Washington

Dern, I. Delbert – Obituary

I. Delbert Dern, 74, of Lynnwood, Wash., died Friday, Feb. 14, 2003, following a brief five month battle with cancer. Private interment was held at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Seattle, and a family celebration was held on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Lynnwood. The celebration was well attending and a fitting goodbye, with cousins from Baker City, Arlene Fulton and Delores Kissire present. Also attending were nephew and wife, Kerry and Kathy Kissire, nieces, Suzie, Cherry and hubby Dave from Forest Grove, and Flores Phelps of Tumwater, Wash. He was born December 24, 1928 in his grandparents’ home in Pendleton, and … Read more

Allen, Alta Mrs. – Obituary

Granite, Oregon Alta Allen, 96, of Granite and Gresham, passed away Dec. 31, 2002, in Gresham. She was born in Burnt Prairie, Ill., and live in Illinois until she was 10 when the family moved to Seattle and lived there until she was 23, when she moved to Portland, where she met and married Doug Allen in 1947. They traveled all over the world with Kaiser International retiring to Richland, Wash., later moving to Granite on property Doug had bought in the 1940s. They lived there until 1981 at the time of Doug’s death. She moved to Gresham spending winters … Read more

Washington Frontier Forts Prior to 1902

Bellingham Fort, Washington – On Bellingham Bay. Canby Fort, Washington – On Cape Disappointment, mouth of Columbia River. Canoe Island Reservation, Washington. Cape Disappointment Fort at. Washington – Fort Canby. Cascades Fort, Washington – Near Cascade City. Casey Fort, Washington – Near Port Townsend, in Island County. Chehalis Fort, Washington – In Chehalis County, Grays Harbor. Chelan Fort, Washington – Near Lake Chelan. Chinook Point Fort at. Washington – Fort Columbia. Clatsop Fort, Washington – Near mouth of Columbia River. Columbia Fort, Washington – At Chinook Point, Pacific County. Columbia Barracks, Washington – Now Vancouver Barracks. Colville Fort, Washington – … Read more

Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements of Washington

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the villages, towns, and settlements in what was the state of Washington at the time the Handbook of American Indian of North America was written. Ahchawat. A summer village of the Makah at C. Flattery, Wash. Swan in Smithson. Cont., XVI, 6, 1870. Almotu. A Paloos village on the North bank of Snake River, about 30 in. above the mouth of Palouse River, Washington. Mooney in 14th Rep. B. A. R, 735, 1896. Atsmitl (Chihalis name for Shoalwater bay) . Chinookan divisions living around Shoal water bay, Washington. Boas, field notes. … Read more

Conquest of the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Palouse

Chief Seltice

The expeditions of Colonels Steptoe and Wright into the country of the Coeur d’Alenes, Spokanes and Palouses were made without the blare of notoriety; they were not heralded by the press in startling headlines; nor were the minutiae of accompanying details flashed momentarily over convenient wires to an expectant nation. In obedience to orders laboriously conveyed to them, the commanders of these expeditions went forward to their duty.

Lieutenant Colonel Fetterman Impatient for a Fight

Among those at the fort who were impatient for a fight was Brevet Lieutenant colonel William J. Fetterman, a soldier by birth, instinct, and profession, who joined the command at the fort in November. He had his first opportunity on December 6. The wood train was attacked two miles from the fort, and forced to corral for defense. Fetterman was sent, with thirty-five cavalry and a few of the mounted infantry, to relieve the wood party, and drive the Indians across Lodge Trail Ridge, in which direction they usually withdrew, while Carrington, with twenty-five mounted infantry, crossed the Big Piney, … 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

Makah Tribe

Makah Indians (‘cape people’). The southern most tribe of the Wakashan stock, the only one within the United States. They belong to the Nootka branch. According to Swan the Makah claimed the the territory between Flattery rocks, 15 miles south, and Hoko ruver, 15 miles east of Cape Flattery, Washington, also Tatoosh island., near the cape. Their winter towns were Baada, Neah, Ozette, Tzues, and Waatch; their summer villages, Ahchawat, Kiddekub and Tatooche. Gibbs mentions another, called Kehsidatsoos. They now have two reservations, Makah and Ozette, Washington, on which, in 1905, there were respectively 399 and 36, a total of … Read more

Molala Tribe

Molala Indians. A Waiilatpuan tribe forming the western division of that family. Little is known of their history. When first met with they resided in the Cascade range between Mts. Hood and Scott and on the west slope, in Washington and Oregon. The Cayuse have a tradition that the Molala formerly dwelt with them south of Columbia river and became separated and driven westward in their wars with hostile tribes. Their dialect, while related, is quite distinct from that of the Cayuse, and the separation probably took place in remote times. The name Molala is derived from that of a … Read more

Sinkiuse – Sinkyone Tribe

Sinkiuse Tribe, Sinkyone Tribe, Sinkiuse Indains, Sinkyone Indians. A former division of Salish, under Chief Moses, living on the East side of Columbia River from Ft. Okinakane to the neighborhood of Point Eaton, Washington.  Hale classed them as a division of the Pisquows. Population 355 in 1905, 299 in 1908, 540 (with others?) in 1990. In the summer of 1878,the citizens of the eastern portion of Washington Territory were alarmed by the excitement among the Indians, growing out of the outbreak of the Shoshones; and in some places measures for self-protection were deemed necessary. Chief Moses and his band, numbering … Read more

Spokane Tribe

Mr. and Mrs. Three Mountain, Washington State, circa 1920

Spokan Tribe, Spokan Indians, Spokane Indians. A name applied to several small bodies of Salish on and near Spokane River, north east Washington.  According to Gibbs the name was originally employed by the Skitswish to designate a band at the forks of the river, called also Smahoomenaish.  by the whites it was extended to cover several nearly allied divisions, which Gibbs enumerates as follows: Sin-slik-ho-ish, Sintootoolish, Sma-hoo-men-a-ish (Spokenish), Skai-schil-t’nish, ske-chei-a-mouse, Schu-el-stish, Sin-poil-schne, Sin-shee-lish.  The last two were claimed by the Okinagan also.  All of them are now held to be separate divisions and not bands of one tribe.  The population … Read more

Salishan Indians

Salishan Family, Salishan Indians. A linguistic family inhabiting the north portions of Washington, northern Idaho, western Montana, a small strip of the north west coast of Oregon, and in Canada the south east part of Vancouver Island from Thurlow Island to Sooke Bay, and all the south mainland of British Columbia as far as Bute inlet and Quesnelle Lake, with the exception of that portion held by the Kutenai, although within the Kutenai area, at the Columbia lakes, is a small settlement of Salish. An isolated division of the family, the Bellacoola, had established itself farther north on Dean inlet, … Read more

The Duke Of York – Cheetsamahoin

The Duke Of York – Cheetsamahoin, who was usually styled His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, appears to have been chief of the tribe of the Clallams.

Duwamish Tribe

Chief Seattle

A small body of Salish near Seattle, Washington, which city was named from a chief of these and the Suquamish Indians.  Their proper seat, according to Gibbs, was at the outlet of Lake Washington.  In 1856 they were removed to the east shore of Bainbridge Island, but owing to the absence of a fishing ground were shortly afterwards taken to Holderness point, on the west side of Elliot Bay, which was already a favorite place for fishing. The name, being well known, has been improperly applied collectively to a number of distinct bands in this neighborhood.  Their population about 1856 … Read more

Washington Indian Reservations

A list of Washington Indian reservations showing the Indian tribes the land was set aside for, the amount of acres if known, and the acts, treaties, and executive orders used to establish the reservation.

Nez Perce Tribe

Nez Percé Indians (‘pierced noses’) A term applied by the French to a number of tribes which practiced or were supposed to practice the custom of piercing the nose for the insertion of a piece of dentalium. The term is now used exclusively to designate the main tribe of the Shahaptian family, who have not, however, so far as is known ever been given to the practice. Nez Percé History The Nez Percé or Sahaptin of later writers, the Chopuunish (corrupted from Tsútpěli) of Lewis and Clark, their discoverers, were found in 1805 occupying a large area in what is … Read more

Chinook Indian Research

Chinook Indians (from Tsinúk, their Chehalis name). The best-known tribe of the Chinookan family. They claimed the territory on the north side of Columbia River, Wash., from the mouth to Grays bay, a distance of about 15 miles, and north along the seacoast as far as the north part of Shoalwater bay, where they were met by the Chehalis, a Salish tribe. The Chinook were first described by Lewis and Clark, who visited them in 1805, though they had been known to traders for at least 12 years previously. Read more about Chinook History Chinook Indian Biographies Native American Biographies … Read more

Klikitat Tribe

Klikitat Indians, Klickitat Tribe, Klickitat Indians (Chinookan: ‘beyond,’ with reference to the Cascade Mountains. ). A Shahaptian tribe whose former seat was at the headwaters of the Cowlitz, Lewis, White Salmon, and Klickitat rivers, north of Columbia River, in Klickitat and Skamania Counties, Washington. Their eastern neighbors were the Yakima, who speak a closely related language, and on the west they were met by various Salishan and Chinookan tribes. In 1805 Lewis and Clark reported them as wintering on Yakima and Klickitat rivers, and estimated their number at about 700. Between 1820 and 1830 the tribes of Willamette valley were visited by … Read more