Virgil J. Vogel Research and Personal Papers, 1941-1993

Gift of Louise Vogel, 1997

The Virgil Vogel Research and Personal Papers are open for research. They are available one box at a time in the Special Collections reading room (Priority III).

Virgil J. Vogel Research and Personal Papers, The Newberry Library, and Chicago.

The Virgil J. Vogel Papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Literary rights, including copyright, may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns.

Kelly Laas, August 2002

Chicago professor and author; writer of books on American Indian place names and medicine.

Born in Keota, Iowa on February 25, 1918, Virgil Vogel received his B.E. degree from Chicago State University in 1942 and went on to receive his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His dissertation topic, "American Indian Medicine and Its Influence on White Medicine and Pharmacology" was published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 1970. While working on his degrees, Virgil Vogel published numerous articles and book reviews in such magazines as The Chicago Review, Names Magazine, Politics, and Illinois History. In 1962, he published the first part of his book Indian Place Names of Illinois in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. This volume was published in its entirety in 1963.

Vogel began his teaching career in Chicago public schools and later taught at Truman College, City Colleges of Chicago, where he initiated the school's first course on American Indian History. After thirteen years at Truman, Professor Vogel retired as a full professor and focused on writing. During this time, he published Iowa Place Names of Indian Origin in 1983, Indian Names in Michigan in 1986, and Indian Names on Wisconsin's Map in 1991, as well as many journal articles, book reviews, convention papers, and his unpublished magnum opus, Their Name is on Your Waters, a comprehensive look at place names from all over the United States.

Vogel married Louis Walden and had two sons and one daughter. He died on January 10, 1994, in Northbrook, Illinois.

Subject files, notes, writings, and correspondence of Virgil J. Vogel dating mainly from 1941 to 1993.

Research materials on all facets of American Indian life with an emphasis on Indian place names, especially in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Washington, and Alaska, but also focusing on Indian medicine, arts, languages, women, and the Indians of Chicago. Includes newspaper and magazine articles on American Indians, mailings, local publications, prints, book selections, brochures, pamphlets, maps, fact sheets, graphs, correspondence from editors, friends, and colleagues, notes and papers written by colleagues and students, notes and bibliography cards, drafts of Vogel's books and articles, photographs from the Library of Congress to be used in his books, and photographs taken by Virgil Vogel. There is also a subject catalog of the materials in Vogel's personal library. The bulk of the material was collected by Vogel during the course of his career and includes his copies of 17th through early 20th century publications and excerpts from many others.

Papers are organized in the following series:

Title Box Series 1: American Indian Medicine Boxes 1-5 Series 2: Arts, 1928-1982 Boxes 6-7 Series 3: Canadian Indians, 1954-1986 Box 8 Series 4: Card Files, 1964-1990 Boxes 9-16 Series 5: Chicago Indians, 1942-1982 Boxes 17-19 Series 6: General Subject File, 1941-1993 Boxes 20-37 Series 7: Indian Place Names Boxes 38-41 Series 8: Language and Etymology, 1941-1993 Boxes 42-44 Series 9: South American Indians, 1938-1997 Box 45 Series 10: Tribes, ca. 1941-1993 Boxes 46-52 Series 11: Tribes - Geographical, 1948-1992 Boxes 53-54 Series 12: Works, 1929-1991 Boxes 55-66

• NamesVogel, Virgil J.
• Subject
  • Chicago
  • Indian activists -- United States -- History -- Sources
  • Indian art -- North America -- History -- Sources.
  • Indian women -- North America -- History -- Sources.
  • Indians and the West
  • Indians of Central America -- History -- Sources
  • Indians of North America -- Government relations
  • Indians of North America -- History -- Sources.
  • Indians of North America -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- Sources.
  • Indians of North America -- Medicine -- History -- Sources.
  • Indians of South America -- History -- Sources.
  • Manuscripts, American
  • Names, geographical -- United States
  • Names, Indian -- United States
  • Tribes -- United States -- History -- Sources.
• Geographic Coverage
  • Illinois -- History -- Sources
  • Iowa -- History -- Sources.
  • Michigan -- History -- Sources.
  • Washington -- History -- Sources
  • Wisconsin -- History -- Sources