Frank B. Fiske

[Dietmar]

Here´s an article on photographer Frank B. Fiske:

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nalakota/mbbsjttwbb/frankbfiske_sj042452_obituary.htm

Selfridge Journal
Volume No. 35 Number 17
SELFRIDGE (SIOUX COUNTY) NORTH DAKOTA,
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1952.

Frank Fiske



Funeral services were held from the Catholic church in Fort Yates on Tuesday, with Rev. Father Alfred, O.S.B., officiating, for Frank B. Fiske, age 69, writer and colorful authority on Indian history, who passed away at a Bismark hospital, on July 18, after several years of illness.

He was known throughout the Dakotas as an Indian authority, and has lived among the Indians on this reservation since 1889, at Fort Yates. He was born at Old Fort Bennett, in 1882. His father was a soldier there.

Mr. Fiske married Angela Cournoyer, an Indian woman at Fort Yates, and the widow and a married daughter, Francien, survive him; also one sister, Mrs. L. t. McKinstry of Fargo. Burial was made in the Catholic cemetary beside his parents.

He was a veteran of World War I, and served Sioux county for years as county auditor and county treasurer. He also has served for years as chairman of the county Red Cross; War Bonds chairman, and chairman for Sioux county of the Greater North Dakota Association. For years he has served as justice of the peace, and was again nominated for this office at the recent primary election.

Mr. Fiske has operated a photography shop in Fort Yates since 1900. In 1912, he became an assistant river boat pilot on the Missouri river. He was active in river trade for five years. For a time he resided at McLaughlin in 1925, but returned back to Fort Yates.

He recorded Indian legends and vivid Dakota historical background in numerous articles and books. He was in the center of the history-making "Sioux Outbreak of 1890-91. During that period there were nearly 3,000 troops in the field in the Sioux country and some 6,000 Sioux warriors. Orders were given to the noted scout, William F. Cody, better known as "Buffalo Bill," to induce Sitting Bull and several other chiefs to make terms. Buffalo Bill, who was believed to have influence with Sitting Bull, was to proceed to Standing Rock to induce Sitting Bull to come in, with authority to make such terms as might be necessary and if unsuccessful to arrest him and remove him from Fort Yates. Cody arrived at Fort Yates Nov. 28, 1890, where he visited at the Fiske home. Cody was about to undertake the arrest when his orders were countermanded under the belief that military interference was liable to provoke a conflict.

Mr. Fiske was a colorful and prominent character. Among his talents was the ability to play a good fiddle. Many of the numerous friends and pioneers he leaves behind can recall hearing him play the fiddle at dances, events and over radio stations, along with his musical partner in those years, Jack Carrigan.

Fiske enlisted in the army at St. Louis in 1918 and served in World War I. In 1929 he became publisher of the Fort Yates Pioneer-Arrow, and operated it successfully until he sold the paper to its present publisher, J. Bernard Smith, Selfridge.

His 1947 canoe journey was to provide him with data for his major historical work and to provide a highlight for Bismarck's diamond jubilee celebration. He traveled in a 14-foot craft named "Far West," accompanied by William Lemons, a Fort Yates teacher. In 1950, he received the North Dakota art award in New York, having been recognized for his Indian portraits by the State American Art Week Committee.

He also wrote two books, "Life and Death of Sitting Bull" and the "Taming of the Sioux". He was working on another book at the time of his death. Frank as a boy became interested in photography. He soon began building up a collection of Indian photographs, and has the largest collection to be found anywhere. Among his pictures is one of Red Tomahawk which later was reproduced and now is on North Dakota highway markers. He also has in his collections pictures of many famous Indian chiefs.

[Dietmar]

I´ve been contacted by a grandson of a merchant at Standing Rock in 1910-1940, who owns some rare photographs taken at Ft. Yates by Frank Bennett Fiske.

He was so kind to share some scans with us. As you can see, the photos are extraordinary beautiful portraits.
If anyone is interested in 8x10 prints of them, please contact me and I would provide you with an email-address, where they are available for purchase.


Tom Frosted by Frank Fiske


Mrs. Good Cloud by Frank Fiske, 1931


Tatiye by Frank Fiske


Thank you, Mark!

[nicolas (carlo)]

www.amazon.com/Standing-Rock-Portraits-Photographed-1900-1915/dp/9089897712/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530191830&sr=1-1

[Californian]

here is a biography, courtesy of Wikipedia and authored by me

Frank Bennett Fiske was an early 20th century photographer primarily active among the Lakota Sioux on Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North and South Dakota. Fiske was born June 11, 1883 at Fort Bennett in Dakota Territory, son of George E. Fiske, a soldier at the post and of Louise, née Otter. The elder Fiske originally hailed from Baltimore MD, had been trained as an artist working as a set painter in theatres, spending some time at sea traveling multiple times to South America and enlisting in the early 1870s into the US military, first getting posted to Arizona Territory and later to Fort Sully and Fort Bennett in Dakota Territory. Soon after Frank’s birth, his father resigned from the military to take up ranching on a claim approx. 60 miles north of Pierre. By 1888, on account of the persisting drought, the Fiskes gave up ranching and removed to Fort Yates, North Dakota on Standing Rock Indian Reservation, where the elder Fiske found work as a wagon master. Frank attended school at Fort Yates and the local boarding school with Indian children between 1890 and 1900. Fiske was apprenticed to Stephen T. Fansler, the post photographer at Fort Yates. When Fansler abandoned the studio in 1900, Fiske took over, aged 17, following into the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors, the legendary photographers Orlando Scott Goff and David Francis Barry. He continued to operate his studio, primarily at Fort Yates, until his death in 1952. Around the same time at the turn of the century, Frank’s parents moved to a ranch near Fort Rice. Having grown up among the Lakota people of Standing Rock Indian Reservation Frank developed a great interest and admiration about the Sioux nation, their history and culture documenting many aspects of their lives through his photography. He was fascinated listening to the stories of the old warriors. In 1917 he published his first book “The Taming of the Sioux”. In 1918 Fiske enlisted in the army and briefly served in World War I, albeit he was not sent overseas. The following year, on his birthday he married Angela Cournoyer, a direct descendant of chief Forked Horn and fur trader Joseph Picotte. In 1921, their only daughter Francine was born. In 1933 Fiske published his second book, “Life and Death of Sitting Bull”. Among Fiske's photographs is one of Red Tomahawk, Sitting Bull’s assassin, which later was reproduced and now is on North Dakota highway markers. In 1950 Fiske received the North Dakota Art Award for his lifetime achievement as a photographer, earning recognition for his Indian portraits by the State American Art Week Committee. Frank Fiske died aged 69 of heart failure at the Bismarck Hospital on July 18, 1952. He was interred next to his parents at St. Peter's Catholic Church cemetery at Fort Yates, ND. Some time after Fiske’s death a large portion of his Indian photographs were deposited with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and over time became the property of that institution.

[Californian]

new coffee table book published in 2018 with the subject of Frank Bennett Fiske photographs:


The Standing Rock portraits

Sioux photographed by Frank Bennett Fiske 1900-1915

by Murray Lemley
, Lannoo Publishers, B-8700 Tielt, Belgium 2018

Amazing portrait photography of the Fort Yates Native Americans
. More than a hundred years ago (1899) photographer Frank Bennett Fiske (1883-1952) began photographing members of the Standing Rock Sioux in his studio at Fort Yates, North Dakota. He was 16 years old when he took over the studio from S.T. Fansler. The men and women Fiske photographed were his friends and neighbours, Native Americans who had lived on this reservation for more than 20 years. Fiske lived there nearly all his life. Made with a large studio camera on glass plate negatives, the resulting images are stunning in their clarity and composition and have rarely been seen in public and never published in book form until now. Dakota native, photographer and graphic designer, Murray Lemley, has curated a selection of Fiske's work for the world to see for the first time.

[grahamew]

www.lannoo.be/sites/default/files/books/issuu/9789089898173.pdf


Crazy Walking


Rain in the Face


Joseph No Heart


Kicks Iron


One Bull


Theresa Yellow Lodge


One Bull


'Medicine Joe' No Heart


Mrs Jack Treetop


Iron Star


Sharp Bull Horn


Cow Boy or Rocky Buttes


Mrs Twin


Fiske in his studio


Two Shield


Lakota girl


Lakota girl


White Bull


White Bear/Tom Frosted


Indian Wranglers


Grey Whirlwind


Red Above




Kicks the Iron


Bob Tail Bear


Mad Bear


Paul Brave family


Chasing Bear (clearly the same man on the photo above)


Joe No Heart


Shoots Holy


Brave Buffalo


Blue Thunder - the Winter Count keeper


Dance


Grace Primeau


White Bull

[Californian]

Hi Dietmar
I have always admired the superb quality of the images by Frank Fiske. Of course your last contact with the below party dates from 9 years - but if its still valid, I'd try to buy some of his prints.
Tks

Jul 11, 2012 10:03:46 GMT -5 Dietmar said:

I´ve been contacted by a grandson of a merchant at Standing Rock in 1910-1940, who owns some rare photographs taken at Ft. Yates by Frank Bennett Fiske.

He was so kind to share some scans with us. As you can see, the photos are extraordinary beautiful portraits.
If anyone is interested in 8x10 prints of them, please contact me and I would provide you with an email-address, where they are available for purchase.


Tom Frosted by Frank Fiske


Mrs. Good Cloud by Frank Fiske, 1931


Tatiye by Frank Fiske


Thank you, Mark!

[rocka]

I ordered Brave Buffalo and Chased by Bears portraits from State Historical Society of North Dakota a few years ago. they charge $30 for a digital file at 600dpi for high quality scan from original glass plate. recommend it. super good quality. too bad they don't have Rain in the Face. I always liked Fiskes's portrait of him. Red Weasel is another one im looking for. the old Sun Dance chief.

[Californian]

The world owes Frank B. Fiske a great debt of gratitude for his superb portraits of many of his Lakota contemporaries at Standing Rock Reservation, a volume of work that ranges from the early 1900's up to his death in 1953. However it must be noted and understood that Frank Fiske was not really particularly compassionate and caring about the Lakota people at the Standing Rock Agency as is very much evident in his writings, as well as lectures and also his personal demeanor. One gets a feeling that he had nothing but contempt about the Lakota, considering them inferior. It also must be remembered that it was none other than Frank Fiske himself that had desecrated Sitting Bull's grave by digging up souvenirs among of which was a femur bone that he kept for the remainder of his life as a curio in his house and was not shy boasting about it as well as showing it to anyone that happened to be his dinner guest. Although he later claimed that he had returned the relic back to the grave, there is ample evidence that he in fact did not do so. It is documented that when Sitting Bull's grave was opened in early 1953 that a femur was missing from the remains. Also Fiske's widow, when asked in the latter 1950's about this relic, merely stated that she did not want to talk about it.

To get a "feel" about Frank Fiske's attitudes towards the Lakota please read his book "The Taming of the Sioux", 1917 Bismarck Tribune, Bismarck ND as well as the seven "Lippert Meetings" which are accessible on the Sitting Bull College website: sittingbullcollege.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/10/31/1938-and-1944-standing-rock-maps-and-the-lippert-papers

[shan]

Hello Dietmar,

I wonder if you can help me. I want to make a painting concerning the photographs that were taken at Pine Ridge agency, with numerous Indians including Two Strike Crow dog Short Bull Kicking Bear ect, sorry I don't have a date, but Buffalo Bill is certainly in one of them, and I'm pretty sure I've seen at least two versions taken during the same session. Do you know if there were any more?

I couldn't remember the name of the photographer so I just picked this name out at random, wonderful photos by the way. I know they are in here somewhere, or at least they were, so I wonder if you can direct me to the correct thread or board.

many thanks Shan

[Dietmar]

Hi Shan,

I think you mean the pictures taken by John C. Grabill after Wounded Knee. We hab a discussion here, but the photos are gone now. I´ll try to repost them later:

amertribes.proboards.com/thread/1302/post-wounded-knee-photo-again

[grahamew]

Fiske's The Taming of the Sioux: www.electriccanadian.com/history/first/sioux/tamingofsioux00fiskfr.pdf

[Californian]

Joseph No Heart (Cante Wanica, also known as "Medicine Joe"), Yankton/Hunkpaphaya medicine man, ca. 1905, living among the Northern Yanktonai at Standing Rock Reservation, North Dakota - albumen cabinet card

this print belonged to Dr. Charles A. Eastman

click onto images to enlarge

[emilylevine]

Wow.

[Californian]

hi Emily, every once in a while these things pop up here and there, this particular one I literally stumbled upon on eBay and naturally I had to have it. The quality of Frank Fiske's work is unparalleled with its sharp detail and lighting. This particular photograph is more standard, but most of his portraits really stand out. There was a time one could easily acquire original Fiske photographs as he sold them as real photo postcards (RPPCs) and these are of high quality. But in recent years Fiske's photographs have become highly desirable and it is difficult find them at a decent price.