BIOGRAPHY / HISTORY
Emily Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake--double wampum) was born in 1861 on the Six Nations Indian Reservation near Brantford, Canada West, to a Mohawk Chief, G.H.M. Johnson (Chief Owanonsyshon--the Man with the Big House) and Emily S. Howells. She had one sister, Evelyn Helen C. and two brothers; Henry B. and Allan W. The family belonged to the Church of England. Pauline contributed constantly to a number of periodicals such at Toronto's "Saturday Night", "Harper's Weekly", the "New York Indepedent" and other magazines. Pauline was a poet who wrote about Indians and their way of life as she knew it from her own background. (Taken from: 89-013, Box 1) She wrote about a number of Canadian themes and between 1892 and 1910 she gave a number of speaking tours across the country. She spoke at small communities where she read her poetry. Her first collection of poems was called "White Wampum" and it was published in 1895. She then published "Canadian Born" in 1903, "Flint and Feather" in 1912, a volume of tales called "Legends of Vancouver" in 1911 and a novel titled "The Shagganappi" in 1913. Emily Pauline Johnson died March 7, 1913 in Vancouver. (Taken from: "The Canadian Encyclopedia." Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1985.)
CUSTODIAL HISTORY
This fonds was in the custody of Professor Kenneth Kidd before it was donated to the Trent University Archives.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This fonds consists of numerous notes and correspondence of Evelyn Johnson pertaining to her sister Pauline, to family history and to the affairs of the Six Nations Indian Reserve. There are newspaper clippings dating from 1881 to 1936 on Pauline Johnson and on Indian concerns of the time. Poems written by and collected by Pauline Johnson; Correspondence of Pauline Johnson, G.M. Ferguson, Chief G.H.M. Johnson and Allan Johnson are also included.
NOTES
Title based on contents of fonds.
This fonds was donated by Professor Kenneth Kidd.
Restrictions: N
Finding aids: Y
Associated material located in the Archives of Ontario, Toronto.
Folder:
1: Correspondence and notes of Evelyn Johnson, undated
2: Correspondence and notes of Evelyn Johnson, 1870-1914
3: Correspondence and notes of Evelyn Johnson, 1915-1923
4: Correspondence and notes of Evelyn Johnson, 1924-1937
Above material primarily relates to Pauline Johnson, the family history, and affairs of the Six Nations Indian Reserve.
5: Correspondence of Pauline Johnson
6: Pauline Johnson's Poems
7: Poems collected by Pauline Johnson
8: Correspondence of Chief G.M.Johnson
9: Correspondence of Chief G.M.Johnson
10: Allan Johnson: Correspondence and 'trade' cards.
11: Correspondence, general
12: Miscellaneous (envelopes, pictures of Pauline Johnson, postcards, poster)
13: Newspaper clippings relating to Pauline Johnson, Six Nations and other Indian affairs throughout Canada and the U.S.A.; undated
14: Same, 1881-1890
15: Same, 1891-1912
16: Same, 1913
17: Same, 1914
18: Same, 1915
19: Same, 1916
20: Same, 1917
21: Same, 1918
22: Same, 1919
23: Same, 1920
24: Same, 1921
25: Same, 1922
26: Same, 1923
27: Same, 1924
28: Same, 1925
29: Same, 1926
30: Same, 1927
31: Same, 1928
32: Same, 1929
33: Same, 1930
34: Same, 1931
35: Same, 1932
36: Same, 1933
37: Same, 1934
38: Same, 1935
39: Same, 1936