- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- Letter, 1816 May 14, War Department to Rev[erend] C[yrus] Kingsbury / W[illia]m H. Crawford, Sec[retar]y of War
- Creator:
- Crawford, William Harris, 1772-1834
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the The Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, State Library Cherokee Collection, box 1, folder 29, document ch037.
- Date of Original:
- 1816-05-14
- Subject:
- Missions
Cherokee Indians--Education - Location:
- United States, 39.76, -98.5
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- Copy of a letter dated May 14, 1816 from Secretary of War William H. Crawford to American Board missionary Cyrus Kingsbury in response to Kingsbury's request for aid in establishing schools in the Cherokee Nation. Crawford reports that President Madison approves of the project, and he will give aid within the limits of the law. Crawford sets forth instructions for the application and receipt of supplies and equipment for the schools and informs Kingsbury that the president expects an annual report on their progress.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- ch037
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ch037
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ch037#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ch037/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], State Library Cherokee Collection, The Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 2 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- Tennessee State Library and Archives
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
B.
Letter from Wm. H. Crawford Secy. [Secretary] of War in reply to Mr. Kingsbury dated
War Department
14th May 1816
Sir,
Your letter of the 2d. [2nd] instant upon the subject of establishing schools in the Cherokee Nation has been received. The President approves of the undertaking & will direct such aid to be given as the laws will permit.
In the first instance the agent will be directed to erect a comfortable school house, & another for the teacher & such as may board with him, in such part of the nation as shall be selected for that purpose. He will also be directed to furnish two ploughs, six hoes & as many axes, for the purpose of introducing the art of cultivation among the pupils.
Whenever he is informed that female children are received & brought into the school, & that a female teacher has been engaged capable of teaching them to spin, weave& sew, a loom & half a dozen spinning wheels & as many pair of cards will be furnished. He will be directed, from time to time, to cause other school houses to be erected, as they shall become necessary, & as the expectation of ultimate success shall justify the expenditure.
The houses thus erected & the implements of husbandry & of the mechanic arts which shall be furnished will remain public property to be occupied & employed for the benefit of the nation. If the persons who are about to be [added text (appears to be different ink and hand): engage ] employed in this enterprize
Page: [2]
should abandon it, the buildings & utensils which shall have been furnished may be occupied by any other teachers of good moral character.
The only return which is expected by the President is an Annual Report of the state of the school, its progress & future prospects. This Report should present the mode of teaching & the deviations from that practised in civilized life, which experience shall render necessary. Should you succeed according to your expectations, it is probable that the attention of congress will be attracted to the subject; and that the means of forwarding your beneficent views will be more directly & liberally bestowed by that enlightened body.
I have the honor to be Your most obedt. [obedient] & very humble servt. [servant] (signed)
[Signed] Wm H. Crawford
Rev. C. Kingsbury