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Alice Fletcher was probably the first American woman to graduate in anthropology. During her studies she lived in the Sioux and learned their language. She wrote down their stories, the basis of which many later historians used to learn about the Sioux. She helped the Plains Indians set up a loan program and held Indians learned the uses of money. She helped them protect themselves against unreasonable demands. She also conducted allotment programs for the Omaha and Winnebago tribes. Eventually her studies led to employment by the Department of the Interior and the first woman to be employed as an Indian Agent.
Alice Fletcher and her assistant Jane Gay, were assigned by the Indian Bureau of the Department of the Interior to ensure the Nez Perce received their allotment of reservation land. In her way, where the cattlemen, who thought it unfair that the Indians should get such prime grazing land. Local sheriffs and judges did little to correct injustices suffered by the native tribes. Also in her way, was the natural distrust of her, after treatment by previous white men. But she was not one to give up. Hopefully, she would be able to help the Indians assert their rights and stop the scams that white man preyed upon them.
The previous agent had been too lazy to do his work appropriately. He had also banished the white missionary Kate McBeth, who had been helping the Christianized Indians . He did not get the agency ready for the arrival of the two women and seemed to begrudge any supplies they needed. She ignored the man, and set up her task. She hired a man named Briggs to survey the allotments. She hired James Stuart, a Christianized Nez Perce, to help her as a translator. Sometimes James Reuben, Chief Joseph's nephew, accompanied her. Now she was ready to start approaching the Indians.
The Indian Agent scheduled a council to discuss the allotment. She ensured plenty of goods were on hand to supply those she hoped would come. But no chiefs came and only a few poor Indians came in and even that was only to get food. She asked Stuart why no one came; he told her of their mistrust of white man. Alice suspected that the Indian agent was also undermining her. The cattlemen were also still at their old tricks, shooting any Indian they saw. Alice threatened to call in the army to take care of the cattlemen. The army was the only body that these cattlemen respected, so they backed off.
Now came the problem of how to persuade the Indians to take what was coming to them. Since they wouldn't come to her, she would go to them. At first they promised to think about it and hold councils on the matter. It didn't happen. Only a few Indians came to her and that was only for food. Finally she got the help of Reverend Robert Williams, minister of the Indian Presbyterian Church in Kamiah. The church was a Christian Nez Perce church. After his Sunday sermon, he allowed Alice to address the congregation. She explained what the allotment meant. She told how each man would receive 160 acres, plus 40 acres for each child under 18. Each single man or woman would receive 80 acres. She also explained that they should accept American citizenship. This would allow them to have a say in the selection of leaders. They would be able to have their disputes handled in court. They would have the right to an attorney.
Alice held her breath, wondering how all this would be accepted. She knew everything hinged on the acceptance of Williams. Whatever, he did the rest would follow suit. The next day, Williams came to her to accept his allotment. Afterward, several other Christianized Indians came to receive their land as well. Alice soon found that that the survey lines did not correspond to the treaty lines. She decided to use the treaty lines. The surveyor had never actually gone into the field to survey.
There was still a problem. Though Christianized Indians were coming in for their land, those who stuck to their traditional religion did not. In fact, these Indians threatened any of their countrymen who signed for their land. They laid curses on them that there land wouldn't produce or that they would come down with white man's diseases. The shamans would try to give Alice the evil eye. Alice tried to get Chief Joseph to visit from the Colville Reservation and encourage the Indians to stop interfering. He refused. But another powerful chief named Yellow Bull came. He took his boyhood land at Red Rock Spring, despite the fact that it was not good for growing crops. His gesture caused several non-Christian bands to come in for their land.
In September of 1890, Alice Fletcher and Jane Gay returned back east for a vacation. When they returned, she learned that he had named her "Measuring Woman," a real complement to have received an Indian name. Another factor weighted in her favor. The Indian women respected and admired this white woman that was telling their men what to do. She had hired some of them to build roads and bridges. The money they made provided for some nice extras that these Indian women would otherwise not have. They enjoyed being able to shop. In turn the Christianized preachers liked the fact that the extra money was not being spent on liquor. The women also began sending their children to Christian Sunday Schools.
Another thing that Alice did to help the tribe, was to legitimize marriages between white men and their Indian wives. This was so their children, considered legally as Indians, would be able to inherit land due to their mothers. As soon as the word got out, wagons by the droves inundated Lewiston, Idaho, with requests for marriage certificates. The women enjoyed the fact that they could no walk down the street as an equal to the white women.
Her work done, Alice and Jane returned to the east. In the fall of 1892, a large farewell party was thrown in their honor.
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