William Presley Zahn [RG3130.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID



RG3130.AM:  William Presley Zahn, 1849-1936



Diary:  1870-1924

Cannonball, Morton County, North Dakota:  Soldier, Pioneer

Size:  One item



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE



Born at Lafayette, Indiana, on October 25, 1849, William Zahn came up the Missouri River in 1870 as a member of Co. G, 17th U.S. Infantry, and was later a member of Custer’s famous Regiment, (1873-1876) but was discharged before the massacre at the Little Big Horn.  He was the first settler on the Cannonball River in Morton County, North Dakota, 1879 and was married to Josephine (Princess Kezewin) the daughter of a Yanktonai Sioux Chief Flying Cloud.  He was an Indian trader and interpreter.  One son, Francis Benjamin was a senior judge in North Dakota, born in 1891 at Cannonball and was a member of the Sioux Indian Tribal Council, an interpreter for Sitting Bull’s nephews, and the leading chief in several western films.  William Presley Zahn died Fort Yates, North Dakota, on September 8, 1936.



SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE



This collection consists of one ledger, 1870-1924, with scattered entries, 1870-1904, of William P. Zahn, and other entries of later years of various family members, Henry Zahn, Francis B. Zahn, and the William B. Zahn family.



The collection relates primarily to William P. Zahn’s diary with entries relating to such news as the Custer massacre, the death of Sitting Bull, and the Wounded Knee Massacre.  There are also entries for daily happenings in the Cannonball area, and deaths in the vicinity.



Note:  The original journal is restricted for preservation.  A photocopy is available for reference use.



INVENTORY



Journal of William P. Zahn, 1870-1907, 1924



 



Subject headings:



Cannonball (North Dakota) — History

Custer, George Armstrong, 1838-1876

North Dakota — History

Sitting Bull, Dakota Chief, 1837?-1890

United States. Army. Infantry. 17th Regiment, 1870-1876

Wounded Knee, Battle of



 



RFS/HEK/js            09-04-1965

DDS/PMC/pmc      07-22-1972

Revised TMM        04-05-2016

 

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Marker Monday: Pawnee City

Marker Monday: Pawnee City

The Headless Ghost of Redington, Nebraska

The Headless Ghost of Redington, Nebraska

Nebraska History Spotlight: Haigler Community Foundation

Nebraska History Spotlight: Haigler Community Foundation

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director Cindy Drake. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.