Tag: port orford

coos bay, General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Oregon Coast, Oregon indians, Rogue Valley, Siletz Reservation, treaties, Umpqua Valley3 Comments

The Gateway on the Central Oregon Coast, Fort Umpqua and the Umpqua Sub Indian Agency

David G. Lewis, PhD

The southern and central Coast of Oregon is a relatively unknown area in Native American history. As the area is not well researched it is generally assumed to have been vacated during the Indian removals of 1856. However, federal records show us that this is not the case at all. That there were tribes and bands living on the central coast, even below the southern border of the Coast Reservation, and there was quite a lot of traffic of Native groups moving up and down the coast as they were either forced into the reservation and its encampments, or tried … Continue reading The Gateway on the Central Oregon Coast, Fort Umpqua and the Umpqua Sub Indian Agency

General History, Oregon Coast, Oregon indians, treaties, Uncategorized1 Comment

The 1851 Treaty Commission: the Ya-su-chah at Port Orford

David G. Lewis, PhD

This second treaty at Port Orford was with a tribe south of the Rogue River, likely the Chetleshin tribe. This is another athapaskan speaking tribe that already had several problems with miners on the coast. The emphasis on maintaining the peace and access of Americans across their lands suggests there were many problems in the area. With these two Port Orford Treaties, the entrance to the Rogue River, and the potential settlements on the coast would be assured. Access to the Rogue River was important to get to the gold region of Oregon, and the future coastal downs at the … Continue reading The 1851 Treaty Commission: the Ya-su-chah at Port Orford

General History, Oregon Coast, Oregon indians, treaties, Uncategorized1 Comment

The 1851 Treaty Commission: Coquille, Euchre, and Tototan at Port Orford

David G. Lewis, PhD

  The Coquille are a Miluk speaking tribe and the other tribes, Euchre Creek and To-to-tan, are athapaskan speaking tribes that already had several problems with explorers and miners on the coast. In fact, T’Vault, who had a role in this treaty, had the majority of his exploratory party killed when he first encountered the Coquille Indians at their village near the present site of Bandon, OR. This had caused retribution on the Coquille by the Army out of Fort Vancouver. The Army they set up a detachment of troops at Fort Orford, near the port, to keep the peace. … Continue reading The 1851 Treaty Commission: Coquille, Euchre, and Tototan at Port Orford

California Natives, General History, Native Issues, Oregon Coast, Oregon indians, Uncategorized1 Comment

A State of Open Warfare: the Chetko Massacre revisited

David G. Lewis, PhD

Rape, threats of violence, and Murder were the tools used by the Whitemen who came to the region encompassing northern California and southern Oregon in search of opportunity and gold. The coastal towns of the tribes, in the vicinity of the much more recent white settlements were particularly susceptible to violence owing to the concentration of a variety of white settlers and the continual push for greater opportunity for any who visited the region. The tribes were in the way of White settlements and many of the Whites sought to hunt them out and to exterminate them like wolves. Indian … Continue reading A State of Open Warfare: the Chetko Massacre revisited

General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Native Issues, Oregon indians, Rogue Valley, Uncategorized2 Comments

Foolish Indians and Bad Whites; Palmer advises George and Limpy, April 1856

David G. Lewis, PhD

Joel Palmer  (Oregon Indian Superintendent) writes from Dayton April 24, 1856, after receiving a letter From Indian Agent George Ambrose. Palmer is at this time heavily engaged in making arrangements for the tribes to remove to the Grand Ronde Reservation. The Cascade Attacks have happened and he is most concerned with the removal of the tribes on the Columbia and removal of the Molalla. At the same time in southwest Oregon, the Rogue River Confederacy under Chief John has left the Table Rock Reservation and began attacking American settlements in a westward path. Chief John has attracted several tribes to … Continue reading Foolish Indians and Bad Whites; Palmer advises George and Limpy, April 1856