A group of white men from the fraternal organization "Improved Order of Red Men," so-called "Chiefs of Mohican Tribe, Ag. 54"

A group of white men from the fraternal organization "Improved Order of Red Men," so-called "Chiefs of Mohican Tribe, Ag. 54"

1897-10-31

Fraternal organizations

A studio photograph of a group of eight white men, so-called "chiefs of the Mohican Tribe," a fraternal organization in Georgetown, Colorado that was a chapter of the Improved Order of Red Men. The local chapter was instituted on February 13, 1897, with 56 charter members. The Improved Order of Red Men only allowed white men in their ranks, but appropriated their organization and naming systems on Native American tribes and peoples. The following men are listed with their positions in the local chapter and their occupations: Past Prophet - Henry J. Crist (County Judge); Prophet - Charles J. Nicholas (County Treasurer and County Judge); Sachem - John D. Couway (Assayor, Chamberlain Wks); Senior Sagamore - Addison O. Hinsdale (miner and butcher); Junior Sagamore - John J. White (attorney); Chief of Records - Louis Keck (merchant and restaurant); Keeper of Wampum - Fred P. Dewey (Cashier of Bank); and Collector of Wampum - Frank P. Stewart (Merchant).

Georgetown (Colo.)

Image

Scotty Wilkins Collection

006-006

Albumen prints

The name of Louis Keck, a merchant in Georgetown from about 1887-1904, is written on the back of many of these photographs. It is unclear if he was the owner of these photographs, was the one who labeled them (or had copies that someone reproduced these labels from), or was the photographer (though some are on mounts of George Dalgleish, who was likely the photographer of many of them).