Chief Kintpuash, known as Captain Jack Modoc, Native American tribe, closely related to the Klamath tribe, with which it forms an independent language family, and of the California-Intermountain culture area. It formerly occupied territory between southwestern Oregon and northern California. The Modoc originally followed an economy based on pond lily seeds as a staple food and on hunting and fishing. Weaving was highly developed, and tule reeds, or bulrushes, were used to make baskets, cradles, and mats. Their winter homes consisted of log and earth lodges constructed so that they were partly underground; in summer they lived in brush or reed huts called wickiups. The Modoc resisted the encroachment of white immigrants in California, and by 1864 the tribe had been reduced to about 250. Subsequently they entered the former Klamath Reservation in southern Oregon, ceding their lands to the U.S. government. In 1870 Chief Kintpuash, known as Captain Jack, led part of the tribe back to California. When the tribe refused to return to the reservation, attempts were made to force the Modoc's return, and the Modoc War of 1872-1873 ensued. In 1873 Captain Jack surrendered and was hanged. A number of the rebellious group were returned to Klamath Reservation, and the rest were sent to Quapaw Reservation in Oklahoma. Klamath Reservation was disbanded in 1963, and the Native Americans on the Quapaw Reservation have merged with other tribes. By 1990 only 574 people reported being of Modoc descent. As more white settlers moved into the Oregon country, many Native Americans were displaced from their lands. The Modoc people, refusing to stay on a reservation, fought the United States Army but were forced to surrender in 1873, an event depicted in this newspaper illustration. Library of Congress "Modoc," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

- return to index Native Americans -