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The Lancisco Hill collection consists of one full-length studio portrait of Pima Indian Lancisco Hill as well as three letters sent by Hill to a white American woman named Frances W. Anderson Gillette between April 1908 and July 1911.

The Lancisco Hill collection consists of one full length studio portrait of Pima Indian Lancisco Hill as well as three letters sent by Hill to a white American woman named Frances W. Anderson Gillette between April 1908 and July 1911.

The studio portrait is a gelatin silver print on a near cabinet card size mount (14.5 x 10.5 cm). Hill can be seen wearing traditional Plains Native American clothing while holding a tomahawk. The clothing and tomahawk were possibly studio props supplied by the unidentified photographer. A contemporary ink inscription on the verso reads "To Mrs. Wm. H. Anderson from Lancisco Hill 12/23th/05."

The first letter (ALS, 4 pages) is dated April 24, 1908, and is addressed to "Mrs. Frances W. Anderson, #254 N. Soto Street Los Angeles, California c/o Mrs. Ward Chapman." Hill asks Anderson if she would be able to locate the C. G. Conn's store and procure three baritone springs for him while she is in Los Angeles. Hill also describes recent weather and indicates that Anderson's horses (including "Joe" and "Alice") are doing well, that he purchased a new bag of hen feed, and that a former neighbor stopped by and will soon be calling on Anderson when they visit Los Angeles.

The second letter (ALS, 3 pages) is dated May 2, 1908, and is also addressed to "Mrs. Frances W. Anderson, #254 N. Soto Street Los Angeles, California c/o Mrs. Ward Chapman." In this letter, Hill lists several chores he has recently completed at Anderson's estate, including taking a book to an unnamed woman, shoeing horses, and letting the hens out. Hill also thanks Anderson for sending him lyrics for a song and states that he thinks he can "sing it for you now at any time we get some one to play for me. I go to the Arizona School of Music now and I know I am learning it right."

The third letter (ALS, 6 pages) is dated July 24, 1911, and is addressed to "Mrs. E. G. Gillette, #414 Andover Street, Lowell, Mass." Hill discusses goings on at the Phoenix estate including recent rainy weather, the birth of a bull calf, the cats being in good health, repair work that needed to be done following a storm, and his inviting a woman named "Ms. Howsel" over for meals regularly since she is "not very busy this summer." Hill also touches on how he borrowed a total of $100 from "Ida Larson" and "Walter" to pay for a musical instrument he named "Comet," and that he would appreciate it if Frances and her husband could assist him in clearing this debt.