21 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 173
BEFORE THE INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION
THE NISQUALLY TRIBE OF INDIANS,
Plaintiff,
)
1
1
1
1
v.
Docket No. 197
1
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Defendant.
Decided:
1
1
1
J u n e 25, 1969
FINDINGS OF FACT
The Commission makes t h e following f i n d i n g s of f a c t :
1.
The p l a i n t i f f h e r e i n i s t h e Nisqually T r i b e of I n d i a n s , a n organized
t r i b e whose membership i s comprised of t h o s e I n d i a n s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e
-.
Nisqually Reservation i n t h e S t a t e of Washington.
.
.
A s such, i t h a s been
recognized by t h e S e c r e t a r y of I n t e r i o r as having t h e e x c l u s i v e a u t h o r i t y
t o b r i n g and maintain law
s u i t s i n i t s own b e h a l f .
However, t h e r e c o r d
i n t h i s docket f a i l s t o show t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f t r i b e i s t h e s u c c e s s o r
i n i n t e r e s t t o t h e Nisqually t r i b e o r band of I n d i a n s t h a t was s i g n a t o r y
t o t h e December 2,1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek under which t h e p r e s e n t
claim arose.
Therefore, under t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h e I n d i a n Claims
Commission Act (60 S t a t . 10491, t h e p l a i n t i f f t r i b e i s e n t i t l e d t o b r i n g
and m a i n t a i n t h e present claim only i n a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e c a p a c i t y , f o r and
on behalf of t h e 1854 t r e a t y e n t i t y .
2.
By v i r t u e of t h e Act of August 14, 1848 (9 S t a t . 323) Congress
c r e a t e d t h e T e r r i t o r y of Oregon and made a l l laws a f f e c t i n g United
--
S t a t e s l a n d s a p p l i c a b l e t o those w i t h i n t h e Oregon T e r r i t o r y .
The Act
180
Ind. C 1 . Comm. 173
s p e c i f i c a l l y provided t h a t n o t h i n g c o n t a i n e d h e r e i n " s h a l l be c o n s t r u e d
t o i m p a i r t h e r i g h t s of p e r s o n s o r p r o p e r t y now p e r t a i n i n g t o I n d i a n s
i n s a i d T e r r i t o r y s o loirg a s such r i g h t s remain u n e x t i n g u i s h e d by
t r e a t y between t h e United S t a t e s and such I n d i a n s
...
11
By t h e Act of March 2 , 1853 (10 S t a t . 172) t h e Congress c r e a t e d t h e
T e r r i t o r y of Washington o u t of t h e n o r t h h a l f of t h e Oregon T e r r i t o r y ,
a n d a l l l a w s e n a c t e d by t h e Congress r e g a r d i n g t h e Oregon T e r r i t o r y n o t
i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e 1853 Act were t o b e c o n t i n u e d i n f o r c e i n t h e
Washington T e r r i t o r y .
3.
The N i s q u a l l y t r i b e o r band of I n d i a n s was one of t h e p a r t i e s t o t h e
1854 T r e a t y of Medicine Creek (10 S t a t . 1132) n e g o t i a t e d by Governor I s a a c
--
S t e v e n s w i t h " c h i e f s , headmen, and d e l e g a t e s of t h e N i s q u a l l y , P u y a l l u p ,
-
-.
.--Steilacoorn, S q u ~ w k s i n ,S ' ~ m a m i s h , s t e h - c h a s s , T' P e e k s i n , S q u i - a i t l and
Sa-heh-wamish
t r i b e s and bands o f I n d i a n s occupying t h e l a n d s
lying
round t h e head o f Puget Sound and t h e a d j a c e n t i n l e t s , who, f o r t h e p u r p o s e
o f t h i s t r e a t y , are t o be r e g a r d e d as one n a t i o n , on b e h a l f of s a i d t r i b e s
4-
a n d b a n d s , and d u l y a u t h o r i z e d by them."
Under t h e t e r m s and p r o v i s i o n s of A r t i c l e I of t h i s t r e a t y " t h e
s a i d t r i b e s and bands of I n d i a n s hereby c e d e , r e l i n q u i s h , and convey t o
t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , a l l t h e i r r i g h t , t i t l e , and i n t e r e s t i n and t o t h e
l a n d s a n d c o u n t r y occupied by them, bounded and d e s c r i b e d a s f o l l o w s ,
to wit:
II
. . . Commencing a t
t h e p o i n t on t h e e a s t e r n s i d e of
A d m i r a l t y I n l e t , known a s P o i n t P u l l y , about midway between
Cormnencement and E l l i o t t b a y s ; t h e n c e running i n a s o u t h e a s t e r l y d i r e c t i o n , f o l l o w i n g t h e d i v i d e between t h e w a t e r s
2 1 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 173
o f t h e Puyallup and Mamish, o r White r i v e r s , t o t h e summit
of t h e Cascade Mountains; thence s o u t h e r l y , a l o n g t h e summit
o f s a i d range, t o a p o i n t o p p o s i t e t h e main s o u r c e o f t h e
Skookum Chuck Creek; thence t o and down s a i d c r e e k , t o t h e
c o a l mine; thence n o r t h w e s t e r l y , t o t h e summit of t h e Black
H i l l s ; thence n o r t h e r l y , t o t h e upper f o r k s of t h e S a t s o p R i v e r ; thence n o r t h e a s t e r l y , through t h e p o r t a g e known as
W i l k e s ' s P o r t a g e , t o P o i n t Southworth, on t h e w e s t e r n s i d e
of Admiralty I n l e t ; thence around t h e f o o t of Vashon's
I s l a n d , e a s t e r l y and s o u t h e a s t e r l y , t o t h e p l a c e of beginning."
I n c o n s i d e r a t i o n f o r such c e s s i o n , t h e United S t z t e s Government
a g r e e d i n t e r a l i a t o r e s e r v e f o r t h e u s e and occupancy of t h e t r i b e s and
bands p a r t y t o t h e t r e a t y c e r t a i n t r a c t s of l a n d d e s c r i b e d i n A r t i c l e I1
of t h e T r e a t y , s e c u r e c e r t a i n f i s h i n g r i g h t s and g r a z i n g r i g h t s t o t h e
I n d i a n s a l o n g w i t h o t h e r r e s i d e n t s of t h e a r e a as s e t o u t i n A r t i c l e 111,
t o pay c e r t a i n sums of money s e t o u t i n A r t i c l e s I V and V , and t o
g e n e r a l l y promote t h e w e l f a r e of t h e I n d i a n s .
The t r i b e s and bands s i g n a t o r y t o t h e t r e a t y acknowledged dependence
upon t h e government of t h e United S t a t e s , and promised i n t e r a l i a
friendship t o all citizens.
The t r e a t y was r a t i f i e d by t h e S e n a t e of t h e United S t a t e s on
March 3 , 1855, and proclaimed by t h e p r e s i d e n t on A p r i l 1 0 , 1855.
4.
E a r l y e x p l o r e r s found I n d i a n s whom t h e y c a l l e d N i s q u a l l y and
who spoke Squale o r Nisqually a t t h e s o u t h e r n t i p of Puget Sound and
a l o n g t h e s t r e a m s flowing i n t o t h e Sound from t h e s o u t h , i n c l u d i n g t h e
N i s q u a l l y R i v e r and i t s t r i b u t a r i e s .
The term "Nisqually" has been r e s t r i c t e d i n r e f e r e n c e t o t r i b a l
e x i s t e n c e t o t h e peoples who r e s i d e d on o r a b o u t t h e N i s q u a l l y R i v e r
2 1 Ind. C l . Corn. 173
( S p e i r , 1936, pp. 32-36).
182
However, Gibbs d i v i d e d t h e N i s q u a l l y - s p e a k i n g
p e o p l e s i n t o t h r e e groups: (1)
t h e N i s q u a l l y , (2) t h e Puyallup, and
(3) t h e t r i b e l e t s around t h e s o u t h e a s t e r n i n l e t s of t h e Sound above t h e
mouth of t h e Nisqually River.
I n 1851, Anson Dart incorporated i n t o h i s Census a l i s t of v a r i o u s
i d e n t i f i a b l e groups prepared by t h e I n d i a n Agent f o r t h e a r e a .
This l i s t
included t h e Puyallup a s w e l l a s t h e Nisqually.
5.
The Nisqually were capable of u n i t i n g f o r a c t i o n a l t h o u g h t h e y
were d i v i d e d i n t o s e v e r a l i d e n t i f i a b l e bands o r groups who occupied
v i l l a g e s f o r a d i s t a n c e of about t h i r t y m i l e s a l o n g both s i d e s of t h e
N i s q u a l l y River.
They were c o n s i s t e n t l y r e f e r r e d t o a s a "Tribe" by
h i s t o r i a n s and e x p l o r e r s a s w e l l a s by t h e United S t a t e s Government i n t h e
- T r e a t y of Medicine Creek, and t h e i r c h i e f , Leschi, recognized as t h e i r
l e a d e r , had a u t h o r i t y t o s i g n t h e 1854 t r e a t y f o r t h e N i s q u a l l y I n d i a n s .
6.
The Nisqually-speaking peoples were s a i d t o number about 3500
a t t h e time of f i r s t discovery.
However, t h e e s t i m a t e s of e x p l o r e r s who
v i s i t e d t h e area a t a l a t e r d a t e show a g r e a t l y diminished number, which
d i m i n u t i o n was occzsioned by a s e r i e s of epidemics of f a t a l d i s e a s e s
c o n t r a c t e d subsequent t o i n i t i a l c o n t a c t s w i t h t h e w h i t e man.
A p o p u l a t i o n breakdown of Puget Sound t r i b e s 1838-39 a t t r i b u t e s a
t o t a l N i s q u a l l y t r i b a l population of 258.
Nisqually.
I n 1844 F a r h a m r e p o r t e d 200
The Hudson's Bay Company r e p o r t t o t h e House of Commons i n
1848 and 1849, prepared by t h e Colonial o f f i c e i n Vancouver I s l a n d , s e t
t h e p o p u l a t i o n of t h e 13 t r i b e s (meaning a l l Nisqually-speaking p e o p l e s )
.b
21 Ind. C 1 . Conun. 173
a t 4,014 and d e s c r i b e d them a s s i t u a t e d on t h e Nisqually River and
Puget Sound.
The t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n of t h e Nisqually T r i b e of I n d i a n s
a s of t h e d a t e of t h e T r e a t y of Medicine Creek ranged between 250 and
300 persons.
7.
While t h e name of t h e p l a i n t i f f was derived from t h e N i s q u a l l y
-
River along which i t l i v e d , t h e name was a p p l i e d g e n e r a l l y t o a l l of
t h e p o p u l a t i o n of t h e d r a i n a g e a r e a i n c l u d i n g McAllister Creek.
The N i s q u a l l y v i l l a g e s were l o c a t e d on both s i d e s of t h e N i s q u a l l y
River and i t s t r i b u t a r i e s .
Those v i l l a g e s l o c a t e d n e a r t h e mouth of
the N i s q u a l l y River were c h a r a c t e r i z e d by s a l t water I n d i a n h a b i t s w i t h
,---.
t h e i r i n h a b i t a n t s r e l y i n g h e a v i l y on t h e products of t h e s e a f o r s u s t e n a n c e , .
p l u s such i n c i d e n t a l hunting a s was needed t o m s i n t a i n t h e i r r e l a t i v e l y
/
simple economy and e x i s t e n c e .
Conversely, t h e r e s i d e n t s of t h o s e v i l l a g e s
f u r t h e r i n l a n d and away from t h e Nisqually River placed g r e a t e r emphasis
on h u n t i n g , r o o t digging and g a t h e r i n g wild b e r r i e s .
Because t h e y had
a c q u i r e d h o r s e s , t h e Nisqually d i d o b t a i n some degree of t r i b a l , . m o b i l i t y
beyond t h a t enjoyed by most - r i v e r - o r i e n t e d t r i b e s .
I n no s e n s e , however,
t
could t h e Nisqually be c h a r a c t e r i z e d a s "horse Indians" a s t h e term might
a p p l y t o t h o s e I n d i a n s of t h e p l a i n s .
8.
Of g r e a t a s s i s t a n c e t o t h e Commission i n determining t h e e x t e n t
and d e g r e e of Nisqually t r i b a l use and occupancy of l a n d s w i t h i n t h e
claimed a r e a was t h e e x p e r t testimony and t h e accompanying r e p o r t s of D r .
H e r b e r t C. Taylor, J r . , f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f t r i b e , and D r . C a r r o l L. R i l e y
f o r t h e defendant.
Both e x p e r t s c e n t e r e d Nisqually use and occupancy
2 1 Ind. C 1 . Conrm. 173
of t h e claimed a r e a on and along t h e Nisqually River, b u t t h e i r d i f f e r e n c e s
i n d e l i n e a t i n g t h e o v e r a l l a r e a of Nisqually use and occupancy r e s t s
f o r t h e most p a r t an t h e i n t e n s i t y of Nisqually land usage away from t h e
village sites.
From t h e i r testimony, a s well a s t h e testimony of t h e
I n d i a n i n f o r m a n t s , and from t h e h i s t o r i c a l and o t h e r documentary evidence,
t h e Commission reached s e v e r a l b a s i c conclusions:
(a)
The term "Nisqually" when used i n t h e l i n g u i s t i c s e n s e i n c l u d e s
many more t r i b e s and bands than when r e s t r i c t e d t o t h e N i s q u a l l y t r i b e proper.
When used i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e Nisqually Tribe proper and w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o
t h e 1854 t r e a t y e n t i t y , then t h e s e Indians a r e c l o s e l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h
t h a t a r e a w i t h i n t h e lower p o r t i o n s of t h e Nisqually River.
Any a l l e g e d
N i s q u a l l y t r i b a l u s e of t h e upper p o r t i o n s of t h e Nisqually River was
s h a r e d w i t h neighboring t r i b e s .
(b)
The l o c a l v i l l a g e was p r i m a r i l y t h e c e n t e r of E i s q u a l l y s o c i a l
and p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i t y .
The v i l l a g e and i t s environs made up t h e a r e a
of most i n t e n s i v e Nisqually use of both land and water r e s o u r c e s .
Such
s e l e c t e d a c t i v i t y a s r o o t g a t h e r i n g and t h e h a r v e s t i n g of w i l d b e r r i e s was
pursued i n common with o t h e r t r i b e s i n t r a d i t i o n a l a r e a s away from t h e
immediate v i l l a g e s i t e s .
I n l i k e manner we f i n d t h a t t h e f i s h e r i e s a t
t h e mouth of t h e Nisqually River and around t h e nearby i s l e s i n t h e Puget
Sound were a l s o t h e s u b j e c t of common e x p l o i t a t i o n . .
The r e c o r d h e r e i n
shows no t r a d i t i o n a l hunting a r e a s belonging e x c l u s i v e l y t o t h e N i s q u a l l y
Indians.
There i s evidence t h a t some old Nisqually v i l l a g e s i t e s once
21 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 173
185
s t o o d a t such modern town l o c a t i o n s a s H i l l c r e s t , R a i n i e r , Roy, Elbe and
E a t o n X l l e , which towns f o r t h e most p a r t a r e l o c a t e d w i t h i n t e n t o
f i f t e e n miles of t h e Nisqually River.
9.
Based upon t h e preceding f i n d i n g s of f a c t and a l l t h e evidence
of r e c o r d , t h e Commission f i n d s and concludes t h a t a s of March 3 ,
1855, t h e e f f e c t i v e d a t e of t h e 1854 T r e a t y of Medicine Creek, and w i t h i n
t h a t a r e a ceded t o t h e United S t a t e s under t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h a t t r e a t y
and which a r e a i s described i n Finding 3 , supra, t h e N i s q u a l l y T r i b e of
Indians had a b o r i g i n a l t i t l e t o t h e following bounded a r e a , and no o t h e r .
I*
Beginning a t a p o i n t on t h e s o u t h e a s t e r n s h o r e of
Puget Sound one-half m i l e w e s t of Nisqually Head where
McAllister Creek flows i n t o Puget Sound, t h e n i n a
s o u t h e r l y d i r e c t i o n on a l i n e t o the town of R a i n i e r ,
thence continuing on a l i n e s o u t h e a s t e r l y t o Bald H i l l ,
thence on a l i n e i n t h e same g e n e r a l d i r e c t i o n t o t h e town
of Mineral, thence northward c r o s s i n g t h e Nisqually
River t o t h e town of Elbe, thence n o r t h w e s t e r l y on
a l i n e t o t h e town of E a t o n v i l l e , thence c o n t i n u i n g
on a l i n e i n t h e same d i r e c t i o n t o t h e t p n of Roy,
thence continuing on t h e same northwesterly d i r e c t i o n
t o a p o i n t on t h e shore of t h e Puget Sound one m i l e
e a s t of t h e mouth of t h e Nisqually River (where i t
flows i n t o t h e Puget Sound), thence i n a w e s t e r l y
d i r e c t i o n following t h e shore l i n e a c r o s s t h e mouth
of t h e Nisqually River t o t h e p o i n t of beginning.
10.
The Commission a l s o f i n d s and concludes t h a t t h e o t h e r t r i b e s o r
bands o r i g i n a l l y designated a s p e t i t i o n e r s i n t h e p e t i t i o n , t o w i t , t h e
SIHomamish, Stehchass,
peeksi sin, S q u i a t l , and Sa-heh-wamish, were never
a t any t i m e , e i t h e r before o r a f t e r t h e 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek,
a p a r t of t h e Nisqually T r i b e of Indians, and f u r t h e r , t h a t none of t h e
p a r t i e s h e r e i n has sought t o prosecute o r have a d j u d i c a t e d i n t h i s docket
2 1 I n d . C 1 . Corn. 173
v t r e a t y r i g h t s o r o t h e r p o s s i b l e c l a i m s t h a t might belong e i t h e r i n d i v i d u a l l ~
o r c o l l e c t i v e l y i n t h e above named t r i b e s o r bands.
C Y.
Vance, Cormnissioner
J'