22 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 97 



MINUTES KEPT BY JOHN McKEE IN NORTHWESTERN 

 CALIFORNIA, 1851 



On October. 15, 1850, a letter was addressed to Redick McKee, 

 Geo. W. Barbour, and O. M. Wozencraft, by the Acting Commis- 

 sioner of Indian Affairs, ^^'ashington, which read in part'' (p. 121) : 



Gentlemen : I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of a letter from 

 the Secretary of the Interior, by which you will find that your functions and 

 salaries as Indian agents are suspended ; and that you are appointed, with the 

 sanction of the President, commissioners "to hold treaties with various Indian 

 tribes in the State of California," as provided in the Act of Congress, approved 

 Sept. 30, 1850. Your commissions are also enclosed. 



The three newly appointed commissioners met and entered into 

 treaties with various tribes. They had worked together, but on 

 May 15, 185 1, wrote from Camp Barlow, San Joaquin River, to the 

 Commissioner ^* (p. 224) : 



We have now concluded, in view of the almost interminable extent of 

 country to be traversed in carrying out our instructions, to cease as a board, 

 and address ourselves to the work individually. We have made a temporary 

 division of the State into three districts, for the purpose of negotiating treaties 

 with the various tribes, upon the general plan submitted in our joint letter of 

 loth March. For our respective districts, lots were drawn to-day, and the 

 northern fell to the writer (R. McKee,) the middle to O. M. Wozencraft, and 

 the southern to George W. Barbour. 



With the coming of immigrants, prospectors." and settlers, luirest 

 and uncertainty developed among the Indians of northern California, 

 and a general uprising was feared. As a result of the existing con- 

 ditions it was deemed necessary for a commission to visit the various 

 tribes in the endeavor to create friendship, to enter into treaties, and 

 to set apart reservations where all could live in peace and security. 

 Many of the scattered tribes, or groups, occupied secluded valleys, 

 reached by narrow trails over mountains or through rocky ravines 

 and often difficult to discover; nevertheless, the venture proved of 

 much importance. 



Redick- McKee led the Expedition, and on July 29, 185 1, wrote 

 from San Francisco to Luke Lea, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 

 Washington, saying in part" (p. 128): 



^■/h Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs . . . 1850. Wash- 

 ington, 1850. 



^*/n Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs . . . 1851. Wash- 

 ington, 185 1. 



'' The journal or Minutes kept by John McKee, secretary, on the expedition 

 from Sonoma, through northern California, and many letters pertaining to the 



