Fonds 83-006 - Canada. Indian Affairs. Deputy Superintendant Generals' letter books fonds

On March 17, 1862 the position of Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs was created and William Spragge was appointed to this postion. At Confederation, control of Indian matters was given to the federal government and this responsibilty was delegated to the Department of Secretary of State for the Provinces. The Secretary of State became Superintendent General of Indian Affairs. In 1873 the Department of the Interior was created and an Indians and Indian Lands Branch was set up within it. As a result, the Minister of the Interior became the Superintendent General. The following year, L. Vankoughnet was appointed Deputy Superintendent General. In 1876 the Indian Act was passed which consolidated and revised all previous legislation dealing with Indians in all existing Provinces and Territories. Four years later, in 1880, the Independent Department of Indian Affairs was set up. However, the Minister of the Interior remained Superintendent General of Indian Affairs. In 1893, Hayter Reed was appointed Deputy Superintendent General and remained in this position until 1897 when James A. Smart, Deputy Minister of the Interior, took over the position. In 1902, Francis Pedley was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs thus ending the system where bythe Deputy of the Interior held that post. Under Pedley, the departmental structure of Indian Affairs was restructured. Several distinct branches were set up to reflect the expansion of the Department's activities. These were the Secretaries Branch, the Accountant's Branch, the Land and Timber Branch, the Survey Branch, and the School Branch. In 1913, Duncan Campbell Scott was appointed as Deputy Superindendent of Indian Affairs, a position which he retained until 1932. The Department continued to exist until 1936 when it was made a branch of the Department of Mines and Resources.(Taken from: "Public Records Division, General InventorySeries : No. 1 Records relating to Indian Affairs (RG 10)."Ottawa: Public Archives of Canada, 1975.)