Genocide and Extortion
150 years later, the hidden motive behind the Indian Island Massacre
(Feb. 25, 2010) The dance was over [in] one day. The wind blew and rough weather. On account of this nobody went home. That night after the dance all were asleep. There were four houses and one sweat house….The door was blocked by white men as the people were asleep, not expecting anything to happen. They were not on the lookout. When they found out what was up they began to scatter and was struck down by clubs, knives, and axes, all met the same fate, children, women, and men. I got out and hid in a trash pile. That was how I was saved.
This was what Jane Sam saw on the morning of February 26, 1860. She was witnessing what became known as the Indian Island Massacre. Only a handful of Indians survived; of those only Sam left a detailed account, which, as far as can be determined, is being published here for the first time.
She saw more. Much more.
When I got away from the trash pile I sneaked away near the edge of the marsh by a blind slough [and] laid there. I did not hear any noise or scream from the people. Must of all been killed, sure enough. These white men took all things such as beads, baskets, fur, hide, bows, and arrows. All the property belonging to the dead that was not taken was destroyed by burning. Women and children were killed when they lay asleep or they did not make any effort to escape, as they thought the white men would not molest them. A few men got away, the exact number being forgotten. At break of day I saw two boat loads of white men going across to Eureka. These were the men that done the massacring.
Then Sam described the aftermath:
It took all the forenoon to gather up all…[the] bodies [of] men, women, children, and babies [that] could be found. One living child was found in the arms of his dead mother and today he is [still] living….It took all day to bury the dead. The next morning they was through burying what bodies were buried on the Island. The rest of the bodies…were taken to Mad River for burial. Some were taken to the Peninsula and some to South Bay, some to Freshwater. That same night there was a massacre at the mouth of Eel River and at the South Jetty where men, women, and children were killed. What got away were taken to Bucksport [Fort Humboldt] by the soldiers. I do not know how long they were kept at Bucksport. From there we were taken to the Indian reservation….1
All of this happened 150 years ago this week. In the time since, much has been written and said about the Indian Island Massacre. It is often characterized as the only, or at least the biggest and most ghastly, massacre of Indians in Humboldt County. When attention now focuses on the attack, it usually revolves around the question of “who did it?” But there is a larger, deeper question that should be asked, one that might make some sense out of the otherwise senseless slaughter, and that question is: “why did they do it?”
And there is an answer to this question—one that was never given directly at the time, and which has since faded into obscurity. But the answer is still there, and now, with the perspective that comes with the passing of 150 years, it can at last be revealed.
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NINE Comments
Comment / By from Arcata/Eureka / Feb. 27, 2010, 1:17 p.m.
I heard this story when i was very young, from a neighbor born in Eureka in the 1870’s. She had picked up beads and baskets from the ground on Indian Island. She had walked about there as a young girl, and said they were “all just lying there, on the ground” many years after what had happened. She looked down and shook her head quietly when she said this, and said the killings were supposed to be because of raids in the hills by Indians, but like your story says, that they weren’t even the same tribe, and that the men from the island were mostly gone in a hunting party, and all the women and children were brutally killed. She told me the story, but people didn’t talk about it here then. “…a great bleakness of spirit settled over the land.” That was the feeling. There was a mournfulness here, on First and Second street, along the bay, in the abandoned Victorians and patches of woods.
Thanks for this, Mr. Rohde. Good job, you guys, it’s great how you keep telling the stories of all the people, not just from then, but about Native people now. It’s just if you don’t understand the Native people a little, and the ranchers, the dairymen, the millworkers and loggers, the fishermen, and also the labor movement, you might not really know Humboldt County as well as you could.
Comment / By patrick / Feb. 28, 2010, 9:47 p.m.
Very nicely done and well written and footnoted. Would comment that one point seemed purplish prose:”…it appears that a great bleakness of the spirit settled over the land.” It seems in many ways these massacres cleared the way for business as usual in ranching of the day. It is only in retrospect that we feel the bleakness?
Very interesting research and helps in some ways to ‘explain’ the inexplicable that have long bewildered. If there were only some way to bring these folks to justice, grew up near Larrabee Valley (the @#&^%@!). It seems far too late for a truth and reconciliation committee …
Comment / By Jay Capachi / March 2, 2010, 10:43 a.m.
Thank you for the valuable article. These shameful acts cannot be swept under the carpet.
Comment / By Jon B. McBride / March 3, 2010, 12:39 p.m.
I hope all this information and references are assembled in one place where the public and other interested people have access it!
Comment / By Coreen Wright / March 23, 2010, 1:05 a.m.
I’m a direct descendant of Capt. Semen Wright. I would like to see copies of your info and references, this is not the true story nor all the facts..share your info and I’ll share mine plus some photos thanks
Comment / By Coreen Wright / March 23, 2010, 1:05 a.m.
I’m a direct descendant of Capt. Semen Wright. I would like to see copies of your info and references, this is not the true story nor all the facts..share your info and I’ll share mine plus some photos thanks
Comment / By Gerri GrosVenor / March 28, 2010, 9:31 p.m.
I very thankful for this history to finally be opened up to the people of California. I come from the Wailaki People and the Nomlaki. There are horror stories of the US Army to exterminate the Wailaki. We are still here even though in 1890’s there were about 30,000 thousand California Indians left compared to the 300,000 in 1790. What happened to the Wiyot People shows the genocide of California Indians.
Sincerely, Gerri GrosVenor
Comment / By Irma / Aug. 12, 2010, 12:46 p.m.
I am sad to read the stories of all Native Americans, for the injustice that was done to their people. My heart is heavy, every time I read about what happened in different parts of the USA, to these Native people’s. I know that I am only one voice among million’s, but to all Native American Indians, I say–I am sorry for what has happened throughout history to your people. I am 1/16th Cherokee, from Western North Carolina, and I know what our people suffered on The Trail of Tear’s, along with the other different tribes that were run from their land.
Comment / By Filmore Harvey Jr / Today, 10:42 p.m.
this is a sad sad event in our areas history, consequently it pains me3 even more to realize that this happened while holding a very sacred dance. As a ceremonial dancer from hupa, it makes my heart sad to imagine something like this happening to a tribe while in pure worship. Hence I look forward to seeing the completion of the ceremony to honor the ones who were killed but more importantly to practice what is our GOD GIVEN right. As far the facts leading up to it does it matter, I mean even if some native people took some cattle, to say cattle are more important than human lives is exactly why we cry for new testament!!