Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
The Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma is the smallest federally recognized tribe in Oklahoma
. They are descendants of Captain Jack's band of Modoc
people, removed from the West Coast after the Modoc Wars.
-Oregon
border, bounded by the Cascade Mountains on the north and the Lava Beds on the south. They hunted, fished, and gathered wild plants for foods. While the Modoc are commonly regarded as relatives of the Klamath people, Modoc tribal historian, Patricia Scruggs writes that for 10,000 years the Modoc were "a culturally detached and unique band," and the Klamath were in fact the Modoc's traditional enemies.
The tribe spoke the Klamath-Modoc language
, which no longer spoken by living Modocs. Their name for themselves is Maklaks or "people."
Significant contact with European-Americans did not occur until the early 19th century. Fur traders introduced firearms and horses to the Modoc. They were rapidly followed by an overwhelming influx of gold prospectors and ranchers, who arrive in Modoc country via the Oregon Trail
. Initially the Modocs tried to accommodate the settlers, but their demand for land became too much, and the Modoc, the Klamath, and the Yahooskin
Band of Snake Indians
signed a treaty with the US government in 1864, establishing a joint reservation in Oregon
.
The Indian Agent assigned to the Modoc utterly neglected his duties to the tribe. The Klamath routinely harassed the Modoc as well. These troubles and the problem inherent to the reservation existence led Captain Jack in 1865 to lead his band of Modocs back to their ancestral homeland near Lost River
in California. They stayed there for two years, demanding a separate Modoc Reservation.
The US Army became determined to return Captain Jack's band, known as the "Hot Creeks," to Oregon and a force of 1000 men against them, initiating the Modoc War
. Captain Jack only had 57 warriors in his band, but they fought off the US Army for almost six months. They were assisted by their spiritual leader, Curley Headed Doctor
. Captain Jack lost only six men in combat, while the US Army lost 45, including E. R. S. Canby, who is the only general slain in an Indian War. The Modoc War is considering one of the costliest Indian Wars fought by the US, who spent at the bare minimum a half a million dollars, to subdue the Modocs.
The war came to end on June 1, 1873. Modoc warriors, Captain Jack, Barncho, Black Jim, Boston Charley, Schonchin John, and Slolux became the only Indians in US history to be tried for war crimes by a military commission. Before the trial even began, gallows were constructed. All but Barncho and Slolux were condemned to death by hanging. The two were given life sentences in Alcatraz, but were forced, as were all the Modocs, including women and children, to watch the other three men's execution.
The remaining 155 Modoc were transported to Fort Klamath, Oregon
in 1873. Without being informed of their destination, the tribe was shipped to the Quapaw
Agency in Kansas
in freezing cattle cars, guarded at gunpoint. After confused deliberation, government agents purchased 4000 acres (16.2 km²) from the Eastern Shawnee
to provide a new reservation for the Modoc in Indian Territory
.
They arrived in December and no funds or supplied were available to the tribe for an entire year. Disease took its toll and the Indian Agent assigned to them, Hiram W. Jones was both cruel and corrupt. Their chief, Scarface Charley
, was replaced by one appointed by Agent Jones, Bogus Charley, who governed the tribe until 1900.
Despite incredible hardship, the Modoc people survived. They worked at any jobs available and sold beadwork and basketry. Patricia Scruggs writes, "[T]hey sowed and reaped with the same persistent courage with which they had fought." In time the living conditions of the Modoc surpassed those of their European-American neighbors.
In 1909, the US government allowed any Oklahoma Modocs that wanted to, to return to Oregon. 29 made the move. The Modoc of Oregon became part of the Klamath Tribes
Confederation.
In the mid-20th century the tribes of the northeastern corner of Oklahoma in banded together, forming the Northeast Eight Inter-Tribal Council. They include the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
, the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma, Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma
, and the Wyandotte Nation.
The tribal government was gutted by the US Curtis Act of 1898
. It was not until 1978 that the tribe was able to reorganize under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act
, as the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma. Upon achieving federal recognition, the tribe purchased and restored Modoc Friends Church and Cemetery, a tribally-built Quaker church.
. Of the 200 enrolled tribal members, 120 live within the state of Oklahoma. The tribe's Chief is Bill Follis, who was instrumental in securing federal recognition. The Modoc tribal jurisdictional area falls within Ottawa County, Oklahoma
.
The Oklahoma Modocs operate their own housing authority, one casino, a tribal smoke shop, Red Cedar Recycling, Modoc Buffalo Project, and Modoc Flooring. They also issue their own tribal license plates. The Modoc Tribe jointly operates its casino, The Stables, with the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
. The casino is located in Miami, Oklahoma, and includes a restaurant, gift shop, and hotel.
Tribally-owned Red Cedar Recycling provides free cardboard and paper recycling
for area businesses and residents and pays market rate for aluminum to recycle. The tribal company also provides educational materials about recycling and hosts tire recycling events.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. They are descendants of Captain Jack's band of Modoc
Modoc
The Modoc are a Native American people who originally lived in the area which is now northeastern California and central Southern Oregon. They are currently divided between Oregon and Oklahoma. The latter are a federally recognized tribe, the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma...
people, removed from the West Coast after the Modoc Wars.
Early history
The traditional homelands of the Modoc people are on the CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
border, bounded by the Cascade Mountains on the north and the Lava Beds on the south. They hunted, fished, and gathered wild plants for foods. While the Modoc are commonly regarded as relatives of the Klamath people, Modoc tribal historian, Patricia Scruggs writes that for 10,000 years the Modoc were "a culturally detached and unique band," and the Klamath were in fact the Modoc's traditional enemies.
The tribe spoke the Klamath-Modoc language
Klamath-Modoc language
Klamath-Modoc is a Native American language that was spoken around Klamath Lake in what is now southern Oregon and northern California. It is the traditional language of the Klamath and Modoc peoples, each of whom spoke a dialect of the language...
, which no longer spoken by living Modocs. Their name for themselves is Maklaks or "people."
Significant contact with European-Americans did not occur until the early 19th century. Fur traders introduced firearms and horses to the Modoc. They were rapidly followed by an overwhelming influx of gold prospectors and ranchers, who arrive in Modoc country via the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
. Initially the Modocs tried to accommodate the settlers, but their demand for land became too much, and the Modoc, the Klamath, and the Yahooskin
Yahooskin
The Yahooskin are a band of Snake Indians comprising part of the federally recognized Klamath Tribes in Klamath County, Oregon. In 1864 they, along with the Klamath and Modoc, signed a treaty with the Federal government which established an Indian reservation in Southern Oregon for them, in...
Band of Snake Indians
Snake Indians
Snake Indians is the common name given by American immigrants on the Oregon Trail to the bands of Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone Native Americans in the Snake River and Owyhee River valleys of southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon...
signed a treaty with the US government in 1864, establishing a joint reservation in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Modoc War and removal
Lost River (California)
Lost River begins and ends in a closed basin in northern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States. The river, long, flows in an arc from Clear Lake Reservoir in Modoc County, California, through Klamath County, Oregon to Tule Lake in Siskiyou County...
in California. They stayed there for two years, demanding a separate Modoc Reservation.
The US Army became determined to return Captain Jack's band, known as the "Hot Creeks," to Oregon and a force of 1000 men against them, initiating the Modoc War
Modoc War
The Modoc War, or Modoc Campaign , was an armed conflict between the Native American Modoc tribe and the United States Army in southern Oregon and northern California from 1872–1873. The Modoc War was the last of the Indian Wars to occur in California or Oregon...
. Captain Jack only had 57 warriors in his band, but they fought off the US Army for almost six months. They were assisted by their spiritual leader, Curley Headed Doctor
Curley Headed Doctor
Curley Headed Doctor [sic] was the spiritual leader for the Modoc tribe, notably during the Modoc War troubles.-Background:Curley Headed Doctor was Modoc from California...
. Captain Jack lost only six men in combat, while the US Army lost 45, including E. R. S. Canby, who is the only general slain in an Indian War. The Modoc War is considering one of the costliest Indian Wars fought by the US, who spent at the bare minimum a half a million dollars, to subdue the Modocs.
The war came to end on June 1, 1873. Modoc warriors, Captain Jack, Barncho, Black Jim, Boston Charley, Schonchin John, and Slolux became the only Indians in US history to be tried for war crimes by a military commission. Before the trial even began, gallows were constructed. All but Barncho and Slolux were condemned to death by hanging. The two were given life sentences in Alcatraz, but were forced, as were all the Modocs, including women and children, to watch the other three men's execution.
The remaining 155 Modoc were transported to Fort Klamath, Oregon
Fort Klamath, Oregon
Fort Klamath was a military outpost near the western end of the Oregon Trail, between Crater Lake National Park and Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The Fort Klamath Site, about a mile southeast of the present community of Fort Klamath, Oregon, is listed on the U.S...
in 1873. Without being informed of their destination, the tribe was shipped to the Quapaw
Quapaw
The Quapaw people are a tribe of Native Americans who historically resided on the west side of the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Arkansas.They are federally recognized as the Quapaw Tribe of Indians.-Government:...
Agency in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in freezing cattle cars, guarded at gunpoint. After confused deliberation, government agents purchased 4000 acres (16.2 km²) from the Eastern Shawnee
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Oklahoma and Missouri.-History:The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma is one of three federally recognized Shawnee tribes. They are an Eastern Woodland tribe, who were once nomadic. They originally came from...
to provide a new reservation for the Modoc in Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
.
They arrived in December and no funds or supplied were available to the tribe for an entire year. Disease took its toll and the Indian Agent assigned to them, Hiram W. Jones was both cruel and corrupt. Their chief, Scarface Charley
Scarface Charley
Scarface Charley was a chief of the Modoc tribe of Native Americans. He took part in the Modoc War of 1872-73 in California, and is considered to have fired the first shot at the Battle of Lost River. On April 26, 1873, Scarfaced Charley led a victorious attack against a patrol of 63 soldiers...
, was replaced by one appointed by Agent Jones, Bogus Charley, who governed the tribe until 1900.
Despite incredible hardship, the Modoc people survived. They worked at any jobs available and sold beadwork and basketry. Patricia Scruggs writes, "[T]hey sowed and reaped with the same persistent courage with which they had fought." In time the living conditions of the Modoc surpassed those of their European-American neighbors.
20th century
Klamath Tribes
The Klamath Tribes, formerly the Klamath Indian Tribe of Oregon, are a federally recognized confederation of three Native American tribes who traditionally inhabited Southern Oregon and Northern California in the United States: the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin...
Confederation.
In the mid-20th century the tribes of the northeastern corner of Oklahoma in banded together, forming the Northeast Eight Inter-Tribal Council. They include the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Oklahoma and Missouri.-History:The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma is one of three federally recognized Shawnee tribes. They are an Eastern Woodland tribe, who were once nomadic. They originally came from...
, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe of Miami Indians.-History:The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is Eastern Woodland tribe, who traditionally spoke the Miami-Illinois language, a language of the Algonquin family, but few tribal members speak the language today...
, the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma is one of four federally recognized Native American tribes of Ottawa Indians. The other three tribes, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, are located in...
, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma, Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma
Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma
The Seneca–Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized tribe of Seneca and Cayuga people, based in Oklahoma, United States. They have a tribal jurisdictional area in the northeast corner of Oklahoma are headquartered in Grove, Oklahoma.- History :...
, and the Wyandotte Nation.
The tribal government was gutted by the US Curtis Act of 1898
Curtis Act of 1898
The Curtis Act of 1898 was an amendment to the United States Dawes Act that brought about the allotment process of lands of the Five Civilized Tribes of Indian Territory: the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee, Cherokee, and Seminole...
. It was not until 1978 that the tribe was able to reorganize under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act
Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act
The Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936, also known as the Thomas-Rogers Act, is a United States federal law that extended the US Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. It sought to return some form of tribal government to the many tribes in former Indian Territory...
, as the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma. Upon achieving federal recognition, the tribe purchased and restored Modoc Friends Church and Cemetery, a tribally-built Quaker church.
Today
The Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma is headquartered in Miami, OklahomaMiami, Oklahoma
Miami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
. Of the 200 enrolled tribal members, 120 live within the state of Oklahoma. The tribe's Chief is Bill Follis, who was instrumental in securing federal recognition. The Modoc tribal jurisdictional area falls within Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Ottawa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 33,194. Its county seat is Miami. It was named for the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma.Ottawa County was established in 1907.-Geography:...
.
The Oklahoma Modocs operate their own housing authority, one casino, a tribal smoke shop, Red Cedar Recycling, Modoc Buffalo Project, and Modoc Flooring. They also issue their own tribal license plates. The Modoc Tribe jointly operates its casino, The Stables, with the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe of Miami Indians.-History:The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is Eastern Woodland tribe, who traditionally spoke the Miami-Illinois language, a language of the Algonquin family, but few tribal members speak the language today...
. The casino is located in Miami, Oklahoma, and includes a restaurant, gift shop, and hotel.
Tribally-owned Red Cedar Recycling provides free cardboard and paper recycling
Paper recycling
Paper recycling is the process of recovering waste paper and remaking it into new paper products. There are three categories of paper that can be used as feedstocks for making recycled paper: mill broke, pre-consumer waste, and post-consumer waste. Mill broke is paper trimmings and other paper...
for area businesses and residents and pays market rate for aluminum to recycle. The tribal company also provides educational materials about recycling and hosts tire recycling events.