Chester E. Faris Papers
Collection
Identifier: MSS -229 -BC
Scope and Content
This collection consists of 131 items in three folders. The first folder contains printed material including Christmas cards and postcards, resort and publicity brochures from New Mexico, Arizona, Indiana and Florida, as well as miscellaneous programs. Most of the correspondence, articles and other papers in the second folder relate to Faris' career with the United States Office of Indian Affairs and the Indian Rights Association. There is also material about Chief Washakie and Sacajawea, whom Faris researched extensively, along with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The third folder contains crayon drawings of Jicarilla basket designs. Photographs have been transferred to the CSWR Pictorial Collections.
Dates
- 1860-1956
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biography
Chester E. Faris, a federal Indian administrator, was a leading authority on Indian history and lore. Most of his work was with Southwestern and Plains Indian groups. He was born in October, 1877 in Tunnelton, Indiana. After studying at Indiana normal schools and teaching until 1902, Faris moved to Wyoming to work for the Forest Service. In 1906 he joined the Indian Service and began his career at the Wind River Agency (Shoshone and Arapahoe) in Wyoming, serving, 1908-1916. From 1918-1923, he was superintendent of the Jicarilla Apache Agency at Dulce, N.M. From 1925-1926 he served as Superintendent of the Pima Agency, then became district superintendent-at-large for the Southwest, including Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. In 1930, the Santa Fe Indian School and the Northern Pueblos Agency were consolidated under Chester E. Faris as superintendent, with administrative jurisdiction over both the school and the pueblos. Faris served in this capacity until 1935 when he was assigned to administer the Consolidated Navajo Agency. He worked as a field representative for the Indian office until his retirement in 1943. After this he was an executive for the Indian Rights Association in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until 1947 when he returned to New Mexico. He died in Albuquerque, N.M., on January 24, 1957.
Extent
1 box (.20 cu. ft.)
Separated Material
Photographs have been transferred to the Chester E. Faris Photograph Collection.
Relevant Secondary Sources
- Hyer, Sally. Remembering Santa Fe Indian School, 1890-1990. Ph.D. diss., University of New Mexico, 1994.
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Chester E. Faris Papers, 1860-1956
- Status
- Approved
- Author
- Processed by T.S. Reining
- Date
- ©2000
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::MSS 229 BC::Chester E. Faris Papers)//EN" "nmu1mss229bc.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu