Two Treaties of General Joseph Lane and Chief Jo, Rogue River

This is an article meant to clear up some mistaken histories. In the past historians have mixed up the two treaties and the meetings between Joseph Lane and Chief Jo. At times historians have attributed the 1850 events as taking place in 1853. The history of Oregon Indians is not a neat and clean history with clean divisions. There are multiple overlapping events with the same individuals. There is also a diversity of tribes, some 60 in western Oregon alone. In S.W. Oregon there were several Chief Johns and Chief Jos. Even the notion of the Rogue River tribes is … Continue reading Two Treaties of General Joseph Lane and Chief Jo, Rogue River

Reservation of the Santiam Band of Indians under Chief Jo 1855

One band of the Santiam tribe, Chief Jo’s band, lived within the north and south forks of the Santiam River. Alquema or Jo (Joseph) Hutchins had earlier signed the 1851 treaty with Anson Dart. During the treaty negotiations, the first for the tribes of the Willamette Valley, Alquema and Tiacan (possible the leader of the other Santiam band, Louis, located at Lebanon) held out to remain in their lands. They negotiated a permanent reservation between the forks of Santiam. Their transcribed speeches over the course of five days are important to understanding how deeply they felt about remaining on their … Continue reading Reservation of the Santiam Band of Indians under Chief Jo 1855