The Charles and Patricia Buser Collection of Research Materials on Native American Cultures
A Guide and Inventory
SPEC.RARE.CMS.319

INTRODUCTION

The Story of the Collection

Charles Aubrey Buser (1922-2010) and Ardis Patricia Anderson Buser had a strong personal interest in Wyandotte language and culture. They traveled widely, throughout the United States and Canada, making many enduring friendships along the way. They explored the history and traditions of the Wyandotte, as well as other indigenous peoples, gathered genealogical information, and sought to record as much as possible of various Iroquoian languages, especially Mohawk, speculating on the character of the Wandat language. Charles Buser's research proved to be valuable to the Wyandotte people on more than one occasion, and he was honored for his contributions. Stephen Buser, former faculty member of the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, recognized the research value of his parents’ papers and offered to permit the OSU Libraries to scan the collection before the materials were donated to the Wyandotte Nation. He graciously contributed financial support for the scanning project. Scanning commenced in November of 2008, and the project was completed in July 2012, although students and outside researchers were able to access the collection as the finding aids began to appear on the web.

For the early history of the collection before it was transferred to University Libraries, please read Dr. Brian Joseph's account of work done within the Linguistics Department.

Content and Description

The Buser collection, which is now held, and rehoused, by the Wyandotte Nation in Oklahoma, originally consisted of 13 boxes of photocopies, notes, books, pamphlets, scanned government documents, clippings, audio recordings, and a great deal of personal correspondence. The finding aids maintain the order in which the collection came to us for scanning, and thus they are divided into box and folder categories, arranged in two main alphabetical sequences that seem to reflect the contents of two separate filing locations rather than a clear categorical division. Additional binders and boxes of note cards were used to track historical events and form the beginning of a dictionary. The collection contains a wealth of information that will be a useful introductory resource for historians, linguists and genealogists. The contents are of value for researching the history of the Wyandotte people in general, and individual families in particular. Buser, who also documented cultural practices and details about clothing design, was at times consulted by the Wyandotte because of the extent of his research in these areas. Buser's handwritten language materials are the most readily available, as they may be retrieved directly via links in the finding aids for box 5.

How We Processed the Collection

In evaluating the collection and its potential research value, Rare Books decided to scan every item, except for books, pamphlets and journals, or clippings that include citations of their sources. These were only mentioned in the finding aids so that researchers can pursue those references if they wish to do so. This means that some more obscure clippings were scanned, as well as hand-typed and mimeographed newsletters. All of the notes and drawings of Charles and Patricia Buser, including the history and language note cards, are available on the web to interested parties connecting from any location. Official and personal correspondence and photographs were also scanned, and are listed in the finding aids. However, images of these items may only be viewed in the OSU Libraries, since the correspondence is relatively recent, and the individuals, or their immediate family members, may still be alive.

OSU Rare Books and Manuscripts would welcome contact from anyone who corresponded with the Busers or whose family members collaborated with the researchers and are willing to have the scans of their letters made public. These have been of particular interest for genealogical investigations.

If viewing the files in the Jack and Jan Creighton Special Collections Reading Room in Thompson Library the filenames will each include the box number, folder name, and item number as listed in the inventory. All of the digitized files are available on a single flash drive if one wishes to browse the images without the finding aid. This approach may be preferred for multi-page documents, which have now been converted to PDF files. The flash drive may be used in the reading room.

Please use the search function within your browser to search each finding aid for particular subjects or individuals.

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Overview of the Collection:

Repository:	Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
Identification:	Spec.rare.cms.319
Creators:	Charles and Patricia Buser
Title:	The Charles and Patricia Buser Collection of Research Materials on Native American Cultures
Dates:	1700s (in photocopies) through 2005
Quantity:	13 boxes
Description:	The collection includes audiotapes, transcriptions, notes and research on the Wyandot language. In addition, there are many articles, as well as complete newsletters or other publications related to their study of the Wyandot tribe and other Native Americans. There is a significant amount of correspondence, both professional and personal, and a number of photographs.

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Note to researchers from Wyandotte Nation:

Charles Aubrey Buser, a friend to the Wyandotte Nation, helped usher in an era of research conducted by Wyandottes, rather than just about Wyandottes. Buser defied the common logic of his time by recognizing the inherent value of our culture. His physical location near Washington, D.C. enabled him to monitor our cases before the Indian Claims Commission at a time when money for travel by Tribal officials was scarce. As a motivated amateur historian, he reassembled some of the missing pieces of our past otherwise lost in our long history of dispersal and removals, always willingly sharing what he found. He viewed his work in service to the Wyandotte Nation, and even encouraged and mentored several citizens in our early Tribal Heritage efforts. We at Wyandotte Nation view the Buser Collection as a symbol of hard work and allyship. The limitations of Buser’s research as a non-Wyandotte including problematic language in use at the time require another step. Alongside these archival records, researchers today should consult contemporary scholarship and contact Wyandotte Nation regarding our research protocols prior to any formal publications. This digital age may have changed the research landscape, especially when it comes to access, but it cannot diminish the appreciation we hold for his hard work, enthusiasm, and friendship.

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Box and Folder Listing:

Box 5: Chronology III

Dividers: 1818-1980

Divider: 1818

1. 1818 (1 recto),(1 verso)
2. 1818 (about) (2)
3. 1818 (3)
4. 1818 (4)
5. 1818, February 18 (5)
6. 1818, August 27 (6)
7. 1818, September (7)
8. 1818, September 17 and 20 (8 recto),(8 verso)
9. 1818 (9)
10. 1818 (10)
11. 1818 (11)
12. 1818 (12)
13. 1818 (13)
14. 1818 (14)
15. 1819, June 17 (15 recto),(15 verso)
16. 1819 (16)
17. 1819 (17)
18. 1819 (18)
19. 1819 (19)
20. 1819 (20 recto),(20 verso)
21. 1819 (21)
22. 1819 (22)
23. 1819 (23)

Divider: 1820

1. 1820 approximately (1)
2. 1820 June 15 (2)
3. 1820 September 26 (3)
4. 1820 approximately (4)
5. 1820s (5 recto),(5 verso)
6. 1820 (6)
7. 1820 (7)
8. 1820 (8 recto),(8 verso)
9. 1820(9)
10. 1821 (10)
11. 1821 (11)
12. 1821-1827 (12)
13. 1821 (13)
14. 1821 (14)
15. 1821 October (15)
16. 1821 (16)
17. 1821 (17)
18. 1821 July (18 recto),(18 verso)
19. 1822 (19)
20. 1822 (20)
21. 1822 (21)
22. 1822 (22 recto),(22 verso)

Divider: 1823

1. 1823 January 31 (1)
2. 1823 or 1824 (2)
3. 1823 March 19 (3 recto),(3 verso)
4. 1823 (4)
5. 1823 (5)
6. 1823 December 17 (6)
7. 1823 (7)
8. 1823 (8)
9. 1824 (9)
10. 1823 or 1824 (10)
11. 1824 January 22 (11)
12. 1824 (12)
13. 1824 (13)
14. 1824 (14)
15. 1824 or 1823 (15)
16. 1824 September (16)
17. 1824 (17 recto),(17 verso)
18. 1824 and 1825 (18)

Divider: 1825

1. 1825 (1)
2. 1825 (2)
3. 1825 approximately (3)
4. 1825 (4)
5. 1825 (5)
6. 1825 or 1831 (6)
7. 1825 (7)
8. 1825 (8)
9. 1825 (9)
10. 1825 (10)
11. 1825 March 7 (11)
12. 1825 April 20 (12)
13. 1825 May 2 (13)
14. 1825 September 5 (14)
15. 1825 (15)
16. 1825 December (16 recto),(16 verso)
17. 1826 March (17)
18. 1826 (18)
19. 1826 November (19)
20. 1826 October (20)
21. 1826 November (21)
22. 1826 December 24 (22)

Divider: 1827

1. 1827 January 1 (1)
2. 1827 March 1 (2)
3. 1827 (3)
4. 1827 (4)

Divider: 1828

1. 1828 (1)
2. 1828 (2)
3. 1828 (3)
4. 1828 July 21 (4 recto),(4 verso)
5. 1828 September 3 (5)
6. 1828 September 14 (6)
7. 1829 (7)
8. 1829 (8)
9. 1829 (9 recto),(9 verso)
10. 1829 May (10)
11. 1829 (11)
12. 1829 November (12 recto),(12 verso)
13. 1829 (13)
14. 1829 (14)
15. 1829 (15 recto),(15 verso)
16. 1829 (16)
17. 1829 (17 recto),(17 verso)
18. 1829 March 29 (18)

Divider: 1830

1. 1830 (1)
2. 1830 (2)
3. 1830-1840 (3)
4. 1830 (4 recto),(4 verso)
5. 1830 (5)
6. 1830 October 4 (6)
7. 1831 (7)
8. 1831 (8)
9. 1831 (9)
10. 1831 (10)
11. 1831 July (11)
12. 1831 (12 recto),(12 verso)
13. 1831 August 22 (13)
14. 1831 October (14 recto),(14 verso)

Divider: 1832

1. 1832 January 19 (1)
2. 1832 (2)
3. 1832 (3)
4. 1832 February 12 (4)
5. 1832 (5)
6. 1832 (6)
7. 1832 (7)
8. 1832 (8)
9. 1832 (9)
10. 1832 (10)
11. 1833 (11 recto),(11 verso)
12. 1833 October 2 (12)
13. 1833 August (13)
14. 1833 (14)
15. 1833 (15)
16. 1833 (16)
17. 1833 (17)
18. 1834 (18)
19. 1834 February 14 (19)
20. 1834 (20 recto),(20 verso)
21. 1834 (21)
22. 1834 November 15 (22)
23. 1834 December (23)
24. 1834 or 1835 (24)

Divider: 1835

1. 1835 (1)
2. 1835 (2)
3. 1835 January 14 (3 recto),(3 verso)
4. 1835 September (4)
5. 1835 (5)
6. 1835 August 23 (6)
7. 1835 (7)
8. 1835 December (8)
9. 1836 April 23 (9)
10. 1836 April 23 (10)
11. 1836 (11)
12. 1836 (12)
13. 1836 (13)
14. 1836 (14)
15. 1836 September (15)
16. 1836 september (16)
17. 1836 September 30 (17 recto),(17 verso)
18. 1837 (18)
19. 1837 (19)
20. 1837 (20)
21. 1837 (21)
22. 1837 September (22)
23. 1837 (23)
24. 1837 September 25 (24)
25. 1837 (25)

Divider: 1838

1. 1838 (1)
2. 1838 (2)
3. 1838 (3)
4. 1838 September 27 (4)
5. 1838 (5)
6. 1838 (6)
7. 1838 April (7)
8. 1838 (8)
9. 1838 (9)
10. 1838 (10 recto),(10 verso)
11. 1839 (11)
12. 1839 (12)
13. 1839 (13)
14. 1839 (14)

Divider: 1840

1. 1840 (1)
2. 1840s (2)
3. 1840 (3)
4. 1840s (4)
5. 1840 (5)
6. 1840 (6)
7. 1840 (7)
8. 1841-1842 (8)
9. 1841 April 4 (9)
10. 1841 June 21 (10)
11. 1871 (11)

Divider: 1842

1. 1842 (1)
2. 1842 (2)
3. 1842 (3)
4. 1842 (4)
5. 1842 March 17 (5)
6. 1842 March (6)
7. 1842 August 17 (7)
8. 1842 April 24 (8)
9. 1842 (9)
10. 1842 (10)
11. 1842 (11)
12. 1842 (12)
13. 1842 October 1 (13)
14. 1842 October (14)
15. 1842 (15)
16. 1842 (16)

Divider: 1843

1. 1843 (1)
2. 1843 (2)
3. 1843 January 22 (3)
4. 1843 (4)
5. 1843 (5)
6. 1843 October (6)
7. 1843 (7)
8. 1843 July (8 recto),(8 verso)
9. 1843 July 12 (9)
10. 1843 July (10)
11. 1843 (11)
12. 1843 (12)
13. 1843 May (13)
14. 1843 (14)
15. 1843 (15)
16. 1843 (16)
17. 1843 (17)
18. 1843 December 14 (18 recto),(18 verso)
19. 1843 December 14 (19)
20. 1843 (20)
21. 1844 April (21 recto),(21 verso)
22. 1844 (22)
23. 1844 July 1 (23)
24. 1844 (24)
25. 1844 (25)
26. 1844 (26)
27. 1844 (27)
28. 1844 (28)
29. 1844 (29)
30. 1844 July 1 (30)
31. 1844 (31)
32. 1844 (32)
33. 1844 (33 recto),(33 verso)
34. 1844 December 6 (34)
35. 1844 December (35)
36. 1844 June 13 (36)
37. 1844 (37 recto),(37 verso)

Divider: 1845

1. 1845 November 27 (1)
2. 1845 (2)
3. 1845 May (3)
4. 1845 (4)
5. 1845 (5)
6. 1845 March (6)
7. 1845 (7)
8. 1845 (8)
9. 1845 (9)
10. 1845 (10)
11. 1845 August (11)
12. 1845 October 10 (12)
13. 1845 (13)

Divider: 1846

1. 1846 April (1)
2. 1846 (2)
3. 1846 (3)
4. 1846 May 6 (4)
5. 1846 June 9 (5)
6. 1846 October (6)
7. 1846 December 18 (7)
8. 1847 (8)
9. 1847 January 1 (9)
10. 1847 June 12 (10)
11. 1847 (11)
12. 1847 (12)

Divider: 1848

1. 1848 (1 recto),(1 verso)
2. 1848 January 5 (2 recto),(2 verso)
3. 1848 July 25 (3)
4. 1848 (4)
5. 1848 (5)
6. 1848 (6)
7. 1848 August 9 (7)
8. 1848 (8 recto),(8 verso)
9. 1848 (9)
10. 1848 October 10-17 (10)
11. 1849 May 31 (11)
12. 1849 May 31 (12)
13. 1849 May 31 (13)
14. 1849 (14)
15. 1849 (15)
16. 1849 November 5 (16)
17. 1849 (17)
18. 1849 (18)
19. 1849 (19)
20. 1849 (20)

Divider: 1850

1. 1850 January (1)
2. 1850 January 17 (2)
3. 1850 January 20 (3)
4. 1850 April 1 (4)
5. 1850 June (5)
6. 1850s (6)
7. 1850 (7 recto),(7 verso)
8. 1850 (8)
9. 1850 (9)
10. 1850 (10)
11. 1850 (11)
12. 1850 (12)
13. 1850 (13)
14. 1850 (14)
15. 1850 (15)
16. 1850 (16)
17. 1850 September (17)
18. 1850 November 28 (18)
19. 1851 February (19)
20. 1851 July (20)
21. 1851 (21)
22. 1851 (22)
23. 1851 (23)
24. 1851 (24)
25. 1851 October 13 (25)
26. 1851 December (26)

Divider: 1852

1. 1852 (1 recto),(1 verso)
2. 1852 December 1 (2)
3. 1852 (3)
4. 1852 (4)
5. 1852 (5)
6. 1852 (6)
7. 1852 (7 recto),(7 verso)
8. 1852 October 12 (8)
9. 1852 (9)
10. 1852 (10)
11. 1852 (11 recto),(11 verso)
12. 1852 April 20 (12)
13. 1852 April 15 (13)
14. 1852 October 12 (14)
15. 1853 January 18 (15 recto),(15 verso)
16. 1853 (16 recto),(16 verso)
17. 1853 January 21 (17)
18. 1853 (18)
19. 1853 (19)
20. 1853 (20)
21. 1853 (21)
22. 1853 (22)
23. 1853 June (23)
24. 1853 July (24)
25. 1853 July 26 (25)
26. 1853 July 25 (26)
27. 1853 (27 recto),(27 verso)
28. 1853 October 11 (28 recto),(28 verso)
29. 1853 November 8 (29)
30. 1853 (30)

Divider: 1854

1. 1854 (1)
2. 1854 March (2)
3. 1854 May 26 (3)
4. 1854 June (4)
5. 1854 September 2 (6)

Divider: 1855

1. 1855 January 31 (1)
2. 1855 (2)
3. 1855 (3)
4. 1855 September 1 (4)
5. 1855 January 31 (5 recto),(5 verso)
6. 1855 October 24 until July, 1862 (6)
7. 1855 (7)
8. 1856 (8)
9. 1856 September 15 (9)
10. 1856 September 15 (10)
11. 1856 (11)
12. 1857 February 11 (12)
13. 1857 September 6 (13)
14. 1857 (14)
15. 1857 (15)
16. 1857 (16)
17. 1857 (17)

Divider: 1858

1. 1858 August 10 (1)
2. 1858 January 15 (2)
3. 1858 May 11 (3)
4. 1858 (4)
5. 1858 (5)
6. 1858 June 25 (6)
7. 1858 (7)
8. 1858 September 29 (8)
9. 1859 (9)
10. 1859 late July (10)
11. 1859 (11)
12. 1859 (12 recto),(12 verso)
13. 1859 September 28 (13)
14. 1859 January 25 (14)
15. 1859 January 29 (15)

Divider: 1860

1. 1860 January 19 (1)
2. 1859-1860 (2)
3. 1860 February 24 (3)
4. 1860 March (4)
5. 1860 (5)
6. 1860 (6)
7. 1860 August 14 (7 recto),(7 verso)
8. 1860 October (8)
9. 1861 (9)
10. 1861 (10)
11. 1861 January 29 (11)
12. 1861 June 25 (12)
13. 1862 January 20 (13)
14. 1862 January 2 (14)
15. 1862 February 18 (1)
16. 1863 (16)
17. 1863 (17)

Divider: 1864

1. 1864 October 23 (1)
2. 1865 August 18 or 15 (2)
3. 1865 (3)
4. 1865 (4)
5. 1865 (5)
6. 1865 (6)

Divider: 1866

1. 1866 October 16 (1)
2. 1866 (2)
3. 1867 (3)
4. 1866-1867 (4)
5. 1867 February 23 (5)
6. 1867 February 23 (6 recto),(6 verso)
7. 1867 February 23 (7)
8. 1867 (8)
9. 1867 (9)
10. 1867 (10 recto),(10 verso)
11. 1867 (11)
12. 1867 (12)
13. 1867 December 2 (13)
14. 1868 (14)
15. 1868 September 15 (15)
16. 1869 (16)
17. 1869 (17)
18. 1869 (18)
19. 1869 (19 recto),(19 verso)
20. 1869 (20)

Divider: 1870

1. 1870 January 15 (1)
2. 1870 (2)
3. 1870 (3)
4. 1870 (4)
5. 1870 (5)
6. 1870 (6)
7. 1870 October 19 (7)
8. 1871 (8)
9. 1871 (9 recto),(9 verso)
10. 1871 (10)
11. 1871 (11)

Divider: 1872

1. 1872 January 4 (1)
2. 1872 (2)
3. 1872 (3 recto),(3 verso)
4. 1872 (4)
5. 1873 (5)
6. 1873 (6)
7. 1873 September 23 (7)
8. 1874 (8)
9. 1875 (9 recto),(9 verso)

Divider: 1876

1. 1876 April (1)
2. 1876 (2)
3. 1876 June (3)
4. 1877 (4)

Divider: 1880

1. 1880 (1)
2. 1880 May 23 (2)
3. 1880 May-June (3)
4. 1880 March (4)
5. 1880 (5)
6. 1881 (6)
7. 1880 (7 recto),(7 verso)
8. 1880s (8 recto),(8 verso)
9. 1881 (9)
10. 1880-1881 (10)
11. 1881 (11)
12. 1882 (12)
13. 1882 (13)
14. 1882 (14 recto),(14 verso)
15. 1882 (15)
16. 1883 (16)
17. 1883 (17)

Divider: 1885

1. 1885 (1)
2. 1885 (2 recto),(2 verso)
3. 1885 February 28 (3)
4. 1885 (4)
5. 1885 (5)
6. 1886
7. 1886 (1)
8. 1886 (1)
9. 1886 (1)
10. 1886 (10 recto),(10 verso)
11. 1887 (11)
12. 1887 February 1 (12)
13. 1887 (13)

Divider: 1888

1. 1888 (1 recto),(1 verso)
2. 1889 (2)
3. 1889 (3)
4. 1894 (4)
5. 1894 (5)
6. 1894 (6)
7. 1895 April 6 (7)
8. 1896 (8)
9. 1896 (9)
10. 1896 (10)
11. 1897 September (11 recto),(11 verso)
12. 1897 (12)
13. 1898 (13)
14. 1897 (14)
15. 1899 (15)
16. 1899 March 22 (16)
17. 1889 (17)
18. 1890 (18)
19. 1890 (19)
20. 1890 August 17 (20)
21. 1891 (21)
22. 1891 (22)
23. 1892 (23)
24. 1892 January 1 (24)
25. 1893 (25)

Divider: 1900

1. 1900 February 18 (1)
2. 1900 (2)
3. 1901 June 9 (3)
4. 1903 (4)
5. 1904 (5)
6. 1905 (6)
7. 1905 (7)
8. 1906 June 21 (8)
9. 1906 (9)
10. 1908 March 14 (10)
11. 1908 (11)
12. 1908 (12)
13. 1909-1916 (13)

Divider: 1910

1. 1910 January 31 (1)
2. 1910 (2)
3. 1911 (3)
4. 1911-1912 (4)
5. 1912 August 14 (5)
6. 1912 February 8 (6)
7. 1912 (7)
8. 1912 (8)
9. 1913 February 13 (9)
10. 1913 (10)

Divider: 1915

1. 1915 (1)
2. 1916 (2)
3. 1919 (3)
4. 1916-1920 (4 recto),(4 verso)
5. 1918 May 26 (5)
6. 1918 May 11 (6)
7. 1919 February 15 (7)
8. 1920-1929 (8)
9. 1922 (9)
10. 1923 (10)
11. 1924 (11)

Divider: 1925

1. 1927 (1)
2. 1928 April 10 (2)
3. 1928 January 3 (3)
4. 1929 (4)
5. 1932 (5)
6. 1934 (6)
7. 1934 (7)
8. 1935 (8)
9. 1936 (9)
10. 1937 (10)
11. 1937 July 24 (11)
12. 1938 (12)
13. 1939 (13)

Divider: 1940

1. 1940 (1)
2. 1941 (2)
3. 1941 (3)
4. 1942 (4)
5. 1942 (5)
6. 1944 (6)
7. 1945 (7)
8. 1945 (8)
9. 1946 (9)
10. 1947 (10)
11. 1948 (11)
12. 1949 (12)

Divider: 1950

1. 1950 (1)
2. 1950 (2)
3. 1950 (3)
4. 1950 (4)
5. 1951 (5)
6. 1952 (6)
7. 1953 (7)
8. 1953 (8)
9. 1954 (9)
10. 1955 (10 recto),(10 verso)
11. 1956 (11)
12. 1956 (12)
13. 1956 (13)
14. 1957 (14)
15. 1958 (15)
16. 1958 (16)
17. 1959 (17)
18. 1959 (18)

Divider: 1960

1. 1960 (1)
2. 1960 (2)
3. 1961 (3)
4. 1962 (4)
5. 1962 (5)
6. 1963 (6)
7. 1964 (7)
8. 1964 (8)
9. 1964 (9)
10. 1966 (10 recto),(10 verso)
11. 1968 October (11)
12. 1969 October 22 (12)

Divider: 1970

1. 1970s (1)
2. 1970 (2)
3. 1970 (3)
4. 1971 (4)
5. 1971 September 3 (5)
6. 1972 June 27 (6)
7. 1972 (7)
8. 1973 (8)
9. 1974 (9)

Divider: 1975

1. 1975 August (1)
2. 1975 (2)
3. 1976 (3)
4. 1977 (4)
5. 1977 (5)
6. 1978 May 15 (6)
7. 1978 (7)
8. 1979 (8)

Divider: 1980

1. 1980 June (1)
2. 1983 (2)