Cadzow, Donald Adams, 1894-1960

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Donald Adams Cadzow worked on expeditions and archeological excavations for George Gustav Heye and the Museum of the American Indian from 1916 until 1927. Between 1917 and 1919, Cadzow, collected artifacts and archaeological materials from the Copper and Kogmollok Eskimo, the Loucheux, Slavey, and Woodland Cree of Alberta, Canada.

In 1919, Cadzow assisted Alanson Skinner on an archeological excavation in Cayuga County, New York. Cadzow next worked with Mark Harrington: excavating a site on Staten Island, New York in 1920; on the Hawikku expedition to study Zuni Indian culture in McKinley County, New Mexico in 1921; and to Arkansas and Missouri in 1922. In 1924 and 1925 he conducted an expedition to a prehistoric Algonkian burial site on Frontenac Island, Cayuga Lake, in New York; traveled to the Bungi tribe in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, and the Prairie Cree in Saskatchewan, Canada. He continued this work in 1926 again visiting the Prairie Cree and also the Bush Cree in Saskatchewan, the Assiniboin in Saskatchewan and Alberta; the Iroquois and the Northern Piegan (Blackfoot) in Alberta.

In 1927, the last year that Cadzow worked for Heye, he assisted George P. Putnam on an expedition to Baffin Island and the Hudson Bay district to visit the Sikosuilarmiut, Akuliarmiut, and Quaumauangmiut Eskimos. He was born the son of Hugh and Nellie Cadzow, was born in Auburn, New York in 1894. In 1911, at the age of 17, he traveled to the far Canadian Northwest to live with his uncle Daniel Cadzow at the Rampart House, a Hudson Bay Company trading post on the Alaska-Yukon boundary line. After five years there, Cadzow returned to the United States. He began working for George Gustav Heye in the fall of 1916, but enlisted as seaman in the U.S.N.R.F. on January 20, 1918, only to be released from service on December 22 that same year. He returned to work for Heye at the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation on January 1, 1919, and worked there until 1928.

In May of 1928 he took a job in the Bond Department of Lage & Co., a brokerage company in New York City. He was state archeologist for the Pennsylvania Historical Commission from circa 1929-39; and executive secretary from 1939-1945. He was also treasurer of the Eastern States Archeological Federation from 1940-42. In 1945 he was named executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and held the position until 1956. He died on February 9, 1960, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. During his career Cadzow gave a number of lectures and radio talk programs, and published extensively in Indian Notes (Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, New York), for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, in a variety of publications, and several books.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf United States. Work Projects Administration. Pennsylvania. Reports, 1918-1948. American Philosophical Society Library
contributorOf Baffinland Inuit Bag National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.)
creatorOf Kenneth C. Miller photograph collection National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Archive Center
creatorOf Donald A. Cadzow photograph collection National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Archive Center
referencedIn John A. Pope diaries and related records of the Morrissey Expedition, 1927 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation records National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Archive Center
creatorOf Museum of the American Indian/Heye Foundation ethnographic film collection National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Archive Center
referencedIn Princeton University Library Collection of Western Americana Photographs (mostly 1870-1915) 1840-1998 Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hendricks-Hodge Hawikku Expedition photograph collection National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Archive Center
referencedIn United States. Work Projects Administration (Pa.) Reports, 1918-1948, 1918-1948 American Philosophical Society
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Donald Cadzow, Arctic explorer: 1894-1960
Place Name Admin Code Country
Auburn NY US
Subject
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Birth 1894-02-12

Death 1960-02-09

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