The list of items below have been tagged as part of the Native American historical collection here at AccessGenealogy.
Washo Indians. On Truckee River as far down as the Meadows, though their right to the latter was disputed by the Northern Paiute tribes; Carson River down to the first large canyon below Carson City; the borders of Lake Tahoe; and Sierra and other valleys as far as the first range south of Honey Lake, Calififornia
Northern Paiute. The Northern Paiute were not properly a tribe, the name being used for a dialectic division as indicated above. They covered western Nevada, southeastern Oregon, and a strip of California east of the Sierra Nevada as far south as Owens Lake except for territory occupied by the Washo. According to the students of the area, they were pushed out of Powder River Valley and the upper course of John Day River in the nineteenth century by Shahaptian tribes and the Cayuse.
Southern Paiute. In western Utah, northwestern Arizona, southeastern Nevada, and parts of southeastern California. The Southern Paiute belonged to the Ute-Chemehuevi group of the Shoshonean branch of the Ute-Aztecan stock.
Ute Indians. In central and western Colorado and all of eastern Utah, including the eastern part of Salt Lake Valley and Utah Valley and extending into the upper drainage area of the San Juan River in New Mexico.
Sutaio Indians. When first brought distinctly to the knowledge of Whites, this tribe was west of Missouri River, between it and the Black Hills in South Dakota.
Dakota Indians. The earliest known home of this tribe was on and near the Mississippi in southern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and neighboring parts of Iowa. In 1825, after they had spread somewhat farther west, Long (1791) gives their boundaries thus: They were bounded by a curved line extending east of north from Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi, so as to include all the eastern tributaries of the Mississippi, to the first branch of Chippewa River; thence by a line running west of north to Spirit Lake; thence westwardly to Crow Wing River, Minn., and up that stream to its head; thence westwardly to Red River and down that stream to Pembina; thence southwestwardly to the eastern bank of the Missouri near the Mandan villages; thence down the Missouri to a point probably not far from Soldiers River; thence east of north to Prairie du Chien. At a later time they occupied less territory toward the east but extended much farther westward between the Yellowstone and Platte Rivers.
Cheyenne Indians. This tribe moved frequently; in South Dakota they were associated with the Cheyenne River and the Black Hills. (See also Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.)
Kalispel Indians. On Pend Oreille River and Lake, Priest Lake, and the lower course of Clark’s Fork. They were said to have extended east-ward to Thompson Lake and Horse Plains and to have hunted over some of the Salmon River country, Canada, and were formerly said to have extended to Flathead Lake and Missoula.
Bannock Indians. In historic times their main center was in southeastern Idaho, ranging into western Wyoming, between latitude 42° and 45° North and from longitude 113° West eastward to the main chain of the Rocky Mountains. At times they spread well down Snake River, and some were scattered as far north as Salmon River and even into southern Montana.
Northern Shoshoni Indians. The Northern Shoshoni occupied eastern Idaho, except the territory held by the Bannock; western Wyoming; and north-eastern Utah.
Possibly from the Pawnee tirapihu or larapihu, signifiying “trader.” Also called: Ähyä’to, Kiowa name. Ano’s-anyotskano, Kichai name. Bĕtidĕĕ, Kiowa Apache name. Detseka’yaa, Caddo name, signifying “dog eaters.” Dog Eaters. E-tah-leh, Hidatsa name, signifying “bison path Indians.” Hitänwo’ǐv, Cheyenne name, signifying “cloud men” or “sky men.” Inûna-ina, own name, signifying “our people.” Ita-Iddi, Hidatsa name (Maximilian). Kaninahoish, Chippewa name. Komséka-Ki`ñahyup, former Kiowa name, signifying “men of the worn-out leggings.” Kun na-nar-wesh or Gene des Vach[es], by Lewis and Clark (1804). Mahpíyato, Dakota name, signifying “blue cloud.” Niă’rharǐ’s-kûrikiwa’ahûski, Wichita name. Särĕtǐka, Comanche and Shoshoni name, signifying “dog eaters”; the Pawnee, Wichita, and … Read more
MRS. HELEN SMITH. – There survives within the limits of the old Oregon no person whose life possesses more universal interest than the lady whose name appears above, and of whom we present an excellent portrait. The widow of a pioneer whose first operations upon this coast belong to the antique days of Wyeth and Kelly, her own memory extends to the remote times of the Astor expedition of 1811; and her infant life was contemporary with the explorations of Lewis and Clarke in 1805. The entire panorama of the occupation and settlement of our state has therefore passed before … Read more
Assiniboin Indians. From a Chippewa term signifying “one who cooks by the use of stones.” E-tans-ke-pa-se-qua, Hidatsa name, from a word signifying “long arrows” (Long, 1823). Guerriers de pierre, French name. Hohe, Dakota name, signifying “rebels.” Sioux of the Rocks, English name. Stonies, or Stone Indians, English name translated from the Indian. Tlu’tlama’eka, Kutenai name, signifying “cutthroats,” the usual term for Dakota derived from the sign language. Weepers, given by Henry (1809). Assiniboin Connections. The Assiniboin belonged to the Siouan linguistic family, and were a branch of the Dakota (see South Dakota), having sprung traditionally from the Yanktonai whose dialect … Read more
Atsina Indians. Probably from Blackfoot At-se’-na, supposed to mean “gut people.” Also called: Acapatos, by Duflot de Mofras (1844). A-re-tear-o-pan-ga, Hidatsa name. Bahwetego-weninnewug, Chippewa name, signifying “fall people.” Bot-k’in’ago, signifying “belly men.” Fall Indians, common early name. Gros Ventres des Plaines, derived from an incorrect interpretation of the tribal sign and the qualifying phrase “des Plaines” to distinguish them from the Hidatsa, the Gros Ventres de la Riviere. Haaninin or Aa’ninena, own name, said to signify “white-clay people,” “lime-men,” or “chalk-men.” His-tu-i’-ta-ni-o, Cheyenne name. Hitfinena, Arapaho name, signifying “beggars” or “spongers.” Minnetarees of the Plains, Minnetarees of the Prairies, so … Read more
Crow Indians. A translation, through the French gens des corbeaux, of their own name: Absároke, “crow-, sparrowhawk-, or bird-people.” Also called: Handeruka, Mandan name. Haideroka, Hidatsa name. Hounena, Arapaho name, signifying “crow men.” Issl£ppo’, Siksika name. Kangitoka, Yankton Dakota name. Ka’-xi, Winnebago name. Kihnatsa, Hidatsa name, signifying “they who refused the paunch,” and referring to the tradition regarding the separation of these two tribes. Kokokiwak, Fox name. Long-haired Indians, by Sanford (1819). O-e’-tun’-i-o, Cheyenne name, signifying “crow people.” Par-is-ca-oh-pan-ga, Hidatsa name, signifying “crow people” (Long, 1823). Stemchi, Kalispel name. StBmtchi, Salish name. Stimk, Okinagan name. Yaxka’-a, Wyandot name, signifying “crow.” … Read more
Kutenai Indians. Said to be from a term applied to this tribe by the Blackfoot Indians and believed by Turney-High (1937) to have come originally from the name of a Kutenai tribe or division called Tunaha. Also called: Flatbows, the name given often to the Lower Kutenai, the origin of which is unknown. Kúspe(lu, their Nez Perce name, signifying “water people.” Sán’ka or asán’ka, own name, significance unknown. Shalsa-‘ulk°, by the Sinkiuse and said to be from a place name, but see below. Skelsá-ulk, Salish name, signifying “Water People.” Slender Bows, name sometimes given as an interpretation of their own … Read more
Arikara Indians. Signifying “horns,” or “elk,” and having reference to their ancient manner of wearing the hair with two pieces of bone standing up, one on each side of the crest; -ra is the plural suffix. Also called: Ă da ka’ da ho, Hidatsa name. Ah-pen-ope-say, or A-pan-to’-pse, Crow name. Corn eaters, given as their own name. Ka’-nan-in, Arapaho name, meaning “people whose jaws break in pieces.” O-no’-ni-o, Cheyenne name. Padani, Pani, applied to them by various tribes. Ree, abbreviation of Arikara. Sanish, “person,” their own name, according to Gilmore (1927). S’gŭǐes’tshi, Salish name. Stâr-râh-he’ [tstarahi], their own name, according … Read more
Hidatsa Indians. Derived from the name of a former village and said, on somewhat doubtful authority, to signify “willows.” Also called: A-gutch-a-ninne-wug, Chippewa name, meaning “the settled people.” A-me-she’, Crow name, meaning “people who live in earth houses.” Gi-aucth-in-in-e-wug, Chippewa name, meaning “men of the olden time.” Gros Ventres of the Missouri, traders’ name, probably derived from the sign for them in the sign language. Hewaktokto, Dakota name. Minitari, meaning “they crossed the water,” said to have been given to them by the Mandan, from the tradition of their first encounter with the tribe on the Missouri. Wa-nuk’-e-ye’-na, Arapaho name, … Read more
Mandan Indians. Probably a corruption of the Dakota word applied to them, Mawatani. Also called: A-rach-bo-cu, Hidatsa name (Long, 1791) As-a-ka-shi, Us-suc-car-shay, Crow name. How-mox-tox-sow-es, Hidatsa name (?). Kanit’, Arikara name. Kwowahtewug, Ottawa name. Métutahanke, own name since 1837, after their old village. Mo-no’-ni-o, Cheyenne name. Numakaki, own name prior to 1837, meaning “men,” “people.” U-ka’-she, Crow name, meaning “earth houses.” Mandan Connections. The Mandan belonged to the Siouan linguistic stock. Their connections are with the Tutelo and Winnebago rather than the nearer Siouan tribes. Mandan Location. When known to the Whites, the Mandan were on the same part of … Read more
Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: Lucretia Alexander Location: 1708 High Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Age: 89 Occupation: Washed. Ironed. Plowed. Hoed “I been married three times and my last name was Lucretia Alexander. I was twelve years old when the War began. My mother died at seventy-three or seventy-five. That was in August 1865—August the ninth. She was buried August twelfth. The reason they kept her was they had refugeed her children off to different places to keep them from the Yankees. They couldn’t get them back. My mother and her children were heir property. Her first master was … Read more