LETTERS FROM HASKELL
Hugh Tossett Letters
Unfortunately, the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum has few records of Tossett's experiences at Haskell, there are no known photographs of him, and virtually no records exist of his life after he left. He is only mentioned in the United States Census Indian Rolls on June 30, 1897 when he was living with his grandparents, To-Sa-Woos-On-Whe and Coats-Ah-Whe-Ah, who is listed on the Census of Apache Prisoners of War as Roll Number 784.
He was also mentioned briefly in the July 2, 1891 obituary of a fellow student, Harry Haneno, in the Lawrence Daily Journal quoted below:
His student file, located at the National Archives and Records Administration in Kansas City, Missouri, consists of a single sheet of paper containing his name; his age of 7 when he entered Haskell; the words “Black Horse,” which he indicated was his parent’s name in his September 15, 1895 letter, his home agency as Kiowa and Comanche Agency, Indian Territory; his blood quantum as Comanche 4/4; his date of entrance at Haskell as December 4, 1884. Also included was his date of departure as February 21, 1897, due to sickness.
He was not mentioned in the probate documents when his grandfather’s estate was settled in 1915, leading to the conclusion that he was already deceased by this time.
"With all the Indians the tribal feeling is strong, more like the family love with us than anything else, and to the one other Comanche, Hugh Tassett, several years younger than he, he was the tender elder brother, watching over and caring for him, while Hugh's devotion to Harry was equally strong, and when during the funeral service sobs of grief broke from the poor, stricken boy, all hearts filled with sympathy and many eyes were moist. Thus has closed an interesting and a beautiful life the memory of which will long be kept fresh and green by the pupils of Haskell Institute."