Wilson, Gilbert Livingstone, 1868-1930

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Presbyterian Minister, ethnologist.

From the description of Papers, 1915-1916. (State Historical Society of North Dakota State Archives). WorldCat record id: 18088900

Ethnologist.

Wilson conducted field work among the Hidatsa Indians of North Dakota between 1908 and 1918.

From the description of Papers, 1915-1933. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155512133

Gilbert Livingstone Wilson was born in October 1869 in Springfield, Ohio, the oldest son of Samuel and Mary (Russell) Wilson. He was educated at Lake Forest and Wittenberg (Ohio) Colleges, graduating from the latter in 1896. He went on to Princeton Theological Seminary, where he completed studies for the Presbyterian ministry in 1899. After leaving seminary, he moved to the Midwest, where his first pastorate was in Moorhead, Minnesota (1900-1902). Later he served as pastor in Mandan (1902-1905) and Langdon (1905-1907), North Dakota, before moving back to Minnesota where he was pastor at Shiloh Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis (1907-1917), First Presbyterian Church in Stillwater (1917-1920), and Lexington Parkway Presbyterian Church in St. Paul (1927-1930).

Wilson's interest in American Indians dated back to his boyhood, when he was a fan of Indian myths and history. When his ministerial work took him to Mandan, North Dakota, he had an opportunity to meet and study the Indians at nearby Standing Rock and Fort Berthold Reservations. His early work was in collecting Indian myths, many of which he later published in two children's books, Myths of the Red Children (1907) and Indian Hero Tales (1917). He also collected Indian artifacts, many of which he later donated to the Minnesota Historical Society. His archaeological work soon brought the attention of Clark Wissler at the American Museum of Natural History and, from 1907 through 1918, the museum sponsored his ethnographic studies of the Fort Berthold tribes. His artist brother, Frederick N. (1876-1961), accompanied him much of the time and provided illustrations for the books and reports that Gilbert wrote. The Wilson brothers became close to a man known in English as Goodbird and through him to his mother, Buffalo Bird Woman, and her brother, Wolf Chief. Eventually, the brothers were formally adopted into the clan of the prairie chicken people, by whom Gilbert was known as "Yellow Chicken."

Goodbird and his family were the chief informants for Gilbert's extensive studies and through his friendship with the family Wilson was able to collect a great deal of unique information, particularly in the area of Indian agricultural practices. In 1916, Wilson was the recipient of the University of Minnesota's first Ph.D. in anthropology. His thesis, "The Agriculture of the Hidatsa Indians: An Indian Interpretation" was published in 1917 and republished in 1987 by the Minnesota Historical Society as Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden: Agriculture of the Hidatsa Indians. Wilson went on to publish several other books and articles for both children and academics. From 1920 to 1925, Wilson took a break from pastoral duties to serve as a professor of anthropology at St. Paul's Macalester College.

Gilbert Wilson died on June 8th, 1930 at his St. Paul home after an illness of several months.

From the guide to the Gilbert L. and Frederick N. Wilson papers., 1894-1936., (Minnesota Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Wilson, Gilbert Livingstone, 1868-1930. Gilbert L. Wilson : diaries, notebooks, and reports, undated and 1905-1929 [microform]. University of North Dakota, Chester Fritz Library
creatorOf Wilson, Gilbert Livingstone, 1868-1930. Gilbert L. and Frederick N. Wilson papers, 1894-1936. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Papers, 1915-1933. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Wilson, Gilbert Livingstone, 1868-1930. Papers, 1915-1916. State Historical Society of North Dakota State Archives
creatorOf Gilbert L. and Frederick N. Wilson papers., 1894-1936. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Gilbert Livingstone Wilson photography collection [graphic], 1906-1919. Minnesota Historical Society
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Buckley, John P. person
associatedWith Buckley, John P. person
associatedWith Buffalo-Bird-Woman. person
associatedWith Catlin, George, 1796-1872. person
associatedWith DeRockbraine, Antoine. person
associatedWith DeRockbraine, Antoine. person
associatedWith Four Bears. person
associatedWith Four Bears. person
associatedWith Frosted, Thomas. person
associatedWith Frosted, Thomas. person
associatedWith Good Bird. person
associatedWith Goodbird, Edward. person
associatedWith Goose, John. person
associatedWith Goose, John. person
associatedWith Grass, John. person
associatedWith Hairy Coat, 1836- person
associatedWith Hall, Charles Lemon, 1847-1940. person
associatedWith Heye, George Gustav, 1874- person
associatedWith Lemmon, George E. person
associatedWith Lemmon, George E. person
associatedWith Leupp, Francis Ellington, 1849-1918. person
associatedWith Macalester College. corporateBody
associatedWith McLaughlin, James, 1842-1923. person
associatedWith McLaughlin, Mary Louise, 1843- person
associatedWith Princeton Theological Seminary. corporateBody
associatedWith Red Fish. person
associatedWith Red Fish. person
associatedWith Shoots Walking. person
associatedWith Shoots Walking. person
associatedWith Sitting Bull, 1834?-1890. person
associatedWith Steen, Isaac Newton. person
associatedWith Steen, Issac Newton. person
associatedWith Waheenee, 1839?- person
associatedWith Weitzner, Bella. person
associatedWith Wilson, Frederick N., 1876-1961. person
associatedWith Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924. person
associatedWith Wissler, Clark, 1870-1947. person
associatedWith Wittenberg College. corporateBody
associatedWith Wolf Chief. person
associatedWith Wolf Chief. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
North America
North Dakota
Fort Berthold Indian Reservation (N.D.)
Fort Stevenson (N.D.)
Like-a-Fish-Hook Village (N.D.).
Saint Paul (Minn.)
Fort Berthold Indian Reservation (N.D.)
Moorhead (Minn.).
Standing Rock Indian Reservation (N.D. and S.D.).
Fort Berthold Indian Reservation (N.D.)
Fort Yates (N.D.).
Like-a-Fish-Hook Village (N.D.)
North Dakota
North Dakota
Saint Paul (Minn.)
Minnesota
Fort Berthold Reservation (North Dakota)
Fort Yates (N.D.)
Standing Rock Indian Reservation (N.D. and S.D.)
Fort Stevenson (N.D.).
North America
Moorhead (Minn.)
Fort Berthold Indian Reservation (N.D.).
Subject
Anthropology
Arikara Indians
Cattle trade
Cattle trade
Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Church
Crime
Dakota Indians
Divorce
Dogs
Eagles
Earth houses
Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany
Ethnology
Ethnology
Hidatsa Indians
Hidatsa Indians
Hidatsa Indians
Hidatsa language
Homosexuality
Horses
Indian art
Indian art
Indian children
Indian children
Indian mythology
Indian mythology
Indian pottery
Indian pottery
Indian reservations
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indian weapons
Indian weapons
Language and languages
Mandan Indians
Names, Indian
Names, Indian
Oratory
Tattooing
Occupation
Anthropologists
Ethnologists
Activity

Person

Birth 1868

Death 1930-06-08

Americans

English

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