Sandy Lake (1850): removal order and annuity relocation in breach of Ojibwe treaties

What happened

In the Treaty of St. Peters (July 29, 1837; 7 Stat. 536), the Chippewa ceded a large tract. Article 5 guaranteed "the privilege of hunting, fishing, and gathering the wild rice" on the ceded lands "during the pleasure of the President." The 1842 treaty (La Pointe) let the Indians hunt on the ceded land "until required to remove by the President." Annuities under both treaties had been paid at La Pointe, Wisconsin.

MNopedia, from the Minnesota Historical Society, explains that on February 6, 1850, President Zachary Taylor signed an executive order cancelling the Lake Superior Ojibwe's land use rights and ordering them to leave Wisconsin and Michigan. They refused, citing promises at the 1842 treaty. Minnesota Territorial Governor Alexander Ramsey and sub-agent John Watrous then agreed to say the annuity would be paid only at Sandy Lake, and to delay it until waterways froze. The Ojibwe were told to expect payment on October 25, but Watrous did not arrive until November 24. Rations were spoiled, and the payment came in mid-December.

MNopedia reports about 400 died of starvation, disease and exposure: 167 at the camp by December 23, and by Ojibwe leaders' estimates another 230 on the walk home. It says Ramsey and Watrous "violated federal law" and received no punishment. Removal efforts ended in 1853. A new treaty at La Pointe in 1854 promised permanent reservations.

The Supreme Court looked at the 1850 order in 1999. It wrote that President Taylor's order "was ineffective to terminate Chippewa usufructuary rights," and that the State "has pointed to no statutory or constitutional authority for the President's removal order."

Good to know. The figure of about 400 deaths adds 167 counted at the camp to an Ojibwe leaders' estimate of 230 more on the walk home.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error