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Manuscript Collection: John Drew

Collection Overview

Collection summary derived from "Guidebook to Manuscripts", 1969: A miscellaneous collection reflecting a long and busy life of John Drew (c. 1800-1865), a leading Cherokee, both at the time of removal and later as a representative of the tribe in Washington. Drew served as a Confederate soldier and officer; he was also a banker, a lawyer of sorts, and a storekeeper. Much of the collection consists of business papers of all sorts, many reflecting various aspects of the traffic in slaves, and some giving information as to the cost of living over a long period of time. They also reflect the financial difficulties of cotton raisers and cattlemen. There are legal documents of all sorts, family letters, social invitations, and tribal matters, ranging from trivial claims of individuals to matters pertaining to the tribe as a whole versus the U.S. Government. Many of the papers, of course, deal with the concerns of his descendants.

Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive
ENG
1430 items
1812 - 1916
CSV file
MC.1954.58

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Access Restrictions

Available by appointment only at the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR) with the exception of materials with donor restrictions. Contact Library staff in advance to inquire if materials exist pertaining to your research interests.

Use Restrictions

Please contact the Rights and Reproduction Department for information on publishing or reproducing materials included in these records. Permission will be granted by the Gilcrease Museum as the owner of the physical materials, and does not imply permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all necessary permissions from the copyright holder.

Provenance

The Gilcrease Foundation acquired these materials before 1964 and is housed in the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR). The library currently receives most materials through community donation, board members, artists and the acquisition of manuscript collections.

Staff, interns, and volunteers of the Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive have contributed to the organization and maintenance of the files since the collection passed to the City of Tulsa in the 1950s.