Siebert, Frank T. (Frank Thomas), 1912-1998

Frank T. Siebert was a pathologist, self-taught linguist and collector of books on North American Indians and the American frontier. He was dedicated to preserving the Penobscot language and was the compiler of a Penobscot dictionary. Bryant Richard Garrett, the donor of the collection, worked closely with Dr. Siebert and carries on the work of documenting and preserving the Penobscot language.

From the description of Penobscot and Algonquian related notes of Frank T. Siebert. 1934-1964. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 277681366

Physician, linguist and book collector.

Frank T. Siebert, a physician, became widely recognized as a pre-eminent authority in the field of American Indian languages, particularly of the Penobscot of Maine. Trained as a pathologist at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1930s, by the 1960s Siebert was deeply involved in linguistic studies and the amassing of a large and unequalled library of books and manuscripts concerning the American Indian. By all accounts, Siebert was a difficult and unlikable man. Described as abrasive and paranoid, he became increasingly reclusive as he aged, living in Penobscot to learn the disappearing language of the tribe in order to produce a dictionary of it. He published extensively in scholarly journals, focusing mostly on the languages and legends of various tribes, and he never stopped his fanatical search for rare publications on these subjects. At his death in 1998, Siebert's collection had never been seen by his colleagues in anthropology and linguistics, by the dealers and collectors from whom he bought books, or by his family. His library sold at a Sotheby's auction in 1999 for over twelve million dollars.

From the description of Frank T. Siebert papers, 1926-1987, bulk 1940-1956. (Newberry Library). WorldCat record id: 396349498

Frank Siebert (1913-1998) is one of the key contributors to the field of Algonquian linguistics. While he did not pursue a degree in linguistics or anthropology, he independently acquired the skills and knowledge of a professional scholar. His work on Penobscot is some of the best and most comprehensive in existence.

Siebert began his Penobscot research in 1932 while an undergraduate studying chemistry at Haverford College. It was in this year that he made his first trip to Indian Island, Maine in the Penobscot Reservation. While a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, Siebert continued to pursue his interest in anthropological linguistics. He received training in this field by attending lectures by Franz Boas and Edward Sapir. He associated with Frank Speck and the anthropologists and linguists who congregated in Speck’s office. Throughout his career as a pathologist, Siebert continued his Penobscot field work. He also had an interest in Catawba, which he did field research on in 1941, during a six month break from medical school. Later in life, he studied secondary sources on the language. After his retirement, Siebert dedicated all his time to his research. In 1968, he moved to Old Town, Maine so he could work more frequently with his informants.

When Siebert began his research, there were about one hundred fluent speakers of Penobscot. Over the years, Siebert worked with many informants. His longest collaboration was with Andrew Dana, with whom he worked closely for over thirty years. Over the course of Siebert’s life, most of the Penobscots fluent in their native language died. This left Siebert among, or possibly, the last speaker with any great knowledge of the language. He continued his work up to his death in 1998, leaving much of it unpublished.

Some of Siebert’s work built on existing studies of Algonquian languages. Siebert’s mentor, Frank Speck, had worked on both Penobscot and Catawba. Also, Siebert’s work on Proto-Algonquian began with a correction of Leonard Bloomfield’s reconstruction. However, as Siebert felt strongly that scholars should do their own research, all his writings have come from his own field work. This research formed the basis of some of the most important contributions to the field of Algonquian linguistics. His Penobscot Dictionary is the most complete documentation of the language in existence. Siebert also collected folklore and history of the Penobscot Indians, which he compiled in a volume called Penobscot Texts. While most of his work was linguistic, Siebert also wrote articles on Algonquian history. He combined these interests in his reconstruction of Proto-Algonquian and a study of eighteenth century Virginia Algonquian. He used a knowledge of natural history as well as linguistics and history to identify the original homeland of the Algonquians.

Siebert maintained a frequent correspondence with his mentors and colleagues, including C.F. Voegelin, Frank Speck, Edward Sapir, Ives Goddard, Gordon Day and Willard Walker. Through letters, they shared ideas and augmented each other’s work. Siebert was also an avid book collector, amassing a large and valuable collection of works on United States and American Indian history. In addition, he belonged to several historical and archeological societies. Siebert was awarded grants by the Guggenheim Foundation, the NSF and NEH to carry out his research.

From the guide to the Frank Siebert Papers, 1932-1998, (American Philosophical Society)