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M242 Roy E. Wells collection

Collection Summary   

Title Roy E. Wells collection
Dates (Inclusive) 1969-1986
Dates (Bulk) 1971-1976
Creator Roy E. Wells
Abstract This collection contains documents pertaining to Roy E. Wells' terms in office as Representative of Colorado.
Unique ID M242
Quantity 3 document cases

Biographical Note   
Roy E. Wells was unanimously elected as State Representative for the State of Colorado in 1968. Previously, Wells was a World War II Navy Veteran and a long time Colorado resident with roots in Durango, CO and Cortez, CO. Wells spent 8 year as State Representative of Colorado and Senator before retiring in 1976, after successful heart surgery.

During his terms as Representative and Senator, he would become very influential to both the State of Colorado and the Native American Indian community. He also drafted numerous bills that would later become acts. His most influential bills and acts were the Commission on Indian Affairs with the Ute Mountain Utes and Southern Utes, the Auction Sales of Jewelry, the Indian Arts & Crafts Sales Act, the Fort Lewis College building expansion, and most notably, House Bill 1452, which dealt with the Tuition Waiver for Native American Indians at Fort Lewis College.

Arrangement   
The series and boxes are numbered consecutively. Because we do not expect to add to this collection, the boxes are numbered in one single numbering scheme starting with 1. The collection is arranged in 13 series by topic; the documents within each series are arranged chronologically by the date of creation of the document, when provided.

Scope & Contents  
This collection contains documents pertaining to Roy E. Wells terms in office as Representative of Colorado including bills and acts, Indian Affairs, Indian education, Indian Feathers Bill, Arts & Crafts Bills, Fort Lewis College tuition waiver and expansion, correspondences, speeches and statements, newspapers and clippings, and printed materials.

Restrictions  
Access. There are no access restrictions on the use of these materials for research purposes. This collection is open to the public for use in the Delaney Southwest Research Library at the Center of Southwest Studies.

Use and Copyright. These materials are for use only in the Delaney Southwest Research Library; they are non-circulating. Limited duplication of print materials is allowed for research purposes. The user assumes full responsibility for observing all applicable laws regarding copyright, property rights, and libel.

Preferred Citation 
Roy E. Wells collection, Fort Lewis College. Center of Southwest Studies.

Processing Info  
Student intern Daryl C. I. Begaye arranged and described the collection in the Summer of 2011 and developed the online finding aid in the Fall of 2011 under the supervision of CSWS staff. Duplicates and unrelated materials were deaccessioned or returned to the family of Roy E. Wells at the discretion of the archivist.

Acquisition Info   
On April 15, 2011 (accession 2011:019), the Roy E. Wells collection was donated by Deed of Gift to the Center of Southwest Studies by Shan Wells, relative of Roy Wells. The gift included legislative records and correspondences and other records related to Indian Affairs and Fort Lewis College Tuition Waiver and expansion.

Separated Materials   
None.

Related Materials  

Pathfinder #2 Resources on Ute Indians of the Southwest, a guide that provides research material available at the Delaney Library on Ute tribes of the Southwest.
Pathfinder #11 Native American Studies primary source materials, a listing of available resource material on Native American tribes of the Southwest, Ute tribes and Affairs related.
Pathfinder #12 Sources for studying the history of politics and government of southwestern Colorado, and beyond: a guide of available research material held at the Delaney Library on Southwestern Colorado politics and government, Fort Lewis College and Ute tribes related.
M 001 Record Groups 7 and 8: Fort Lewis College Institutional Advancement and Affirmative Action: records in the Archives a series from the Fort Lewis College archives containing records and correspondences of the Native American tuition waiver.
M 113 Ute printed materials inventory: a collection of printed materials pertaining to the Ute tribes of the Southwest, materials include reports, newspaper articles, pamphlets, and other printed materials.


Access Terms 
Fort Lewis College.
Indians of North America -- Education -- Colorado -- Durango -- History.
Indian college students -- Colorado -- Durango.
Small colleges -- Finance -- History -- 20th century -- Colorado -- Durango.
Southwest, New -- Politics and government.

Series/Container List  

Series List

Series 1: Miscellaneous bills and acts
Series 2: Indian Affairs
Series 3: Indian education
Series 4: House Bill 1161
Series 5: House resolutions
Series 6: Indian feathers
Series 7: Senate Bill 377
Series 8: Arts & Crafts
Series 9: Fort Lewis College
Series 10: Correspondences
Series 11: Miscellaneous
Series 12: Printed materials
Series 13: Newspapers and clippings

Series 1: Miscellaneous bills and acts, 1975. 1 folder containing bills and acts written by Roy E. Wells.    back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Miscellaneous bills and acts 1975 1/1

Series 2: Indian Affairs, 1975-1986. 2 folders concerning Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute affairs, Bills, Commission on Indian Affairs, and general Ute information.    back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
House Bill 1525 and 1213: Commission 1971-1986 1/1
Ute affairs and general 1971-1986 1/2

Series 3: Indian education documents, 1971-1975. 1 folder concerning Indian education.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Indian education documents 1971-1975 1/1

Series 4: House Bill 1161,1975. 1 folder concerning Vocational Institutes.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Vocational Institutes 1975 1/1

Series 5: House resolutions,1972-1976. 1 folder containing documents recognizing individuals.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Awards and Recognitions 1972-1976 1/1

Series 6: Indian feathers,1975. 1 folder concerning the sales, trade, and usage of endangered and exotic birds among Native Americans.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Sales and trade issues 1975 1/1

Series 7: Senate Bill 377,1 folder concerning land usage.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Land use - 1/1

Series 8: Arts & Crafts,1975-1976. 5 folders concerning the authenticity and sale of Native American jewelry, auction sales of jewelry, and traders to be included in House Bill 1245 and House Bill 1360.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
House Bill 1245 - Arts & Crafts 1975-1976 1/1
House Bill 1245 - Arts & Crafts 1975-1976 1/2
House Bill 1245 - Arts & Crafts 1975-1976 1/3
House Bill 1360 - Auction sales of jewelry 1975 1/4
Traders and general information 1975 1/5

Series 9: Fort Lewis College,1970-1976. 9 folders concerning the Native American Tuition Waiver at Fort Lewis, speeches and statements Mr. Wells made, programs and applications, college expansion, and Project Trail.   back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
House Bill 1452 - Tuition Wavier 1971 2/1
House Bill 1452 - Tuition Wavier 1971 2/2
House Bill 1452 - Tuition Wavier 1971 2/3
House Bill 1452 - Tuition Wavier 1971 2/4
House Bill 1452 - Tuition Wavier 1971 2/5
House Bill 1452 - Tuition Wavier 1971 2/6
Speeches, statements, programs and applications 1970-1976 2/7
House Bill - Expansion - 2/8
Project Trail and general information - 2/9

Series 10: Correspondences,1964-1977. 1 folder containing correspondences and information on the La Plata County airport expansion.    back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Airport expansion and general information 1964-1977 2/1

Series 11: Miscellaneous,1970-1977. 1 folder containing miscellaneous information, speeches and statements, and Robert Emmitt.    back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Speeches and statements, Robert Emmitt 1972-1975 2/1
Certificates and nominations, executive orders, Roy Wells Day proclamation 1970-1977 2/2

Series 12: Printed material,1969-1980. 8 folders containing printed materials such as books and magazines.    back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Abstract of Votes Cast 1970-1974 3/1
Colorado Magazine: Rocky Mountain West 1970 3/2
Colorado Commission On Indian Affairs 1980 3/3
Directory: General Assembly 1973-1976 3/4
Prospectus For A Mancus Canyon Indian Park - 3/5
Newsletters and brochures - 3/6
Southern Ute Lands, 1849-1899; The Creation of A Reservation - 3/7
Statistics Concerning Indian Education 1969 3/8

Series 13: Newspapers and newspaper clippings,1 folder containing full newspapers and newspapers clippings on many issues related to Mr. Wells work.    back to Series list

Description Date Box/Folder
Newspapers and newspaper clippings - 3/1