Shoshoni

Treaty of July 2, 1863

Articles of Agreement made at Fort Bridger, in Utah Territory, this second day of July, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, by and between the United States of America, represented by its Commissioners, and the Shoshone nation of Indians, represented by its Chiefs and Principal Men And Warriors of the Eastern Bands, as follows: Article 1.Friendly and amicably relations are hereby re-established between the bands of the Shoshonee nation, parties hereto, and the United States; and it is declared that a firm and perpetual peace shall be henceforth maintained between the Shoshonee nation and the United States. Article … Read more

Treaty of July 30, 1863

Articles of agreement made at Box Elder, in Utah Territory, this thirtieth day of July, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, by and between the United States of America, represented by Brigadier-General P. Edward Connor, commanding the military district of Utah, and James Duane Doty, commissioner, and the northwestern bands of the Shoshonee Indians, represented by their chiefs and warriors: Article I.It is agreed that friendly and amicable relations shall be re-established between the bands of the Shoshonee Nation, parties hereto, and the United States, and it is declared that a firm and perpetual peace shall be henceforth … Read more

Treaty of October 12, 1863

Treaty of peace and friendship made at Tuilla Valley, in the Territory of Utah, this twelfth day of October, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, between the United States of America, represented by the undersigned commissioners, and the Shoshonee-Goship bands of Indians, represented by their chiefs, principal men, and warriors, as follows: Article I.Peace and friendship is hereby established and shall be hereafter maintained between the Shoshonee-Goship bands of Indians and the citizens and Government of the United States; and the said bands stipulate and agree that hostilities and all depredations upon the emigrant trains, the mail and … Read more

Treaty of October 1, 1863

Treaty of Peace and Friendship made at Ruby Valley, in the Territory of Nevada, this first day of October, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, between the United States of America, represented by the undersigned commissioners, and the Western Bands of the Shoshonee Nation of Indians, represented by their Chiefs and Principal Men and Warriors, as follows: Article I.Peace and friendship shall be hereafter established and maintained between the Western Bands of the Shoshonee nation and the people and Government of the United States; and the said bands stipulate and agree that hostilities and all depredations upon the … Read more

Washakie, A Shoshone Chief, The Friend Of The White Man

The Shoshone Indians lived long ago in the Rocky Mountains, but they have gradually moved westward until now they live on the western side, where there are two wonderful springs which send water eastward and westward to flow into our two great oceans. The water from one flows through the Yellowstone Park to the Missouri River, the cascades, flows smoothly for one hundred and fifty miles till it reaches the Pacific Ocean. Because these Indians live long the banks of the winding Snake River, they are sometimes called “Snakes,” but Shoshone is their Indian name. As long ago as 1636 … Read more

Northern Shoshoni Indians

Northern Shoshoni Indians. The Northern Shoshoni occupied eastern Idaho, except the territory held by the Bannock; western Wyoming; and north-eastern Utah.

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.

Kawia Tribe

History shows us that there are two distinct tribes which were attributed the name of Kawia by etymologists. The larger tribe is one of the Shoshonean stock, while the smaller, extinct tribe is a Yokuts tribe. Both of them resided in California, further confusing historians.

Shoshoni Indian Chiefs and Leaders

Washakie

Washakie’s Band The easternmost division of the Shoshoni proper, so called from their chief. They formerly ranged from Wind river in lat. 43° 30′ on the north, in Wyoming, and from South pass to the headwaters of the North Platte on the east, and to Bear river near the mouth of Smith fork, in Idaho, on the west. On the south they extended as far as Brown’s hole, on Green river, Wyo. They are known officially as Shoshoni in distinction front the Bannock, Sheepeaters, etc., and were placed upon the Shoshoni reservation in west Wyoming by treaty of 1868. They … Read more

Shoshoni Tribe

Shoshoni Indians, Shoeshone Indians, Shoeshone tribe. The most northerly division of the Shoshonean family. They formerly occupied west Wyoming, meeting the Ute on the south, the entire central and southern parts of Idaho, except the territory taken by the Bannock, northeast Nevada, and a small strip of Utah west of Great Salt Lake. The Snake River country in Idaho is, perhaps, to be considered their stronghold. The northern bands were found by Lewis and Clark in 1805, on the headwaters of the Missouri in west Montana, but they had ranged previously farther east on the plains, whence they had been … Read more

Luiseno Tribe

Luiseño Indians. The southernmost Shoshonean division in California, which received its name from San Luis Rey, the most important Spanish mission in the territory of these people. They form one linguistic group with the Aguas Calientes, Juaneños, and Kawia. They extended along the coast from between San Onofre and Las Animas creeks, far enough south to include Aguas Hedionda, San Marcos, Escondido, and Valley Center. Inland they extended north beyond San Jacinto river, and into Temescal creek; but they were cut off from the San Jacinto divide by the Diegueños, Aguas Calientes, Kawia, and Serranos. The former inhabitants of San … Read more

Bannock Tribe

Bannock Indians (from Panátǐ, their own name). A Shoshonean tribe whose habitat previous to being gathered on reservations can not be definitely outlined. There were two geographic divisions, but references to the Bannock do not always note this distinction. The home of the chief division appears to have been south east Idaho, whence they ranged into west Wyoming. The country actually claimed by the chief of this southern division, which seems to have been recognized by the treaty of Ft Bridger, July 3, 1868, lay between lat. 42° and 45°, and between long. 113° and the main chain of the … Read more

Chemehuevi Tribe

Chemehuevi Indians. A Shoshonean tribe, apparently an offshoot of the Paiute, formerly inhabiting the east bank of the Rio Colorado from Bill Williams fork to the Needles and extending westward as far as Providence Mountains, California, their chief seat being Chemehuevi valley, which stretches for 5 miles along the Colorado and nearly as far on either side. When or how they acquired possession of what appears to have been Yuman territory is not known. They may possibly have been seen by Alarcon, who navigated the Rio Colorado in 1540; but if so, they are not mentioned by name. Probably the … Read more

Comanche Tribe

Comanche Indians. One of the southern tribes of the Shoshonean stock, and the only one of that group living entirely on the plains. Their language and traditions show that they are a comparatively recent offshoot from the Shoshoni of Wyoming, both tribes speaking practically the same dialect and, until very recently, keeping up constant and friendly communication. Within the traditionary period the two tribes lived adjacent to each other in south Wyoming, since which time the Shoshoni have been beaten back into the mountains by the Sioux and other prairie tribes, while the Comanche have been driven steadily southward by … Read more

Castake Tribe

Castake Indians. One of several tribes formerly occupying “the country from Buena Vista and Carises [Kern] lakes and Kern River to the Sierra Nevada and Coast range, California. By treaty of June 10, 1851, these tribes reserved a tract between Tejon pass and Kern River and ceded the remainder of their lands to the United States. In 1862 they were reported to number 162 on Fort Tejon Reservation. Probably Shoshonean, though possibly Mariposan or Chumashan. Castac lake, in the Tejon pass region, derives its name from this tribe and affords a further clue to its former habitat.

Condition of the Idaho Indians in 1890

U.S. Indian Agent and Party on Fort Hall Reservation

Early the summer of 1877 troubles arose in regard to the occupancy of the Wallowa valley by white settlers, it having been withdrawn in 1875 as a reservation under treaty of 1873, because of the failure, of the Indians to permanently occupy it. An Indian belonging to a band of non-treaty Indians under Chief Joseph was killed by some settlers; then the Indians insisted upon the removal of the settlers and the restitution of the valley to them. Upon the refusal of the government to do this, and after further efforts to compel all the non-treaty Indians to come into … Read more

Western Shoshoni Indians

Western Shoshoni Indians. Central and western Idaho, northwestern Utah, central and northeastern Nevada, and a small territory in California north of and about Death and Panamint Valleys.

Shoshoni Indian Bands, Gens and Clans

Many tribes have sub-tribes, bands, gens, clans and phratry.  Often very little information is known or they no longer exist.  We have included them here to provide more information about the tribes. Boxelder Indians. A branch of the Shoshoni formerly in N. w. Utah. Lynde in Sen. Ex. Doc. 42, 36th Cong., 1st sess., 38, 1860. Bruneau Shoshoni. A band of Wihinasht Shoshoni formerly living on Bruneau cr., s. E. Idaho; pop. 300 in 1868. Powell in Ind. Aff. Rep., 201, 1868. Gabrieleno. A Shoshonean division and dialectic group which formerly occupied all of Los Angeles co., Cal., s. of … Read more