Month: April 2020

colonization, General History, Native Issues, Oregon indians, Umpqua Valley3 Comments

Slavery at Canyonville, 1853

David G. Lewis, PhD

The subject of slavery in Oregon goes back to the first wave of settlers who came to the territory in 1844 and after. These first settlers combined with a few hardy souls who had arrived earlier and had been fur traders and explorers, formed the first territorial laws in a series of Wolf meetings. the Oregon organic Acts set the character of the territory for about 10 years. By and large, there was not going to be slavery in Oregon, even though proponents of slavery-like Peter Burnett, an early politician and judge in Oregon and the first American Governor of … Continue reading Slavery at Canyonville, 1853

anson dart, columbia river, treaties, Willamette ValleyLeave a comment

Dart Introduces the Clackamas Treaty to the US Senate

David G. Lewis, PhD

Anson Dart departed from Oregon in late 1851 after completing the negotiation of 19 treaties in Oregon with tribes. Dart had replaced the Willamette Treaty Commission in June 1851 after they negotiated the Kalapuya and Molalla Treaties at Champoeg. Dart had sent letters to Washington DC stating that the commission were not properly representative of the US government and he was, so that he should assume the responsibility of negotiating treaties. Evidentally this reasoning was successful because Dart became the chief treaty negotiator and duty with consumed the remainder of his time in Oregon.  He also got the budgets for … Continue reading Dart Introduces the Clackamas Treaty to the US Senate

General History, Oregon indians, Umpqua ValleyLeave a comment

Coles Valley settlers want the Resources on the Umpqua Reservation, 1854

David G. Lewis, PhD

The following two letters are an example of how the settlers could not live with the tribal people having any resources. The settlers in 1854 had won, and they were about to gain the whole Umpqua Valley. There had been no war or any real conflicts from the Umpqua tribes. The tribes of the Umpqua Valley, numerous bands of the Yoncalla Kalapuya, the upper Umpqua, the Southern Molalla and the Cow Creek band were completely removed to reservations by summer of 1855. (except the Molalla who were not moved until December) The only real conflict was from the settlers who … Continue reading Coles Valley settlers want the Resources on the Umpqua Reservation, 1854

Anthropology, General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Oregon indians, Umpqua Valley3 Comments

The Umpqua River Indians Prepare for Removal

David G. Lewis, PhD

William Martin, the Sub-Indian Agent of the Umpqua and Coos Bay was appointed to the position by Joel Palmer in June 1853. He worked to understand the tribes of the Umpqua better, to follow Palmer’s orders and describe the tribes as best as he could. He did this for more than six months without even knowing what his salary was to be. The Umpqua Valley was exceedingly complex with at least four different tribes from different languages living in the valley. There were the Upper Umpqua, a somewhat scattered group of people speaking athapaskan language, perhaps the most northern of … Continue reading The Umpqua River Indians Prepare for Removal

coos bay, General History, Oregon Coast, Oregon indians, treaties, Umpqua Valley4 Comments

Preparing for Purchase, First Indian Agent in Coos Bay, 1853

David G. Lewis, PhD

When Joel Palmer was appointed to Superintendent of Indian Affairs in May 1853 he had a good working knowledge of the tribes but had never visited the southern Oregon coast. He began to scope out and plan how southwestern Oregon was to be managed as there were numerous tribes in that region. His first effort was to halt the Rogue River War which was raging in the area of the gold mines of southern Oregon. Palmer teamed up with General Joe Lane to bring the war to a swift end with a treaty of peace (9/8/1853) and a treaty of … Continue reading Preparing for Purchase, First Indian Agent in Coos Bay, 1853