Records Pertaining to the the Osage Indian Murders, Register of Guardians
This is a page from the register of guardians of minor and “incompetent” Osage Indians. The Osage Indians at one time were considered some of the wealthiest people in the world due to the oil found on the land they owned in Oklahoma. The register lists guardians of Osage Indians who were deemed unfit to have control of their own money. Mollie Burkhart, an Osage, and her family were victims of William K. Hale, who masterminded the killing of several Osage Indians in order to inherit headrights (oil rights) and money. Hale solicited his nephew Ernest Burkhart to help carry out his crimes. Ernest and Mollie married, but he was eventually arrested for his involvement in the death of her family members. In the register, Ernest is listed as the guardian for their children, Elizabeth Ernestine and James William Burkhart. The Osage refer to this time as the Reign of Terror.
This record was used by author David Grann for his book, Killers of the Flower Moon.
Register of Guardians for Osage Elizabeth Burkhart, dated 1919-1924. National Archives Identifier: 311844611
View and download this page in the Register of Guardians on the National Archives Catalog. You can explore more of our holdings by visiting our online Catalog or by visiting the National Archives at Fort Worth. This item is located within Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affair, Series: Register of Guardians, 1919–1924. Many of the records in this collection have yet to be digitized. We encourage researchers to visit us onsite to explore these records and learn more about the archival collections held in the National Archives at Fort Worth.