Records of the Mountain Molalla are very limited. Besides a few records of the tribe living around Pleasant Hill, at Lost Valley, there is nearly nothing known of their culture and territory. They were interrelated with the local Kalapuya peoples, of the Yoncalla (Komemma), and with the Klamath peoples, and likely related to the other Molalla tribes.
The Mountain Band Molalla range to the Middle Fork of the Willamette, and McKenzie rivers. The Mountain band of Molalla village site was in Lost Valley, east of Pleasant Hill. It is unclear how well related the Mountain Band was to the Southern Molalla peoples of the Umpqua Valley to the south, or the Santiam Forks Band of Molalla to the north. The Mountain band of Molalla is mentioned in treaty documents with this name and has been informally associated as the Tufti band after the well-known history of Charlie Tufti in the area.
Lost valley- south of Dexter
Following the signing of the Willamette Valley Treaty, the valley tribes were all sent supplies as partial payment for the sale of their lands. The following abstract is the invoice for the Mountain Molalla. The tribe received these supplies at Spores Ferry, Jacob Spores serving as the special agent to hand out the supplies to several bands in the southern Valley. The tribe had not signed the treaty in January 1855. Palmer wrote that he had left the treaty open for several tribes, and that in January 1855, many of the tribes were stranded behind high waters and could not get to Dayton. On January 29-30, 1856 Palmer met with the Clatskanie and the Clackamas to negotiate their acceptance of the treaty.[1] The signatures of the leaders of the Mountain Band Molalla, and four other tribes, the Chiwean Band of Santiam, the Santiam Forks band of Molalla, Ne-pe-chuck (Wapato Island Chinook) and the Clatskanie were all received in March 1856, a year after the treaty was ratified.[2]
[1] Palmer Diary of 1856, OHS, Palmer notes the Clackamas present, but since their signatures were already part of the ratified treaty, could these be other tribal people, perhaps the Ne-pe-chuck, who could have fallen under the Clackamas designation.
[2] Lewis, David. Missing Pages, Quartux Journal
The Mountain Molalla signature from “Ben, Little Chief” appears on the bottom part of the page, signed March 5, 1855, two days after the treaty was ratified by Congress (March 3, 1855). News of the ratification of the treaty reached Oregon on March 6, 1855 and Edward Geary began immediately to arrange for temporary encampments for the valley tribes.
Regardless of whether Ben’s signature counted towards the treaty, the Mountain Molalla were sent supplies as if they had signed in time, and were set to remove from their land in March and April 1856. Their land claims were included in the treaty as if they had signed.
The following is a set of letters of experiences settlers had with the Mountain Molalla.
Alex. Goodpasture, March 22, 1856
“For the hire of five four-yoke ox wagons and teams in transporting the women & children & baggage of the Chafan & Mohawk bands of Callapooya, and the Mountain band of Molalla Indians from their encampment near Spores’ Landing, Lane County, O.T. to Corvallis- en route to Dayton. 3 ½ days going and 2 ½ days returning = 6 days at $6.00 per day for each wagon & team, and driver, including all expense of ferriages, forage etc, on the route- $180.00.
[Note on side] Teams left Spores’ landg. Feby 1st and returned Feby 7th. Distance from Spores Landing to Corvallis about 40 miles.
Received at Dayton 22nd March 1856, of Joel Palmer, Supt Ind. Affr. One hundred and eighty dollars in full of this account, $180.00, Alex Goodpasture.
I certify, on honor, that the above account is correct and just, and that I have actually, this Twenty second day of March 1856 paid the amount thereof. Joel Palmer, Supt. Ind. Affairs.”[1]
[1] Joel Palmer Papers, 1856 2nd Qrtr Abstracts, https://oregondigital.org/collections/joel-palmer
Elijah Bristow (Sunday Oregonian May 21, 1911, 6)
“No real Indian wars occurred in this vicinity. Elijah never let them get beyond their incipiency, a band of Klamaths made their appearance on the borders to Elijah’s place and made a few threats. The pioneer took down his long-barreled rifle and fired. The Indian tumbled but got away, a few days later a friendly Molalla came to the settlement and said the wounded Klamath had died the following day.
He took the same summary action in regard to the “Klickitat War.” In fact, he started and ended it. Five of this tribe came one day and killed one of his fattest oxen. He and his son pursued the Indians, but did not catch them. A few weeks later another band of Klickitats came along, He caught one brave and whipped him. The next day 13 mounted and painted Klickitats surrounded his cabin and demanded satisfaction. Money would do. He parleyed with them a little while, then suddenly grabbed a handspike and aimed a blow at the nearest. The Indian dodged, but the blow knocked his pony down. The Klickitats fled and Elijah pursued with threatening handspike and raised his gun to fire, but just then Elijah’s son appeared with a gun, he hastened on with the rest.”[1]
Butte Disappointment article 9/1/1877
“Early in the spring of 1848 a band of these Klamath Indians came into the then sparsely populated Pleasant Hill settlement, ostensibly to visit the Molallas, who lived there, and conducted themselves in such a manner as to create no little uneasiness among the few whites in that section. Finally they killed an ox belonging to Mr Cornelius Hills, who had settled on the north side of the Middle Fork a few months before. He immediately notified his neighbors on Pleasant Hill of the occurrence, when Elijah Bristow, Wm. Dodson, Prior F Blair, Isaac and Elias Briggs, Cornelius Hills, and perhaps one or two others, comprising the total male population of that locality, joined their force and started to drive the Klamaths out of the country. They crossed the river to the north side at Hills’ place and gave chase to the “hostiles” who evidently fearing the little band of pioneers, had started up the stream towards the mountains. Their trail was followed until it crossed what is known as Fall creek, but what was then supposed, by our little band of pioneers, to be the main river. It was swollen by the spring rains and melting snows until it was easily mistaken for the main stream. Here was a dilemma. The stream was too high to venture the crossing, while the object of their search, the Indians, it was plainly to be seen, had swam it, and their trail lead off in the direction of a large bald butte on the other side. They resolved to return to the crossing at Hills’ and go up on the other side and intercept the Indian trail at or near the bald butte in question. This suggestion was immediately acted upon, but in attempting to carry it out they found themselves confronted by what proved to be the main river, and the bald butte and the Indians still inaccessible to them. Mr. Bristow, the leader of the little band, looking across the swollen mountain torrent, exclaimed: “Disappointed again.” The pointing to the butte he said, “let that be its name; Butte Disappointment.” The little band of pioneers returned to their homes again only to exercise greater vigilance than ever before lest the Klamaths should return among them to murder and plunder. In the June following- about the time of the Abiqua fight- a band of Klamaths again made their appearance, stopping with the friendly Molallas encamped near Butte Disappointment. One of them crossed the river and came to Elijah Bristow’s place. He was very saucy; threatening to kill his cattle, and seemed to manifest a tendency to appropriate to his own use whatever other property he might take a fancy to. Mr. Bristow was at work hauling out rails at the time with a pair of oxen who had an aversion to Indians, as well as their master. This the Klamath was not slow to discover, and shaking his deerskin robe and raising a war whoop, he sent the oxen, tearing down the hill, scattering the load of rails in places they were not intended for and making a wreck of the wagon. The Indian laughed in high glee to see the fun. Not so the old gentleman above named. He deliberately walked into his cabin and taking down his trusty rifle, instead of hunting of his oxen again, he started on the hunt of Mr. Klamath, who realizing that matters were taking a serious turn, broke for the timber at a gait not excelled by the runaway team a few minutes before. As he went he received a ball in the rear which tumbled him to the ground, but recovering himself again he soon gained the brush and was lost to the sight of his pursuer.
This occurrence put the little settlement under arms again. All bands stood guard or scouted in the direction of the Indian camp at Butte Disappointment. On the second day a Molalla Indian made his appearance and expressed a desire to have a “wawa” with “Ole-Man Bristow.” The interview was granted. He made various inquiries as to the reasons for shooting his “tillicum,” the Klamath, saying he reached camp that night and died the next morning form the effects of his wound. He was plainly told the reasons, and that if the Klamaths did not recross the mountains to their own “Illahee” the whites would kill them all, and that the Molallas would be held accountable for their further acts. Suffice to say, the Klamaths concluded to leave that section of the Willamette valley, and for over twenty years afterwards there was no Klamath Indians that ever ventured back into the Pleasant Hill neighborhood.”[2]
[1] Sunday Oregonian May 21, 1911, 6
[2] Butte Disappointment article 9/1/1877
Mrs_Ruby_Hendricks_Goodrich0003[1]
“The Indians of the early days were a peaceable lot in this part of Oregon.
Some of the tribes were men of the smallest stature and for the most part they were cowards and more given to petty thieving than to attacking the white man. There was a tribe, the Molallas who were fine specimens of manhood. of these Indians Mr. Hendricks relates this story.
There were very few alarms from the Indians in those days but I remember that one Sunday as we were all at church word came that the Molallas were talking threateningly. All the men who could (and all of us rode horseback in those days) jumped on their horses and rode as fast as possible to the scene of the supposed outbreak. I had no gun but, boy-like, I followed along anyway. In a little while we came in sight of the Indian camp and charged on them. All of them ran except the old chief. He stood his ground, gun in hand, a parley followed and I was able to act as interpreter. Came to find out, there had been no danger at all of an outbreak but all the Indians had done was to call at a house begging for something to eat and the fears of the women had furnished the scare. That old chief was always my friend and later when I went to work in my uncle’s store in Eugene this Indian would always come to see me and trade with me.
That was the nearest I ever had to having trouble with Indians. Our house was burglarized one Sunday though while all the family was away at church. An old good-for-nothing Indian named Adam came down to the house and pushing in the lower half of the door entered and took away a silk handkershie[f] and a few dollars in money and all the food he could eat.”[1]
[1] Mrs Ruby Hendricks Goodrich, LCHM
*Evidentially a few of these Molalla went into hiding and would not come to Grand Ronde.
Joel Palmer report, January 23rd, 1855
“Since drawing up of the treaty (Willamette Valley Treaty completed 1/22/1855), I have learned that a few scattered families of the Molallas who formerly inhabited the country bordering a stream of that name, are now residing on the headwaters of the Mackenzie’s Fork & The Middle Fork of the Willamette. These are a remnant of a few lodges who in the winter of 1847-8 were engaged in plundering some houses in their vicinity, and were attacked by the settlers and nearly extinguished. They fled to the Mountains and have never returned. I apprehend no difficulty in inducing them to acceded to the terms of the treaty. They are apart of the Molalla Tribe who have already signed the treaty, and will without doubt be guided by their wishes.”[1]
[1] Microfilm M2, R5, page 111, Joel Palmer report of 1/23/1855.
Lost Valley, Lane Co. O.T. May 8th 56 (no. 199)
Mr. J. Palmer
Sir.
In gathering up the various Indian tribes through the country by some means or other, there was a few living in this vicinity (perhaps some 8 or 10 big & little) escaped your notice. They claim to be Molaley and have Klamath women for their wives. But a short time after hostilities commenced last fall they took their families and moved off, up the Middle fork of the Willamette on the Old Klamath trail, and but seldom visit the settlement any more, for fear they will be taken down to the reserve. While they were here last fall, they kept the frontier in great excitement in stating that there was “Misc.” [?] Klamaths up the river and this spring they are doing what they can to get up an other excitement. About two weeks ago there was two Indians come down to the stettlements and said the Klamath Indians was sure to come down this summer- and- if they were permitted to stay up there that they would let the people know when they were coming. Now Mr. Palmer if you will have them removed you will oblige many citizens. Plez answer this immediately so that we may know what disposition you will make of them. D.S. Hunsaker
*Some of these people may have remained in hiding for decades.
April the 15th 1865 (rec’d Apl 23, ans. May 13) #161
Coast Fork, Lane County, Oregon
G.W.P. Huntington, Dear sir we take the oppertunity [sic] to let you know that we have a few Indians in hour versinity [sic] an we [apply] you to have them removed as soon possible. They are of the Molalla tribe. Their ranch is in a paster (pasture) that belong to Milton Andersan at the Mountain house on the Coast Fork road. [signed] William Allen, W.H. Small, Isaac Massey, Wm W. Shotridge, J. Taylor. C. Johnson, D.W. Johnson, W. Payne, E. Whitney
