Gerald W. Wolff
Encyclopedia
Gerald W. Wolff is professor emeritus at the University of South Dakota
, known for his specialization in the history
of Native Americans
, the American West, and national politics.
from the University of Iowa
in Iowa City
, Iowa
, and thereafter joined the USD faculty in Vermillion
in southeastern South Dakota
. He remained there until his retirement in the middle 1990s.
Wolff's doctoral dissertation is a study of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
of 1854, pushed to passage in the United States Senate
by Stephen A. Douglas
of Illinois
. The act gave birth to the modern Republican Party
, formed to halt the spread of slavery
in to the territories of the United States. In 1972, Wolf used his dissertation as the basis for his article, "Party and Section: The Senate and the Kansas-Nebraska Bill," published in Civil War History. In 1977, he turned his dissertation into the book entitled The Kansas-Nebraska Bill: Party, Section, and the Coming of the Civil War.
, the U.S. Senator and campaign manager for presidential candidate William McKinley
of Ohio
, was published by Ohio History.
In 1974, Wolff joined colleague Joseph H. Cash in the publication of an ethno-historical work entitled Three Affiliated Tribes, a study of the cultural relationships among the Arikaras, Hidatsa
s, and Mandans. The book was the first ever published by the Institute of American Indian Studies at USD. The two also collaborated on books published by the Indian Tribal Series of Phoenix
, Arizona
, including a study of the Ponca
, a tribe always at peace with the United States but forced against its wishes to inhabit Indian Territory
when its lands were given to the Sioux. The pair also completed a study of the Ottawa of Oklahoma
and the Comanche
of Texas
, the southwest and the southern Great Plains
.
In 1989, Wolff and Cash collaborated again on an article entitled "South Dakotans Remember the Great Depression
."
In February 1975, Wolff edited The Civil War Diary of Arthur Calvin Mellette for the South Dakota State Historical Society.Arthur Calvin Mellette
fought with Company H of the Ninth Indiana
Volunteers from 1864-1865. He was elected in 1885 as the last territorial governor, when the capital was placed in Huron
, South Dakota. He3 was elected as a Republican in 1889 as the first governor at statehood.
Wolff also edited The Korean War Journal of Lloyd R. Moses. Former educator Lloyd Roosevelt Moses (1904–2000), a native of Fairfax
, South Dakota, served in both World War II
and the Korean War
and attained the rank of major general in the United States Army
. He was residing in Vermillion, South Dakota, when Wolff edited Moses's wartime diary.
In 1975, Wolff published the article entitled "Father Sylvester Eisenman and Marty Mission" in South Dakota History. Eisenman (1891–1948), a Jesuit priest originally from New Albany
, Indiana, established in 1922 a boarding school
among the Yankton Sioux tribe. This "Marty School" was located in Marty
in Charles Mix County in southern South Dakota, and financed with assistance from the Roman Catholic Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
in Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
. Eisenman worked to expand and promote the school through publication of The Little Bronzed Angel, which informed donors of the progress of the institution.
From 1981-2002, Wolff was the book review editor of South Dakota History, the quarterly publication founded in 1970 by the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. In 2002, Wolff received the Robinson Award, the highest honor bestowed by the historical society for his effectivenss in assigning and editing the book reviews. The prize is named for two past directors of the society.
in Rapid City
in southwestern South Dakota. For several years after 1999, he was a professor of history at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City
, Iowa. He later moved to his current residence in Omaha
, Nebraska
.
University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current...
, known for his specialization in the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, the American West, and national politics.
Background
In 1969, Wolff received his Ph.D.Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and thereafter joined the USD faculty in Vermillion
Vermillion, South Dakota
Vermillion is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the tenth largest city in the state. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 10,571. Vermillion lies atop a bluff near the Missouri River.The area has been home to...
in southeastern South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. He remained there until his retirement in the middle 1990s.
Wolff's doctoral dissertation is a study of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opening new lands for settlement, and had the effect of repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 by allowing settlers in those territories to determine through Popular Sovereignty if they would allow slavery within...
of 1854, pushed to passage in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The act gave birth to the modern Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, formed to halt the spread of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
in to the territories of the United States. In 1972, Wolf used his dissertation as the basis for his article, "Party and Section: The Senate and the Kansas-Nebraska Bill," published in Civil War History. In 1977, he turned his dissertation into the book entitled The Kansas-Nebraska Bill: Party, Section, and the Coming of the Civil War.
Scholarly pursuits
In 1970, Wolff's "Mark Hanna's Goal: American Harmony," a glimpse of Mark HannaMark Hanna
Marcus Alonzo "Mark" Hanna was a United States Senator from Ohio and the friend and political manager of President William McKinley...
, the U.S. Senator and campaign manager for presidential candidate William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, was published by Ohio History.
In 1974, Wolff joined colleague Joseph H. Cash in the publication of an ethno-historical work entitled Three Affiliated Tribes, a study of the cultural relationships among the Arikaras, Hidatsa
Hidatsa
The Hidatsa are a Siouan people, a part of the Three Affiliated Tribes. The Hidatsa's autonym is Hiraacá. According to the tribal tradition, the word hiraacá derives from the word "willow"; however, the etymology is not transparent and the similarity to mirahací ‘willows’ inconclusive...
s, and Mandans. The book was the first ever published by the Institute of American Indian Studies at USD. The two also collaborated on books published by the Indian Tribal Series of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, including a study of the Ponca
Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
The Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, also known as the Ponca Nation, is a federally recognized tribe located in Oklahoma. The Ponca traditionally speak the Omaha-Ponca language, part of the Souian language family. Another portion of the people belong to the larger Ponca Tribe of...
, a tribe always at peace with the United States but forced against its wishes to inhabit Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
when its lands were given to the Sioux. The pair also completed a study of the Ottawa of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and the Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, the southwest and the southern Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
.
In 1989, Wolff and Cash collaborated again on an article entitled "South Dakotans Remember the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
."
In February 1975, Wolff edited The Civil War Diary of Arthur Calvin Mellette for the South Dakota State Historical Society.Arthur Calvin Mellette
Arthur C. Mellette
Arthur Calvin Mellette was the last Governor of the Dakota Territory and was the first Governor of the State of South Dakota.-Biography:...
fought with Company H of the Ninth Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Volunteers from 1864-1865. He was elected in 1885 as the last territorial governor, when the capital was placed in Huron
Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair...
, South Dakota. He3 was elected as a Republican in 1889 as the first governor at statehood.
Wolff also edited The Korean War Journal of Lloyd R. Moses. Former educator Lloyd Roosevelt Moses (1904–2000), a native of Fairfax
Fairfax, South Dakota
Fairfax is a town in Gregory County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 115 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Fairfax is located at ....
, South Dakota, served in both World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and attained the rank of major general in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He was residing in Vermillion, South Dakota, when Wolff edited Moses's wartime diary.
In 1975, Wolff published the article entitled "Father Sylvester Eisenman and Marty Mission" in South Dakota History. Eisenman (1891–1948), a Jesuit priest originally from New Albany
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
, Indiana, established in 1922 a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
among the Yankton Sioux tribe. This "Marty School" was located in Marty
Marty, South Dakota
Marty is a census-designated place in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 402 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Marty is located at ....
in Charles Mix County in southern South Dakota, and financed with assistance from the Roman Catholic Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament was founded in 1891 by Saint Katharine Drexel. Originally called the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People, the religious order is commonly known today as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.-History:The Third Plenary Council of...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Eisenman worked to expand and promote the school through publication of The Little Bronzed Angel, which informed donors of the progress of the institution.
From 1981-2002, Wolff was the book review editor of South Dakota History, the quarterly publication founded in 1970 by the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. In 2002, Wolff received the Robinson Award, the highest honor bestowed by the historical society for his effectivenss in assigning and editing the book reviews. The prize is named for two past directors of the society.
Later years
After Wolff retired from USD, he was from 1996-1999 an adjunct professor of history at the South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologySouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution of higher learning in Rapid City, South Dakota governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents. Founded in 1885 as the Dakota School of Mines, Tech offers degree programs in engineering and science fields. 2,354 students were...
in Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
in southwestern South Dakota. For several years after 1999, he was a professor of history at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
, Iowa. He later moved to his current residence in Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
.