Native American

The list of items below have been tagged as part of the Native American historical collection here at AccessGenealogy.

Tolowa Tribe

Tolowa Indians. An Athapascan tribe of extreme north west California. When first known they occupied the coast from the mouth of Klamath river nearly to the Oregon line, including Smith river valley and the following villages: Echulit, Khoonkhwuttunne, and Khosatumie of the Khaamotene branch, Chesthltishtunne, Tatlatunne, Ataakut, Meetkeni, Stuntusunwhott, Targhinaatun, Thltsusmetunne, and Turghestlsatun. They were gathered on a reservation in 1862, which was established on leased land, but it was abandoned in 1868, since which time the Tolowa have shifted for themselves. They are much demoralized and greatly reduced in numbers. Their language is unintelligible to the Hupa. In culture … Read more

Wenatchee Tribe

Wenatchee Indians (Yakima; winätshi, ‘river issuing from a canyon,’ referring to Wenatchee river). A Salish division, probably a band of the Pisquows, formerly on Wenatchee river, a tributary of the Columbia in Washington.  In 1850 there were said to have been 50 on Yakima Reservation, but 66 were enumerated in the Report on Indian Affairs for 1910 as under the Colville agency.  It is uncertain whether these bodies belonged to one original band.

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

Umpqua Tribe

Umpqua Indians. An Athapascan tribe formerly settled on upper Umpqua river, Oregon, east of the Katish.  Hale said they were supposed to number not more than 400, having been greatly reduced by disease.  They lived in houses of boards and mats and derived their sustenance mainly form the river.  In 1902 there were 84 on Grande Ronde Reservation, Oregon.  Their chief village was Hewut.  A part of them, the Nahankhuotana, lived along Cow Creek.  All the Athapascan tribes of south Oregon were once considered divisions of the Umpqua.  Parker named as divisions the unidentified Palakahy, the uncertain Skoton and Chasta, … 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.

Tyigh Tribe

Tyigh Indians. A Shahaptian tribe speaking the Tenino language and formerly occupying the country about Tygh and White rivers in Wasco County, Oregon.  They took part in the Wasco treaty of 1855 and are now on the Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon.  Their number is not reported, as they are classed under the indiscriminate term “Warm Springs Indians,” but in 1854 they were said to number 500, and in 1859, 450.

Tulalip Tribe

Tulalip Indians. One of three divisions of the Twana, a Salish tribe on the west side of Hood canal, Washington.  This branch according to Eells, lives on a small stream, near the head of the canal, called Dulaylip.  The name has also been given to a reservation on the west side of Puget Sound.

Twana Tribe

Twana Indians. A Salish division living along both sides of Hoods canal, west Washington.  The name is said to signify ‘a portage,’ the portage referred to being that between the head of Hoods canal and the headwaters of Puget Sound.  According to Eells there are three bands, the Colcine, Skokomish and Tulalip.  From the name of one of the bands all of them are sometimes called Skokomish.  Population, about 265 in 1853. They are probably the Skokomish of the Indian Office reports, numbering 203 in 1909.

Tillamook Tribe

Tillamook Indians (Chinook; ‘people of Nekelim,’ or Nehalem.  Boas). A large and prominent Salish tribe on Tillamook Bay and the rivers flowing into in, in north west Oregon.  According to Boas the culture of the Tillamook seems to have differed considerably form that of the north coast Salish, and has evidently been influenced by the culture of the tribes of North California.  According to Lewis and Clark they occupied 8 villages of which these explorers name 5; Chishuck, Chucktin, Kilerhurst, Kilherner and Towerquotton.  The same authorities place the Tillamook population at 2,200. In the reports of the Wilkes Exploring Expedition … Read more

Tenino Tribe

Tenino Indians. A Shahaptian tribe formerly occupying the valley of Des Chutes River, Oregon.  The Tenino dialect was spoken on both sides of the Columbia from The Dalles to the mouth of the Umatilla.  In 1855 they joined in the Wasco treaty and were placed on Warm Springs Reservation, since which time they have usually been called Warm Springs Indians, a term embracing a number of tribes of other stocks which were included in the treaty.  The present number of Tenino is unknown, but it is probably not more than 30.

Chasta Tribe

Chasta Tribe. A tribe, probably Athapascan, residing on Siletz Reservation, Oregon, in 1867, with the Skoton and Umpqua, of which latter they were then said to have formed a part. The Chasta, Skoton, and Umpqua were distinct tribes which concluded a treaty Nov. 18, 1854. The Chasta were divided into the Kwilsieton and Nahelta, both residing on Rogue River. J. O. Dorsey thought these may have been identical with Kushetunne and Nakatkhetunne of the Tututunne. Kane, in 1859, located them near Umpqua River. In 1867 the Chasta, the Scoton, and the Umpqua together, at Siletz agency, numbered 49 males and … Read more

Chastacosta Tribe

Chastacosta Indians (Shista kwŭsta, their name for themselves, meaning unknown). A group of Athapascan villages formerly situated along Rogue River, Oregon, mostly on its north bank from its junction with Illinois River nearly to the mouth of Applegate Creek. The Tututunne, who did not differ from them in customs or language, were to the west of them; the Coquille, differing slightly in language, were north of them; and the Gallice (Tattushtuntude), with the same customs but a quite different dialect, to the east. The Takilma, an independent stock, were their south neighbors, living on the south bank of Rogue River … Read more

Skoton Tribe

Skoton Indians. A tribe or two tribes (Chasta and Skoton) formerly living on or near Rogue River, Oregon, perhaps the Chastacosta or the Sestikustun . There were 36 on Grande Ronde res. and 166 on Siletz reservation, Oregon, in 1875.

Taltushtuntude Tribe

Taltushtuntude Indians. An Athapascan tribe or band that formerly lived on Galice Creek, Oregon.  They were scattered in the same country as the Takelma, whom they had probably overrun.  In 1856 they were removed to Siletz Reservation, where 18 survived in 1877.

Tachi Tribe

Tachi Indians. One of the larger tribes of the Yokuts (Mariposas) family, living on the plains north of Tulare lake, south central California. They held the country west of the Coast range. Powers puts them on Kings river, near Kingston. According to Alexander Taylor, members of this tribe were brought to San Antonio and Dolores (San Francisco) missions as neophytes. Tatché or Telamé is mentioned by Shea as the name of the tribe speaking the San Antonio language, a Salinan dialect. These Tatché and Telamé, however, are the Tachi and Telalnni who had been taken to the mission, and Taylor … Read more

Swinomish Tribe

Swinomish Indians. Said to be a subdivision of the Skagit, formerly on Whidbey Island, north west Washington, now under the Tulalip school superintendency.  The Skagit and Swinomish together numbered 208 in 1909.

Swallah Tribe

Swallah Indians or Swalash Indians. Said to be a band of Salish (perhaps one of the Lummi subdivisions) on Orcas Island of the San Juan group, north west Washington; now on Lummi Reservation.

Snohomish Tribe

Snohomish Indians. A Salish tribe formerly on the south end of Whidbey Island, Puget Sound and the on the mainland opposite at the the mouth of Snohomish river, Washington. Population 350 in 1850. The remnant is now on Tulalip Reservation, Washington, mixed with other broken tribes.

Snake Tribe

Snake Indians. A name applied to many different bodies of Shoshonean Indians but most persistently to those of eastern Oregon, to which the following synonyms refer.  These Indians form one dialectic group with the Paviotso of west Nevada and the Mono of south east California.  The principal Snake tribes were on the Walpapi and Yahuskin.

Skagit Tribe

Skagit Indians. A body of Salish on a river of the same name in Washington, particularly about its mouth, and on the middle portion of Whidbey island, especially at Penn’s cove. According to Gibbs the population of the Skagit proper in 1853 was about 300. They are now on Swinomish Reservation, Washington. Gibbs makes this division include the Kikiallu, Nukwatsamish, Towahha, Smalihu, Sakumehu,  Miskaiwhu, Miseekwigweelis, Swinamish, and Skwomamish; but probably nothing more is meant by this classification than that the dialects of the several divisions were nearly related and the geographical position close. Nothing like political union appears to have … Read more