National Museum of the American Indian

Iva Towsley Gardner's collection of Chief Shabbona ambrotypes, 1854-1859

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAI.AC.100
Creators:
Gardner, Iva Towsley
Dates:
1854-1859
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2 Ambrotypes (photographs)
1/4 plate
Repository:
Container:
1

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection contains 2 hand-colored ambrotypes that depict portraits of Potawatomi Chief Shabbona, circa 1854-1859. The ambrotypes were given to Iva Towsley Gardner when she served as a nurse within the Potowatami community. The ambrotypes are housed in a union case that features a horse and rider motif. The photographs may have been shot on different dates by different unidentified photographers.
At some point in time, a typed note was attached via tape to the glass of one ambrotype. The note states, "Picture of Shabbona and his wife. Property of Iva Towsley Gardner." It has since been determined that both ambrotypes actually depict Chief Shabbona.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The photographs are stored in 1 box.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Iva Towsley Gardner (born circa 1899) served as a nurse in Illinois and often treated members of the Potawatomi community in her region. She married Laurence Gardner in 1924. Later in life she worked as a nurse in a private home.
Chief Shabbona (also spelled Shabonee and Shabni) is best known as a warrior and Chief of the Potawatomi tribe. Born circa 1775 to the Ottawa tribe, Shabbona is believed to be the grand-nephew of Ottawa Chief Pontiac (circa 1720-1769). As a young man Shabbona became an Ottawa chief and later married Coconako, the daughter of Potawatomi Chief Spotka. He eventually became a Potawatomi Chief himself. During the War of 1812 Chief Shabonna fought alongside Tecumseh (Shawnee) in an alliance with Great Britain against the United States. After Tecumseh's death, Chief Shabbona pledged his allegiance to the United States. Chief Shabbona died in Illinois in 1859.

Administration

Author
Emily Moazami
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Ann Hohn in 2017 in memory of her parents Maxine and Glenn Fisher. Glenn Fisher was the nephew of Iva Towsley Gardner.
Processing Information
Processed by Emily Moazami, Assistant Head Archivist in 2017.

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited users to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not changed, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian.
Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Iva Towsley Gardner's collection of Chief Shabbona ambrotypes; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Potawatomi Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ambrotypes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shabni, approximately 1775-1859 -- Photographs Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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