WEKK YOUR ANCESTORS MEMBERS OF THE COW
CREEK 3AND OF THE UMPQUA TRIBE OF INDIANS?
HISTORY
The Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe lived in the
Umpqua Valley in southern Oregon prior to contact with white
settlers. The discovery of gold in California and then in
southern Oregon in the mid-1800' s brought large numbers of whites
into Cow Creek country. In order to satisfy the land-hungry
settlers, the United States government purchased 800 square miles
from the Cow Creeks by Treaty in 1853. The Treaty provided for
the establishment, of a permanent Cow Creek reservation as well as
for the payment, of. $12,000 to the Cow Creeks in twenty equal
installments.
Initially, the government kept, its word. A temporary
reservation was established for the Cow Creeks on a portion of
their native land and two of the twenty installment payments were
made at Cow Creek. However, after the tragic massacre of Indian
people at nearby Table Rock in 1856 the government decided to
remove the Cow Creeks from their reservation. In the middle of
winter the Cow Creeks wore forced to walk a 200 mile Trail of
Tears to Grand Honde. Some Cow Creeks refused to make the march
and fled into the surrounding hills, but most of the Cow Creek
Band was removed to Grand Rondo. A Cow Creek village was
established at Grand Rondo, representatives of the Cow Creeks
were chosen to help govern Grand Rondo, and the final 18
installment payments under the Cow Creek Treaty were paid to the
Cow Creeks at Grand Ronde. The permanent reservation that was
promised to the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua in their Treaty was
never provided. Since 1856 there has been no Cow Creek
homeland.
THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE TREATY
The Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe was restored as a
federally recognized tribe in 1982. Their current tribal
membership roll most likely includes people who are not descended
from the ancestors who treated with the government in 1853.
Nevertheless, the Cow Creek Tribe has sued the government to
recover compensation for the reservation that was promised but
never given. The government is ready to settle the case and has
offered $1.6 million for its broken promise. The law which was
passed by Congress to permit the filing of the law suit is
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