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Manuscripts by Subject - Family / Local History- #10691

Title: Roy Johnson and Louis Pfaller

Dates: 1867-1975

Collection Number: 10691

Quantity: 45 feet

Abstract: Newspaper clippings, articles, photographs, maps, pamphlets, and correspondence documenting the research of two historians, Johnson and Pfaller, on Major James McLaughlin, forts, battles, railroads, steamboats, exploration, pioneers, frontier humor, Native Americans, weather, murders, schools, missionaries, etc.

Provenance: The State Historical Society of North Dakota acquired the Johnson and Pfaller Papers from Assumption Abbey in June 1996. The biographical sketches were researched and written by Janet Beltran.

Property Rights:  The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.

Copyrights: Copyrights to this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs.  Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U.S. Code or an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.   

Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
                  
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH – Louis Lawrence Pfaller O.S.B.

Louis Lawrence Pfaller was born at Herreid, South Dakota, March 12, 1923. His father died at a young age and he and his three brothers (Anton, Andrew, and Mike) were raise by his mother, Wallie.

Louis Pfaller came to Richardton in 1937 to do his undergraduate studies. He became a monk in 1943 and was ordained a priest in 1948, both at Assumption Abbey, Richardton, ND. He received a Master of Arts in History in 1950. from Loyola UNiversity.

While at Assumption Abbey Pfaller was a rector and instructor for missions and retreats, and did pastoral work at various parishes. Pfaller also served as chaplain at Sacred Heart Priory, 1956-1857 and as missionary at Twin Buttes, ND, 1964-1975. The Mandans adopted him with the name Blackened Shield.

His interest as an historian was wide ranging and was used in the classrom, as head of the Prep School 1952-1955 and the College 1958-1962, impacting students over many years. He published articles on local history and was president and member of the Board of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. He focused on James McLaughlin and the Roy Johnson Papers. In 1968 he received a grant to collect, arrange, and edit the Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Major James McLaughlin Papers.

Louis Pfaller died at Assumption Abbey November 2, 1979.

Sources:
Monkhouse: The Chronicle of Asumption Abbey, by Terrence G. Kardong
Bismarck Tribune

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH – Roy Paul Johnson

Roy P. Johnson was born at Hendrum, Minnesota May 1, 1899 to Bernhard S. and Kaia (Eckman) Johnson. Bernhard Johnson was a section foreman for the Great Northern Railway. Johnson had two brothers, Lief and F. N. and two sisters, Margaret and Malfried. He attended high school in Halstead, MN and attended the University of Minnesota and Moorhead State College. He married Mary Cordelia LeVitre of Moorhead, MN on June 15, 1921 and there were no children.

In 1916 Johnson was a station agent’s helper and station agent. In 1917 he worked for Western Union telegraph and in 1919 became an Associated Press telegrapher for various newspapers. In 1922 he was the AP telegrapher to the Fargo Forum. In 1927 he worked as a photographer and in the editorial department of the Forum where he worked for many years. He served as a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy in World War II. After the war he returned to work as a journalist and author. His interests included daily news, historical research and writing of regional history, photography and collecti9ng original local source material. He had numerous historical articles published in journals and the Fargo Forum. In 1982 Clarence A. Gasrud published, Roy Johnson’s Red River Valley: a Selection of Historical Articles first Printed in the Forum form 1941-1962.

In 1958 Johnson was appointed to the advisory council for the Civil War Centennial Commission and in 1959 was presented a Civil Service Award from the Fargo Eagles Lodge. In 1960 Johnson was appointed historic advisor to the Dakota Territorial Centennial Commission and to Minnesota committees for centennial observance of the Civil War and Sioux Uprising. He was a member of the Elks Lodge of St. Paul, MN; Shiloh Masonic Lodge; Fargo American Legion; Fargo YMCA advisory board; St. John’s Hospital advisory board charter member; North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Manitoba historical societies; Treasurer and Director of the Clay County (MN) Historical Society; The Westerners, Chicago Chapter; and the Roman Catholic Church.

Roy Johnson died at Fargo on February 20, 1963.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The collection is not processed and has only a preliminary inventory. The materials were originally collected by Roy P. Johnson, who gave them to Father Louis Pfaller. Pfaller worked on the collection, did further research, and added his letters, notes and research materials. It is not evident where the Johnson Papers left off and the Pfaller Papers began as they are intermingled.

BOX / FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1:
1 Westerners, the (Brandbook)
2 Ash, Ben, memoirs     
3 Barry, D.F., Photographs          
4 Fisk Expedition             
5 Fort Dilts          

Box 2:
Fort Abercrombie           

Box 3:
1 Wildlife, ND (plants & trees)   
2 Fort Manuel Lisa, SD
3 Gibbon, General John               

Box 4:
Sully, General Alfred     

Box 5:
1 State Historical Society of North Dakota            
2 Big Mound, Battle of  
3 Brave Bear murder case           

Box 6:
1 Dakota Territory & Centennial               
2 De Trobriand 
3 Dead Buffalo Lake, Battle of   
4 Cass County, ND          
5 Fort Berthold 

Box 7:
1 Fort Buford    
2 Fort Pierre      
3 Fort Yates, Steele, Fisk, Big Horn, Union            
4 Fort Stevenson             
5 Fort Union & nearby Forts       
6 Forts, trading posts, agencies 
7 Apple Creek, Battle of               
8 Fenian Invasion            
9 Frontier characters     
10 Expeditions, frontier
11 Horner, Sgt. Jacob     

Box 8:
Indians (Part 1)

Box 9:
Indians (Part 2)

Box 10:
1 History, general            
2 Fiske, Frank B.               
3 Fort Ransom  
4 The Record, index of  
5 Kittson, Norman W.    
6 Fort Dufferin 
7 Middle Border Bulletins            
8 Cavalier, Charles          
9 Sully's 1865 Expedition              
10 Pope, Gen. John        

Box 11:
Wright, Major Dana       

Box 12:
1 Little Missouri, Badlands, Battle of       
2 Killdeer Mountain, Battle of    
3 Badlands         
4 Whitestone Hill, Battle of         
5 Custer Expedition, 1876, photos           

Box 13:
1 Steele, Col. Matthew F.            
2 Wemett, W. M.            
3 Utley, Robert M.          

Box 14:
Custer Trail, maps, sketches       

Box 15:
1 Teepee Book, excerpts from  
2 Archaeology, ND            
3 UND  
4 Pfaller, Father Louis    
5 Sibley, Gen. H.H.          
6 Writing, Creative          

Box 16:
Railroading, date on (Part 1)       

Box 17:
Railroading, date on (Part 2)       

Box 18:
1 Moorhead, MN data on            
2 Bottineau, Pierre         
3 Steamboating, Red River          
4 Manitoba Historical & Scientific Society              
5 Territorial Crime, (Brughier case)          
6 Fort Meade    
7 Deming, Rev. A. T. (RRV edition)           
8 Neal, Bigelow

Box 19:
1 Holy Cross, also Lewiston         
2 Andreas Atlas of Dakota, excerpts       
3 Anders, Major Frank L.              
4 Nicollet, J. N. 
5 Chronology, ND& Manitoba    
6 Fort Wadsworth           
7 Twin Lakes stockade  
8 Elm River         
9 Verendrye      
10 Fort Pembina              

Box 20:
Georgetown     

Box 21:
1 Frog Point       
2 Taylor, Joseph Henry 
3 Fort Thompson, also Crow Creek Agency          
4 Hawk's nest   
5 Chapin, Jasper B.         
6 Beadle's Pocket Library (Diamond Dick, etc.)   
7 Artists, frontier & later              
8 Maps, ND        
9 Maps, MN      
10 Traill, W. J. S. (also TR Pat McCloy)     

Box 22:
Photographs, historic (Part 1)    

Box 23:
Photographs, historic (Part 2)    

Box 24:
Photographs, historic (Part 3)    

Box 25:
Photographs, historic (Part 4)    

Box 26:
Photographs, historic (Part 5)    

Box 27:
Photographs, historic (Part 6)    

Box 28:
1 Fort Totten and steamboats   
2 Floods              
3 Historical literature     

Box 29:
Fargo, historical notes on            

Box 30:
1 Northrup, Captain Anson         
2 Reno, Major Marcus A.             
3 Turtle Mountains         
4 Fort Garry       
5 Newspapers, old copies           
6 Oddities, historical      
7 Authors, letters from 
8 Pioneer Stories, misc.
9 National Archives        
10 Clay County history MN          
11 Maps, misc. 

Box 31:
1 Literary notes, misc.   
2 Becker County, MN    
3 Weather          

Box 32:
1 Probstfield, R. M.        
2 ND, misc.         
3 Frontier humor, tragedy           
4 Bruhier, John, murder case     
5 Clay County, MN Illustrated    
6 Clay County Historical Society MN        

Box 33:
1 Winnipeg        
2 Indian attacks
3 Genin, Rev. J. E.           
4 Red River Trails             
5 Hatch's Battalion          
6 Abercrombie, Gen. John J.      
7 Graham, Duncan          
8 Weapons        
9 Breckenridge, MN       
10 Bentley, L. R.               
11 Rogers, William Allen               
12 Blizzards        
13 Griggs, Captain Alexander     
14 Wainright, Reverend Richard               
15 Nickles, W. B., Moorhead, MN Editor               

Box 34:
De Camp, Ralph, early artist    

Box 35:
1 Photographers, (Whitestone Hill)         
2 Divet Story     
3 Symphony Orchestra, Fargo-Moorhead            
4 Speeches, by RPJ         
5 Fisher's Landing            
6 Bonanza Farming         
7 Mills, pioneer flour and grist   
8 Thompson's station    
9 Bodkin, W. J.  
10 Blanchard, J.B.            
11 Jimmy from Cork       
12 Fergus, James             
13 Bryant, William Cullen             
14 Geological Survey, I. S. (Powell)          

Box 36:
1 Gates, John    
2 Freeman, Captain Ambrose    
3 Lewis and Clark             
4 Fort Pomme de Terre
5 Graham's Point             
6 Old Crossing   
7 Camp Release               
8 McCauleyville
9 Crawford, Charles W. 
10 Krebsbach, Vernon  
11 Eggleston, Edward    
12 Murphy, Francis (Fort Rice)   

Box 37:
1 Sitting Bull       
2 Peace Garden               
3 Walster, Harlow L.       
4 Fargo Forum  
5 Bismarck/Mandan, history of 
6 Kurz, Rudolph F., artist              
7 Davis, Capt. Nelson A.               
8 Sheyenne City              
9 McDonald, Donald      
10 Lafayette City             
11 International, steamboat       

Box 38:
Stagecoaching, Red River            

Box 39:
1 Patten, Major George W.        
2 Stirling Sisters
3 Hatgrave, J. J. (Red River)        
4 Grace, Bishop Thomas L.          
5 Cheadle           
6 Vander Horck, Capt. John        
7 Red River census, 1860              
8 Whitford, Joe
9 Ransom County history             

Box 40:
Long, Stephen expedition (also Keating #403)     

Box 41:
1 Montana         
2 Selkirk colony
3 Surveying, early           
4 Griffin, Edward             
5 Blakely, Captain Russell             
6 Tache, Bish. Alexander              
7 Northrup, Anson, steamboat 
8 Northrup, George, scout          
9 Otter Tail County, MN               
10 Settlers, Red River Valley       
12 Selkirk, Lord 
13 Mattison, Ray H.        
14 Lull, C. V. P.  
15 Russell, Don 
16 Maps, historical          
17 Eastman, Dr. Charles A.          

Box 42:
De Smet, Father (Part 1)              

Box 43:
De Smet, Father (Part 2)              

Box 44:
De Smet, Father (Part 3)              

Box 45:
1 Books recommended by friends           
2 Godfrey, Captain E. S.
3 Gerard, Fred F.             
4 History sources, local 
5 Trysil 
6 Almanacs        
7 Will, George F.              
8 Hurley, Sister Helen Angela     
9 Western sources of history, "True West"          
10 St. Mark's Church      
11 Photographs, misc.   
12 Johnson, Leif E.          
13 Lake Agassiz
14 Tanner, John               
15 Religion         

Box 47:
1 Photographs, P. Jay Haynes    
2 Black Hills Pioneer       
3 Sisseton-Wahpeton reservation           
4 Indian treaties              
5 Auto Accidents             
6 Buffalos           

Box 48:
Book Dealers    

Box 49:
1 Basken, Molly               
2 Writers Conference, Missoula, MT      
3 Arctic Barrens
4 Manuscripts index, ND Hist. Soc.          
5 Pallister, John
6 Terry, General Alfred H.           
7 Larpenteur, Charles    
8 Bruguier, Theophile    
9 Rulo, Charles 
10 Goose Rapids              
11 Biography     

Box 50:
Keogh Trail         

Box 51:
1 Moorhead, William H.
2 Hudson Bay Company               
3 Taylor, Bayard               
4 Telegraph Lines, early
5 Aymond, Capt. Frank, & Chas. C. Coffin             
6 Seat of Empire Book   
7 Bernhardson story      
8 Sheyenne River            
9 McLeod, Martin           
10 Grand Forks, history
11 Owego           
12 Pidgeon Point             
13 Carts, Red River         
14 Poetry, pioneer         
15 Riel, Louis     
16 Hudson Bay 
17 Historically yours       
18 Aulneau, Father         
19 Log drives     
20 Walhalla        
21 Craig, Sergeant Hugh               
22 Fort Abraham Lincoln              
23 De Mores, Marquis  

Box 52:
1 Belcourt, Rev. G. A.    
2 James, Jesse  
3 Malnoria, Chas. Sr.      
4 Agard, Louis   
5 McKenzie, Alex            
6 Rain-in-the-Face          
7 Gall, Chief       
8 Crazy Horse    
9 Crow Dog vs. USA.      
10 Marsh, Andrew          
11 Creighton, Charles (Chips)     
12 Hosmer, J. Allen         
13 Gay 
14 Hickok, J. (Wild Bill)   
15 Franklin Expedition   
16 Vigilantes      
17 Slaughter, Linda         
18 Arnold, Ben 
19 U.S. Mail       
20 Nobles Expedition    
21 Texas Historical Society           
22 Soldiers graves           
23 Sommereisen, Reverend Valentine  
24 Caledonia     

Box 54:
1 St. Boniface Cathedral               
2 Seeger, Capt. J. S.        
3 Houston, David H.       
4 Dentists, early               
5 Schools, early
6 Stevenson, Donald     
7 Oregon Trail   
8 Sumner Expedition     
9 Fur Trade, Red River   
10 Rosser, Gen. Thomas L.          
11 Brunsdale, Norman  
12 Cheese factories       
13 Breweries     
14 Cows              
15 Kurtz & Mackall          
16 Teaming        
17 Mark Twain  
18 Epigrams       
19 Bond, Wesley             
20 Lutheran Church        
21 Halstad, MN
22 Hendrum, MN            
23 Hutchinson, E. R.       
24 Smith, Job    
25 Moccasin      
26 Moorhead, MN Daily News  
27 Slides, The    
28 Movius, G. W. (Spike)             
29 Porter, Dr. H. A.         
30 Dakota Territory, 1st Census
31 Pelton, E. H. 

Box 55:
1 Art     
2 Cody, W. F. (Buffalo Bill)           
3 Cemeteries    
4 Carrier pigeons             
5 Wheaton, Colonel Loyd            
6 Longest sentence in English language 
7 Oakley, Annie               
8 Thortvedt, Orabel       
9 Rolette, Joseph            
10 Census, special of 1861           
11 Agricultural College, ND          
12 Schelderup, Bim        
13 Murders        
14 Hayes, President Rutherford B.          
15 Stanley, Robert, stage driver
16 Blanding, ND               
17 Rae, Dr. John               
18 Knox, Olive  
19 Christmas     
20 Hotels            
21 Trading Posts              
22 Earthquakes
23 Oakes Site    
24 County boundaries, changes in           
25 Trapping        
26 Editorials       
27 Churches      
28 Dates, important       
29 Physicians, early        
30 Mosquitoes 
31 Preachers     
32 Lumbering    
33 Elevators, grain          
33 Viets, Frank 
35 Evans, Albert               
36 Riel, Louis, also 242   
37 Lewiston, Lewis         
38 Gingras, Antoine       
39 Overlanders, The      
40 Dakota City  
41 Northern Pacific Railroad       

Box 56:
1 Slayton Family               
2 Chippewa stage station            
3 Alexandria, MN            
4 Bohnsack, Charles       
5 Butte, St. Paul  
6 Paulson, H. D. by-gone years columns  
7 Otter Tail City   
8 Dickson, Robert             
9 Red River            
10 Smith, B. W.  
11 Glyndon, MN  
12 Tornados    
13 Canadian trip of 1955   
14 Fairs     
15 Battlefields      
16 Sacks, Ltd., Montreal  
17 Marble, Manton      
18 Hind exploring expedition    
19 Harper's magazine     
20 Glueck, Alvin, excerpts from his mss.  
21 Stein, Adam  
22 Ghost towns   
23 Hales, James

Box 57:
Personal (RPJ)  

Box 58:
1 Telephones
2 Chatterbox 
3 Auto accidents (also 213)         
4 Clement, Basil               
5 Burdick, Usher L.          
6 Minnesota Historical Society   
7 St. John's Hospital       
8 Lakes
9 Schools            
10 Minnesota History    
11 Automobiles, history of          
12 Wild Rice, ND              
13 Education     

Box 59:
1 Morse Club    
2 Catholic Faith 
3 Lynchings        
4 Dams, Fort Berthold Indian Removal   
5 White House, letters  
6 Cattle (also 283)           
7 Gold discoveries          
8 St. Ansgar Hospital, MN            
9 Tenney, Luman H.       
10 Fires
11 Elmer, Rev. O. H.       
12 Lime Kilns     
13 Wells Fargo Express 
14 Scott, Capt. J. W.       
15 Diseases        
16 Winship, George B.
17 Journalism
18 Fletcher Story             
19 Brown, Joseph R.      
20 Keating Narrative      
21 Woods-Pope Expedition        

Box 60:
1 Book reviews
2 South Dakota maps    
3 South Dakota Historical Society             
4 Coxey's Army
5 Ohio  
6 Medora           
7 American Philosophical Society             
8 Library of Congress     
9 Institute for Regional Studies 
10 Renville, J.    
11 Trees- tree planting 
12 Itasca Park    
13 Nebraska Historical Society   
14 Columns, editorials   
15 Owens Expedition    
16 Mennonites
17 Fargo Tornado            
18 Douglas, William        
19 Warren Expedition   
20 Montana Historical Society    
21 Mississippi Valley Historical Assoc.     
22 Wisconsin Historical Society  
23 Smithsonian Institute              
24 Necrologies 
25 Museums, Private    
26 Thompson, David      
27 Beltrami        
28 Caxton Printers          
29 Stevens, Prof. O. A.  
30 Leadership   
31 Greeley Expedition  
32 Colonies, NP RR.        
33 Burlington, (ND) RR  
34 Lee, Ida Prokop          
35 Cunningham, Maj., Expedition            
36 Fort Gaines  

Box 61:
1 Civil War Centennial Commission          
2 Brown, George D.       
3 McCloy, T. R. (Pat)       
4 Rivers               
5 Human Rights
6 Lund case        
7 Gooding, Walter C.     
8 Watson Crossing          
9 Boutwell, Rodney C.   
10 Bates, Capt. J. C.        
11 McAuliffe, Eugene    
12 Mooers, Calvin Mrs. 
13 Ross & Haines             
14 Geography   
15 Writing Rocks              
16 Nature           
17 Washburn, ND            
18 Bicycles          
19 Cahill, Holger               
20 Connolly, James B.    
21 Missouri Historical Society     
22 Treasure hunting       
23 Stephanson, Vihjalmar           
24 Farming & Ranching 
25 Little Rock     
26 Donan, Col. Pat          
27 Bridges          
28 Clouston, Robert Ms.              
29 Hales, Andrew            
30 Alaska            
31 Hillsboro Banner        
32 Ferries           
33 Tabashaw, Chief        
34 Fort Ripley    
35 Braddock's Defeat    
36 Newberry Library      
37 Plat Sheets, twp.       
38 Stevens Expedition of 1853   
39 Smith, Lt. Col. J.F., Expedition              
40 Sayer, Guillaume, (Wm.)        
41 Ballenden, John         
42 Lund, Olaff   
43 Ramsey Expedition   
44 Place Names               
45 McCloy, Pat 
46 Checkered Years       
47 Nuskoda       
48 Sweeney, James, narrative
49 Meyers, Pvt. Frank, narrative              

Box 62:
1 Horticulture   
2 Porrest, Earle R.           
3 Encyclopedia Brittanica             
4 Aviation           
5 Cowboys         
6 Rekindling Campfires, (index)
7 Robinson, Judge, J. E.
8 Missionaries, early      
9 Burke, John    
10 Fort Daer      
11 Forty-ninth Parallel
12 GAR & American Legion         
13 Column 8 extras         
14 Leisure           
15 Lord Gordon Gordon               
16 Essay Contest (Dakota Centennial)    
17 Water             
18 New Mexico
19 Column 8 extras         

Box 63:
1 Courts              
2 Chicago Historical Society, IL   
3 Directories, Fargo, ND 1879     
4 Historical notes from Fargo Argus         
5 Woolworth, Alan R.    
6 NDSU
7 Traill County   
8 Photography 
9 Palmer, Bertha             
10 Sibley, ND     
11 Tower City, ND           
12 Schmirler, A.A.A.       
13 Boy Scouts   
14 Stickney, Dr. & Dorothy          

Box 64:
Roosevelt, Theodore    

Box 65:
1 Gannon, Clell 
2 Hanson, Joseph Mills 
3 Missouri River               
4 Whipple, Bishop Henry B.        
5 Beach, N. Dak.              
6 Yellowstone Confluence Commission 
7 Vikings & Rune Stones              
8 Norway Trip, 1960       
9 Oil      

Box 66:
Johnson, Roy P.               

Box 67:
1 Chautauqua   
2 Reid, Russell  
3 Hebron, ND    
4 Paxson, artist
5 Marty, Bishop Martin 
6 Nielson, Minnie            
7 Marshall County, MN 
8 Yerkes, Charles Tyson
9 Hughes, Bob  
10 Desegregation            
11 Morgan, Louis Henry, Journal              
12 Hawley, MN
13 Santa Fe & SW of U. S.         
14 Elephant Hunt            
15 Hagen, Olaf J.              
16 Belfield, ND 
17 Laroque's Journal      

Box 68:
Miscellaneous  

Box 70-80
Newspapers and oversize material

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