send love to you pleased give My love all Your loving family Good bye from Your loving boy David Pendleton

Letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham
September 2, 1881

Page 1 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Cheyenne and Arapahoe
Agency Darlington
Sept ^2nd 1881

My Dear loving Mother

Good morning
I will try to write to you and
tell about that your loving
boy Mr Paul¹ I hear about him
but he will take up work
to do about Good ways
Perhaps you know this Summer
Since I come home Indian
Country after time all Kiowa
Indian and we had gone
about 75 miles and make
big Medicine heathen dance² Mr Wicks was at Kiowa Agency
befor Mr Paul want go to
See Medicine dance Mr Wicks
Speak to them and Say Mr

¹Paul Caryl Zotom was another Indian warrior who had been imprisoned with David Pendleton Oakerhater.

²Probably refers to the Sun Dance, one of the most sacred of Cheyenne ceremonies. Oakerhater's Cheyenne name is translated both "Making Medicine" and "Sundancer." His glyph, or signature, shown at the top of this page shows the lodge built for the Sun Dance with a dancer inside it.

Page 2 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 2

Paul pleased dont go to see
heathen Medicine dance Paul
very cross Mr Wicks Stop not
say any more Paul go way
about 75 miles I think that
Cheyenne Indians about four
hundred They he will go to
See them what we have doing
all know about that Mr Paul
will with us Indian Soldiers
I was very Sorry to hear it
Every night take up Blanket
go to See her heathen Girls
I think we Stay about three
weeks at Indian Camp Since
I come home at the west
I will not Stay all night
at Indian Camp Perhaps

Page 3 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 3

Some time the Same that
temptation Catch me I do not
know maybe not God know
Just I am going try hard
to fight with temptation and
try hard throw away all bad
thing My Dear Mr Wicks every
time I ask him what I do
and he will Say Yes and
So I try hard to do so
I am very glad to See Florida
boys and Some other Indian
Young Mens to take up work
very hard No talk English
do not know how read
Books and write No Christian
Man Some very long hair
Just work very hard and to

Page 4 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 4

help Agency Miles every three
months he got Some Sixty
dollars Some Seventy five dollars
Some Ninety dollars I think
to hire very good works
I know every body wants
money to do busy that They
Ministers Drs teachers Agency
Captains Farming and make
houses My people befor do not
know work hard Just now
he understanding Some to do
busy and got Some Money and
So almost all liked to do busy
Now Last Thursday first Sept
1st 1881 Some Indian Children
Come back at Cheyenne Mission
also teacher all come back from

Page 5 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 5

at the East both very glad
to Met to them also very
happy opens school room
Evening Indian boys and
Girls very nice Singing and
Pray Superintendent Spoke
and also Miss Susie Hamilton
very nice Speak My Dear Good
Mother Mrs Mary D Burnham
Your good letter of the Aug
23^rd I was very glad to hear
from you and thank you
very much I will took up
your letter and read to it
all my folk all very glad to
hear it you most good health
and improving also read to
him letter Riding on the Sky

Page 6 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 6

and tell about all what it
means and look up me he will
not Say to me that letter
I Show him Mr J D Miles
and Mr Wicks Mr Miles Say
good do not understand Riding
on the Sky Mrs Burnham our
good friends To day in the
morning after Breakfast I take
walk about three half miles
want to See Mr Wicks for gone
way I am very Sorry I do
not to See him about Seven
oclock go way down to Kiowa
Agency I think we stay about
Two Months I don't know
that Mr Henry Pratt³ get a long
I never hear about him My Dear

³Henry Pratt was the English name taken by another of Oakerhater's fellow prisoners.

Page 7 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 7

House Mother do you think
that first builds Hospital
and Church on Just only
myself I don't think ^bestthat first
builds Hospital I know that
all My people Indian do not
understand Yet Indian boys
and Girls beginning Sick
want home at Indian tent
Some get well Some go dead
at the Indian tent and So
I don't want first make Hospital
I think befor that first build
Church and Mission house both
great best Just I tell about you
what I think not So what
do you think and do so good
I am Stay at Cheyenne School

Page 8 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 8

house now all full room
Mr Wicks Stay at Mr Campbell
house here about three half miles
Most every day I take walk
three half miles and come back
together make Seven miles
down to Darlington Some get
very tired but with very warm
Sun hot Dear House Mother
I don't know Perhaps Some
time you will Some thing
Send at the West You must
put all name You know
that last box Send to Mr Wicks
Some around give the Indian
Some Send down to Kiowa
Agency and Some put yet is
room at Mr Campbell house

Page 9 of letter from David Pendleton Oakerhater to Mrs Mary Burnham dated 2 September 1881

Page 9

I don't know what he do Maybe
Some time friend give to them
I must close write my folk all
Send love to you pleased give
My love all Your loving family

Good bye from Your loving
boy

David Pendleton

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