Rowley Johnson

Rowley was an Indian, it is reported as 4/4 blood and one of the Klamath, Modoc, Yahooskin-Paiute, and Pitt Rivera tribes, collectively known as the "Klamath Tribes"

The Klamath Indians are a Native American tribe primarily located in southern Oregon and northern California, consisting of four groups: the Klamath, Modoc, Yahooskin-Paiute, and Pitt Rivera collectively known as the "Klamath Tribes" who traditionally lived in the Klamath Basin area. Ties of loyalty and Family bound together the six tribes of the Klamaths, they lived along the Klamath Marsh, on the banks of Agency Lake, near the mouth of the Lower Williamson River, on Pelican Bay, beside the Link River, and in the uplands of the Sprague River Valley. The Modoc’s lands included the Lower Lost River, around Clear Lake, and the territory that extended south as far as the mountains beyond Goose Lake. The Yahooskin Bands occupied the area east of the Yamsay Mountain, south of Lakeview, and north of Fort Rock.

Klamath Indian Agency in 1915 from the Gerald W. Williams Collection, OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center

Act to Prohibit the Intermarriage of Races, 1866 - The Oregonian, November 2, 1866

The Oregonian clipping featured here presented the language of a new Oregon law approved by the Legislature on October 24, 1866. It banned miscegenation—marriage between members of different racial groups.

The 1866 law ... banned marriages between whites and Native Americans, albeit with a different criterion. That unions between white men and Native American women were commonplace in the Oregon Country during the first half of the nineteenth century may have accounted for the different standards for Native Americans. The Court in the Paquet case ruled that laws banning interracial marriage did not conflict with the Fourteenth Amendment, which ensured equal protection under the law.

In 1951, Senators who opposed the successful repeal of Oregon’s anti-miscegenation laws echoed this reasoning. They also voiced concerns that such marriages would be “unfair” to resulting children. However, Oregon lawmakers repealed all legislation banning interracial marriage in 1951, sixteen years before the U.S. Supreme Court declared all the nation’s miscegenation laws unconstitutional in 1967.
Source: The Oregonian. “Act to Prohibit the Intermarriage of Races, 1866.” Www.oregonhistoryproject.org, 2 Nov. 1866, www.oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/act-to-prohibit-the-intermarriage-of-races-1866/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

Biography:
Born c. 1903 to father Edward Johnson, an unknown Indian said to be from California or Oregon, and Louis Chote Barnhart, a Klamath Indian from Oregon.

According to the book Vanished in Hiawatha, author Carla Joinson advises that Rowley Johnson was admitted on December 14, 1919, and diagnosed with epileptic insanity (Epileptic insanity is a type of psychosis that can occur in people with epilepsy. It's characterized by a range of mental impairment and recurring mental states.). Hummer recommended discharge to Johnson's mother on August 4, 1920, when he was dying. He died September 2, 1920, in the Klamath Agency Indian Hospital of Tuberculosis of the lungs.

It is difficult to identify Rowley as a Klamath Indian, none of the censuses do. The Klamath Agency census is primarily by name alphabetically and did not distinguish the four tribes residing in the Agency as separate entities. Those tribes are the Klamath Indians, the Modoc Indians, the Yah-ooskin Band of Snake (Paiutes Indians), and the Pitt Rivera Indians. The current agency seal consolidates them as the Klamath Tribes.

His profile is part of the https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Canton_Asylum.

Research Notes:
-In the June 1, 1905 census of Waverly, Saint Regis Falls Village, E.D. 01, Franklin County, New York, Rowley is shown as the son of Fred Johnson and his wife Jennie, along with siblings Doris Johnson and Forest Johnson. This would have Rowley born c. 1901 and age 4 at the time of the census. The St. Regis Indians are considered descendants of the Mohawks, which brings into question this document as a source for Rowley Johnson, Klamath Indian. (The Military Draft Registration from 1917 to 1918 for Franklin, New York, United States suggests this is Rowley Fred Johnson, a white man.)
Source: “Facts about the St. Regis Indians (1915).” Wampumchronicles.com, 2025, www.wampumchronicles.com/factsaboutstregisindians.html. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025, and
United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7TCP-T56Z : Fri Nov 22 23:17:57 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Fred Johnson and Jennie Johnson, from 1917 to 1918.
-Rowley Johnson is NOT included in the June 30, 1919 Klamath Agency census
-Rowley Johnson is NOT included in the June 30, 1920 Klamath Agency census
-From Vanished in Hiawatha by Carla Joinson, pg. 173-174:

• Rowley Johnson was a troublesome patient, Indeed - immediately after his epileptic seizures, he became confused and fought with anyone around him. For the good of the other patients and for his own protection, he spent much of his time in his room at Canton Asylum. Although most Indian families did not like to send loved ones to an asylum, they often found that it was the only viable course if the person became unmanageable or violent. Rowley's parents recognized that his condition made his care both time-consuming and physically draining, but they still wanted him home. They insisted that they were his guardians and ought to be able to have him released and, in the summer of 1920, pleaded with Klamath Agency superintendent Walter West to intercede on their behalf.
• Johnson's mother was a determined woman. Besides offering to hire a full-time attendant for her son, she visited the agency's superintendent often enough that he finally wrote to the commissioner of Indian affairs about the case. As her letters and West's finally made their way through the bureaucracy, Hummer grew tired of Johnson's drain on his manpower. By the time he had a chance to weigh in on the issue, Hummer was ready to discharge Johnson. [1]
• His staffing problems encouraged the decision - discharging a time-consuming patient would make way for an easier one from the backlog of applicants.
• Hummer must have been shocked when the acting assistant commissioner, C.F. Hauke, rejected his recommendation to discharge Johnson. In a letter to West, Hauke mentioned Hummer's recommendation to let Johnson return to his family if they agreed to accept responsibility for his conduct, but he added that it was "a recommendation that the Office is not disposed to accept." It seemed to Houke that Johnson's was exactly the kind of case that required institutional care - not a return to the reservation.

Footnote 369n1:
Information about Johnson is taken from correspondence between the concerned parties, dated June 7, 1920, to August 4, 1920, NARA, RG 75, box 15.

• One issue that Hummer raised earlier in Rowley Johnson's case was the drain on the asylum's finances to accept Johnson, care for him, and then let him go. Hummer went on record as opposing the admission of "these cases" on the grounds of economics, because the expenditures on Johnson were a "total loss". Since he continued to accept epileptics, one possible interpretation of his words is that he didn't want to accept patients who might get well and cost him money to send home...

__________
Sources:

• 1905 Jun 1 - "New York, State Census, 1905", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SP64-98K : Fri Jul 26 14:43:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Fred Johnson and Jennie Johnson, 1905, pg. 532/568, 21 line 11 (age 4), census of Waverly, Saint Regis Falls Village, E.D. 01, Franklin County, New York

(Curator Note: this document is questionable and probably reflects another Rowley Johnson. The Military Draft Registration from 1917 to 1918 for Franklin, New York, United States suggests this is Rowley Fred Johnson, a white man)

1906 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QR7W-WLW2 : Sat Mar 09 19:49:55 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, 1906, pg. 639/666, line 308 (age 3). census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1907 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll225unit/page/n14/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 15/660, line 312 (age 4), census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1908 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll225unit/page/n47/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 48/660, line 319 (age 5), census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1910 May 9 - "United States, Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLBW-2NC : Wed Jan 08 19:18:41 UTC 2025), Entry for Ed Johnson and Louisa Johnson, 1910, pg. 224/1278, line 12 (age 6), census of the Klamath Indian Reservation, Klamath AGency, Klamath County, Oregon

1910 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll225unit/page/n112/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 113/660, line 325 (age 7), census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1911 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll225unit/page/n153/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 154/660, line 317 (age 8), census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1913 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll225unit/page/n245/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 154/660, line 316 (b=1903), census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1914 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll225unit/page/n291/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 292/660, line 321 (b=1903), census of the Klamaths, Modocs, Piautes, and Pitt Rivera Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1915 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGR1-B41H : Sat Mar 09 19:01:35 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, pg. 343/663, line 415, S. Son b=1903), census of the Klamath, Modoc, Yah-ooskin Band of Snake Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1916 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGKR-C5SR : Sat Mar 09 09:43:19 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, 1916, pg. 289/663, line 423 (b=1903), census of the Klamath, Modoc, Yah-ooskin Band of Snake Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1917 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGKD-24XQ : Sun Mar 10 02:50:27 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, pg. 438/663, line 422 (S.son b-1903), census of the Klamath, Modoc, Yah-ooskin Band of Snake Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1918 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPR1-LL1G : Sun Mar 10 02:19:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, pg. 486/663, line 420 (b=1903), census of the Klamath, Modoc, Yah-ooskin Band of Snake Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1919 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTM-9455 : Fri Mar 08 17:50:44 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, pg. 549/663, line 506 (b=1903), census of the Klamath, Modoc, Yah-ooskin Band of Snake Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1920 Jan 11 - "United States, Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4Z2-DSH : Fri Mar 08 13:08:18 UTC 2024), Entry for Fred Hendricks and Louisa J Hendricks, 1920, pg. 1164/1186, line 35 (age 16), census of the Klamath Indian Reservation, Klamath County, Oregon

1920 Jan 30 - "United States, Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6J7-F5S : Sun Mar 10 08:42:21 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johson, 1920, pg. 653/1130, line 11 (age 17), census of the Asylum for Indians, Canton Township, Lincoln County, South Dakota

1920 Jum 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTM-3C7L : Sat Mar 09 21:34:06 UTC 2024), Entry for Rowley Johnson, pg. 621/663, line 479 (b=1903), census of the Klamath, Modoc, Yah-ooskin Band of Snake Indians, Klamath Agency, Oregon

1920 Jun 30 - Camp Verde School: 1910-27; Canton Insane Asylum: 1910-22, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155854182?objectPage=898, line 15, Canton Asylum male census

1920 Sep 2 - "Oregon, Death Index, 1903-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZCQ-H44 : 11 December 2014), Rawley Johnson, 02 Sep 1920; from "Oregon, Death Index, 1898-2008," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2000); citing Klamath, Oregon, certificate number 113, Oregon State Archives and Records Center, Salem.
Name Rawley Johnson
Event Type Death
Event Date 02 Sep 1920
Event Place Klamath, Oregon
Certificate Number 113
Note (Indian)

1920 Sep 2 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104613142/rawley-johnson: accessed January 9, 2025), memorial page for Rawley Johnson (1903–2 Sep 1920), Find a Grave Memorial ID 104613142, citing Wilson Cemetery, Klamath County, Oregon, USA; Maintained by Mar-Kea Qualls-Joe (contributor 46866991).