C. B. Suzen Timentwa papers,

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1 Overview of the Collection Creator Timentwa, C. B. Suzen, Title C. B. Suzen Timentwa papers Dates (inclusive) Quantity 3.75 linear feet Collection Number Ms0683 Summary The C. B. Suzen Timentwa papers ( ) consist of correspondence, writings, financial records, meeting minutes, reports, and publications that C. B. Suzen Timentwa ( ) collected during his tenure as hereditary chief of the Methow Tribe on the Colville Indian Reservation in eastern Washington. The papers, which were found in a traditional Methow basket, had no apparent order. Through processing the collection, many documents were reunited into wholes. However, several incomplete documents remain. The material is divided into the following sections: Correspondence, Personal Papers, Subject Files, Reservation Materials, and Publications. Repository University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library University of Utah 295 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT Telephone: SPCreference@lists.utah.edu Access Restrictions Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law. Languages English Historical Note C. B. Suzen Timentwa was born in 1883 in eastern Washington on the Colville Indian Reservation-- the same reservation that the famous Nez Perce leader, Chief Joseph, was sent to in 1885 to live out the remainder of his life. Timentwa was thus born during an age when western Indians were very mobile, when traditions were prevalent, and when the United States government was still trying to contain rebel groups of Indians who refused to be cofined within the artificial cordons of reservations. Timentwa absorbed time-honored traditions while also adjusting to interaction with Anglo society. Although he received no formal education, he learned to read, write, and speak English in addition to his native language. English was not the only element of Anglo society he absorbed, he also assumed the Shaker religion. In fact, Timentwa provided land on his own allotment for the construction of the Colville Reservation's Shaker church. Little is known about Timentwa during the first twenty-five years of his life other than that he was known as Kinamilt, and not C. B. Suzen (Timentwa also signed his 1

2 name once as Cow Boy Sh-sahna). In 1900 it was rumored he had a vision in which he saw people flying in the air and traveling on land much faster than could be done with a horse and buggy. The earliest record of Timentwa's activities dates from 1912, when he was sentenced to six months in jail for living in adultery with a woman named Lucy whose husband had been jailed for stealing a horse. When pressed to answer for his actions, Timentwa responded that he had to stay with Lucy to care for her three children. In 1914, Timentwa once again ran into trouble with the law when he was found guilty of drunkenness. By this time, Timentwa had earned himself an unsavory reputation among some, including the Colville Superintendent, who unflatteringly described him as a "chronic complainer," who gambled, drank, and participated in unprogressive activities such as protesting railroad construction, allotments, and the right of Anglos to purchase surplus tribal lands. Although unpopular with the superintendent, Timentwa had no trouble finding support among his own tribe, and in 1919 he succeeded Charley Swimpkin as chief of the Methow Tribe. As a critic of young Indians and half-bloods who scorned tradition, Timentwa acquired the reputation of being bigoted and unreasonable. Timentwa, however, believed he was working for the betterment of the tribe. He believed that Indians were the original citizens of America and thus had original title to the land. According to Timentwa, Christopher Columbus had established an agreement with the Indians in 1492 which recognized the Indians' rights to all lands. Timentwa respected this legend as legal verification of his own claims and fought to preserve the integrity of Indian land holdings by contesting land sales to whites and the government's program to terminate the reservation. Timentwa also sought to preserve traditional hunting and fishing privilege and lobbied to establish fees for Anglo hunters who wanted to hunt or fish on the reservation. Along these lines, Timentwa wrote numerous letters in which he demanded the government compensate him and other Colville Indians who experienced decreased fish yields after the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. Timentwa also fought policies that allowed Indians to serve overseas in World War Two because he thought Indians should only defend their home soil and should not be required to risk their lives for a country that had taken so much from them. Timentwa's good intentions could not obscure his bad behaviors, and in 1928 he was jailed for gambling. The following year, a group of younger Indians challenged Timentwa's chieftainship, claiming he was elected by Canadian Indians whose votes should not have counted. Younger Indians triumphed over Timentwa in 1937, when the Colville Reservation established a constitution and tribal council known as the Colville Business Council. The council challenged the authority that Timentwa could wield. The tribal council became the official governing body of the tribe. Timentwa preserved some of his power, however, by getting elected to the tribal council. Timentwa rarely attended the meetings and appears infrequently in the meeting minutes. His absences were often because he was bed-ridden. In fact, Timentwa's health was poor throughout the 1940s and he frequently mentioned his health in the letters which he continued to write up to his death in Content Description The C. B. Suzen Timentwa papers ( ) consist of correspondence, writings, financial records, meeting minutes, reports, and publications that C. B. Suzen Timentwa ( ) collected during his tenure as hereditary chief of the Methow Tribe on the Colville Indian Reservation in eastern Washington. The papers, which were found in a traditional Methow basket, had no apparent order. Through processing the collection, many documents were reunited into wholes. However, several incomplete documents remain. The material is divided into the following sections: Correspondence, Personal Papers, Subject Files, Reservation Materials, and Publications. Section I, Correspondence ( , bulk ), consists of two boxes. The first box is divided into two alphabetized sections--people and organizations--which contain both sent and received letters which address general matters. Some typewritten drafts are also included in the collection. 2

3 Timentwa's own letters are chronologically filed in each folder. It is difficult to discern if Timentwa sent all the letters as many are carbon copies. Furthermore, Timentwa rarely followed a consistent style, therefore a document was only considered a letter if it was addressed to someone and had a date and signature. Although the majority of the letters are originals, there are some carbon copies and a few photocopies. The letters in 2 are organized alphabetically by subject. Some letters in 2 may have been written by an organization or person listed in 1, but the letters have one subject and thus have been included in subject folders where they can be viewed within the chronological context of a particular matter. Timentwa's letters are also present in this collection of correspondence according to their content and date. The final folders in this box contain both hand-written drafts by Timentwa and others as well as miscellaneous correspondence which could not be placed either by subject or author. Section II, Personal Papers ( , bulk ), consists primarily of Timentwa's writings, but also include some financial documents. s 1-3 in 3 contain receipts and World War II ration stamps as well as chronologically-arranged envelopes received from the Washington State Department of Social Security (changed in 1947 to the Department of Public Welfare) which are marked with handwritten dates and dollar amounts. The remainder of es 3 and 4 consist of notebooks, petitions and items Timentwa has labeled as "Claims" and "Statements." These items contain references to Grand Coulee Dam, World War II, and reservation issues such as fishing and hunting rights. Section III, Subject Files (1928 to 1999), consists of one box of documents written by Timentwa and others that have been sorted and alphabetized by subject. Included are histories and commentary by Timentwa about the importance to Indian rights and history of Christopher Columbus, George Washington, and William Penn. Section IV, Reservation Materials ( ), consists of meeting minutes of the Colville Business Council as well as reports on reservation land matters. The meeting minutes are arranged chronologically. Timentwa appears rarely in the meeting minutes which are filled with transcribed verbal exchanges between council members about topics such as land sales, grazing matters, and beaver trapping. Reports in this section concern land programs and the Revolving Credit Fund which the council used to lend money to Colville Indians for cattle purchases. Section V, Publications ( ), contains national and local newsletters and magazines in addition to books and news clippings. Colville Reservation publications like Skookum Wawa (once called Indians) provide information about events on the reservation as well as editorials by Commissioner of Indian Affairs John Collier. Publications have been arranged alphabetically. Timentwa's news clippings collection, which has been photocopied, displays his interest in World War II as well and his fascination with boxing, horses, and the "bizarre," such as stories about quadruplets and two-headed babies. Concluding Section V are Timentwa's books, which include a United States history book, a history of the Jesuits in the Northwest, a book of fiction, and a prayer book. Use of the Collection Restrictions on Use The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms. Preferred Citation 3

4 Initial Citation: C. B. Suzen Timentwa papers, Ms 683, [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library. Salt Lake City, Utah. Following Citations: Ms 683. Administrative Information Acquisition Information Gift of E. Richard Hart in Processing Note Processed by Dylan Esson in Detailed Description of the Collection I. Correspondence The first box of this section is divided into two alphabetized segments. s 1 through 13 contain documents organized by personal name. s are alphabetized by organizations. This box contains both sent and received letters, which address general matters. Some typewritten drafts are also included. Timentwa's own letters are chronologically filed in each folder. The letters in box two are organized alphabetically by subject. Some letters in box two may have been written by an organization or person listed in box one, but the letters have one subject and thus have been included in subject folders where they can be viewed within the chronological context of a particular matter. Timentwa's letters are also present in this collection of correspondence according to their content and date. The final folders in this box contain handwritten drafts by Timentwa and others, as well as miscellaneous correspondence which could not be placed either by subject or author. 1 1 Nespelem Charley John Collier Alex L. Covington Adam East and Lincoln Rock Fred A. Gross Sam B. Hill

5 1 7 Jim James Charles H. Leavy Harvey K. Meyer Harry Moses Eddie Palmenteer Cato Sells Letters are photocopied Abraham Showaway Colville Business Council Committee on Indian Affairs National Congress of American Indians Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative Okanogan County Welfare Department United States Department of the Interior Agnes Tukolkan's Will Edward People's Property Dispute C. B. Suzen Timentwa's Illness Grazing Matters and Policies Heirs of Mary Keller Heirs of Tom Quil-quil-el-sel-kia Heirs of John Pointon Hunting and Fishing Rights and Regulations

6 2 9 Indian Claims Commission Act Indian War Veteran Matters Land Matters and Policies Mining Original Rights and Government Representation Contains letters by C. B. Suzen Timentwa, which discuss both the original rights of Indians dating back to Christopher Columbus and the need for Indians tribes to have their own tribal representatives in Washington, D.C. Timentwa also discusses the detrimental effects that the United States's laws have had on Indians Parole of Albert Sorimpt Susan and Jim Lakekin Land Matters Contains correspondence concerning land disputes and inheritance claims Swimtaken Family Land Matters Contains photocopies Tribal Celebrations Tribal Elections Tribal Members to Suzen Trips to Washington, D.C World War II Miscellaneous Tribal Correspondence Miscellaneous Correspondence Drafts Drafts are hand-written II. Personal Papers 6

7 This section consists primarily of Timentwa's writings, but also includes some financial documents, such as receipts, World War II ration stamps, and envelopes received from the Washington State Department of Social Security. Also included are notebooks, petitions and items Timentwa has labeled as "Claims" and "Statements." These items contain references to Grand Coulee Dam, World War II, and reservation issues such as fishing and hunting rights. Financial Materials, Writings and Notebooks State of Washington Departments of Social Security and Public Welfare Contains envelopes on which Timentwa has written dollar amounts Receipts World War II Ration Stamps 3 4 Claims Contains documents Timentwa has titled as "Claims." 3 5 Miscellaneous Petitions Contains correspondence which relates to the petitions. 3 6 C. B. Suzen Timentwa, Statements Contains documents which Timentwa has titled "Statements." 3 7 Miscellaneous Statements Contains "Statements" that Timentwa took from other Indians General Writings, C. B. Suzen Timentwa Contains primarily hand-written documents which discuss multiple topics ranging from liquor laws to Timentwa's illness. 3 9 Envelope and Paper-Package Notes Contains photocopies of envelopes and typewriter-paper packages on which Timentwa has either written or drawn Miscellaneous Papers, C. B. Suzen Timentwa Contains cardboard and paper scraps on which Timentwa has written. Some documents are only pieces of other

8 documents. Also contains Harry Timentwa's Burial-Transit certificate Spiral Notebooks Personal 4 1 Spelling Tablet Small Notebooks Small Notepad 4 5 Day Planner Pictures and Drawings 4 7 Postage Stamps Postcards III. Subject Files This section consists of one box of documents written by Timentwa and others. The documents have been sorted and alphabetized by subject. 5 1 B. E. Gregory v. Paul Antoine Chemewa Indian Celebration, Exhibit Rules and Regulations Christopher Columbus Congressional Bills Creation Myth 8

9 5 6 Delegation to Washington, D.C Elections for Reservation President Fourth-of-July Celebration George Washington and William Penn Grand Coulee Dam Grazing Heirship Forms Hunting and Fishing Matters Land Matters Logging 5 16 Nespelem Celebration Old Age Assistance Questionnaire 5 19 "Red-Race" Government Representatives Timentwa did not believe Indians were "Indians." He insisted that Indians were "Red-Race" peoples. These documents discuss the need for young Indians to represent their tribe in Washington, D.C. This subject is listed in the index under Indian Government Representatives Reservation Establishment and Termination Richard Hart's Notes Contains Hart's short biography of Timentwa as well as other typewritten notes State of Washington v. David Condon Tribal Councilmen

10 5 24 United States Constitution 5 25 U.S. Social Securty Application for Account Number 5 26 Voucher for Expenses Incident to Official Travel The voucher was issued to compensate Indians who had to travel far to attend Colville Business Council meetings IV. Reservation Materials This section consists of meeting minutes of the Colville Business Council as well as reports on reservation land matters. The meeting minutes are arranged chronologically. Timentwa appears rarely in the meeting minutes which are filled with transcribed verbal exchanges between council members about topics such as land sales, grazing matters, and beaver trapping. Colville Business Council and Colville Indian Reservation 6 1 Colville Reservation Hearings Photocopies Colville Business Council, Meeting Minutes Colville Business Council, Incomplete Meeting Minutes 6 8 Colville Business Council, Resolutions Colville Business Council, Committee Appointments Constitution and By-Laws of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation 6 11 Report on the Land Needs of the Colville Indians Outline of Reservation Program: Colville Indian Reservation Annual Report: Revolving Credit Fund

11 6 14 Columbia and Colville Indian Treaties 1883 V. Publications This section contains national and local newsletters, magazines, books, and news clippings. Publications have been arranged alphabetically. Timentwa's news clippings collection, which has been photocopied, displays his interest in World War II, boxing, horses, and the "bizarre." Also included are Timentwa's books, which include a United States history book, a history of the Jesuits in the Northwest, a book of fiction, and a prayer book. 7 1 Associated Bible Student's Publications 7 2 Extension Work Among Indians Food For Freedom Shailer Peterson, "How Well Are Indian Children Educated?" Indians Indians at Work Indian Education Indians in the War "The Indian Leader" Indian Service Summer School Booklet Junior Catholic Messenger Donald Culross Peattie, "Lo Takes the Warpath" 7 13 Skookum Wawa M. Barker Edwards, Uncle Ben in Panama

12 7 15 Vet's News Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society Publications Incomplete and/or Undated Newsletters 1939 News Clippings, Books, and Miscellaneous 8, folders 1-6 contain news clippings which have been photocopied. Clippings are organized by subject. 8 1 ing 8 2 World War II 8 3 Religious Matters 8 4 Horses 8 5 Local and National Indian Matters Miscellaneous News Clippings 8 7 Miscellaneous Feather Contains a feather within an envelope marked air stamps. 8 9 Book Dust Covers 8 10 Charles A. Beard and Mary R. Beard, A Basic History of the United States William N. Bischoff, The Jesuits in Old Oregon 1945 Books 9 1 Let God Be True

13 9 2 Martha and Mary Oversize Materials 10 Typewriter Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Colville Indians--History--Sources Geographical Names : Colville Indian Reservation (Wash.)--History--Sources Form or Genre Terms : Correspondence Financial records Minutes Finding aid prepared by Dylan Esson 2003 (last modified: 2019) About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West: