A Resource Divided

Introduction: The following selections were written by non-Indians who were reporting on the conditions found among the Native Americans of the South Puget Sound area after the establishment of the reservations in the 19th century. The following documents reflect a “non-native” view of the successes and failures of the reservation system. Read them, all the time remembering when they were written and that time period helped shaped the reporting.

These documents are contained in the “American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Digital Collection.”

Accessing the Collection:

1. Go to: http://content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/index.html

2. At the “Keyword Search within AIPNW” type one of the following names (i.e. Gosnell, Puyallup Agency, etc.) and hit “Go.” This will match the name with reports that the person wrote or reports about that group. In some cases your search will only yield one report. In other cases, however, your search will yield a number of reports from, say, the “Puyallup Agency,” so you will have to open each one and find the year you were looking for originally.

Report of W. B. Gosnell, agent for the Nisqually, Puyallup, and other Indians (1857) 4 pages Annual Report of the Nisqually, Puyallup, other Agencies (1874) 3 pages

Report of M. T. Simmons, agent for the Indians of Puget’s Sound district (1858) 13 pages Information with historical and statistical statements relative to the different tribes (1875) 2 pages

Report of W. B. Gosnell, special agent at Squaksin reserve (1858) 5 pages Report of Puyallup-Nisqually agency (1876) 6 pages

Report of Richard Lane, Teacher at Squaksin Reserve (1858) 3 pages Report of agent at Puyallup, Nisqually and other agencies (1877) 6 pages

Report of W. B. Gosnell, agent for the Squaksin, Nisqually, and Puyallup Indians(1859) 5 pages Report of Puyallup, Nisqually, other agencies (1878) 4 pages

Report of D. M. Mounts, farmer to the Puyallups (1859) 2 pages Report of Puyallup, Nisqually, Chehalis, other Agencies(1879) 5 pages

Report of E. R. Geary, superintendent (1860) 16 pages Report of Puyallup, Nisqually, Chehalis agent (1880) 5 pages

Report of D. M. Mounts, Nisqually farmer (1860) 1 page Report of Puyallup, Nisqually, Chehalis, etc. agent(1881) 6 pages

Report of W. B. Gosnell, Agent for the Squaksin, Nisqually and Puyallup Indians (1860) 4 pages Report of Puyallup, Nisqually, etc. agent (1882) 2 pages

Report of B. F. Kendall, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, W. T. (1862) 9 pages Report of Nisqually, S’kokomish agent (1883) 3 pages

Report of W. W. Miller, late superintendent (1861) 6 pages Report of Nisqually and S’Kokomish agent (1884) 2 pages

Report of W. L. Hays, Farmer (July 1862) 1 page Report of Nisqually and SKokomish agent (1885) 3 pages

Report of C. H. Hale, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Washington Territory (1862) 17 pages Report of Nisqually, S’Kokomish agent (1886) 4 pages

Report of William L. Hays, Farmer (1863) 1 page Report of Nisqually, S’Kokomish agent (1887) 3 pages

Report of C. H. Hale, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Washington Territory (1863) 11 pages Report of Puyallup Agency(1888) 3 pages

Report of A. R. Elder, agent at Puyallup agency (1864) 4 pages Report of Puyallup Agency (1890) 3 pages

Report of William L. Hays, farmer at Nisqually reservation (1864) 2 pages Report of Puyallup Agency (1904) 4 pages

Report of A. R. Elder, Puyallup agency (1865) 3 pages Report of Puyallup Agency (1905) 2 pages

Annual report of R. H. Milroy, Washington Superintendency, Olympia, Washington Territory (1872) 18 pages Seattle and the Indians of Puget Sound (1908) 6 pages

Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs (1872) 3 pages Puyallup Indian Reservation (1928) 4 pages

Annual report of Puyallup agency (1873) 2 pages The Defense of Seattle, 1856: “And Down Came the Indians” (1964) 6 pages (A review of the “Battle of Seattle” during the 1850’s conflict between Native peoples and settlers)