01045.xml Charles Henry Mix: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul, MN.

Manuscripts Collection

Finding aid encoded by J. Huebscher April 2012 Finding aid written in English. OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Mix, Charles Henry, 1833-1909. Charles H. Mix papers. 1853-1911. Materials in English. Collection contains correspondence, diaries, memoranda book, photographs, appointment certificates, membership certificates, and other miscellaneous papers documenting Mix's role as Indian agent, Civil War soldier, land speculator, and member of the Knights Templar and Ancient and Free Accepted Masons. 0.7 cubic feet (1 box and 1 oversize folder in Reserve). See Detailed Description for shelf locations. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Charles Henry Mix was born in New Haven, Connecticut, December 30, 1833, the son of Charles E. and Catherine (Upperman) Mix. He was educated in private school and by tutors, and also at Georgetown College, Washington D.C. in 1849. Additionally he received education in civil engineering from private tutors.

Mix came to Minnesota in 1852, and from then until 1854 he was a clerk at the Winnebago Agency at Long Prairie. For a time in 1854 he was also secretary to Governor Willis A. Gorman. From 1855 to 1861 he was a trader and agent to the Winnebago Indians at the Blue Earth Agency. He also had a claims business in St. Paul in 1861.

In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, First Independent Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry, to participate in the U.S.-Dakota War. He was stationed at Pembina and other posts, and was commandant of Fort Abercrombie, Dakota Territory in 1864. He held other military positions until 1867.

The remainder of his career was with the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railroad, and in 1879 he became station agent in Crookston, and eventually its mayor. He died in Crookston on December 15, 1909.

 SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Letters in the collection contain content relating to Winnebago applications for reparations after having been moved from their Minnesota reservation; land claims of Allan Morrison, Mitchell St. Cyr, Lewis Branson, and others; financial transactions with Governor Willis A. Gorman pertaining to the Dakota treaties of 1830, 1837, and 1851; the 1860 election and the effect of the split in the Democratic party on Democrats in Minnesota; and a list of goods purchased. Correspondents include, but are not limited to, Charles E. Mix, John B. Sanborn, Richard G. Murphy, Henry M. Rice, John B. Wise, and Asa W. Daniels.

Some of the other materials document Mix's roles as Indian agent, Civil War soldier, land speculator, and member of the Knights Templar and Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. A sampling of biographical information is also included.

 CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Elections -- Minnesota. Indian reservations -- North America. Indians of North America -- Alcohol use. Indians of North America -- Government relations. Indians of North America -- Treaties. Land titles -- Registration and transfer. Winnebago Indians. Persons: Branson, Lewis, ca. 1825- Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell), 1821-1875. Daniels, Asa Wilder, 1829-1923. Douglas, Stephen A. (Stephen Arnold), 1813-1861. Farrington, John, 1827-1905. Gorman, Willis Arnold, 1816-1876. Mix, Charles E. Morrison, Allan, 1803-1877. Murphy, Richard G. ca. 1800-1880. Rice, Henry M. (Henry Mower), 1816-1894. Sanborn, John B. (John Benjamin), 1826-1904. Wise, John Claggett, 1834-1900. Organizations: Democratic Party (U.S.) Freemasons -- Minnesota. Knights Templar (Masonic order) -- Minnesota. United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Winnebago Agency. Document Types: Certificates. Diaries. Occupations: Indian agents -- Minnesota. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Mix, Charles Henry, Charles H. Mix papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 7448, 16,623

 Processing Information:

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Catalog ID number: 001731904

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION P2347 Diaries. 13 volumes: Diary, 1857. Diary, 1860. Diary, 1867. Diary, 1873. Diary, 1875. Diary, 1882. Diary, 1883. Diary, 1896. Diary, 1901. Diary, 1903. Diary, 1905. 2 volumes. Diary, 1906. Memoranda book, 1863-1871? Photograph album, undated.

Includes members of the Mix and White families, many identified.

 P2347 1 Photographs, undated. 1 folder containing 7 images.

Mostly from Whitney's Gallery in St. Paul, all unidentified except one of a child annotated as the "King of Rome."

 2 Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, undated, 1854-1859: Assorted notes, undated. Genealogical notes on Caroline Upperman White, undated. Biographical information. Letter from John B. Sanborn to Charles H. Mix, undated. Letter of introduction for Charles H. Mix by John Wilson of Washington D.C., April 20, 1853. Letter from Asa W. Daniels, Fort Ridgely, to Charles H. Mix, May 3, 1854.

Inquiring about the position of physician to the Dakota Indians.

 Letter from J. Travis Rosser, St. Paul, June 9, 1854.

Appointing Charles H. Mix as Secretary of Minnesota Territory in the absence of J. Travis Rosser.

 Letter from unidentified person at the Winnebago Agency to Charles H. Mix, August 19, 1856. Letter from W. J. Cullen, Washington, D.C., to Charles H. Mix. February 5, 1857.

Appointing Charles H. Mix as special agent to communicate with agents Brown and Herriman regarding the delegation of Dakota and Chippewa visit to Washington, D.C.

 Letter from Charles E. Mix, Department of the Interior, to Charles H. Mix, June 19, 1858.

Appointing Charles H. Mix as agent for Indians of Winnebago Agency.

 Letter from the William J. Cullen, St. Paul, to Charles H. Mix, St. Paul, July 2, 1858.

Informing Charles H. Mix of his appointment as agent to the Winnebago.

 List of donations for a present for Reverend Coffin, February 19, 1859. Letter from the General Land Office to Charles H. Mix, Washington, D.C., April 4, 1859. Letter from Lewis Branson, Mankato, to Charles H. Mix, April 16, 1859. Letter from John Farrington, St. Paul, to Charles H. Mix, May 24, 1859.

Informing Charles H. Mix that he has delivered supplies to the Winnebago at Mankato.

 Letter from unidentified man in St. Paul to Charles H. Mix, May 26, 1859. From William F. Wheeler, St. Paul, to Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, June 20, 1859.

Giving Mix data on the organization of an election precinct at the agency.

 Receipt from W.J. Cullen to Charles H. Mix, October 5, 1859.

Regarding a promissory note.

 Lists of purchased goods, October 22, 1859. Letter from A. B. Greenwood, Department of the Interior, to Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, November 1, 1859. Letter from J. E. Fletcher, Muscatine, Iowa, to Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, November 7, 1859. 3 Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1860-1862: Letter from Allan Morrison, Crow Wing, to Charles Mix, Winnebago Agency, February 10, 1860. Letter from Andrew Anderson, Blue Earth County, to Charles H. Mix, May 19, 1860. Letter from Lewis Branson, Mankato, to Charles H. Mix, May 31, 1860. Letter to Charles H. Mix, June 7, 1860. Letter from Henry M. Rice, Washington D.C., to Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, June 9, 1860. Letter from Lewis Branson, Mankato, to Charles H. Mix, June 9, 1860. Letter from George S. Otis, St. Paul, to Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, June 24, 1860.

Contains information on the Democratic National Convention's nomination of Stephen A. Douglas, and the withdrawal of the Southern delegates from the convention.

 Letter from John C. Wise, Mankato, to Charles H. Mix, June 29, 1860.

Concerning the fate of the Democratic Party following the Southern defection.

 Letter from Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, to Major Murphy, Murphy's Landing, July 9, 1860. Letter from Henry M. Rice, Bayfield, to Charles H. Mix, August 4, 1860.

Urging Mix to support John C. Breckenridge instead of Douglas.

 Letter to Charles H. Mix, August 25, 1860. Letter from E. M. Wilson, Minneapolis, to Charles H. Mix, St. Paul, September 6, 1860.

Discussing the problem of the liquor traffic among the Indians.

 Letter to Charles H. Mix, November 14, 1860. Letter From Charles H. Mix, Winnebago Agency, to Major R. G. Murphy, Shakopee, November 19, 1860. Letter from Richard G. Murphy, Washington, to Charles Mix, Winnebago Agency, February 5, 1861. Letter by William P. Dole, Department of the Interior, to Charles H. Mix, Washington, D.C., March 25, 1862.

Regarding a mixed race Winnebago trading without a license.

 4 Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1861-1878: Military service discharge of Charles H. Mix from Independent Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry, June 5, 1866. Letter from John B. Sanborn, Washington, D.C., to Charles H. Mix, St. Paul, July 31, 1867. Letter from O.H. Browning, Washington D.C., to Charles H. Mix, St. Paul, May 6, 1868.

Appointing Mix Special Commissioner to complete appraisal of Dakota reservation lands in Minnesota and Dakota Territory.

 Letter from Charles E. Mix, Washington D.C., to Charles H. Mix, St. Paul, May 29, 1868.

A commission to appraise reservation lands and giving instructions.

 Letter from Charles E. Mix, Washington D.C., to Charles H. Mix, September 24, 1870. Letter from Charles E. Mix, Washington D.C., to Charles H. Mix, November 23, 1870. Letter to Charles H. Mix, December 3, 1870. Letter from John B. Sanborn, Washington D.C., to Charles H. Mix, St. Paul, December 10, 1870. Letter to Charles H. Mix, February 26, 1878. Telegram, T.W. Teasdale to Charles H. Mix regarding Templar tickets, September 8, 188-. Receipt for 2,000 Society cards, September 11, 1889. Letter to Howard James from Charles H. Mix, Crookston, September 30, 1889.

Requesting pass and payment due.

 Tax receipt for land in Crookston, Minnesota, May 13, 1890. Letter from Edward C. Stringer, St. Paul to Charles H. Mix, Crookston, January 21, 1896.

Regarding appointment as Commissioner of the Circuit Court.

 Appointment papers of Charles H. Mix as Commissioner of the U.S. District Court, January 21, 1896. Order appointing Charles H. Mix as Commissioner, signed by William Lochren, July 1, 1897. Charles H. Mix membership certificate in Minnesota Territorial Pioneers Association, November 6, 1897. Letter from Charles L. Spencer, St. Paul to Charles H. Mix, Crookston, June 22, 1901.

Mix's appointment as United States Commissioner of the U.S. District Court

 Charles H. Mix membership certificate in Red River Valley Old Settlers' Association, October 14, 1903. Letter from W.H. Graver, Crookston to Charles H. Mix, April 7, 1905.

Notice of Mix winning the mayoral election in Crookston.

 Letter from Charles C. Haupt, St. Paul, to Charles H. Mix, July 20, 1906.

Providing Mix a seal.

 Charles F. Mix membership certificate in Red River Valley Old Settlers' Association, July 12, 1907.

With attached receipts (July 3, 1907 and May 22, 1911).

+Reserve 39 Appointment certificates and miscellaneous papers. 1 oversize folder: Charles H. Mix land patent for NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 of section 29, township 28N, range 21W, February 4, 1854. Matilda W. Rice land patent for S 1/2 of SE 1/4 and lots 4-5 in section 23, township 30N, range 23W, April 11, 1855. Appointment certificate of Charles H. Mix as agent for the Winnebago Agency, signed by James Buchanan, June 15, 1858. Appointment certificate of Charles H. Mix as Major in the Eleventh Regiment of Minnesota Volunteer Militia, signed by Henry H. Sibley, July 13, 1859. Muster-out roll of First Lieutenant Charles H. Mix, Hatch's Independent Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry, June 16, 1864. Muster-in roll of Captain Charles H. Mix, Hatch's Independent Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry, June 16, 1864. Appointment certificate of Charles H. Mix as Captain in [Hatch's] Independent Battalion of Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry, signed by S[Stephen] Miller, June 16, 1864. Appointment certificate of Charles H. Mix as Knight of the Red Cross, Damascus Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, December 20, 1867. Appointment certificate of Charles H. Mix as a Master Mason, Free and Accepted Masons, Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5, February 18, 1868.

Includes attached ribbon.

 Appointment certificate of Charles H. Mix as a Royal Arch Mason, Grand Chapter, February 18, 1868.

Includes attached ribbon.

 Land patent to Charles H. Mix for SW 1/4 of section 25, township 153N, range 24W, September 3, 1889. Membership certificate for Charles Henry Mix, Master Mason in Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5, Grand Lodge of Minnesota, March 30, 1895. Appointment certificate for Charles H. Mix as Past Grand Generalissimo of the Knights Templar, state of Mississippi, February 7, 1902.