This Week in Tribal History

Mary Rogers, Tribal Preservation Department

January 26, 1876 from The Missoulian: Editorial referring to Indian census taken by Maj. Shanahan two years ago, showing the number of Indians belonging to the confederated tribes living wholly within Missoula County to be nearly 1,900. A thousand more of the western tribes annually pass through and spend a portion of each spring and autumn within the county.

January 27, 1888 from The Weekly Missoulian: The Indian police jerked a half-breed up at the reservation for having 3 gallons of whiskey in his possession. He got the liquor off the reservation. The police want it understood that they’re going to arrest anyone bringing the stuff over there.

January 24, 1902 from The Plainsman: “The Interior department ordered that the savage custom of the Indians wearing their hair long and painting their faces must be discontinued. This rule must apply to students coming back from Carlisle.”

January 22, 1913 from The Big Arm Graphic: "Arthur Larrivie moved his logging camp today from south of Elmo to the chief's allotment, a mile west of Dayton."

January 26, 1917 from The Sanders County Signal: "A party of Flathead Chiefs accompanied by Miss Mary Lemery, are now at Washington D.C., looking into the affairs of the tribe and offering suggestions to the Indian department. They are: Chief Baptiste of St. Ignatius, Chief Antoine Moiese of Arlee, Chief St. Pierre Michel of Ronan, Chief Andrew Bullhead of Camas, Chief Dominick Antez of Polson, and Chief George Riley of Dayton. They left the reservation on January 2."

January 25, 1951 from The Ronan Pioneer: Alexander Courville was killed in a car accident Jan. 14. His burial was at Lake View Cemetery. He was born in Pablo March 11, 1909. He had been in the employ of the Dupuis Mill at Dog Lake. His widow was injured in the car accident and is still a patient at the Holy Family Hospital at St. Ignatius.

If you have any questions or comments please contact Mary Rogers at 675-2700, ext 1320, or Communication Director, Rob McDonald at ext. 1222. Newspaper articles may be suggested for the Preservation archives if the article includes the newspaper name, date and is from 1975 or earlier.