AMERICAN FUR COMPANY:
An Inventory of Its Records at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
Part or all of this collection is restricted.
For
details, please see restrictions.
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | American Fur Company, creator. | |
| Title: | Selected papers of the American Fur Company. | |
| Dates: | 1803-1946 (bulk 1803-1866). | |
| Language: | Materials in English and French. | |
| Abstract: | Photostatic copies, typed copies, microfilm, and original documents of the American Fur Company, many of them selected from the following libraries and archives: the New York Historical Society; the John Jacob Astor House; the Edward E. Ayer Collection of the Newberry Library; the Library of Congress; the Burton Historical Collection; and the Public Archives of Canada. | |
| Quantity: | 9.25 cubic feet (17 boxes, 1 partial oversize box, containing 5 oversize folders, and 4 items in Reserve) and 6 microfilm. | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The papers consist of letters and accounts of the American Fur Company, especially from Minnesota and the Northwest. The papers include: four original documents (1823-1824, 1829, 1843); selected items from letters received (1833-1847); an agreement with the Montreal Michilimackinac Company (1811); three letters of John Jacob Astor to Thomas Jefferson about the fur trade (1808-1813); papers regarding a lawsuit vs . William R. Jouett (1832-1833); list of employees (1834); letterbooks (1816-1848); receving books (1845-1848); account books (1803-1848); ledgers (1817-1866); lists of furs and skins (1827, 1835-1842); goods inventories and invoices (1818-1834); inventories of the Western Fur Company (1835-1842); and calendars describing American Fur Company correspondence (undated and 1921-1946).
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Access Restrictions:
Originals that have been digitized are closed to general use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. American Fur Company. Selected Papers of the American Fur Company. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Microfilm Production:
Microfilm. Ottawa, Canada : Canadian Library Association, Public Archives of Canada, 1966. M716, reels 1-2 ; 35 mm.
Microfilm. Detroit, Michigan : Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, 1966. M716, reels 3-5 ; 35 mm.
Microfilm. Chicago, Illinois : Edward E. Ayer Collection, The Newberry Library, 1966. M78, 1 reel ; 35 mm.
Location of Originals:
Originals: New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street), New York, NY 10024.
Originals: John Jacob Astor House, Mackinac Island State Park Commission, Mackinac Island, MI.
Originals: Edward E. Ayer Collection, The Newberry Library, 60 West Walton Street, Chicago, IL 60610.
Originals: Library of Congress, 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540.
Originals: Public Archives of Canada.
Originals: Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48202.
Accession Information:
Accession number: None; 1932; 2052; 2060; 2084A; 2172; 2191; 2202; 2215; 2217; 2229; 2233; 2242A; 2253; 2266; 2282; 2300; 2315; 2323; 2336; 2340; 2362; 2381; 2424; 2433; 2435; 2449; 2593; 2723; 2729; 2735; 2746; 2899; 2916; 3429; 4663; 5392; 5691; 6862; 6870; 7104; 7788; 10,032; 10,349; 11,864
Processing Information:
Processed by: Leif Kopietz, July 2019.
Catalog ID number: 9989756339004294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Reserve 186 | Original documents, 1823-1824, 1829, 1843. 4 items. | ||||||||||
| Restricted. | |||||||||||
| Resolution signed by John Jacob Astor and American Fur Company Board of Directors regarding agents giving credit for goods, New York, April 22, 1823. | |||||||||||
Digital version
| |||||||||||
| Descriptive list of aliens employed by the American Fur Company in their trade, under a License, granted to the within named, July 22, 1824. | |||||||||||
Digital version
| |||||||||||
| Letter regarding American Indian trade and the treaty of Prairie du Chien, January 24, 1829. | |||||||||||
Digital version
| |||||||||||
| Pierre Chouteau, New York, to Gabriel S. Chouteau, Care of Pierre Chouteau Jr. & Company, April 22, 1843. | |||||||||||
| In French. | |||||||||||
Digital version
| |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 1 | Letters received filed by name: | |||||||||
| Abbott, Samuel, October 3, 1834 - November 15, 1846. 5 folders. | |||||||||||
| Aitken, William, 1834-1838. | |||||||||||
| Beaulieu, Clement, 1839-1845. | |||||||||||
| Bailly, Alexis, 1837-1839. | |||||||||||
| Boutwell, William, 1837. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 2 | Borup, Charles W., undated and February 1835-1846. 7 folders. | |||||||||
| Brewster, William, 1835-1837. 3 folders. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 3 | Brewster, William. Enclosures, 1837-1842. 2 folders. | |||||||||
| Brewster, William. Photostats, 1835-1837. 5 folders. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 4 | Crooks, Ramsey, 1835-June 21, 1840. 3 folders. | |||||||||
| Dousman, Hercules, 1834-1846. | |||||||||||
| Dudgeon, Anthony, 1842-1843. | |||||||||||
| Franchère, Gabriel, August 17, 1834-1847. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 5 | Garland, John, 1839. | |||||||||
| Gratiot, Charles, 1835-1845. | |||||||||||
| Hudson Bay Company, 1841. | |||||||||||
| Livingston, John R., October 1837-November 9, 1846. 3 folders. | |||||||||||
| Lawe, John, 1835-1840. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 6 | Morrison, A. & W., 1836, 1839. 2 items. | |||||||||
| Nourse, Charles, 1838-1840. | |||||||||||
| Pratte, Chouteau and Company, 1834-1840. | |||||||||||
| Oakes, Charles, 1839-1847. | |||||||||||
| Rollette, Joseph, 1834-1841. | |||||||||||
| Sampson, C. M., 1835-1841. | |||||||||||
| Sanford, J. F., 1838-1840. | |||||||||||
| Scott, James, 1836-1842. | |||||||||||
| Sibley, Henry, 1834-1844. | |||||||||||
| Simpson, George, 1836-1847. | |||||||||||
| Stuart, Robert, 1836-1846. | |||||||||||
| Taliaferro, Lawrence, 1846. | |||||||||||
| Warren, Lyman M., 1834-1845. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 7 | Letters received, miscellaneous A-W. 6 folders. | |||||||||
| Following letter writers are included in this file: Astor, John Jacob; Bethune, A.; Bruch, Charles; Brunet, M.; Burzettel, Carl; Cameron, Simon; Cass, Lewis; Castelnary, Comte de; Catlin, J. M.; Chapman, Bela; Clapp, Benjamin; Clarke, John; Cothell, C.A.; Crawford, T. Hartly; Cunningham, Winthrop; Deller, Adam; Doty, J.D.; Dubay, J.B.; Eakin, James; Ehringer, George; Ewing, George W.; Ewing, William G.; Farley, John; Furey, John; Greenough, Byron; Gressel, Amalia; Harris , C.A.; Hill, H.; Hoeffern, Antoinette; Holiday, Mary; Jones, George W.; Juneau, Solomon; Kittson, N.; Keith, James; Kurtz, D.; Lewis, W.B.; McLane, Louis; McLeod, Justina; McKay, Aeneas; McKay, James; MacKenzie, Kenneth; Nicollet, J.N.; Nourse, Charles; Parson, P.L.; Pierz, Francois; Powell, Peter; Robinson, R.; Rolette, Elizabeth; Ronaud, Francis; Root, Erastus; Ryan, Samuel; Schoolcraft, Henry R.; Sibley, Solomon; Stambaugh, S. S.; Stanton, Henry; Stewart, Charles; Suppantschitsch, J.P.; Talcott, William; Townsend, John; Twining, A.C.; Whetten, John; Wood, John; and Woodbridge, William. | |||||||||||
| Letters to Thomas Jefferson, 1808-1813. | |||||||||||
| Lawsuit vs. William R. Jouett, 1833-1835. | |||||||||||
| Agreement with the Montreal Michilimakinac Company, undated. | |||||||||||
| Agreement between Ramsey Crooks, Agent and the Lake Erie Steamboat Company, March 20, 1820. | |||||||||||
| Persons employed, 1834. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 8 | Letterbooks, Mackinac: | |||||||||
| December 18, 1816-August 1820. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 9 | June 20, 1820-July 24, 1825. | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 10 | June 1823-June 1828. | |||||||||
| Journal, August 19-20, 1830. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 11 | December 1816-January 9, 1819. | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 12 | Photocopies of letterbooks: | |||||||||
| Letterbooks 1-3, May 19, 1834-August 11, 1836. 3 folders. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 13 | Letterbooks 4-8, March 17, 1837-January 11, 1839. 4 folders. | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 14 | Letterbooks 9-14, January 21, 1839-December 3, 1840. 6 folders. | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 15 | Letterbooks 15-26, December 18, 1840-December 10, 1846. 12 folders. | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 16 | Receiving books, Nos. 1-6. | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 142.C.4.7 | 17 | Shipments, Volumes 1-4, 1835-1842. | |||||||||
| Account sales and account currents, 1835-1836, 1838. | |||||||||||
| Inventory, Western Outfit, 1835-1837, 1840-1842. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Furs and skins, 1836-1837, 1839. | |||||||||||
| [.37 cubic feet empty, double-oversized] | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| BC2.3.A512 | 18 | Calendars, undated and 1921-1946. | |||||||||
| Consists of index cards prepared by former Minnesota Historical Society curator of manuscripts Grace Lee Nute. The index cards provide detailed descriptions of correspondence related to the American Fur Company. | |||||||||||
| Arranged chronilogically by year and accession number. | |||||||||||
| Reel | |||||||||||
| M716 | 1 | Montreal, Michilimackinac account book, 1817-1834. | |||||||||
| Montreal, Michilimackinac, and Mackinac account book, 1827-1832. | |||||||||||
| Montreal account book, Part 1, 1817-1819. | |||||||||||
| Reel | |||||||||||
| M716 | 2 | Montreal account book, Part 2, 1817-1819. | |||||||||
| Ledger: | |||||||||||
| 1827-1834. | |||||||||||
| 1817-1834. | |||||||||||
| Invoices outward, 1830-1834. | |||||||||||
| Account book, 1833. | |||||||||||
| Reel | |||||||||||
| M716 | 3 | Montreal account book, 1817-1811. | |||||||||
| Memorandum of goods required for the Upper Mississippi Outfit, 1827. | |||||||||||
| Inventory of goods in retail store, Mackinac, 1829. | |||||||||||
| Invoice book for Lac du Flambeau, 1823-1824. | |||||||||||
| Inventory of goods at Mackinac for the Upper Mississippi trade, 1827. | |||||||||||
| Invoice of sundries delivered to John Holliday for Lake Superior, 1828-1829. | |||||||||||
| Inventory of furs received and packed, Mackinac, 1827. | |||||||||||
| James H. Lockwood, Prairie du Chien, invoice of goods, 1818-1820. | |||||||||||
| Mackinac account book, 1830-1834. | |||||||||||
| Blotter inventory. Account book, 1834. | |||||||||||
| Account book, 1803-1806. | |||||||||||
| Account book, 1804-1805. | |||||||||||
| Settlement book, 1817-1818. | |||||||||||
| Michilimackinac account book, 1821-1829. | |||||||||||
| Resume by Frank Berry of letters 1-74 (1823-1824) in American Fur Company letterbook of Robert Stuart, 1823-1830. | |||||||||||
| Robert Stuart letterbook, 1823-1830. | |||||||||||
| Account book, 1827. 2 volumes. | |||||||||||
| Ledger, Mackinac, 1827-1830. | |||||||||||
| Reel | |||||||||||
| M716 | 4 | Ledger, 1827-1830. | |||||||||
| Ledger, 1828-1843. | |||||||||||
| Letterbook, 1835-1838. | |||||||||||
| Mostly letters from Gabriel Franchère. | |||||||||||
| Reel | |||||||||||
| M716 | 5 | Letterbook, Michilimackinac, 1820-1825. | |||||||||
| Mostly letters from Ramsay Crooks and Robert Stuart. | |||||||||||
| Account book, 1834-1848. | |||||||||||
| Ledger, 1826-1851. | |||||||||||
| Ledger, 1866. | |||||||||||
| Ledger, 1822-1831. | |||||||||||
| Reel | |||||||||||
| M78 | 1 | Correspondence, 1835-1845. | |||||||||
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Topics:
- Fur trade -- Accounting
- Fur trade -- Great Lakes (North America)
- Fur trade -- Minnesota.
- Fur traders.
- Indians of North America -- Treaties.
- Persons:
- Abbott, Samuel, -1851, author.
- Aitken, William Alexander, 1787-1851, author.
- Astor, John Jacob, 1763-1848.
- Bailly, Alexis, 1798-1861, author.
- Beaulieu, Clement Hudon, 1811-1893, author.
- Bonga, George, author.
- Borup, Charles W. W., (Charles William Wulff), 1806-1859, author.
- Boutwell, Wlliam Thurston, 1803-1890, author.
- Brewster, William, active 1805, author.
- Cass, Lewis, 1782-1866, author.
- Chouteau, Pierre, 1789-1865, author.
- Crooks, Ramsay, 1787-1859, author.
- Davenport, Ambrose.
- Davenport, William.
- Dousman, Hercules L. (Hercules Louis), 1800-1868, author.
- Franchère, Gabriel, 1786-1863, author.
- Gratiot, Charles, 1788-1855, author.
- Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826.
- Jouett, William R., -1852, author.
- Kittson, Norman W. (Norman Wolfred), 1814-1888, author.
- Lampson, Sir Curtis Miranda, 1806-1855.
- Lawe, John, 1780-1846, author.
- Livingston, John R., author.
- Morrison, Allan, 1803-1877, author.
- Nicollet, J. N. (Joseph Nicolas), 1786-1843, author.
- Pierz, Francis, 1785-1880.
- Piquette, Baptiste, author.
- Rolette, Joseph, 1781-1842, e author.
- Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe, 1793-1864, author.
- Scott, James P., author.
- Sibley, Henry Hastings, 1811-1891, author.
- Simpson, Sir George, 1792-1860, author.
- Stuart, Robert, 1785-1848, author.
- Taliaferro, Lawrence, 1794-1871, author.
- Warren, Lyman Marcus, 1794-1847, author.
- Nute, Grace Lee, 1895-1990, author.
- Organizations:
- Columbia Fur Company.
- Gott (Benjamin) and Sons.
- Henry (A and H) Company.
- Hudson's Bay Company.
- Michilimackinac Company.
- North West Company.
- Pierre Chouteau Jr. & Company.
- Pratte, Chouteau and Company.
- Places:
- Mississippi River Valley.
- Red River Valley (Minn. and N.D.-Man.)
- Michilimackinac (Mich.)
- Mackinac (Mich.)
- Superior, Lake.
- Document Types:
- Microforms.
- Account books.
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