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United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, for the year 1879
([1879])
Report of agent in Michigan, pp. 84-86 ff.
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Page 84
84 REPORT OF AGENT IN MICHIGAN. The timber growing on the reserves in the agency has been fully protected, and but a very small amount of stock belonging to the Indians has been lost through straying or theft. I have issued to the Pottawatomie and Kickapoo Indians all the agricultural im- plements and machines they actually required; guch articles are purchased from funds established for the purpose by treaty stipulations. In gathering the statistical information herewith forwarded, I have found it neces- sary to visit every house and farm occupied by the Indians, which has afforded me the fullest opportunity to observe their mode of living, the manner in which they save their produce, the condition of their farms and stock, and their views as to future in- dustries and conduct. There can be no doubt whatever but that their advancement is of a substantial character, and that if they are not disturbed by sensations of any kind they will in a few years become entirely self-sustaining, as they are now law-abiding and peaceful members of society. Very respectfully, H. C. LINN, United Slates Indian Agent. The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. MACKINAC AGENCY, Ypsilanti, Mich., September 1, 1879. SIR: In accordance with the requirements of the Indian Department, I submit here- with my fourth annual report of affairs in this agency. The statistics which accom- pany this will give a more accurate view of the industrial and social condition of the several tribes and bands of Indians within the jurisdiction of this agency than I can do in the brief space I propose to occupy in my remarks. The jurisdiction of the agency embraces the Ottawas and Chippewas, who are mostly settled along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, the islands in the same, the north shore of said lake, both sides of the straits of Mackinac and the island of the same name, from which the agency takes its title, this having been in olden times the great depot of the American Fur Company and general rendezvous of the powerful tribes inhabiting the entire Northwest. Of these there are, as near as I can estimate from the most authentic information, about 6,000. Next in point of numbers are the Chippewas of Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River, who are located the entire length of the Saginaw Bay at various points, and the Sagi- naw River and its tributaries. About 1,000 of this tribe are on the reservation in Isa- bella County. These number in all, as near as I can ascertain, about 2,500. Next come the Chippewas of Lake Superior, who are principally located on either side of Keweenaw Bay, although there are a number of settlements of this tribe, amnounting in the aggregate-to several hundred, at other points, so that I think there are fully 1,200. or 1,500 of these, including half-breeds and mixed-bloods, who acknowledge themselves as Chippewas. Then there are the Chippewas of Sault Ste. Marie, who are indeed parts of the tribes heretofore named, but have been recognized in treaties by the name indicated. These reside along the south shore of the eastern extremity of Lake Superior, and the entire length of the Sault Ste. Marie River, to Detour, on Lake Huron, numbering at least 800. To these are to be added the Pottawatomies, who number, including those known as the Pottawatomies of Huron, three or four hundred. The entire extent of territory over which the various tribes are scattered embraces over thirty counties in this State, and the extremes by any traveled route cannot be reached in a single journey of less than 600 miles. From the foregoing statement it will be seen that this agency has a greater number of Indians, who are distributed over a greater extent of territory, than any other agency in the United States, as the aggregate is fully 10,000. I have been thus particular in the detail of these facts, because great ignorance ex- ists in regard to them. It seems to be an almost settled conviction of even our own. citizens that the Indian race is nearly extinct within our borders, and therefore the lands set apart for their use and occupancy might as well be diverted to other pur- poses and uses, as they have been in the past few years, much to the injury of the In- dians, both present and prospective. Even at Washington, because they hear neither of "wars nor rumors of wars," it seems to be a matter of settled fact that there are but very few Indians in the State, or that they need any further care, since the extremely doubtful practice of annual payments of a few dollars per capita has been discontinued. Nearly all these Indians are the occupants of comfortable houses ; a number of them" are frame and painted, while others are made very comfortable from hewn logs, nicely "chinked" and plastered ; others, less pretentious, are made of unbewn logs with bark
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