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Gift Giving and Trade Goods

Home > The Journey > Unique Encounters > Native Americans > Indian Presents and Trade Goods
 

GIFT GIVING AND TRADE GOODS

 

 

(Information compiled from Gary E. Moulton, ed. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press 1983-2000, and Donald Jackson, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, with Related Documents, 1783-1854. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1962).

Clothing.

Public Store 15 blankets (blue and scarlet)
John & Charles Wister (143 High Street, Philadelphia) -1 pc. Scarlet cloth No. 1518
  22 yards
the following were listed as equal to 1 piece scarlet:
-20 Scarlet legins
-1 remnant scarlet -3 britch clouts scarlet
-3 blankets scarlet
  -5 doz & 6 fancy handkerchiefs (or fancy floss)
  -3 gro. Br. Binding
  -3 Gro. Scarlet Binding
Christian and Thomas Denchla (68 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia) -2 doz. Red Strip'd Tapes
  -72 Pc. Strip'd Silk Ribbon
  -3 1/2 Doz. Tinzel Taizels (hat bands)
  -1 D. Thread
Purchased from unknown vendors -11 hats, 6 circle feathers and 5 soldier's plumes
  -20 scarlet leggins
  -2 breech clouts scarlet
  -20 prs. leggins (blue)
  -45 breech clouts (blue)
  -12 rolls gartering
  -2 doz: dutch tape
  -12 rolls of narrow ribbon
  Handkerchiefs
-bandano, Romall, pocket, silk, cotton
- "red silk handkerchief"
- "12 pieces of East India muslin Hanckerchiefs striped/check'd w/ brilliant Colors - Lewis' list of requirements
  -10 lb thread
  -40 skeins of silk
  -2 lbs colored thread
  -1/4 lb. nuns thread (linen thread used in lace making)
  - colored thread
  -18 white shirts
  -15 Chiefs coats
   

Tools, &c.

Harvey & Worth (62 North Front Street, Philadelphia) - 14 Knitting Pins
  Needles
- Millinery, Glovers, Yarn, Tabling, Old Work, White Chapel, Packing, Collar
-12 Groce Needles Assorted No.1-8 Common Points - Lewis' list
-12 Groce Needles Assorted w/ points for sewing leather - Lewis' list
  Fish hooks
- various sizes (12 7/6, 11 8/9, 9 15/ , 8 18/9, 6 40/ )
  12 Doz. Scissors
-5109, 67, 8853
-large and small
  - 6 lb. 8d Cut Brads (nails)
  - 4 lb. 10d Cut Brads (nails)
  - 8 groce of seat awls
  11 Doz. Knives
- "288 Knives Small such as are generally used for the Indian Trade, with fix'd blades & handles inlaid with Brass"- [Lewis' list of req's]
 

22 Files
- flat files = 6 5/7 in. 6/3, 12 in.,
- 6 handsaw files

Benjamin Harberson & Sons, coppersmiths (75 High Street, Philadelphia) 8 Brass Kettles
- "1 nest of 8 or 9 copper kettles"-Lewis' list of req's
- 4/per lb.
Edward Shoemaker & Co., hardware (127 High Street, Philadelphia) - 2 Corn mills
  3 doz. scissors
- large & small
Christian & Thomas Denchla (68 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia) - 1 Doz. Needle or Pin Cases
John and Charles Wister (143 High Street, Philadelphia) 4 dzn. Butcher Knives
- regular, bone handle, stag handle
Purchased from unknown vendors - 3 Doz. Razors
  - 24 squaw axes
  - 55 fish spears or giggs
  - 5 large canoe awls



Jewelry

Harvey & Worth (62 North Front Street, Philadelphia) - 2 lbs. brass wire no 20
  - 5 lbs brass wire no 21 4/10 & 23 5/
  - 1 Gro. Iron Combs
  - 2 Gro. Curtain Rings 263
  1 Gro Curtain Rings ea. 3/6 & 4/
- "2 Groces brass curtain rings & sufficiently large for the finger"- Lewis's list
  - 1 Gro. Brass Thimbles
  - 1 Gro. Taylors Thimbles (steel)
Ben Harberson & Sons, coppersmiths (75 High Street, Philadelphia) - 48 Pieces Brass 12 @ 4/3
John and Charles Wister (143 High Street, Philadelphia) - 2 Card Beads (necklaces)
Christian & Thomas Denkla (68 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia) - 2 Nonsopretty
  - 3 Dzn. Beads
  - 6 Paper small bells (hawk bells)
  - 1 box with 100 larger bells (hawk bells)
  - 6 bunches Red mock Garnet
  beads
- brown, yellow, white, blue, red
  - 2 3/4 D. Lockets
  2D. earrings
-silver, white metal
Samuel Williamson, gold/silversmith (118 South Front Street, Philadelphia) - 500 broaches (silver)
  - 72 rings (silver)
Chouteau, St. Louis - hairpipes
Purchased from unknown vendors - 8 Silver moons
  - 12 wampum moons
  - 24 hairpipes wampum
  - 12 silver arm bands - "at war office" - Lewis' list of reqs
  - 12 silver wrist bands - "at war office"- Lewis' list of reqs
  - 8 Ivory combs
  - 3 cards fine bead necklaces
  - glass ear bobs
  - glass bracelets
  - collars of guilt wire
  - collars of brass wire quill size
  gorgets
- tin, wampum shell
  - brass armbands
  - blue wampum
  - white wampum

Misc.

Thomas Leiper, tobacconist (274 Market Street, Philadelphia) 130 rolls of pigtail tobacco (63 lbs.)
  keg
Christian and Thomas Denchla (68 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia) 12 doz. Looking glasses
  8 burning glasses
  15 Dutch pewter looking glasses
Samuel Wetherill & Son, druggist & paints (65 North Front St., Philadelphia) 2 lbs. Vermillion
  8 lbs. red lead
Purchased from unknown vendors 12 doz. fire steels
  10 lbs. of verdigrease
  176 carrots tobacco, about 500 in 9 bales
  jews harps
  20 gallons whiskey for Indians
  earthen jar glazed

Medals

3 large Jefferson Medals
- Silver
- 105 mm in diameter
Obverse contains:
- Inscription around the rim reads:
"TH. JEFFERSON PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. A.D. 1801"
Reverse contains:
-inscription reads:
"PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP"
-obverse and reverse were struck separately and bound by a silver rim to form a hollow medal or shell

13 2nd size Jefferson Medals
-Silver
-75 to 76 mm in diameter
16 3rd size Jefferson Medals
-Silver
-55 mm in diameter

55 4th size Washington Season Medals
-Silver
-45 to 48 mm in diameter
-three designs on obverse with the letters "U.S.A." below
1) man sowing wheat
2) domestic animals
3) woman spinning & weaving
"SECOND PRESIDENCY OF GEO. WASHINGTON MDCCXCVI" surrounded by a wreath of oak and olive leaves on the reverse

The obverse of a "season medal" made during the administration of George Washington. Lewis and Clark brought 55 of these medals to give out to "lesser chiefs" during the expedition. The top-ranking chiefs received Jefferson Peace Medals.

The reverse of a "season medal." No medals were struck during the administration of John Adams, although the "Washington Season Medals," made in Great Britain during George Washington's second term, continued in use. Designed by the renowned American artist John Trumbull, they depict cattle raising, the sowing of wheat, and a woman spinning. These themes expressed in visual terms the recurring desire of the United States Government to "civilize" and "educate" Native Americans, absorbing them into the European-style culture which had evolved in the United States. The medals, struck in both silver and copper, were not popular; Native American Chiefs did not recognize the validity of a medal which did not bear the likeness of the President of the United States.

4 5th size medals or American -Dollar Coins
-Silver
-39-40 mm in diameter
-issued from 1798-1804
-bust of woman on obverse with 13 stars separated by "Liberty"

Flags

-approximately 25 or 26 flags were given out to American Indians, as listed in the journals