Records of the Cascades Watlala Removal to Grand Ronde

Joel Palmer’s letters during his superintendency lend themselves to a timeline for the removal of most tribes. Palmer penned orders and received reports from his Indian agents, sub Indian agents, local agents and special agents in a timely manner. Work that some may think would take months would be accomplished in a few weeks. There was an inexplicable high level of cooperation among many of these men. I have searched for reasons why they seemed to be able to accomplish so much with relatively little disagreement, no complete failures to speak of, and with great efficiency. The efficiency and ease … Continue reading Records of the Cascades Watlala Removal to Grand Ronde

Stories of Change Among the Clackamas at Grand Ronde

The Clackamas Come to Grand Ronde Reservation Preparing to Leave The Clackamas are addressed in letters as living in small encampments near Oregon City. They likely had a small site at Wilamet village on the Clackamas, and a small reserve on the west side of the river at the falls. Victoria Howard’s family appear to have lived away from Oregon City as when they are removed, they first go to Oregon City. From there they would walk up the portage to Canemah and catch a steamer, or in this story a barge, to Dayton. They had to leave most of … Continue reading Stories of Change Among the Clackamas at Grand Ronde

Drucker’s Records of Clackamas Villages

The Clackamas (Tlakamas) lived along the Clackamas River and along the lower Willamette. Their villages and associated territorial claims extended from Willamette Falls to the Willamette Slough. Scholars still debate the full reach of the Clackamas territory. At Willamette Falls there were villages on both sides of the river below the falls, one village above the Falls at Canemah and one village down by where the Tualatin River enters the Willamette. There were additional villages near the Clackamas estuary and at Milwaukee. There was a village on an island in the Willamette. Some of these villages at the falls are … Continue reading Drucker’s Records of Clackamas Villages

The 1851 Treaty Commission Journal: The Clackamas Treaty

In November 1851 Dart finally is ready to return to Washington DC with the treaties to present them to Congress. Earlier in the year, when Dart arrived in Oregon, he first visited the Umatilla basin to try to work a deal with the Umatilla regional tribes for the removal of some 4,000 western Oregon Indians to the Umatilla. In the council, the Umatilla regional tribes refuse. Dart seemed undaunted and establishes an Indian Agency Office in Umatilla. He then returns to western Oregon and first visits the Clackamas Indians to settle their land claims. Dart makes no progress with the … Continue reading The 1851 Treaty Commission Journal: The Clackamas Treaty

Dispossessed of Tribal Traditions, the Fishery at Clackamas Village 1860s

A letter addressed to J. W. Huntington, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon in 1862.   The letter was from John Campbell who had worked for John McLaughlin and was making an appeal to grant the Clackamas Tribe rights to return to their traditional village and fish for salmon. He writes, “An Indian named George of the Clackamas is here and is very anxious to be permitted to come here during the fishing season and bring his family” “The Clackamas village is on Mr. Cason’s land, immediately opposite Mr. Wm. Buck’s Saw Mills. I understand  from Mr. Buck that Mr. … Continue reading Dispossessed of Tribal Traditions, the Fishery at Clackamas Village 1860s