Daily AncestorIndian agent
An Indian agent was a U.S. government official assigned to a Native American tribe or reservation to handle treaties, trade and federal policy for Washington.
The post began with the Nonintercourse Act of 1793, which let the President appoint agents to live among Native nations. Agents negotiated treaties, regulated trade and passed on annuities of money or goods.
In 1849 the Bureau of Indian Affairs moved from the War Department to the Interior Department, amid complaints that agents were inefficient and dishonest. Under Theodore Roosevelt, the remaining agents were replaced by school superintendents.
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Daily Ancestor. "Indian agent." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/indian-agent. Last checked 2026-10-10.