Umatilla Reservation

Wallawalla Tribe

Wallawalla Indians (‘little river’). A Shahaptian tribe formerly living on lower Walla Walla river and along the east bank of the Columbia from Snake river nearly to the Umatilla in Washington and Oregon. While a distinct dialect, their language is closely related to the Nez Percé. Their number was estimated by Lewis and Clark as 1,600 in 1805, but it is certain this figure included other bands now recognized as independent. By treaty of 1855 they were removed to the Umatilla Reservation in Oregon, where they are now (1910) said to number 461, but are much mixed with Nez Percé, … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Brown

BENJAMIN BROWN. – Mr. Brown was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1831, and remained at his native place until 1857, receiving a common-school education. In this year he emigrated to American and settled in Michigan, remaining until March, 1858, when he came to California by way of New York and the Isthmus. From San Francisco he found his way to the Siskiyou mines, and operated until July of 1868, and thence came to the Frazer river mines. In the autumn of that year, he brought his journeyings to a close at Steilacoom, where he remained a year. Being favorably impressed … Read more

Cayuse Tribe

Cayuse Indians. A Waiilatpuan tribe formerly occupying the territory about the heads of Walla Walla, Umatilla, and Grande Ronde Rivers and from the Blue mountains to Deschutes River in Washington and Oregon. The tribe has always been closely associated with the neighboring Nez Percé and Walla Walla, and was regarded by the early explorers and writers as belonging to the same stock. So far as the available evidence goes, however, they must be considered linguistically independent. The Cayuse have always been noted for their bravery, and owing largely to their constant struggles with the Snake and other tribes, have been … Read more

Wallawalla Indians

Wallawalla Indians were located on the lower Wallawalla River, except perhaps for an area around Whitman occupied by Cayuse, and a short span along the Columbia and Snake Rivers near their junction, in Washington and Oregon. They are now on Umatilla Reservation, Oregon.

Homili, Chief of the Walla Walla

Homili, the chief of the Walla Walla, lived in two places: a part of each year on the Umatilla Reserve with the Umatilla, Cayuse, and other Columbia River Indians who were willing to stay there with the government agent; and part of the year, indeed, the greater part of it, at what he called his home just above the steamboat landing near the hamlet of Wallula. On the Umatilla Reserve, Homili had good land, pasturage all around for his pongees, and a good farm-house. He could raise wheat and vegetables, too, in plenty when he could make his tillicums (children … Read more

Umatilla Tribe

Umatilla Indians. A Shahaptian tribe formerly lining on Umatilla Reservation and the adjacent banks of the Columbia in Oregon.  They were included under the Walla Walla by Lewis and Clark in 1805, though their language is distinct. In 1855 they joined in a treaty with the United States and settled on the Umatilla Reservation in eastern Oregon.  They are said to number 250, but this figure is doubtful, owing to a mixture of tribes on the reservation.

Biography of A. P. Woodward

A.P. WOODWARD. – Those who had the sharp work of quieting the Indians, and of defending the homes and families of the Whites in 1855-56, did not at that time suppose that their work would ever be of historic interest. But the time is coming when every name of the veterans will be inscribed as with letters of gold upon the records of the state. One of these veterans is Mr. Woodward. He was born in Muskingum, Ohio, and, after the manner of many Westerners, spent his early days in gradually passing westward, moving by slow stages through Illinois and … Read more

Biography of Marcus Whitman, M.D.

MARCUS WHITMAN, M.D. – A volume might be written in regard to the life and death of this man. Hence, in the brief space here given to him, only a synopsis of his life can be given. He was born at Rushville, New York, September 4, 1802, and was the son of Beza and Alice (Green) Whitman. His father having died in 1810, he was brought up by his paternal grandfather, at Plainfield, Massachusetts. There he was converted in 1819; and in January, 1824, he joined the Congregational church at his native place, of which he remained a member until … Read more

Lohim Tribe

Lohim Indians. A small Shoshonean band living on Willow Creek, a south affluent of the Columbia, in Southern Oregon, and probably belonging to the Mono-Paviotso group.  They have never made a treaty with the Government and are generally spoken of as renegades belonging to the Umatilla Reservation. In 1870 their number ws reported as 114, but the name has not appeared in recent official reports.  Ross mistook them for Nez Percé.