Yankton

Treaty of October 15, 1836

Articles of a convention entered into and concluded at Bellevue Upper Missouri the fifteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, by and between John Dougherty U. S. agt. for Indian Affairs and Joshua Pilcher U. S. Ind. s. agt being specially authorized therefor; and the chiefs braves head men &c of the Otoes Missouries Omahaws and Yankton and Santee bands of Sioux, duly authorized by their respective tribes. Article 1. Whereas it has been represented that according to the stipulations of the first article of the treaty of Prairie du Chien of the fifteenth of July eighteen … Read more

Treaty of Oct. 21, 1837

Articles of a treaty made at the city of Washington, between Carey A. Harris, thereto specially authorized by the President of the United States, and the Yankton tribe of Sioux Indians, by their chiefs and delegates. Article I.The Yankton tribe of Sioux Indians cede to the United States all the right and interest in the land ceded by the treaty, concluded with them and other tribes on the fifteenth of July, 1830, which they might be entitled to claim, by virtue of the phraseology employed in the second article of said treaty. Article II.In consideration of the cession contained in … Read more

Houses of the Yankton Tribe

Tipis

When the expedition under the leadership of General Atkinson ascended the Missouri, during the summer of 1825, he wrote regarding the Yankton: “The Yankton are a band of the Sioux, and rove in the plains north of the Missouri, from near the Great Bend, down as far as the Sioux river. They do not cultivate, but live by the chase alone, subsisting principally upon buffalo. They cover themselves with leather tents, or lodges, which they move about from place to place, as the buffalo may chance to range. They are pretty well supplied with fusees, and with horses, and a … Read more

Yankton Tribe

Yankton Indians (ihanke ‘end,’ ton’wan ‘village ‘end village’). One of the 7 primary divisions of the Dakota, constituting, with the closely related Yanktonai, the middle group. J. O. Dorsey arranged the Dakota-Assiniboin in 4 dialectic groups: Santee, Yankton, Teton, and Assiniboin, the Yankton dialect being spoken also by the Yanktonai, for the 2 tribes were the outgrowth of one original stem. Although the name Yankton was known earlier than Yanktonai, it does not follow that the Yankton were the elder tribe. Long speaks of the Yankton as descendants of the Yanktonai. The Assiniboin, who were an offshoot from the Yanktonai, … Read more

Plains Indian Culture

Fig. 34. The Cheyenne Camp Circle. (Dorsey).

Museum collections cannot illustrate this important phase of culture; but since no comprehensive view of the subject can be had without its consideration, we must give it some space. It is customary to treat of all habits or customs having to do with the family organization, the community, and what we call the state, under the head of social organization. So, in order that the reader may form some general idea of social conditions in this area, we shall review some of the discussed points. Unfortunately, the data for many tribes are meager so that a complete review cannot be … Read more