July 23, 2006

Nevada's Online State News Journal

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Nevada History:

Letters From Nevada Indian Agents - 1854

[Compiled by the publisher of The Nevada Observer in 1980-1981 and transcribed from handwritten originals in the collection of Letters Received by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Utah Superintendency, National Archives microfilm; spelling as in original documents. Funding for the project was provided by Grace Dangberg, of Minden, Nevada.]

PETITION TO ESTABLISH AN INDIAN AGENCY IN WESTERN UTAH, FROM 146 RESIDENTS OF CARSON VALLEY TO THE U.S.  CONGRESS AND INDIAN DEPARTEMENT

Carson Valley, Utah Territory, Jany. 21, 1854[5?]

To The Senate

And House of Representatives of

the United States

In Congress Assembled And Indian

Department.

Honored Sirs;

            The undersigned Citizens of Carson Valley, and the valleys adjoining, and east of the Sierra Nevada; mountains, would respectfully petition that: Some aid and protection may be given us by our great government, being unprotected by any State or Territory, and surrounded by wild and ruthless Indians; we feel it our duty, to ask, as American Citizens, aid and protection from the general government.

            And first:  We ask the government to appoint an Indian. Agent to assist us in trading with the two Indian tribes in our vicinity; e.g.: the Piutes, and Washews.

Secondly:  We ask that some donation may be made by the general Government, in the way of clothing and Provisions to be distributed by the agent among those Indian tribes for the same purposes that similar donations have been made, to there tribes, within the Territories of the general Government.

            We therefore recommend to your Honorable Body, that Thomas Knott, the bearer of this petition be appointed, by you to this Agency as he has spent the greater part of the past three years in these valleys and mountains, and is on good terms with, and well acquainted among those tribes of Indians; and likewise worthy of the confidence of the American people.

            We have in our Valley, some permanent settlers, who are making improvements as fast as circumstances will permit, already having in operation a large Flouring mill and saw mills.

            Many more emigrants would make this their home, could they feel that their lives and property were secure from Indian depredations.

            We therefore, with our California friends, do ask for a few Government men, to be stationed in or near this Valley; to protect us and the numerous Emigrants that yearly pass through here to California, so many lives have been lost and property stolen both from emigrants, and from Citizens located in this and adjoing vallies.

            Wm Brewer                 John Bell

            John Reice                    Henry Butler

            T.M. Cole                    Joseph Williams

            James James                Wm Smith

            Edwin P. Otwell           Thomas Frost

            Anthony Brockliss        Lucias Rosta

            Robert Brown              David Bell

            William Gurney            O.E. Commens

            A.A. Parker                 J.M. King

            Geo. Arthington, Sr      David Emerson

            Henry Johnston            Joshua  Hawes

            Antoine Ledutte

            Richmond Sides            Jesses F. Hix

            J.C. Fain                      Joseph Brown

            Chas D Duggett M Dr  J.M. Baldwin

            Rufus Adams                Frank W. Ricker

            Josiah Brown                Wm. P. Allen

            Jonathan Springer         John Reos­

            S[amuel] Blackfor[d]   Wm. Hartshorn

            T.D. Pitt                       Henry W. Niles

            J. Adams                      Julius Peltier

            David Borney               William C. Smith

            E.A. Parkerson             Jo Lor[?]

            L.B. Abernathie             Anthony Narrone

            John S. Child                Wm. B. Thorington

            Wifi Johnson                 Henry Vansickle

            A.C. Raymond             John James

            William P Cozhert         Luther Croft

            John Howard                Samuel Singleton

            James McGough           James M. Herring

            William Wood              Ira E. Pierce

            John L. Cary                John Pendergrass

            Daniel Woodford         Thos. Meegan

            Rufus R. Brown            J.C. Billingsley

            William Willis               John Burphy

            John Campbell             Zacariah Grant

            Thomas B. Jones          John B. Campbell

            Benjamin Jones             Bern. Statz

            Evan J. Jones                Conrad Hasse

            C.V. Gross                   Nicholas M. Beasly

            John B. Parker             Fred Miller

            F. Cox                         Charles E. Smith

            Chas Sanburn               Walter Cosser

            William B. Hoe             Joseph Weebins

                                                George Lamb

            James McMarlin           E.H. Knott

            John McMarlin             William Best

            Wm. T. Williams           Geo. Plug

            Frank A. Rector           George Riddle

            William Pickering          E. Reese

            Ike S. Titus                   S.A. Kinsey

            H.P. Baker                   A.G. Stenmark

            Dr. M. Baker               Geo. G. Lambert

            F.W.H. Oldfield           Alexr. Hunter

            P.N. Russell                 H Hollister

            O. Harvey                    Fred T. Washeim

            A. Seligman                  F. Maynard

            F.N. Harmon                John Tisdale

            Wm Fawcett

            Wm Heston Jr.             Jno. Biggin

            [?]                                G.M. Stout

            Jno. Cassnor                Charles Gowen

            Le Southard                 L.J. Daugherty

            Robt A. Price               D.D. Tompkins

            John Smith                   George Atherton

            N. Hildebrand

            Thos Hickenell             W.A. Chapman

            Austin Truitt                 A. Fulwiler

            A.L. Weston                E. G. Curtis

            James B. Locket           P.D. Wilkins

            William L. Thompson    C.D. Chrisman[?]

            Theodore Henry Smith Silvester Wheeling

            I.S. Williams                 F.W. Dodd

            William Peninger           A.C. Meeker

Letters from Nevada Indian Agents 1849-1861 (1981): 1849;  1850;  1851;  1852;  1853;  1854;  1855;  1856;  1857;  1858;  1859;  1860;  1861