Tag: vancouver

colonization, columbia river, General History, Kalapuya, Native Issues, Washington Territory, Willamette ValleyLeave a comment

Modeste Demers Ethnographic Descriptions of the Tribes, 1839

David G. Lewis, PhD

Modeste Demers was assigned with the Oregon Territory, in 1837, at the same time as Francois Norbert Blanchet and they traveled together overland to their assignment in canoes and on horseback, in Hudson’s Bay trading party.  Along the way, Demers and Blanchet take time to have short missions with the tribes and baptize more than 100 people. Demers set up his initial residence in Fort Vancouver and spent three months learning Chinuk Wawa (Jargon), which was the language the missionaries used to instruct nearly every tribe they encountered in the region. In the following early report of the tribes encountered … Continue reading Modeste Demers Ethnographic Descriptions of the Tribes, 1839

colonization, columbia river, General History, Native Issues, Oregon indians1 Comment

Blanchet’s Mission to Vancouver, 1841

David G. Lewis, PhD

Reverend Blanchet traveled to Fort Vancouver after his mission to the Clackamas. In Vancouver, there was much more orderly town life, the chapels in the fort being served by the Anglican priests. Nevertheless, he is likely politely invited to give sermons in the various chapel locations. The Chapels are likely based on the highly segregated populations at the fort, one for the officers, one for the white laborers and one for the Natives who provided the vast majority of labor for the fort, yet most were never allowed to enter the fort and lived instead in the Kanaka village. Blanchet … Continue reading Blanchet’s Mission to Vancouver, 1841

Anthropology, General History, Kalapuya, Oregon Coast, Oregon indians, treaties, Willamette Valley5 Comments

Lt. William A. Slacum, United States Spy in the Oregon Territory, and ; Chief Slacum of the Clowewalla

David G. Lewis, PhD

Lt. William A. Slacum, a Navy purser, was sent by the President, through the Department of State, as a special investigator to the Oregon Territory to investigate the Britain operations and to take stock of the tribes and the resources in the territory. Slacum was alone, except for one servant, and was not sent with supplies or any obvious purpose for going to Oregon. In sending Slacum to Oregon, the President, Andrew Jackson, was reacting to the obvious dominance of the British in the Oregon Territory despite the Treaty of 1818 which provides for a joint occupation of the territory … Continue reading Lt. William A. Slacum, United States Spy in the Oregon Territory, and ; Chief Slacum of the Clowewalla

columbia river, Oregon indians, Uncategorized, Willamette ValleyLeave a comment

Charge it to my Account in the Next World- The Nathaniel Wyeth Venture

David G. Lewis, PhD

Nathaniel Wyeth  was an early American explorer and investor in a salmon fishing and fur trade industry in the Oregon Territory. Wyeth  built as many as four forts in the West, including Fort William on Wappatoo Island (Sauvie Island), Oregon Territory, and Fort Hall on the Lewis River (Snake river)  in what is Idaho today. In 1831 Wyeth, then a young businessman (29 yrs), was being courted by Hall Kelley of Boston to join an expedition to colonize the Oregon Country. Kelley envisioned some 200 persons, many of them women and children would make the overland trip to the Oregon Country. … Continue reading Charge it to my Account in the Next World- The Nathaniel Wyeth Venture

California Natives, Oregon indians, Uncategorized1 Comment

Dentalia Shell Money: Hi-qua, Alika-chik

David G. Lewis, PhD

Dentalia shells, a mollusk, is collected from the sea floor off of Vancouver Island and is used by native peoples in a broad region of North America.  They grow up to 3 inches (or more) long for the North West Coast dentalia, while 2 inch dentalia are not uncommon and 1-1.5 inches are the most common. Tribes of the North West Coast and California used the dentalia for money, and for decorative and ceremonial artwork. The shells are tusk shaped, and when the animal dies, the tusk is hollow, which allow for easy stringing. The tusks are formed in layers … Continue reading Dentalia Shell Money: Hi-qua, Alika-chik