Manuscripts Collection
Later he settled in Traverse des Sioux in the Minnesota River valley, where he held numerous local offices, was a member of the Minnesota Territorial Council and served in the Constitutional Convention of 1857. In 1856, President Franklin Pierce appointed Flandrau agent to the Dakota Indians. In 1857 President James Buchanan appointed Flandrau as Associate Justice to the Territorial Supreme Court. He continued service on the state Supreme Court until resigning in 1864.
At the beginning of the U.S.-Dakota War in August 1862, Flandrau organized militia units in southwestern Minnesota and was authorized by Governor Alexander Ramsey to have general charge of the southwestern frontier, especially in the defense of New Ulm.
In 1864 he moved to Nevada but shortly returned to Minneapolis and practiced law; in 1870 he moved to St. Paul where he continued his legal practice. Flandrau was a member of the Democratic Party.
Flandrau married Isabella R. Dinsmore of Kentucky on August 10, 1859. She died June 30, 1867, leaving two daughters, Martha Macomb Flandrau (later Mrs. Tilden Russell Selmes) and Sarah Gibson Flandrau (later Mrs. F. W. McCutcheon). On February 28, 1871, Flandrau married Rebecca B. Riddle, daughter of Judge William McClure of Pittsburgh. They had two sons, Charles Macomb Flandrau and William Blair McClure Flandrau.
Flandrau died at his home in St. Paul on September 9, 1903.
In addition to correspondence, invoices, receipts, deeds, and legal documents, the collection
includes Flandrau's law calendars from Traverse des Sioux (1854-1856) and St. Paul
(1898-1902); his journal of a voyage to the source of the Mississippi River (1858); his wife
Rebecca's journal of a trip to Spain and Italy (1881); correspondence, speeches,
reminiscences, and articles (some published) on early Minnesota history; a manuscript copy of
his book,
Access to and use of reserve materials requires the curator's permission.
Originals of the microfilmed letters and reports are from the records of the Department of the Interior, Northern Superintendency of Indian Affairs in the National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Documents appearing on the microfilm were selected by members of the staff of the National Archives in response to the request of Grace Lee Nute of the Minnesota Historical Society, July 11, 1941.
Accession number: 5261; 6695; 6864; 6893; 9424; 16,437
Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant
awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Catalog ID number: 001730394
Includes miscellaneous invoices and receipts issued to Flandrau for services rendered, containing data on prices paid for rentals, food, clothing and laundry services; quit-claim deeds for lots in St. Peter, Minnesota; and letters from Samuel Chute, John W. Hutchinson, and Thomas Chesley.
Contains a printed list of instructions to its agents by the St. Paul Mutual Insurance Company (of which Flandrau was an agent, 1854); a stock certificate (1856) in the Minnesota Improvement Company issued to Joe Rolette and signed by Joseph R. Brown; and letters from Charles E. Mix, Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Papers from 1856-1857 when Flandrau was Indian Agent to the Mdewakantan and Wahpekute include receipts, drafts of reports to the U.S. Indian Office, abstracts of annuities paid to the Indians, vouchers issued to laborers at the Sioux Agency, and correspondence documenting the routine business of the agency. Detailed abstracts of annuity payments (November 4, 1856 and June 29, 1857) list the name of the head of each family, the number in the family, and the amount of the annuity.
Also included are letters (1858) relating to the establishment of the townsite of Hutchinson, Minnesota, the private law calendars of Flandrau (post 1860), and a photocopy of Nathan Myrick's letter requesting military aid at Fort Ridgely (August 20, 1862).
Receipts and a stock certificate for Dakota Land Company and transfer certificates for Traverse des Sioux Land Company lots in the city of Traverse des Sioux.
Materials selected by staff of the National Archives at the request of Grace Lee Nute in 1941. It is unclear if this represents a complete set of the materials on the microfilm roll included in this collection.
A lecture delivered in the annual lecture course of the St. Paul Library Association;
title taken from pamphlet as printed in the
Printed under the title of
Comments on a lecture,
Contracts with members of the Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Sisseton, and Wahpeton made in connection with a congressional bill to restore to the bands the rights they forfeited in 1863. Flandrau was the attorney who represented the Indians.
Contains information on Flandrau's activities as Indian Agent; councils with the Indians are mentioned, claims of Curtis Lamb and William Graham, reports on the Spirit Lake massacre; and Flandrau's first-hand accounts on Dakota customs, education and annuity payments.
Originals are in four series in the records of the Department of the Interior in the National Archives: Northern Superintendency of Indian Affairs, Office of Superintendent, Letters Received from Sioux Agency, 1856-1857; Office of the Secretary, Letters Received, 1857; Office of Indian Affairs, Letters Received, 1857-1858, "St. Peters"; Office of the Secretary, Special File No. 1, 1863.
Kept by I. A. Latoue. This volume also includes an account book (1858-1860) kept by George Magruder of Georgetown, District of Columbia, containing a record of legal services rendered by him. The relationship between Latoue, Magruder, and Flandrau is unknown.
Kept by Charles E. Flandrau at Traverse des Sioux.
Kept by Charles E. Flandrau at St. Paul.
Kept by Rebecca Flandrau on a trip to Spain and Italy.
From Hagar Brothers, Mandan, Dakota Territory, containing prices of dry goods and groceries.
From Hagar Brothers, Mandan, Dakota Territory, containing prices of dry goods and groceries.
From the law firm of Selmes and Vinton, Mandan, Dakota Territory; Selmes was Charles E. Flandrau's son-in-law.
Lists sales of lots in various additions to St. Paul, giving amount paid and the amount of taxes and assessments.
Kept by Flandrau documenting his receivership of the St. Paul Globe Publishing Company.
Miscellaneous clippings, with emphasis on Flandrau's activities in the Democratic Party in St. Paul; contains index.
Includes clippings, especially containing reminiscences on Minnesota history topics, speeches, correspondence, and index.
Includes clippings, especially containing reminiscences on Minnesota history topics, speeches, and correspondence; contains index.
Miscellaneous clippings, especially containing reminiscences on Minnesota history topics; contains index.
Clippings regarding the death of Flandrau.
Record of Flandrau's legal business.
Flandrau's outgoing correspondence principally relating to his family's insurance matters.
Pertaining to Charles Macomb Flandrau's publication of his volume
Kept by Charles E. Flandrau.
Kept by Charles E. Flandrau while on a trip to New York.
Kept by Sanford B. Cocks, Traverse des Sioux who served as Flandrau's law clerk.
Printed address by Charles E. Flandrau before the Old Settlers Association of Elysian, Minnesota.
Memorial addresses in honor of Charles E. Flandrau presented at a meeting of the Minnesota Historical Society by John B. Sanborn, Greenleaf Clark, Salmon A. Buell, William H. Lightner, and Joseph A. Eckstein.
Photocopy can be found filed in chronological order with the correspondence and miscellaneous papers (1862).
Nathan Myrick writes to Captain Flandrau requesting military aid at Fort Ridgely.
Digital version
Transcript, Digital version
Commenting on Flandrau's
Diary kept by Flandrau on this trip with Major James W. Lynd, J. D. Cruttenden, a voyageur, Paul Beaulieu, and an interpreter, Charlo. The daily entries include:
August 23: At Lake Sibley.
August 24: At Mountain Lake, near Leech Lake.
August 25: Describes a visit to a mill site near the Agency, the arrival of the Indian chiefs for a council and the gifts they brought to the agency and mentions George Bongo (spelled Bungor).
August 26: Contains a free translation of the speeches given by the various chiefs at the council and Lynd's reply. The discussion concerned the liquor problem, the selection of a mill site, the poor financial condition of the Indians, the Indians' claim that the whites have not lived up to the provisions of the 1855 treaty, the lack of food and clothing among the Indians, and other issues. Indian chiefs Flat Mouth, Buffalo, Big Dog's Sons, Rabbit, and Major Gab participated in the council.
August 27: Left Leech Lake and entered Hay River.
August 29-September 5: Tells of the trip from Leech Lake to the Sandy Lake River area; describes a steamboat operated by the missionaries near Lake Winnibigoshish and the mission of Reverend [Sela?] Wright (August 30), the settlement built by the Minnesota and Dakota Land Company near Pokegama Falls (September 2), and the deserted town of Ojibwa (September 5).