Collection: John E. Rees papers | Idaho State Archives

Summary

Correspondence and notes relating to Idaho's Native American history; manuscript copies of "Western State Names of Indian Origin: Idaho Gem of the Mountains", "The Shoshoni Contribution to the Lewis and Clark Expedition", "Notes on Old Fort Lemhi" and "Arapaho Massacre Told in Petroglyphs" by Judge James L. Fuller, edited by Rees; and correspondence concerning Sacajawea.

Dates

Creation: 1917 - 1925

Biographical Note

John Ephriam Rees was born in January 1868 in DuQuoin, Illinois. The son of Robert Gilliham Rees and Electra Needham Rees, the family moved to Lemhi County, Idaho in 1877. His father operated the general merchandise store at the Lemhi Indian Agency where he worked for 17 years. Growing up in Lemhi County and working in the store, he was afforded the opportunity to study the Native American culture first-hand. He became a life-long student of Idaho's native peoples, writing extensively on his discoveries.

It is unknown if he received a formal education. He taught history and literature in Salmon City schools for 15 years and also served as the Prosecuting Attorney for Lemhi County in 1918. Rees died on September 23, 1928 of heart failure.