[Rarebooks] FS: 1911 Indian Mound Builders -Eccentric Collector Study

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

TITLE: “The Indian or Mound Builder. The Indians, Mode of Living, 
Manners, Customs, Dress, Ornaments, etc., Before the White Man Cam,e to 
the Country, Together with a List of Relics Gathered by the Author. 
Geology, Ethnology and Archaeology of this Country and the Pacific 
Tribes Treated to a Limited Extent”

By Thomas Beckwith.
Published in Cape Girardeau, MO. by Naeter Bros. Publishers in 1911.

DISCUSSION: A somewhat eccentric and completely charming study of some 
of the objects Beckwith excavated over a period of some 30 years of 
amateur digging on his Missouri farmland. A series of 14 plates shows 
large portions of his collection as it was then displayed, and a dozen 
more plates show a vaguely native-looking man clothed in what appears to 
be a fringed Jesuit robe holding and using some of the tools.

Goodspeed's 'History of Southeast Missouri' (1888) provides some 
biographical information on the interesting life of Thomas Beckwith 
(1840-1913)- "Thomas Beckwith was born in Mississippi County, Mo., on 
January 24, 1840. Thomas was reared on his father's farm, which 
consisted of about 1,100 acres of land, besides a large wood-yard. He 
labored on the farm and about the wood-yard and saw-mill until he became 
of age. In 1861 he enlisted in Price's company ( 1st Regiment 1st 
Division Missouri), which was organized under the old system. He served 
about three months, with the rank of third lieutenant, when he was taken 
down with the measles. In February 1862, he was captured at Long 
Prairie, and was confined in prison about five months, during which time 
he suffered many hardships, as the prison was dirty and filthy. After 
his release he returned home and resumed farming. Mr. Beckwith is one of 
the substantial men of Southeast Missouri. He owns over 3,000 acres of 
land in his own title, and a half interest in 4,000 more. He deals some 
in stock, horses, etc. and, makes loans. He now has his farms rented, 
and spends his spare time in exploring the mounds left by the Mound 
Builders in Southeast Missouri, and has one, of finest collections of 
stones and pottery in this portion of the State."

The collection is now held at the Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II 
Museum at Southeast Missouri State University. The museum website notes- 
"The Thomas Beckwith Collection contains 900 whole ceramic vessels and 
effigy fragments plus about 1,500 lithics. Beckwith excavated the pieces 
at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries from mounds 
on his property in southeast Missouri. In 1913, Beckwith donated his 
collection to the Third District Normal School, the predecessor to 
Southeast Missouri State University. Since 1976, the collection has been 
housed in the Southeast Missouri Regional Museum. The collection 
provides unique insights into the culture and lives of prehistoric 
Native peoples of this region."

DESCRIPTION: Hardcover. 6"x9", 135 pages, portrait frontispiece, 3 color 
plates, 12 + 14 black & white plates. Inscribed "Compliments of the 
author" on the endpaper.

CONDITION NOTES: Covers with light wear, minor soil and some fading, 
slightly bowed. Contents with scattered foxing and light soil.

PRICE: $125-

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