Henry L. Dawes
Henry Laurens Dawes (October 30, 1816 – February 5, 1903) was an attorney and politician, a Republican United States Senator and United States Representative from Massachusetts. He is notable for the Dawes Act (1887), which was intended to stimulate the assimilation of Native Americans by ending the tribal government and control of communal lands. Especially directed at the tribes in Indian Territory, it provided for the allotment of tribal lands to individual households of tribal members, and for their being granted United States citizenship. This also made them subject to state and federal taxes. In addition, extinguishing tribal land claims in this territory later enabled the admission of Oklahoma as a state in 1907.
"Senator Dawes" redirects here. For the Nebraska state senate member, see James W. Dawes.
Henry Laurens Dawes
11th district (1857–1863)
10th district (1863–1873)
11th district (1873–1875)
John Z. Goodrich
William A. Phelps
Richard P. Brown
Asa G. Welch
October 30, 1816
Cummington, Massachusetts, US
February 5, 1903 (aged 86)
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, US
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Lawyer and Doctor
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Early life[edit]
Dawes was born in Cummington, Massachusetts, in 1816. After graduating from Yale University in 1839, he taught at Greenfield, Massachusetts, and also edited The Greenfield Gazette.[1]
He studied law with an established firm, and in 1842, was admitted to the bar. He began the practice of law in the village of North Adams, Massachusetts. For a time he edited The North Adams Transcript.[1]
Death[edit]
Dawes died in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on February 5, 1903.[8]
In popular culture[edit]
Aidan Quinn played Dawes in the film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, adapted from a 1970 history of Native Americans, the United States, and the West written by Dee Brown.