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Treaty

Oto, Missouri, Omaha, and Sioux (Yankton and Santee Bands) at Bellevue, Upper Missouri (1836)

At Bellevue in 1836, the Oto, Missouria, Omaha and two Sioux bands ceded land south of a line west from Missouri's northwest corner.

Signed
October 15, 1836
Senate
Ratified

What happened

On October 15, 1836, agents John Dougherty and Joshua Pilcher met the chiefs of the Otoes, Missouries, Omahaws and the Yankton and Santee bands of Sioux at Bellevue on the Upper Missouri. Like four other 1836 agreements, this one dealt with land between the State of Missouri and the Missouri River.

Article 1 has the signers "for ever cede relinquish and quit claim" all their right, title and interest in that land, south of a line running due west from the northwest corner of Missouri to the river. It frees the United States from any guarantee under the 1830 treaty of Prairie du Chien.

Article 2 sets a present of $4,520 in merchandise, shared among the tribes. The text says this was partly to compensate for leaving their fall hunts and traveling several hundred miles to attend. The page headline reads "$4,500"; the article itself says four thousand five hundred and twenty dollars.

Article 3 adds food and farm help. The Otoes and Missouries were to get five hundred bushels of corn, because their move had left them short of means to live through the spring. The Omahaws were to have one hundred acres broken up and fenced near their village. The treaty was proclaimed on February 15, 1837.

Good to know. The treaty page's side heading says $4,500, but the text of Article 2 says $4,520.

Summarized with AI assistance from 3 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Well supported by the sources below.

  1. for ever cede relinquish and quit claim to the United States all our right title and interest of whatsoever natureTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Oto, Missouri, Omaha, and Sioux (Yankton and Santee Bands) at Bellevue, Upper Missouri (1836)
  2. the sum of four thousand five hundred and twenty dollars in merchandiseTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Oto, Missouri, Omaha, and Sioux (Yankton and Santee Bands) at Bellevue, Upper Missouri (1836)
  3. shall be furnished at the expense of the United States with five hundred bushels of cornTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Oto, Missouri, Omaha, and Sioux (Yankton and Santee Bands) at Bellevue, Upper Missouri (1836)

Research notes. The treaty text does not say what happened to the land or the people afterward. The page's side heading says $4,500 but Article 2's text says $4,520; this account follows the article text. The article numbering on the page skips from Article 3 to Article 5.

What happened next

Everything the record holds about this land and this treaty, in order: what earlier agreements said, what this one did, and what the United States, the courts and the nations did afterwards.

Who is doing the work today

The nations connected to this treaty come first, then groups returning land and defending treaty rights. Support goes directly to them.

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Sources

  1. treaties.okstate.edu/treaties/treaty-with-the-oto-etc-1836-0479reference work
    Treaty with the Oto, etc., 1836 Oct. 15, 1836. | 7 Stat., 524.

Shapes are approximate and are not legal descriptions of land, title or jurisdiction.