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Suislaw

  

 

Ethnie: SUISLAW
Language: Alsea (Suislaw dialect)
Family: Coast Oregon Penutian
Stock: Oregon Penutian
Phylum: Macro-Penutian
Macro-Culture: Northwestern
Speakers 10   in 1930 (1977 Voeglin and Voeglin)
       The Suislaw were a sedentary coastal hunter/gather nation. They lived along the Suislaw River. They were removed from their aboriginal territory after the Rogue River War, with most eventually returning. They later confederated with the Lower Umpqua and Coos.
Aboriginal Locations (# of villages)
OR      (34)
Oregon Present Locations
OR     Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umqua, and Suislaw Indians, Coos Bay
Year History
1792 Visited by American ship Columbia, traded, natives described as numerous and savage
1805 Visited by Lewis & Clark
1824 Smallpox epidemic
1829 Smallpox epidemic
1830 Malaria epidemic
1841 Influx of Oregon Trail settlers began, conflicts followed
1850 Influx of prospectors and settlers
1855 Though not involved, suffered from effects of Rogue River Wars
1856 Forced to "march" to Alsea Agency, most later returned
Year OR Population Source
1700 2,000 NAHDB calculation
1780 2,000 Mooney estimate
1800 2,000 NAHDB calculation
1900 50 NAHDB calculation
1909 7 Census
2000 50 NAHDB calculation
Other speakers of the same language:
Alsea, Yaquina
Suislaw Sites:
Oregon Coast Historical Markers  http://www.oregon.com/history/oregon_historical_markers_coast.cfm
Oregon Coast Indians  http://www.oregon.com/history/hm/oregon_coast_indians.cfm
What's a Yaquina?  http://www.athleticaid.com/yaquina/Yaquina.html
Yaquina Indian Tribe  http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/salish/yaquinaindianhist.htm

Last updated 02/13/05  Copyright © 2005 by Four Directions Press