i 19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447 '\

BEFORE THE INDIAN CLAIMS COICMISSION

THE OSAGE NATION OF INDIANS, 1 1

P e t i t i o n e r , 1 1

v. 1 Docket Nos. 106-107 1 (Consolidated)

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1 1

Defendant. 1

Decided: September 20, 19 68

FINDINGS OF FACT

The Comiss ion makes the following f indings of f a c t :

A. In t roduct ion *

1. The Osage Nation o r Tribe of Indians, p e t i t i o n e r , i s the successor *

t o the Great Osage and L i t t l e Osage Tribes of American Indians , and i s an

organized and recognized t r i b e of American Indians wi th in the meaning of

the Indian Claims Commission Act of August 13, 1346, C. 949, 60 S t a t .

1049; 25 U.S.C. 70(a), e t seq., (Osage Nation v - U.S., Dkt. 9 , 1 Ind.

C I S . Corn. 43 , 119 C. Cls. 592; Osage Nation v . U.S. Dkt. 126, 7 Ind. C l s . - Corn. 8 6 4 ) , and a s such is authorized t o bring t h i s cause of a c t i o n under

Sec t ion 2 of sa id Act. The p e t i t i o n s here in were timely f i l e d . i

i 2. The claims presented here in are those claims s e t out by p e t i t i o n e r

i n Docket 106 and Docket 107, which two dockets have been consol ida ted by

o rde r of t h i s Commission.

The c la im presented i n Docket 106 i s based on al leged t i t l e t o the

country f a m i l i a r l y refer red t o as "Lovely's Purchase," located i n the ,

presen t S t a t e s of Arkansas and Oklahoma, ceded by the Osage Nation t o the

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447 446-

United S t a t e s i n the t r e a t y concluded on September 25, 1818, and r a t i f i e d

and proclaimed on January 7 , 1819 (7 S t a t . 183, 2 Kapp. 167) .

The claim presented i n Docket 107 i s based on a l l eged t i t l e t o t h e

lands ceded by the Osage Nation t o the United S t a t e s i n the T r e a t y of

June 2 , 1825, r a t i f i e d and proclaimed December 30, 1825 (7 S t a t . 240;

2 Kapp. 217) , and loca ted i n the present s t a t e s of Mis sour i , Arkansas,

Kansas and Oklahoma; and f o r Osage lands south of t h e Arkansas and

Canadian R ive r s , and between sa id r i v e r s and the Red River .

B . History of Negotiat ion of T r e a t i e s

3 . The Osage Nation made a t r e a t y with the United S t a t e s on

November 10 , 1808, r a t i f i e d on Apri l 28, 1810, 7 S t a t . 107. The I n d i a n

Claims Commission has held t h a t a t the d a t e of the Trea ty of 1808 p e t i -

3 t i o n e r had a b o r i g i n a l occupancy t o an a r e a descr ibed a s follows: -$ - .-

Beginning i n the S t a t e of Missouri a t the p o i n t on t h e 1808 Osage boundary l i n e where the no r the rn boundary l i n e of Cass County, Missouri , i n t e r s e c t s s a i d l i n e ; thence n o r t h e a s t e r l y t o the mouth of the Blackwater River where it i n t e r s e c t s the Larnine River; thence s o u t h e a s t e r l y pas s ing through Osage Bend, Town o r V i l l age ( a s it appears on Defendan t ' s Exhib i t s 14-A and 62) t o t he Osage River i n Cole County, Missouri; thence i n a sou the r ly d i r e c t l y t o t h e s o u t h e a s t corner of Laclede County, Missour i , thence sou thwes te r ly t o the nor theas t corner of Boone County, Arkansas ; thence southwesterly t o the southern terminus of t h e 1808 Osage boundary l i n e on the Arkansas River i n t h e S t a t e of Arkansas ; thence no r the r ly a long s a i d boundary l i n e t o t h e po in t of beginning.

The i n t e r l o c u t o r y decree (11 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 733, 809) provided f o r

f u r t h e r h e a r i n g s on the value of the above t r a c t a s of A p r i l 28, 1810,

and on t h e cons ide ra t ion received f o r i t by the Osage Nation. The p a r t i e s

t o t h e s u i t have agreed t h a t the above d e s c r i p t i o n covered approximately

12 ,000 ,000 a c r e s of land. Hearings were held and the evidence c losed

19 Ind. ~ 1 ; Comrn. 447 449

on market value of the above t r a c t and on the cons idera t ion received f o r

i t .

4 . By the Treaty of November 10, 1808, the Osage Nation ceded t o the

United S t a t e s a l a rge area of land i n the present s t a t e s of Missouri and

Arkansas, between the Missouri and Arkansas Rivers, and from the

Miss i s s ipp i River west t o a l i n e - -

"beginning a t For t Clark, on the Missouri, f i v e m i l e s above F i r e P r a i r i e , and running thence a due south course t o the r i v e r Arkansas, and down the same t o the Miss i s s ipp i , hereby ceding and re l inquishing forever t o the United S t a t e s , a l l the lands which l i e e a s t of the sa id l i n e , and nor th of the southwardly bank of the sa id r i v e r Missouri. And we do f u r t h e r cede and re l inqu i sh t o the United S t a t e s fo rever , a t r a c t of two leagues square, t o embrace f o r t Clark, and t o be l a i d of f i n such manner a s the Pres ident of the United S t a t e s s h a l l think proper." ( A r t i c l e 6 )

A r t i c l e 7 of sa id t r e a t y provided:

a 7 "And i t i s mutually agreed by the con t rac t ing p a r t i e s ,

t h a t the boundary l i n e s hereby es tab l i shed , s h a l l be run and marked a t the expense of the United S t a t e s , a s soon a s circum- s t ances o r t h e i r convenience w i l l permit; and the Great and L i t t l e Osage promise t o depute two chiefs from each of t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e nat ions , t o accompany the commissioner, o r com- miss ioners who may be appointed on the p a r t of the United S t a t e s , t o s e t t l e and ad jus t the sa id boundary l ine ."

A r t i c l e 8 of sa id t r e a t y provided:

"And the United S t a t e s agree t h a t such of the Great and L i t t l e Osage Indians, a s may think proper t o put them- -

s e l v e s under the protec t ion of f o r t Clark, and who observe the s t i p u l a t i o n s of t h i s t r e a t y wi th good f a i t h , s h a l l be permit ted t o l i v e and t o hunt , without molestat ion, on a l l t h a t t r a c t of country, west of the nor th and south boundary l i n e , on which they, the sa id Great and L i t t l e Osage, have u s u a l l y hunted o r resided: Provided, The same be n o t t h e hun t ing grounds of any nat ion o r t r i b e of Indians i n amity wi th t h e United S t a t e s ; and on any o the r lands wi th in the t e r r i t o r y of Louisiana, without the l i m i t s of the white se t t l ements , u n t i l the United S t a t e s may think proper t o a s s i g n the same as hunting grounds t o o ther f r i e n d l y I n d i a n s ."

19 Ind . C 1 . Corn. 447

A r t i c l e 10 of s a id t r e a t y provided:

1 1 The United S t a t e s rece ive the Grea t and L i t t l e Osage n a t i o n s i n t o t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p and under t h e i r p r o t e c t i o n ; and the sa id n a t i o n s , on t h e i r p a r t , d e c l a r e t h a t they w i l l cons ider themselves under the p r o t e c t i o n of no o t h e r power whatsoever; d i sc la iming a l l r i g h t t o cede, s e l l o r i n any manner t r a n s f e r t h e i r lands t o any fo re ign power, o r t o c i t i z e n s of the United S t a t e s o r i n h a b i t a n t s of Lou i s i ana , u n l e s s duly au thor ized by the P res iden t of t h e United S t a t e s t o make the s a i d purchase o r accept t he s a i d c e s s i o n on behal f of the government."

A r t i c l e 11 of s a i d t r e a t y f u r t h e r provided:

"And i f any person o r persons, f o r hunt ing o r o t h e r purpose, s h a l l pass over the boundary l i n e s , a s e s t a b l i s h e d by t h i s t r e a t y , i n t o the country reserved f o r the Grea t and L i t r l e Osage n a t i o n s , wi thout t he l i c e n s e of t h e super - i n t e n d e n t o r o t h e r proper o f f i c e r , they, t he s a i d Grea t and L i t r l e Osage, o r e i t h e r of them, s h a l l be a t l i b e r t y t o apprehend such unl icensed hun te r s o r o t h e r persons , and s u r r e n d e r them toge the r wi th t h e i r p roper ty , b u t w i thou t o t h e r irjusy, i n s u l t o r moles ta t ion , t o the supe r in t enden t of I n d i a n a f f a i r s , o r t o t he agent n e a r e s t the p l ace of a r r e s t , t o be d e a l t wi th according t o law."

5 . On Janua ry 15, 1810, P re s iden t James Madison forwarded t h e Trea ty

of November 1 0 , 1808, t o the United S t a t e s Senate f o r r a t i f i c a t i o n , and

t h e P r e s i d e n t ' s communication and the t r e a t y were l a i d be fo re t h e Senate

on J a n u a r y 1 6 , 1810.

By Sena te Resolu t ion of January 2 2 , 1810, the United S t a t e s Sena te

r eques t ed t o be advised by what a u t h o r i t y Pe t e r Chouteau, Esq., had made

and concluded t h e t r e a t y wi th the Great and L i t t l e Osage a t F o r t Clark on

November 1 0 , 1808 (Pe t . Ex. 128, p. 764; Def. Ex. 65, Dkt. 107, p. 764;

Def. Ex . 75, Dkt. 106, p. 764). I n compliance wi th the Senate Resolu t ion , 1 I I

on March 1 4 , 1810, Pres ident James Madison t ransmi t ted t o t he United S t a t e s i S e n a t e a r e p o r t of William E u s t i s , Sec re t a ry of War, da t ed March 13, 1810, i 1 s t a t i n g i n p a r t (Idem. ) : I

I

j I

19 Ind. C 1 . Conun. 447

t t I n compliance with a r e s o l u t i o n of the honorable

Senate, of the 22d January l a s t , the Secre tary of War has the honor t o s t a t e t o the Pres ident of the United S t a t e s , t h a t , as the correspondence of t h i s Department did no t e x h i b i t the author i ty under which Peter Chouteau, Esq. , made and concluded the t r e a t y with the Great and L i t t l e Osage t r i b e s of Indians, General Clark was c a l l e d upon t o furnish such information a s he e i t h e r possessed o r could obta in on the subjec t . A copy of h i s l e t t e r of the 20th ul t imo, together with copies of Governor Lewis 's ins t ruc t ions t o M r . Chouteau, and of h i s l e t t e r t o the Executive of the United S t a t e s , al luded t o by General Clark, a r e now transmit ted . I t

The Pres ident ' s message and accompanying documents were communicated

t o the Senate on March 14, 1810.

The l e t t e r of W i l l i a m Clark t o William E u s t i s , Sec re ta ry of War, then

before the United S t a t e s Senate, s t a t e d i n p a r t a s fol lows (Idem., p. 765):

"I have the honor t o enclose you copies of the l a t e Governor Lewis' s ins t ruc t ions t o Peter Chouteau, Esq, t o car ry i n t o e f f e c t a t r e a t y 6f amity and f r i endsh ip , wi th the Great and L i t t l e Osage bands of Indians; a l s o a copy of the Governor' s l e t t e r t o the Executive Department of the United S t a t e s , dated a t S t . Louis, the 1 5 t h December, 1808. Those a r e a l l the documents which I can f i n d among h i s papers, r e l a t i v e t o the t r e a t y t h a t i s now before the Senate of the United S t a t e s , which tend t o throw l i g h t on the same. . . I 1

Governor Lewis' i n s t ruc t ions t o Peter Chouteau, Esq., then before .the

United S t a t e s Senate when the 1808 Osage Treaty was under cons ide ra t ion f o r

r a t i f i c a t i o n , provided i n p a r t as follows:

"SIR: "The f a i t h f u l services which you have rendered t o the

United S t a t e s , i n the Indian department, together wi th your undeviating attachment t o the Government, have induced me t o enclose you, herewith, a cormission f o r the s p e c i a l purposes there i n mentioned.

"It w i l l be your objec t , i n the f i r s t p lace , t o r e s t o r e peace and f r iendship between our people and the Great and L i t t l e - -

Osages, from whom we have of l a t e suffered so many v i o l a t i o n s of our laws, and depredations on our f r o n t i e r s . For t h i s o b j e c t

19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447 452

you a r e charged wi th the draught of a t r e a t y , the s a n c t i o n and conf i rmat ion of which, i t i s expec ted , you w i l l p rocure , by an e x e r t i o n of t h a t ex t ens ive in f luence which you have long possessed over those n a t i o n s . This draught of a t r e a t y , you w i l l observe, contemplates something more than the r e - -

s t o r a t i o n of peace: i t g ives t o the Grea t and L i t t l e Osages the most e f f i c i e n t s e c u r i t y , i n our power t o bestow; i t a s s u r e s t o them, f o r t h e i r exc lus ive u s e , the l ands west of the boundary l i n e ; (Underscoring suppl ied) i t s e p a r a t e s those who s a n c t i o n i t , from the v i c i o u s and the p r o f l i g a t e , whon no t r e a t i e s can b ind , whom no menaces can i n t i m i d a t e , and by whose ungovernable conduct the peace of both n a t i o n s i s p e r p e t u a l l y endangered. I t enab le s u s a l s o t o reduce t o submission, without bloodshed, those who persevere i n h o s t i l i t y , by wi thhold ing from them the merchandise necessary f o r t h e i r suppor t . By these a r range- ments we s h a l l a l s o o b t a i n a t r a c t of count ry , west of our p r e s e n t s e t t l e m e n t s , and e a s t of t he hun t ing boundary l i n e of t he Osages, s u f f i c i e n t f o r t he purpose of our white h u n t e r s , and f o r such Ind ian na t ions a s have long been on terms of i n t i m a t e f r i e n d s h i p wi th us . Thus w i l l ou r f r o n t i e r be s t recgthened and secured wi th the l e a s t p o s s i b l e expense t o t he Government. The es tab l i shment of a boundary has long been d e s i r a b l e , and the want of one, s e t t l e d by t r e a t y , has

.'a

d never ceased t o c r e a t e doubts , and sometimes embarrassments, o f t h e most s e r i o u s na tu re , i n our c o u r t s of j u s t i c e . . ."

/d

The T r e a t y of November 10 , 1808, executed by the Osage Nation a f t e r

a f u l l e x p l a n a t i o n of i t s provis ions , was r a t i f i e d by the United S t a t e s

Sena te on A p r i l 28, 1810, and became e f f e c t i v e on t h a t da t e .

6. On February 19 , 1806, P re s iden t Thomas J e f f e r s o n had t r a n s m i t t e d

t o Congress t h e r e p o r t of t he Lewis and Clark Expedi t ion, d e s c r i b i n g t h e

c la ims of t he Osage Nation a s fol lows: 1

" S . Claim the country w i t h i n the fo l lowing l i m i t s , v i z : Commencing a t the mouth of a south branch of the Osage r i v e r , c a l l e d Neangua, and w i t h t h e same t o i t s s o u r c e ; thence southwardly , t o i n t e r s e c t the Arkansas, abou t one hundred miles bklow the t h r e e fo rks of t h a t r i v e r ; thence up the p r i n c i p a l branch of the same, t o t he conf luence of a l a r g e northwardly branch of the same, l y i n g a cons iderable d i s t ance west of t he Great S a l i n e , and w i t h t h a t s t ream, nea r ly t o i t s source ; thence nor th- ward ly , towards the Kansas r i v e r , enbrac ing the waters . of t h e upper p o r t i o n of the Osage r i v e r ; and thence ob l ique ly approaching the same, t o the beginning. * * * It embraces

I 19 Ind. C 1 . Cormn. 447

wi th in i t s l i m i t s four s a l i n e s , which a r e , i n point of magnitude and excellence, unequalled by any known i n North America. There a r e a l s o many others of l e s s note. The p r inc ipa l p a r t of the Great Osage have always resided a t t h e i r v i l l a g e s , on the Osage r i v e r , s ince they have been known t o the inhabi tants of Louisiana. About three years s ince , nearly one-half of t h i s na t ion , headed by t h e i r c h i e f , Big Track, emigrated t o the three forks of the Arkansas, near which, and on i t s north s ide , they es tab l i shed a v i l l a g e , where they now res ide . The L i t t l e Osage formerly resided on the southwest s ide of the M i s - s o u r i , near the mouth of the Grand r i v e r ; but , being r e - duced by continual warfare wi th the i rse ighbors , were compelled t o seek the p ro tec t ion of the Great Osage, near whom they now res ide . * * ;\"

A map of the ex ten t of the claimed Osage country, which included the Rock

and Grand Sa l ines , accompanied t h i s r epor t (Pet . Exs. 37, 41; Def. Ex. 10) .

7. The t r e a t y t a l k s between the Osages and P i e r r e Chouteau on

November 10, 1808,. a l s o r e f l e c t the w s s t e m ex ten t of .the country claimed

by the Osages, west of the boundary l i n e es tabl i shed by the 1808 Osage

t r e a t y . A t the t r ea ty council White Hair , Great Chief of the Big Osages

s t a t e d a s follows (Osage Case, Dkt. 105, 11 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 733, 871-872):

"My Brother Chouteau, I am going t o say a word.. A young I n t e r p r e t e r has to ld the Genrl l i e s . The Genrl to ld him t o ask my Warriors f o r a piece of land, My Father you have asked me for a piece of land the L i t t l e Osages owned t h i s land, b u t o t h e r Nations have driven them from i t , and I have taken them under my protect ion, My Father my Brother Chouteau knows a l l those th ings a s well a s me, and I thought you knew them l i k e - w i s e , My Father you must remember t h a t I have to ld you, t h a t from the mouth of the Gasconade t o where the River S t . Frances t u r n s (where the Big Tract winturedr from there t o where t h e r e i s a g r e a t quantity of Walnut t r e e s , from those t o the Grand S a l i e n (Sal ine) , where they break the s a l t , you have promised me t h a t you would guarantee t o me t h a t piece of land. I f I give i t t o you, what s h a l l I f ind t o g e t me a Br ichelant [Breechcloth] or Blanket with. * * *" (Pet . Ex. 59; underscoring ours)

8. P. Chouteau advised the Secre tary of War, i n a l e t t e r da ted

May 20, 1813, t h a t he had fouild the Osage v i l l a g e s and nat ions i n t h e i r

19 Ind. C 1 . Comrn. 447 454 B usual f r i end ly d i spos i t ion toward the American Government dur ing the War

of 1812 and had agreed t o furnish a war party of f ive hundred men ins tead

of the two hundred they had been asked f o r , but tha t he had made a choice

of only two hundred s i x t y , among whom were t h e i r p r inc ipa l c h i e f s and

bes t warr iors , t o br ing support t o the f o r t . Chouteau s t a t e d t h a t the

Osages were much disappointed a f t e r a. march of about 360 mi les t o r e c e i v e

news a t the mouth of the Osage River t h a t F t . Osage had been abandoned.

(Pet . Ex. 10, pp. 712-714).

Clark, i n a l e t t e r of August 20, 1814, t o the Secre tary of War,

described how he had encouraged the Osage, Delaware and Pawnee t o war

on the Sac and Fox and others a l l i e d with the B r i t i s h . (Pe t . Ex . 10,

pp. 786-787) -.,

4 d Following the v ic to ry of the United S t a t e s i n i ts war a g a i n s t 2 --

B r i t a i n , William Clark, Ninian Edwards and Auguste Chouteau, commissioners

p len ipo ten t i a ry of the United S t a t e s on the one p a r t , and t h e Ring, c h i e f s

and war r io r s of the Great and L i t t l e Osage Tribes o r Nations, concluded

a t r e a t y September 12, 1815, a t Portage des Sious, which was designed

t o p lace t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p on the same foot ing as it was before the

war. A r t i c l e 1 provided t h a t every in ju ry , o r a c t of h o s t i l i t y , by one

o r e i t h e r of the cont rac t ing p a r t i e s agains t the o ther , should be mutually

forgiven and forgot . A r t i c l e 3 provided t h a t the con t rac t ing p a r t i e s ,

i n the s i n c e r i t y of mutual f r iendship , recognized, re-es tabl i shed and

confirmed a l l and every t r e a t y , cont rac t and agreement, previous ly con-

cluded between the United S t a t e s and the Osage Tribes o r Wations.

( 7 S t a t . 133).

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447 455

9 . The events leading up t o the t r e a t y f o r Lovely 's Purchase a r e

complicated because many o the r Indian t r i b e s , but p a r t i c u l a r l y the

Cherokee Tr ibe , were involved. From a t l e a s t 1802 onward, the use of land

along the Arkansas and Missouri Rivers by the Osage Nation was contested

by many o the r t r i b e s by reason of (1) the beginning of mass movement i n t o

the area west of the Miss i s s ipp i River by e a s t e r n t r i b e s equipped with

f i rearms and (2) the acqu i s i t ion of f i rearms by the t r a d i t i o n a l enemies

of the Osage, e s p e c i a l l y the Ioways, Sacs and Winnebagoes (Def. Ex. 84

(106), p. 19) .

Af te r 1811, the Osages were repeatedly at tacked by the Ioways, Sacs

and Winebagos while on t r i p s from t h e i r v i l l a g e s on the Osage ~ i v e ; t o

F o r t Osage t o c o l l e c t a n n u i t i e s and presents from the U . S . Government. -.% -> --

-- The Osage were, by t h i s time, considerably weakened by i n t e r n a l d i s sens ion

and d i v i s i o n i n t o geographically separated bands. Also the t r i b e s t o the

nor th were avenging the su f fe r ing endured a t the hands of the once-powerful

Osage. The necess i ty t h a t the Osage journey t o F o r t Osage t o r ece ive

a n n u i t i e s and g i f t s was used t o f u l l adyantage by t h e i r old enemies who

l a y i n wa i t f o r them while enroute (Def. Ex. 23 (lO6), pp. 586-590). F o r t

Osage was temporarily abandoned i n 1813 a s i t had caused considerable

expense and was of no fu r the r value t o the Government (Def. EX. 23 ( lO6),

pp. 680-681). The Osage expressed g r e a t concern regarding the removal of

the t r a d i n g house a t For t Osage (o r Clark) , and, while t rading a t Arrow

Rock, were n o t i n agreement a s t o a s u i t a b l e r e l o c a t i o n f o r t r ad ing pur-

poses (Def. Ex. 23 (106)).

19 Ind . C 1 . Cornm. 447 456

Other t roub le s b e s e t the Osages. T r ibes from the e a s t were moving

i n t o the Osage hunt ins t e r r i t o r y south of the v i l l a g e s on the upper Osage

River and e a s t of those \ r i l l ages on the headwaters of the Arkansas.

Hunting i n t o Osage-dominated t e r r i t o r y was not r e s t r i c t e d t o Ind ians , a s

whi te h u n t e r s and t r appe r s were a l s o making exped i t i ons i n t o the a r e a

(Def- E x - 2 (106) , pp. 22-23).

From about 1800, Osage con tac t s wi th the Cherokee, Choctaw, Quapaw,

Shawnee and Delaware t r i b e s became more numerous and inc reas ing ly unp leasan t .

Of t h e s e , t h e Cherokee were regarded a s the g r e a t e s t menace t o t he Osage

(Def. E x . 23 (106)) . The Cherokee began movement i n t o the a r e a i n 1785.

They formed a s e t t l e m e n t on the S t . F r a n c i s , where they were found by

Wil l iam C l a r k i n 1812 (Def. Ex. 12 ( lO6)) , and l a t e r moved t o t he White

>> .2ives where they were joined by subsequent groups of migra t ing Cherokee -4 - -z -- (Def. E x . 2 (106)) . A s e r i e s of t r e a t i e s and ces s ions culminated i n the !

Trea ty of J u l y 8 , 1817, wherein the Cherokee agreed t o cede a cons ide rab le

p o r t i o n of t h e i r l ands i n the e a s t and t o t r a d e , p ropor t iona l ly , new l a n d s

wes t of t h e Mississippi f o r those l e f t i n the e a s t . Cherokee mo~~ement t o

t h e w e s t became more genera l .

S u f f i c i e n t Cherokees were i n the a r ea west of the M i s s i s s i p p i i n 1813

t h a t an a g e n t , M r . William L. Lovely, was assigned t o them. Lovely found

t h a t a few Choctaw, Delaware, Miami, Pawnee and Quapaw were a l r eady loca t ed

among t h e Cherokee where they s e t t l e d (Def. E x . 19 (106)) . Lovely, wh i l e

regarded w i t h s u s p i c i o n by Clark (Def. Ex. 2 4 (106)) and o t h e r s (Def. E x .

23 ( 1 0 6 ) ) , was q u i t e cognizant of the s i t u a t i o n regarding poss ib l e Ind ian

w a r f a r e i n h i s a r e a and requested repea ted ly t h a t t roops be s e n t t o p reven t b

. i s t u r b a n c e s (Def. EX. 24 (106)) . The Osages complained regard ing Cherokee

19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447 457

i n t r u s i o n s and the Cherokee regard ing Osage dep reda t ions (Def. Ex. 2 2

(106)) . Whose t e r r i t o r y the Cherokees were s e t t l i n g i n was n o t p r e c i s e l y

known a s the north-south l i n e of the western edge of the Osage T r e a t y of

1808 had not been run. The sugges t ion t h a t i t be run and some adjus tment

made i n the d i f f i c u l t i e s between the Osage, Cherokees and Quapaws was

made by Clark , Edwards and August Chouteau i n 1816 (Def. Ex. 24 (106) ) .

Lovely, perhaps upon pressure from the Cherokee, made an e f f o r t t o s e c u r e

l ands between the Verdigr i s on the west and the Cherokee 1 i n e on t h e e a s t ,

t he a r e a t h e r e a f t e r o f t e n r e f e r r e d t o a s "Lovely's Purchase' ' (Def. Ex. 24

(106) , pp. 173-175). The nego t i a t i ons

wi thou t o f f i c i a l s anc t ion (Def. Ex. 24

ces s ions was recognized a t the time i n

I Osage and Quapaw with the C h e r ~ k e e , so

were made i n 1816, apparent ly

(106)) . The need f o r o b t a i n i n g

o rde r t o s e t t l e d i s p u t e s o f t h e

. that t he l a t t e r n a t i o n might peaceably ..- *- I g s e t t l e west of the Miss i s s ipp i (Def. Ex. 52 (106)). The l and was n o t -

needed f o r white se t t lement (Def. Ex. 51 (106) ) , a l though a number of wh i t e

s e t t l e m e n t s and improvements were known t o e x i s t on Osage l a n d s , a p p a r e n t l y

, w i t h i n Area 97 (Def. Ex. 24 (lO6), pp. 177-182). Cherokee p r e s s u r e t o

o b t a i n l and was considerable , a s evidenced by the speech o f Ta l - l an - t a s -kee

(Def. Ex. 22 (106)) , who complained b i t t e r l y alxout a l a c k o f space and

Osage depredat ions.

The need f o r a m i l i t a r y pos t up the Arkansas became i n c r e a s i n g l y

e v i d e n t upon n o t i f i c a t i o n t h a t t he Cherokee were about t o t a k e r e t a l i a t o r y

measures upon the Osages (Def. Ex. 24 (106), pp- 302-305). The Cherokee

began o rgan iza t ion of a l a r g e war pa r ty c o n s i s t i n g of Quapaw, Delaware,

Choctaw, Chickasaw and e a s t e r n Cherokees e a r l y i n 1817. T h i s i n fo rma t ion

19 Ind . C 1 . Comn;. 447 458 h .'+ 9 was communicated t o t h e War Department and a company of men was ordered t o

e s t a b l i s h a post on the Arkansas (Def. Ex. 2 (106)). The men, d i spa t ched

t o t h e Arkansas and e s t a b l i s h i n g a f o r t a t For t Smith, were too l a t e t o

prevent t h e s t r i k e by t h e Cherokee (Def. Ex. 2 (106)) .

The Cherokee made t h e i r move dur ing the Osage hun t ing season w h i l e

Clermont and h i s men were away from t h e v i l l a g e . During t h e b a t t l e , which

took p l ace n o r t h of t h e p r e s e n t Claremore, Oklahoma, n e a r t h e Claremore

Mound, 83 men, women and c h i l d r e n were k i l l e d and over 100 Osage were taken

p r i s o n e r (Def. Ex. 2 (106)) . The v i l l a g e a t t acked i s very l i k e l y t h a t

l o c a t e d through a rcheo log ica l reconnaissance by Car l H . Chapman and Dale

Henning. The s t o r i e s of l o c a l r e s i d e n t s i n d i c a t e c o n s i s t e n t b e l i e f t h a t

t h e Claremore Mound was t h e s i t e of t h e l a s t major b a t t l e between t h e -

Osage and Cinerokee i n which the Osage were vanquished (Def. Ex . 84 (106) ) .

The Cherokee were j u b i l a n t a f t e r t h e v i c t o r y and cont inued t h e i r -"

p r e s s u r e t o o b t a i n t h e land known a s "Lovely's Purchase." A s t h e Osage

were b e a t e n i n t h e b a t t l e of Claremore Mound, and due t o p r e s s u r e t o

remove t h e Cherokee from the e a s t , recommendation was made by t h e S e c r e t a r y

of War t h a t t h e t e r r i t o r y i n ques t ion be obta ined (Def. Ex . 24 (106) ) . . .

I n s t r u c t i o n s were s e n t t o William Clark and Chouteau t o make e f f o r t

t o o b t a i n l ands west of t h e M i s s i s s i p p i (Def. Ex. 60 (106)) . Governor

C la rk complied w i t h t h e wishes of t he government and brought about a

peace between t h e Osage and Cherokee and a l s o obta ined ces s ion of t h e

t e r r i t o r y inc luded i n Royce Area 97 (Def. Ex. 70 ( lO6)) , accord ing t o

terms of t h e Trea ty of September 25, 1818. However, Osage and Cherokee

problems were n o t s e t t l e d through the Treaty of 1818, and cont inued w e l l '

p a s t t h a t t ime.

19 Ind. C l . Cornrn. 447 4 59

I n summary, the Lovely purchase a r e a (Royce Area 97) was r e s t r i c t e d

t o u t i l i z a t i o n by the Osage a s a hunt ing t e r r i t o r y from 1750 u n t i l the

incoming Cherokee began t o hunt t he re , wi th r e s u l t a n t c o n f l i c t . Cherokee

inroads i n the a r e a began j u s t previous t o 1800 with r e s u l t a n t r e t a l i a t i o n

by the Osage (Def. Ex. 84 (106) , p. 25 ; Pe t . Ex. 129 a t pp. 114-17).

Troubles b e s e t the Osage from about 1803 wi th l o s s e s t o t he Pota-

watomi and l a t e r , t o the Sac, Ioways, Winnebagoes and Cherokee. The

Trea ty of 1808, a f t e r which a l l bu t the Arkansas band moved t o t he

v i c i n i t y of F o r t Osage f o r a b r i e f per iod , temporari ly subdued some of

t h e Osage b u t made them suscep t ib l e t o a t t a c k by o t h e r Indians . The

Cherokee d e s i r e d t o obta in Royce Area 97 f o r t h e i r u s e b u t were blocked

by the Osage. An a t t a c k was made upon Claremore' s v i l l a g e i n 1817 wi th

seve re l o s s e s t o the Osage. The Cherokee, e x a l t i n g t h e i r v i c t o r y , i n - ti,

-- c reased t h e i r clamor f o r the "Lovely Purchase" i n an e f f o r t t o o b t a i n

more land . The a rea was obtained from the Cherokee through the Trea ty

of 1818 i n which the t e r r i t o r y i n ques t ion was ceded t o the United

S t a t e s (Def. Ex. 84 (lO6), p. 25; Tr. 262-272).

There was no permanent Osage o r o t h e r Indian v i l l a g e i n the

a r e a d e s c r i b e d by the Treaty of September 25, 1818 (Tr. 272 ; Def . Ex. 84 (106)) . '

S a i d T r e a t y of September 25, 1818, was proclaimed on January . 7 , 1819,

and provided i n p a r t a s follows:

A r t . 1. WHEREAS the Osage na t ions have been embarrassed by t h e f r equen t demands f o r property taken from the c i t i z e n s of t h e United S t a t e s , by war p a r t i e s , and o the r thought less men of t h e i r s e v e r a l bands, (both before and s i n c e t h e i r war w i th t h e Cherokees,) and a s the exer t ions of t h e i r c h i e f s have been i n e f f e c t u a l i n recovering and d e l i v e r i n g such proper ty , con- formably with the condit ion of the n i n t h a r t i c l e of a t r e a t y , e n t e r e d i n t o with the United S t a t e s , a t Fo r t Clark , the t e n t h of November, one thousand e i g h t hundred and e i g h t ; and a s

19 Ind . C 1 . Comm. 447

t h e deductions from t h e i r a n n u i t i e s , i n conformity t o the s a i d a r t i c l e , would deprive them of any f o r s eve ra l y e a r s , and being d e s t i t u t e of funds to do t h a t j u s t i c e t o the c i t i z e n s of the United S t a t e s which i s ca l cu la t ed t o pro- mote a f r i e n d l y in t e rcour se , they have agreed, and d o hereby agree , t o cede t o the United S t a t e s , and fo reve r q u i t c laim t o , the t r a c t of country included wi th in the fol lowing bounds, t o wi t : Beginning a t the Arkansaw r i v e r , a t where the present Osage boundary l i n e s t r i k e s t h e r i v e r a t Frog Bayou; then up the Arkansaw and Verdi- g r i s , t o the f a l l s of Verd igr i s r i v e r ; thence, eas twardly , t o t h e sa id Osage boundary l i n e , a t a p o i n t twenty leagues n o r t h from the Arkansaw r i v e r ; and, w i th t h a t l i n e , t o the p l ace of beginning.

" A r t . 2 . The United S t a t e s , on t h e i r p a r t , and i n cons ide ra t ion of t he above cess ion , agree , i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e amount which the Osage do now rece ive i n money and goods, t o pay t h e i r own c i t i z e n s the f u l l va lue of such p rope r ty a s they can l e g a l l y prove t o have been s t o l e n o r destroyed by the sa id Osage, s i n c e t h e year one thousand e i g h t hundred and fourteen: provided the same does n o t exceed the sum of four thousand d o l l a r s .

f " A r t . 3 . The a r t i c l e s now s t i p u l a t e d w i l l be con- s i d e r e d a s permanent addi t ions t o t he t r e a t i e s , now i n f o r c e , between the cont rac t ing p a r t i e s , a s soon a s they s h a l l have been r a t i f i e d by the P res iden t of the United S t a t e s of America, by and with the advice and consent of t h e Sena te of the sa id United S ta t e s . "

10. By an o rde r of December 15, 1818, whi te s e t t l e r s were excluded

from t h i s so -ca l l ed "Lovely's Purchase" a r e a i n o rde r t h a t i t might be

a v a i l a b l e t o t h e Cherokees f o r hunt ing and a s an o u t l e t t o the w e s t , and

on J u l y 22, 1819, Secre ta ry Calhoun, i n a communication t o the Cherokees

s t a t e d t h a t by concluding the 1818 t r e a t y wi th the Osages the P r e s i d e n t had

been enabled t o ca r ry ou t h i s promise a s t o an o u t l e t . Calhounfs l e t t e r

s a i d :

"When the pres ident made h i s speech t o Talontusky, h e was under the impression t h a t the lands ly ing on the Arkansas, west of the Cherokee se t t l emen t , belonged t o t h e Quapaws . ~ t , however, appears t h a t he was mistaken, and t h a t they belong t o the Osages; b u t , a s these l ands

19 Ind. C l . Comm. 447

have been s ince acquired, and the Pres ident i s now en- abled t o ca r ry i n t o e f f e c t h i s promise t o the Arkansas de legat ion . *>+;+" (Cherokee Nation v. United S t a t e s , 2 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 7 ) .

11. Both the whites and Osages were under the impression t h a t "Lovely 's

Purchase" (Cession of September 25, 1818) was f o r white s e t t l e m e n t .

Accordingly, a number of white f ami l i e s were ready t o take p rov i s ionary

possession of t h i s land. However, they were disappointed when they learned

t h a t the Agent of Indian A f f a i r s r ecen t ly had received o rde r s t o remove

the Cherokees from the south s i d e of the Arkansas and t o p lace them on the

ceded t r a c t which inev i t ab ly would cause a war between the two t r i b e s .

(Pet . Ex. 8 , pp. 27-28; Pet . Ex. 72, p. 7 ; Def. Ex. 29, p. 7; R . , 2 6 7 ) .

12. H o s t i l i t i e s continued betwsen the Osages and Cherokees a f t e r

"Lovely's Purchase" f o r many yea r s , and a s l a t e as 1823 Acting Governor

'-'. Robt. Cr i t tenden urged the Secre tary of War, John C. Calhoun, t o favor

1 -- - white se t t l ement of the purchase i n order t o s top the Osage-Cherokee War

by in te rpos ing the whites between the two t r i b e s . (Pet . Ex . 72, C a r t e r ,

1953, 19: pp. 548-549).

13. Secre tary Calhoun rep l i ed t o Acting Governor Cr i t t enden ,

A p r i l 28, 1824, and advised him t h a t i t would not be p o s s i b l e t o decide

whether t o open "Lovely's Purchase" t o white se t t lement u n t i l the govern-

ment had given the Cherokees f u l l s a t i s f a c t i o n fo r the land they had

surrendered e a s t of the Miss i s s ipp i ; t h a t a second survey was under way t o

determine the western boundary of these lands which would g ive a g r e a t e r

quan t i ty than had o r i g i n a l l y been estimated because the p r e c i s e q u a n t i t y

t o which the Cherokees were e n t i t l e d was s t i l l i n doubt. The o rde r f o r .

i \. the removal of the Cherokees from the south t o the n o r t h s i d e of the

19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447

Arkansas was, t h e r e f o r e , n e c e s s a r i l y suspended.

S e c r e t a r y Calhoun f u r t h e r advised Cr i t tenden t h a t a s soon a s the

western boundary o i the Cherokee cess ion e a s t of the M i s s i s s i p p i had been

c o r r e c t l y a s c e r t a i n e d , he would then l a y before the Pres ident the s u b j e c t

of the white s e t t l emen t of Lovely 's purchase, which was of such i n t e r e s t

t o the T e r r i t o r y . ( I b i d . , 653-655).

14. A l e t t e r , dated a t Washington C i t y , 3rd June 1824, from

Delega te Conway t o "The Honbl. J . C . Calhoun, S e c r e t a r y of War", enclosed

a Memorial of the General Assembly of Arkansas, addressed t o the P r e s i d e n t

of t he United S t a t e s , r eques t ing the sanct ion of the Government f o r the

"people of Arkansas, t o form se t t l emen t s i n the t r a c t of Country comonly

c a l l e d " ~ o v e l ~ s ' purchase ' ." Delegate Conway s t a t e d t h a t he could s e e no

s u b s t a n t i a l ob j e c t i o n - - t h a t the Cherokee Indians had an i n d e f i n i t e c la im

Arkansas t o s a t i s f y , b u t t h a t " t h i s ob jec t ion w i l l van ish , because i n -3

-

no e v e n t , can they hope f o r any p a r t of 'Loveley 's purchase' ." (Pe t . Ex. 13 ,

pp. 18-19, C a r t e r 1953, X I X : pp. 670-671)-

15. The Western Cherokees were d i s s a t i s f i e d with Lovely 's Purchase,

and cont inued t o complain of the continued se t t l emen t of whi te s e t t l e r s

thereon , and the f a i l u r e of the United S t a t e s t o provide them wi th the

promised o u t l e t t o t he west , and des i red a home f o r the e n t i r e Cherokee

Nation wes t of t h e T e r r i t o r y of Arkansas (Cherokee Nation v . United S t a t e s ,

2 Ind . C l . Corn. 7 , 11-17; Cherokee Nation v . United S t a t e s , 2 Ind. C l .

Corn. 3 7 , 42; Cherokee Treaty of May 6, 1828, 7 S t a t . 311, 2 Kapp. 288;

P e t . Ex. 129, p. 174) .

19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447 463

I n order t o s a t i s f y the d e s i r e s of t h e Western Cherokees, and t o pave

the way f o r the se t t lement of t h e whole Cherokee Nation, and o t h e r e a s t e r n

t r i b e s , on lands west of t he M i s s i s s i p p i , i n fu r the rance of i t s s e t t l e d

po l i cy of removing s a i d t r i b e s t o lands west of t he M i s s i s s i p p i R i v e r , t h e

United S t a t e s requi red a cess ion of t h e Osage lands wes t of Love ly ' s

Purchase.

16. The Treaty of June 2 , 1825, proclaimed December 30, 1825 (7 S t a t .

240, 2 Kapp. 217), was concluded a t S t . Louis , Missouri , between t h e United

S t a t e s , a c t i n g through William Clark , Superintendent of Ind ian A f f a i r s ,

Commissioner on the p a r t of t h e United S t a t e s , and t h e Grea t and L i t t l e Osage

Nations, provided i n p a r t a s follows:

"ARTICLE 1.

I I The Great and L i t t l e Osage Tr ibes o r Nations do, hereby, cede and r e l inqu i sh t o t h e United S t a t e s , a l l t h e i r r i g h t , t i t l e , i n t e r e s t , and claim, t o lands l y i n g w i t h i n t h e S t a t e of Mis sour i and T e r r i t o r y of Arkansas, and t o a l l l ands l y i n g West of t h e s a i d S t a t e of Missouri and T e r r i t o r y of Arkansas, North and West of t h e Red River, South of t h e Kansas River , and Eas t of a l i n e t o be drawn from the head sources of t h e Kansas, Southwardly through t h e Rock Sa l ine , wi th such r e s e r v a t i o n s , f o r such con- s i d e r a t i o n s , and upon such t e r m s a s a r e h e r e i n a f t e r s p e c i f i e d , expressed, and provided f o r .

"ARTICLE 2.

"Within the l i m i t s of t h e country, above ceded and r e l i n - quished, t he re s h a l l be reserved , t o , and f o r , t h e Grea t and L i t t l e Osage Tribes o r Nations, a f o r e s a i d , so long a s they may choose t o occupy the same, t h e fol lowing descr ibed t r a c t of l and : beginning a t a po in t due Eas t of White H a i r ' s V i l l a g e , and twenty- f i v e m i l e s West of the Western boundary l i n e of t h e S t a t e of Missouri , f ron t ing on a North and South l i n e , so a s t o l e a v e t e n m i l e s North, and f o r t y mi l e s South, of t h e po in t of s a i d beginning , and extending West, with t h e width of f i f t y mi les , t o t h e Western boundary of the lands hereby ceded and re l inquished by s a i d T r i b e s o r Nat ions; which sa id r e s e r v a t i o n s s h a l l be surveyed and marked, a t t h e expense of t he United S t a t e s , and upon which, t h e Agent f o r s a i d Tribes o r Nations and a l l persons a t t ached t o s a i d agency, .

19 Ind. C 1 . Ccnm. 447

a s , a l s o , such t eache r s and i n s t r u c t o r s , a s t h e P re s iden t may '

t h ink proper t o a u t h o r i z e and pe rmi t , s h a l l r e s i d e , and s h a l l occupy, and c u l t i v a t e , without i n t e r r u p t i o n o r mo les t a t ion , such lands a s may be necessary f o r them. And the United ~ t a t g s do, hereby, r e s e r v e t o themselves, f o r e v e r , t h e r i g h t of navi- g a t i n g , f r e e l y , a l l water courses and navigable s t reams, w i t h i n o r running through, t h e t r a c t o f country above reserved t o s a i d T r ibes o r Nations.

"ARTICLE 14.

"These a r t i c l e s s h a l l t ake e f f e c t , and become o b l i g a t o r y on t h e c o n t r a c t i n g p a r t i e s , s o soon a s t h e same s h a l l be r a t i - f i e d by t h e P r e s i d e n t , by and w i t h t h e adv ice and consent of t h e Senate of t h e United S ta t e s . "

17. The United S t a t e s moved no t only t h e Cherokees a g a i n s t t h e Osage

l ands , b u t a l s o t h e Kickapoos and Delawares, which a l s o r e s u l t e d i n c o n f l i c t s

between t h e Osages and t h e s e t r i b e s . The Kickapoos were removed and p l aced

' i r e c t l y a g a i n s t t h e e a s t e r n boundary of t h e Osage lands , and by Trea ty of 5

-5une 30, 1819 (7 S t a t . 200, 2 Kapp. 182) , a r e s e r v a t i o n w a s e s t a b l i s h e d f o r

them i n t h i s a r e a . (Royce Ind ian Land Cessions, P l a t 38, Missour i 2 , Cess ion

179, pp. 698,699). The Delawares were given a r e s e r v a t i o n south of t h e

Kickapoo r e s e r v a t i o n and a g a i n s t t h e e a s t e r n boundary of t h e Osage l a n d s by

Trea ty of October 3 , 1818 (7 S t a t . 188, 2 Kapp. 170; Royce I n d i a n Land

Cess ions , P l a t 38, Cession 150A, pp. 724-725).

U n t i l t h e 1830's t h e Osages cont inued t o hunt i n t h e v i c i n i t y of t h e s e

r e s e r v a t i o n s , t h e Ozark p l a t e a u a r e a , and t h e Boston Mountains, as w e l l a s

hun t ing t h e b u f f a l o i n t h e west t o provide f o r t h e i r subs i s t ence . (Osage

Case, Docket 105, Finding 114, 11 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 733, 809, 878-880; P e t Ex.

129, PP. 6-8, 119) .

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447

18. AS e a r l y a s June 28, 1820, i n h i s communication t o Sec re t a ry

Calhoun, Governor Clark had reconnended the immediate purchase f r m t h e Osage

and Kansas t r i b e s of a t r a c t of country extending from t h e Missouri River t o

t h e head of t he Canadian Fork of t h e Arkansas, wi th s u f f i c i e n t depth t o enable

t h e Government t o move the seve ra l t r i b e s of Ind ians "from whom exchanges have

been, and may h e r e a f t e r ' b e made t o a country procured f o r t h a t express pur-

pose West of t h e boundary l i n e of t h e T e r r i t o r y of Missouri , and of t h e

s e t t l e m e n t s i n t h e T e r r i t o r y of Arkansas * ;t *." C. Location of Osage V i l l a g e s

19. AS descr ibed i n t he Trea ty of November 10, 1808, 7 S t a t . 107, a

boundary l i n e between t h e Osage Nation and t h e United S t a t e s was e s t a b l i s h e d

which r a n from For t Osage on the Missouri River due south t o t h e Arkansas

River . By t h e Trea ty of 1808 t h e Osage Nation r e l inqu i shed t o t h e United

S t a t e s c l a i m t o a l l l and ly ing e a s t of t h i s l i n e . A l l t h e r e g u l a r and perma-

n e n t - v i l l a g e s of t h e Osage Indians were west of t h i s l i n e i n 1808.

Evidence f o r t h e loca t ion of these v i l l a g e s of t h e Osage was p re sen ted

i n t h e c a s e of Docket No. 105 before t he Ind ian C l a i m s Commission. (See - p a r t i c u l a r l y Def. Ex. 1 (105), Car l chapman's doc to ra l d i s s e r t a t i o n , The.

Or ig in of t h e Osage Indian Tribe. See a l s o Def. Ex. 61 (105) which was

Chapman's compi la t ion on the Osage occupancy e a s t of t h e Osage l i n e p r i o r t o

t h e T r e a t y of 1808). A b r i e f review of t h e evidence f o r t h e l o c a t i o n of

Osage I n d i a n v i l l a g e s from time immemorial u n t i l November 10, 1808 fo l lows .

P r i o r t o 1706 a l l known Osage Indian v i l l a g e s i t e s were s i t u a t e d

w i t h i n t h e p r e s e n t boundaries of t h e S t a t e of Missouri. No evidence of

a s p e c i f i c n a t u r e could be found t h a t any permanent Osage v i l l a g e s w e r e

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447 466

located west of the present Missouri S t a t e l i n e before 1795. Furthermore,

there i s some p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t no permanent v i l l a g e s of the Osage were

es t ab l i shed west of the Missouri S t a t e l i n e u n t i l 1802. One band of the

Big Osage broke away from the Big Osage Vill-age on the Osage River i n

Missouri sometime i n the period 1796 t o 1802 and es tab l i shed a v i l l a g e

on the Verdigr is River probably near Claremore i n the present S t a t e of

Oklahoma. (Def. Ex. 83 (107), p. 3; Tr. 338, 340-345; a l s o s e e Def. Ex. 1

(107), pp. 127-131; Def. Ex. 2 (107), pp. 14-25 and map; Def. Ex. 3 (107),

pp. 176-183).

The separa t ion of t h e Big Osage Band i n t o two bands, t h a t under

Whitehair on the Osage River i n the present S t a t e of Missouri and t h a t under

-clermont on t h e Verdigr is River i n the present S t a t e of Oklahoma, continued 3 J

.---=jntil a f t e r t h e Treaty of November 10, 1808 was signed a t For t Osage (Def.

Ex. 83 (107), p. 4; a l s o , Def. Ex. 4 (107), p. 43).

20. The v i l l a g e s of pa r t of the Osage were es t ab l i shed a t For t Osage

i n accordance wi th the Treaty of November 10, 1808. These v i l l a g e s were

maintained near the For t a port ion of each year u n t i l 1810 (Def. Ex. 4

(107), pp. 43-48 and Def. Ex. 20 (107), p. 587). Af te r 1810 the use of

t h e For t Osage a r e a fo r v i l l a g e locat ions by the Osage was doubtful s i n c e

t h e Osage had returned t o t h e i r old v i l l a g e l o c a t i o n s on the Osage and

Verd ig r i s Rivers by 1811. Thus the loca t ion For t Osage became more o r

l e s s temporary camp s i t e s for trading purposes only (Def. EX. 4 (107),

pp. 24, 27-30 and D e f . Ex. 4 - A (107) and Def. EX. 83 (107), p . 5).

19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447

The area through which the Osage roamed extended from F o r t Osage

south t o the Osage River and southwest t o the lower reaches of the

Verdigr is River and then f u r t h e r southwest t o the Arkansas River.

The western ex ten t i s not c l e a r , but the northern l i m i t appears t o be

approximately south of the Kansas River and i t s t r i b u t a r i e s . There i s

very d e f i n i t e evidence t h a t most of the Osage l ived i n Vernon County,

Missouri , p r i o r t o 1808.

Other maps confirm these conclusions. A r e c e n t l y published map

purport ing t o represent the 1804 period conta ins much g r e a t e r d e t a i l on

i t than most of the l a t e r maps. ( ~ e f e n d a n t ' s Exhibi t 7 (107) p r in ted i n

the b u l l e t i n of the Missouri H i s t o r i c a l Socie ty i n 1961.) The only

s i t e of the Osage Indians shown on t h i s map along the Arkansas ~ i v e r

drainage i s a winter camp between the Verdigr is and Neosho Rivers

(Def. Ex. 83 (107), p. 5).

Another h i s t o r i c a l map shovs the Osage v i l l a g e on the Verd ig r i s

River , the Osage a t For t Osage, and the Great Osage on the ~ a r & a t o n

River. The l a t t e r loca t ion is the same a s the one designated by D r .

Chapman a s 23VE1 (Def. Ex. 5 (107), p. 4, Fig. 1). The Clark Map (Def.

Ex. 7 (107), thus loca tes the Osage v i l l a g e s i n 1812 a t much the same

places a s those shown on the Lewis and Clark Map of 1804 (Def. Exs. 6,

7 and 9 (107)).

21. P r i o r t o 1796 the Osage Indians had a l l t h e i r v i l l a g e s on the

headwaters of the Osage River and the south s i d e of the Missouri River i n

S a l i n e County, Missouri. The L i t t l e Osage on the Missouri River moved

19 Ind . C 1 . Corn. 447

t o be near t he Big Osage on the Upper Osage River sometime a f t e r 1777,

t hus concen t r a t ing a l l the Osage on the headwaters of t he Osage River

i n Vernon County, Missour i , f o r a t l e a s t a s h o r t time ( see Def. Ex. 5-A

(107), Chapman, 1959, "The L i t t l e Osage," The Missouri Archaeologis t ,

Val. 21, NO. 1 ) . Sometime between 1796 and 1802 p a r t of t h e Big Osage

broke away from t h e main v i l l a g e on the Osage River i n t h e no r the rn p a r t

of Vernon County, Missour i (23VE1), and e s t ab l i shed a s e p a r a t e v i l l a g e

on t h e Verd ig r i s River . This l a t t e r v i l l a g e was no r th of t h e p re sen t

c i t y of Claremore, Oklahoma, immediately e a s t of Claremore Mound (see

Def. E x . 8 (lO7), E . Browne Map; and Def. E x . 85 (lei'), Claremore

U.S.G.S. Quadrangle Map showing t h e loca t ion of t h e Clennont V i l l a g e '

s i t e ) .

Therefore t h e Osage v i l l a g e s were on the Osage River i n Vernon f s.

:' County, Missour i , between 1802 and 1808. By t h a t t i m e a branch of t h e

Osage had moved i n t o Oklahoma and loca ted on the Verd ig r i s River j u s t

e a s t of Claremore Mound, about 6 mi l e s north of Claremore, Oklahoma

(Def. Ex. 83 (107), pp. 8-9).

22. The Osage e s t a b l i s h e d v i l l a g e s on t h e Missouri River a t F o r t

Osage (now recons t ruc t ed and preserved i n a Jackson County park near t h e

p r e s e n t town of S i b l e y , Missouri) and l i ved t h e r e a t l e a s t p a r t of each

year beginning i n 1808. (See Def. Ex. 4 (107), S ib l ey Diary, Vol. 11,

p . 33, t y p e s c r i p t , p. 8.) Some of t h e Osage continued t o occupy v i l l a g e s

near t h e f o r t u n t i l 1811 according t o George ~ i b l e y ' s Diary (Def. E x . 4

(lO7), pp. 67, 123-125, t y p e s c r i p t , pp. 14, 24-26). S ib l ey was the

19 Ind. C l . Corn. 447 4 69

Government f a c t o r from 1808 u n t i l the f ac to ry system was abandoned by

the United S t a t e s . By the f a l l of 1811 p a r t of the Osage were again

on the Osage River and p a r t on the Verdigr is River , a branch of the

Arkansas River. S ib ley est imated t h a t the Arkansas Osage represented

f u l l y ha l f of the Big Osages a t the time (1811). (See Def. Ex. 4 (107),

p. 143, typescr ip t , p. 29.)

The Osage had t h e i r permanent v i l l a g e s wi th in a r e l a t i v e l y r e s t r i c t e d

area of the headwaters of the Verdigr is , Neosho and Osage ( inc lud ing

the Marmaton branch) Rivers and the middle p a r t of the Verd ig r i s River

i n the period 1811 t o 1825. One v i l l a g e was s i t u a t e d approximately

60 miles up the Verdigr is River from i t s junction wi th the Arkansas.

This was the Clermont v i l l a g e which has been found e x a c t l y 6 m i l e s n o r t h

of the c i t y of Claremore, Oklahoma, i-ediately e a s t of Claremore Mound.

The s t r a i g h t - l i n e d is tance be tween the Clermont Big Osage v i l l a g e on the

Verdigr is and t h a t of the White Hair Big Osage v i l l a g e on the upper

Osage River o r the Marmaton River i s approximately 125 mi les . The Osage

permanent v i l l a g e s were along t h i s l i n e and t o the nor th of i t i n the

period 1811 t o 1825. If a l i n e were drawn due nor th of Claremore,

Oklahoma, t o Neodesha, Kansas, and thence nor theas te r ly t o Bur l ington,

Kansas, thence southeas ter ly t o Rich H i l l , Missouri, e a s t e r l y t o S c h e l l

C i t y , Missouri, and then southwesterly t o Claremore, Oklahoma, i t would

encompass the e n t i r e area containing Osage v i l l a g e s dur ing the per iod

1808 t o 1825, with the exception of the v i l l a g e s a t F o r t Osage f o r the

s h o r t period of 3 years , 1808 t o 1811. (Tr. 310, 326-338, 339-348, 355-358.)

19 Ind . C 1 . Comm. 447

D . Popula t ion

2 3 . The popula t ion e s t i m a t e s of the Osage Tribe a s a whole d u r i n g

the time period 1808 t o 1825 range from about 4,000 t o 11,000. The

more considered e s t i m a t e s seem t o be those of P ike , S ib l ey and a

Government r e p o r t of 1825, a l l of which a r e around 5,000. Fur thermore ,

a check of t h e e s t ima te s on the b a s i s of t h e r a t i o of w a r r i o r s t o o t h e r s

and the number u s u a l l y occupying a s i n g l e dwel l ing i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e

probable t o t a l number of Osage averaged between 5,000 and 6,000 i n d i v i d u a l s

d u r i n g the 17-year per iod . A t no time was the popula t ion e v e r e s t ima ted

a t more than 11,000 and never l e s s than 4,000. A t o t a l of 6,000 would

be a generous e s t ima te , a s an average popula t ion of the e n t i r e t r i b e ,

though a somewhat more r e a l i s t i c e s t i m a t e might be 5,500. (Tr. 359;

D2f. E x . 83 (107) , p. 20; a l s o s e e D r . Voget ' s testimony f o r p e t i t i o n e r

which conf i rms these popula t ion e s t i m a t e s , Tr.165.)

E . Osage Hunting, War and Crop P a t t e r n s

24. A f t e r the 1808 Trea ty , t he Osage continued t o fo l low t h e i r

t r a d i t i o n a l subs i s t ence cyc l e which had been we l l e s t a b l i s h e d s i n c e 1700

(Pe t . Ex. 129, p. 212; Osage Case, Docket 105, 11 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 733, 738-

7 4 3 ) . Hunting was the most important a c t i v i t y . The Osages a l s o supp le -

mented t h e i r hun t ing by p l an t ing c rops a t t h e i r permanent and semi-

permanent v i l l a g e l o c a t i o n s , r a i s i n g maize, squash and pumpkin, co rn ,

beans , and o t h e r miscellaneous c rops . They a l s o gathered e d i b l e w i ld

frui ts , n u t s and roo t s . The p r i n c i p a l i tems gathered were wa lnu t s , h a z e l -

n u t s , pecans , acorns, plums, pawpaws, persimmons, hog po ta toes , w a t e r

c h i n k a p i n , and o the r e d i b l e r o o t s . The p r i n c i p a l f r u i t s ga thered were

19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 447 471

the hackberry, chokeberry, blackhaw, wild grape, and plum. These wild

f r u i t s , nuts and ed ib le roots were found i n many loca t ions wi th in the

boundaries of the Osage domain, e a s t and west of the 1808 t r e a t y boundaries.

(Osage Case, Docket 105, 11 Ind. C l . Comin. 733, 738-744; Pet . Ex. 129, pp.

1-5; R . 129, 184-185, 224).

25. The Osages hunted f o r subsistence nine months of each yea r away

from t h e i r permanent v i l l a g e s , of which seven months w e r e spent i n hunt ing

the buf fa lo (R. 38-39). Two months were spent hunting dee r , bear and o the r

small game f o r subsistence and t rade (Pet. Ex. 129, pp. 1-4) . While i n

t h e i r permanent v i l l a g e s during about three months of each yea r , they con-

f ined t h e i r hunting t o areas surrounding t h e i r v i l l a g e s , and l ived on crops -

grown i n t h e i r gardens, and o ther foods they had gathered and preserved f o r

-. - such use (Chapman, R. 391-392). .-$

-- --. The e a s t e r n area of the Osage domain provided them wi th a p l e n t i f u l

supply of bear , deer , beaver, e l k and o ther small game (pet . .Ex. 129, pp.

114, 185, 329-330; R. pp. 206-209, 412, 434-435).

The Lovely's Purchase a rea supplied them with deer , bea r and beaver.

(R., Henning, pp. 269, 278).

The western area provided the Osage with deer , e l k , ante lope , and the

buf fa lo .

The Osages followed the herds of buffa lo and o t h e r animals sometimes

f o r a d i s t a n c e of 300 miles from theirpermanent v i l l a g e l o c a t i o n s , making a

round t r i p of some 600 miles. They returned t o t h e i r permanent v i l l a g e s

i from these hunts "about the tie of Planting and gather ing corn", u s u a l l y

\ i n August. m i l e a t t h e i r annual hunting camp i n the western p a r t of t h e i r

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447 472

domain the Osage would range f o r d is tances of more than 60 o r 80 miles

(Def. Ex. 21, p . 9 9 ; Pe t . Ex. 129, p . 2 1 5 ) .

The most important source of subs is tence and t rade of the Osages was

the buf fa lo . For seven months of the year the Osages hunted the buf fa lo

and l ived on f a t buffa lo beef, tongues, and marrow bones (Pet . Ex. 129, p . 4 ) .

The 9 7 th Meridian represented genera l ly the e a s t e r n extens ion of the

buffa lo . Buffalo were not general ly found i n any quan t i ty e a s t of Walnut

River which jo ins the Arkansas River a t p resen t Arkansas Ci ty , Kansas.

Small herds could be found e a s t of t h i s a rea , i n i s o l a t e d v i l l a g e s i n

Missouri and Arkansas reported as l a t e a s the 1820 's . However, buf fa lo en -

masse d id not appear e a s t of the 97th Meridian, l a t i t u d e 37". The presence

of the t a l l g rass and f l i e s s igni f ied the e a s t e r n edge of the buf fa lo range,

-: loca ted about 170 miles west of Ft. Osage (Pet . Ex. 129, pp. 249-250).

26. During the f i r s t half of the e igh teen th century, the Osage

assoc ia ted themselves with the Missouri Indians i n r a i d i n g the "Panis"

s i t u a t e d t o the w e s t of them by approximately 3 o r 4 days' journey, o r

an est imated 40 leagues from the Big Osage v i l l a g e . The Panis r a i d s

furnished the Osage with horses and capt ives which they traded t o the

French i n the I l l i n o i s country. Panis v i l l a g e s were located on the

Arkansas River near the Kansas-Oklahoma l i n e and probably on the Verdigr is

River near p resen t Neodesha, Oklahoma. A u t h o r i t i e s i d e n t i f y the "Panis" and

" P a n i s - ~ o i r s " r e fe r red t o i n the French accounts , together with the l a t e r

"Mento" i n and about the mouth of the Canadian River, wi th the h i s t o r i c

Wichita group (Tawehash, Wichita, and assoc ia ted Tawakoni and Waco).

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447 473

The Osage drove the Wichita group (Panis , Mento) from t h e i r loca t ions

on the Verdigr is , Arkansas, and Canadian r i v e r s between 1720 and 1742.

By the middle of the 18th century the Wichita were s i t u a t e d on Red River

i n the v i c i n i t y of e i t h e r Spanish For t o r Ringgold, Texas.

Elimination of the Caddoan-speaking v i l l a g e r s along the middle range

of the Arkansas opened. up the western p r a i r i e t o the Osage. The Osage

had already es tabl i shed a seasonal cycle t h a t included a buf fa lo hunt .

With no one t o oppose them, and now f u l l y equipped with horses , the

Osage rap id ly expanded t h e i r range westwards t o meet the buf fa lo before

they passed out of range on t h e i r migrat ion t o the nor th . I n t h e i r

seasonal movements t o and from the buf fa lo grounds, the Osage developed

semi-permanent encampments and garden p l o t s a t var ious cross ing po in t s

-- along the Arkansas River from a n ~ r t h e r l y point near p resen t Hutchinson, 3 2

..'- Kansas, t o the mouth of the Canadian River. These s p e c i a l encampments

a r e n o t described u n t i l U . S. explora t ion p a r t i e s and t r a d e r s take the

f i e l d i n t h e f i r s t quarter of the 19th century. However, encampments

of t h i s o rde r a r e indicat ions of Osage s e c u r i t y and contro l of the

Arkansas River between the locat ions c i t ed . - 27 . The s p e c i f i c o r even general t e r r i t o r y traversed by a hunt ing

people i s n o t e a s i l y determined. I n the period 1808 t o 1825 i t i s p a r t i -

c u l a r l y d i f f i c u l t t o define the hunting a rea of any one t r i b e i n the p r a i r i e -

p l a i n s a r e a because many Indian t r i b e s were changing pos i t ions r a p i d l y

i n the United S t a t e s west of the Miss iss ippi River. Indians a s we l l a s

p ioneer s were moving west o f t en exchanging old lands f o r new o r seeking

new hun t ing grounds. Indians already es tabl i shed i n the p r a i r i e s and

19 Ind. C 1 . Comin. 447

p l a i n s were f e e l i n g the pressure of those coming from the e a s t . The

r e s u l t was c o n f l i c t and/or j o i n t u s e of t e r r i t o r y f o r hun t ing . Hunting

p a r t i e s becaine armed camps, and i t w a s necessary t h a t precaut ions be

taken by a l l t o guard the hunt ing camps and even permanent v i l l a g e s a g a i n s t

s u r p r i s e a t t a c k by war ~ a r t i e s of o the r t r i b e s hunt ing i n the same gene ra l

a r e a (Def. Ex. 83 (107) , p. 27).

The Osage hunted i n the a r e a extending on i t s nor thern l i m i t s from

the Lamine River , i n the S t a t e of Missouri , westward, fol lowing the

d i v i d e between the Kansas, Osage and Arkansas River d ra inages , and

southwest t o the Great S a l t P l a i n s , across the Arkansas River , t o t he

Canadian River , thence down the Canadian and Arkansas t o F o r t Smith -

and then n o r t h e a s t t o include the headwaters of the Mhite River i n n o r t h -

'.$western Arkansas and then no r th t o the Lamine River. An approximation

-- j!

- - ' o f t he a r e a t h a t t he Osage went i n t o on hunt ing or war p a r t i e s p r i o r t o

1816 i s shown and descr ibed i n Defendant 's Exhib i t s 50 and 50-A (107) .

The e x t e n t of t h i s t e r r i t o r y i s v a s t and i t was not hunted over e x c l u s i v e l y

by t h e Osage, f o r a l l the t r i b e s surrounding the a rea apparent ly hunted i n

i t a t l e a s t p a r t of the time. (See Def. Ex. 2 (lO7), Foreman, Ind ians and

P ionee r s , map i n back; a l s o , Def. Ex. 38 (107), T r . 398-400).

A map of Missouri T e r r i t o r y notes the Kansas Indians t o the n o r t h ,

t he Pawnee (Pan ia s s i a s ) t o the west , the Caddo Tribes on Red River t o

t h e sou th and southwest , and the Delawares and Arkansas south and e a s t

of t he a r e a w i t h i n which the Osage and these t r i b e s hunted ( see Def. Ex.

51 (107)) .

19 Ind. C 1 . Comrn. 447 475

By 1824 i t appears t h a t the Osage had extended war depredat ions t o

Red River (see Def. Ex. 52 (107)) .

The hunting t e r r i t o r y of the Osage was not the same each yea r and

the t e r r i t o r y t h a t the Osage moved within a l s o va r i ed . A 1 though the

Osage were supposedly i n con t ro l of the area around F o r t Osage i n 1808,

o the r t r i b e s traded a t the Government f ac to ry the re and r a i d s by

northern t r i b e s caused the Osage t o abandon t h e i r v i l l a g e s near the

f o r t wi th in a few years (see Def . Ex. 4 (107), pp. 4 3 , 47, 48, 73,

112-113, 115, 123).

The Edward Browne Map of 1822 shows the "Fight ing ground between

the Osages and Pawnees" and "Severe B a t t l e with Pawnee's and Osages 1817"

-- i n the s a l t p l a ins and between the branches of a s t ream (probably the -3

Ninnescah Fork and the Arkansas ~ i v e r ) west of the Arkansas River and

west of Wichita, Kansas and south of Hutchison, Kansas. The " S a l t Rock"

on Browne's Map i s probably the "Sa l t March" almost due west of Hutchison,

Kansas shown on a modern map. This probably rep resen t s the western e x t e n t

of usual pene t ra t ion of Osage war p a r t i e s i n "no man's land" of the time

( see Def. Ex. 8 (107)). To the south, the junct ion of the Neosho and

Verdigr is wi th the Arkansas was an area used by s e v e r a l d i f f e r e n t t r i b e s .

Jacob Br ight i n t h i s general a rea f o r example was a t t a c k e d , along with

some Osages, by a band of Indians thought t o be Choctaw ( see Def. Ex. 10

(107), pp. 17-21). A t t ha t time Bright recorded t h a t the Arkansas River

was being hunted over by several o ther t r i b e s . ( I b i d , a t p. 11) - I n 1811 George Sibley made a t r i p t o Osage hunt ing country and

described i t i n a l e t t e r t o h i s f a t h e r , a copy of which he r e t a i n e d i n

19 Ind. C 1 . Cormn. 447

a notebook (see D e f . Ex. 15 ( 1 0 7 ) ) . He noted t h a t much of the a rea

traversed by the L i t t l e Osage was a l s o b e i n g hunted in by the Kansas.

I n order t o reach the rock s a l i n e i t was necessary t o go with an armed

war pa r ty &e t o the f a c t t h a t this country west of the Arkansas was used

by o the r t r i b e s h o s t i l e t o the Osage.

On July 20, 1813; William Lovely, Indian agent t o the Cherokees, gave

n o t i c e t o the Cherokees t h a t the f alloying boundaries of ~ h e r b k e e lands

be observed:

* * * Beginning On White r i v e r where the l i n e i n t e r s e c t s sa id r i v e r t h a t was agreed on between General Clarke and the Osage Ration from thence down the middle of s a i d r i v e r , t o the junc- t i o n wi th l i t t l e red r i v e r up sa id l i t t l e red r i v e r t o the mouth of Cedar Creek from thence up t o the source of sa id Creek from thence a d i r e c t l i n e t o Budwells Old place--upon the Arkansas r i v e r a t the Mouth of point remove byo Thence

i-. a south wes te r ly Course so a s t o include The waters of Pete , f John Byo t o a point Claimed by Other Tr ibes t h a t i s t o say

4

the l i n e between the T e r r i t o r y of Missouri and S t a t e of Louis iana , thence a westerly Course till i t i n t e r c e p t s the a f f o r e s a i d Osage boundary '**. [See Def. Ex . 20 (107), pp. 721-722.1

These a r e apparent ly lands considered a s Cherokee a t the time by Lovely

and thus o u t s i d e any o f f i c i a l l y known Osage lands.

N u t t a l l repor ted i n 1819 that.the Osages t raveled f a r on t h e i r

hunt ing exped i t ions , b u t t h a t they needed the support of t h e i r f r i e n d s

i n Kanszs i n o rde r t o make such a hunt so f a r from t h e i r home v i l l a g e s .

He says:

* * * the Osages had now returned t o t h e i r v i l l a g e from a t a l l o w hunt , i n which they had t r ave l l ed not l e s s than 300 m i l e s up the Arkansa, and had crossed the Sal ine p l a i n s , s i t u a t e d betwixt t h a t r i v e r and the Canadian. In t h i s hunt , they say , t h a t 10 v i l l a g e s of themselves and f r i ends (a s the Kansas, who speak nearly the same language) joined f o r coxrmon s a f e t y . They were, however, at tacked by a small

s c o u t of t h e Pawnees, and l o s t one of t h e i r young me* who

19 Ind. C l . Corn. 447

was much esteemed * * *. They say , the country through which they passed i s so d e s t i t u t e of timber, t h a t they had t o carry along t h e i r t en t ~ o l e s , and t o make f i r e of the bison ordure. [See Def. Ex. 22 (107), p. 246.1

The use of the hunting t e r r i t o r y west of the Arkansas River i n the

present S t a t e s of Kansas and Oklahoma was by Comanches and Otoes a s wel l

a s o the r t r i b e s according t o James who i n 1819 noted meeting a war p a r t y

of Commanches t h a t were on t h e i r way t o a t t a c k the Osage and who were

i n tu rn attacked by the Otoes (see Def. Ex. 23 (107), p. 233). James

a l s o mentions the Pawnees, Arraphahoes, Kaskaias, Kiaways, I e t a n s

(Comanche) and Shiennes a s being a t war with the Osage ( see Def. Ex. 24

(lO7), pp. 153-156).

The Cherokees and Osage were f i g h t i n g from time t o time and hunt ing

i n some OF the same t e r r i t o r y (see Def. Ex. 26 (107), pp. 55-62, 136-137,

151-156, 237-242, 255-256 and 437). Other Indians t o the e a s t o f the

Osage, the Delawsre, Shawnee, Piankashaw, Potawatomie, Kickapoo, Seneca

a s wel l a s the Cherokee were hunting i n the area t o the west and f i g h t i n g

wi th the Osage a f t e r J 8 2 1 (see Def. Ex. 26 ( lo? ) , pp. 526, 546-549 and

591-592).

- The Osage o f t en l e f t t h e i r permanent v i l l a g e loca t ions i n a body,

l eav ing t h e v i l l a g e t o t a l l y unprotected and the country surrounding i t

open t o the use of others . For example, Jacob Fowler i n October of

1821 passed by the Clermont v i l l a g e on the Verdigris without see ing a

sou l and d i d not meet the Osages of the Clermont v i l l a g e u n t i i he reached

a p o i n t about the present Kansas-Oklahoma border between Ponca C i t y ,

Oklahoma and Arkansas City, Kansas. (See Def. Ex. 27 (107), pp. 6-16) .

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447

Arbuckle noted i n a l e t t e r t o Gaines a s i m i l a r s i t u a t i o n when the Clermont

v i l l a g e r s went the opposite d i r e c t i o n , i n December 1823, as fol lows:

.L ,\ .L I have t h i s day recd information t h a t Clarmore, the p r inc ipa l chief of the Osage nat ion, with a few o t h e r s , have ar r ived a t t h e i r town, where they w i l l remain but a few days before the [ s i c ] proceed on a hunt towards the source of the White River; and t h a t the whole of the Osages are now pro- ceeding i n t h a t d i r e c t i o n t o hunt , and do not expect t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r towns, u n t i l about the l a s t of the p resen t month. * * * [See Def. Ex. 26 (107), pp. 572-573.1

According t o Sibley i n 1820 the Big Osages on the Osage and Neosho

and the L i t t l e Osage hunted ~ r i r n a r i l y on the headwaters of the Gasconade,

Osage and Neosho Rivers and the L i t t l e Osage hunted on the headwaters

of the Kansas River a l so . The Osage on the Verdigris hunted on the

Arkansas and White Rivers and t h e i r waters. (See Def. Ex. 28 (107),

p. 203) . War p a r t i e s wandered f a r t h e r a f i e l d a s is indicated by a

/' r e p o r t of the Osage on the Blue Water branch of Red River i n 1824.

(See Def. Ex. 52 (107)).

The o v e r a l l a rea hunted and traveled ' i n by the Osage from time t o

time dur ing the period 1808 t o 1825 i s extensive. The nor thern border

i s approximately the r idge dividing the waters of the Kansas River and

' the Arkansas and the Osage Rivers and across t o the Missouri S t a t e l i n e .

The e a s t e r n border extends as f a r as the headwaters of the Gasconade River

and branches of the White River a s f a r e a s t a s Beaver Creek. The southern

boundary extends from the headwaters of White River i n Arkansas t o t h e

Canadian River i n Oklahoma and then up the Canadian f o r an undetermined

d i s t a n c e . The western ex ten t i s a l so indeterminate. (See Def. Exs. 50,

50-A, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 75 (107)). The general a rea i n t e r m i t t e n t l y

19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 447 1 . , 479

t raveled over by the Osage changed f a i r l y rapidly t o a more westerly one

a f t e r 1813. Hunting i n the S ta te of Missouri continued a t l e a s t u n t i l

1818. I n turn the extent of t r ave l to the west had been increased both

i n d i s t ance and frequency. This was espec ia l ly t rue a f t e r the t r i b e s such

a s the Kickapoo, Delaware and Shawnee were given rese rva t ions i n the S t a t e

of Missouri and the Cherokee had gained a s o l i d foothold i n the headwaters

of the White River i n Arkansas Ter r i to ry . This s h i f t t o the west and

southwest by the Osage was a p a r t of the general movement of Indians t o

the lands i n Indian Terr i tory . (Def. Ex. 83 (107), p. 35).

28. Based upon the evidence and e n t i r e record i n t h i s case , the

('- Commission concludes t h a t on September 25, 1818 and January 7 , 1819, the

-. , d a t e of conclusion and r a t i f i c a t i o n of the t r e a t y ceding Lovely' s Purchase

.-. $

-. t o the United S t a t e s , the Osage Tribe of Indians had exclus ively used and

occupied s ince a t l e a s t 1750 a l l of the land ceded i n sa id t r e a t y ,

described a s follows:

Beginning a t the Arkansas River where the Osage Cession Line of 1808 s t r i k e s said River, then up the Arkansas and the Verd ig r i s Rivers t o the f a l l s of the Verdigr is , then north- e a s t e r l y , t o a point on the Cession Line of 1808 s i x t y m i l e s no r th of the Arkansas River, then southerly along sa id Cession Line t o the point of or ig in .

29. Based upon the evidence and e n t i r e record i n t h i s case , the

Commission concludes tha t on June 2 , 1825 and on December 30, 1825, the

d a t e s of conclusion and r a t i f i c a t i o n of the t r e a t y i n quest ion i n docket

number 107, the Osage Tribe of Indians had exclus ively used and occupied

s i n c e a t l e a s t 1750 a t r a c t of land included i n sa id t r e a t y , described . .

a s fol lows:

19 Ind . C 1 . Corn. 447

Commencing a t the junc t ion of the northern boundary of Cass County, N i s sou r i , and the cess ion l i n e of 1808, running south along the ces s ion l i n e t o the cession l i n e of 1818; thence southwest along the l a t t e r cess ion l i n e t o the Verd ig r i s River ; thence down the Verdigr i s t o the Arkansas River ; thence up the Arkansas t o the Kansas-Oklahoma border ; thence eastward along the Kansas border; thence no r th and then westward along the boundary of Royce Area 123 t o the 97th mer id ian ; thence no r th along the 97th n e r i d i a n t o a p o i n t due west of F lorence , Kansas; thence due e a s t t o and e a s t - ward along the Cottonwood River t o a po in t due south of Emporia, Kansas; thence due nor th t o t he boundary of Royce Area 123; thence e a s t e r l y along the boundary of Royce Area 123 t o the Missour i border; thence nor th t o the no r the rn boundary of Cass County, Missouri; thence eastward a long the n o r t h e r n boundary of Cass County, Missouri , t o t he p o i n t of o r i g i n .

I n 1825 the Osage Tr ibe had not had exc lus ive use and occupancy f o r a long

time o r from time immemorial of any o ther t r a c t of land which the T r e a t y kl of June 2 , 1825, might be construed a s including.

79JbuL;3 JIZZ-"-- r n T. Vance, Chairman