Mille Lacs Reservation

This Ojibwa Reservation, is located adjacent to and west of Lake Mille Lacs, in north central Minnesota. Below is a map of Mille Lacs Reservation and links to google earth photos of their communities. Mille Lacs Reservation was established with a treaty signing on February 22, 1855. After 1862's Minnesota Ojibwa War, another treaty was signed on May 7, 1864 which ceded Mille Lacs Reservation with an exception of one section or 640 acres or 1.0 sq. mi. which was granted to Shaw-vosh-kung. It was not set aside to be a Reservation. It was set aside for Shaw-vosh-kung. Per treaty agreements, Ojibwa's already living at Mille Lacs Reservation, were allowed to continue to live there after it was ceded, as long as if they didn't get into trouble. Usually, American leaders forced Ojibwa's off of Reservations they forced them to cede but not always. Ojibwa's at Mille Lacs prodly boast they helped American Soldiers murder other Ojibwa People during 1862's Minnesota Ojibwa War which was fought by Pillager Ojibwa's. An example of forcing natives off their Reservations after they were ceded is after Osage (the Sac or Sauk Ojibwa's who frequently used O Sa-gi as a District name - O Sa-gi means The River Mouth in Ojibwa Language) Reservation was ceded in Kansas, Laura Ingalls family had to leave with all other Ojibwa's, so white settlers could settle there. No Mille Lacs Ojibwa's participated in 1862's Ojibwa War against Red River Colony and the United States. That's why they were allowed to stay. Though their Reservation was eradicated they continued to live at old Mille Lacs Reservation. There is evidence from a June 1889 news article that Mille Lacs Reservation was considered a Reservation in 1889 yet that was an obvious error. The writer didn't know about Mille Lacs Reservations eradication in 1864! Ojibwa People living there followed 1864's Treaty Agreements. American leaders didn't.

In 1889, the United States enforced the Nelson Act which called for removal of all Ojibwa People to White Earth Reservation. Only Red Lake Resevation and White Earth Reservation were not molested. Though Mille Lacs Reservation was not a Reservation, Nelsons Act called for removal of all Ojibwa People who continued to live at old Mille Lacs Reservation. After learning they had to leave their old Mille Lacs Reservaton (per 1864's treaty agreements they were allowed to stay because they helped American Soldiers murder other Ojibwa People during 1862's Minnesota Ojibwa War) a minor rebellion broke out at the Mille Lacs region. At least six whites were killed yet the number of whites killed was possibly higher. Many Ojibwa's of the Mille Lacs region were forced to relocate to White Earth Reservation. Those who stayed found secluded locations to live at the Mille Lacs region. Historians name them "non removable and removable" Mille Lacs Ojibwa's. Those who stayed were not numerous and kept themselves islocated at old Mille Lacs Reservations west and southwest. Pillager Ojibwa's from Leech Lake Reservation (aka Pokagomin Reservation) were the most hostile. They absolutely refused to relocate to White Earth Reservation. It led to a minor rebellion in October 1898 at Pokagomin Reservation. Pillager Ojibwa's who lived at the region between Grand Rapids and Boy Bay (it's an eastern bay within Leech Lake) were so hostile they raised 100's of their soldiers up to prevent being relocated. After they won the Battle of Sugar Point they remained hostile yet most agreed to relocate to Leech Lake Reservation and White Earth Reservation. Pokagomin Reservation is located from Grand Rapids to the east shores of Leech Lake. Only a very small part of Pokagomin Reservation remains. It's located adjacent to Boy Bay's north shores. It's not a part of Leech Lake Reservations land area as a result of Leech Lake. American leaders rejected 1889's Nelson Act and returned all Ojibwa Reservations except Mille Lacs Reservation which was not a Reservation, after the minor 1898 rebellion!

Ojibwa's led by chief Wadena continued to live at their old Mille Lacs Reservation yet after 1898 they became more relaxed. Instead of avoiding whites they became more willing to make their presence known. In 1911, chief Wadena's village was destroyed by whites. That don't mean Ojibwa's led by chief Wadena were forced to leave. It's likely a new settlement or townsite was agreed on. Mexico's Civil War was irritating American leaders who had to negotiate with chief Rocky Boy if they wanted that war to end. Mille Lacs Reservation is one of chief Rocky Boy's Reservations. We know because of a September 1914 news article about chief Rocky Boy's landless Ojibwa Subjects promising to stay out of Mexico's Civil War. It had nothing to do with Europes Conflict! Below is an excerpt from that September 1914 news article. Mille Lacs Ojibwa's are under the authority of the Rocky Boy Tribe. That's if the Rocky Boy Tribe unites again to govern their many domains. A new Mille Lacs Reservation was agreed to during chief Rocky Boys negotiations to withdraw Ojibwa Soldiers from Mexico's Civil War. It's located from Lake Onamia and to the west and north to Mille Lacs. The land is forested and wetlands. Mille Lacs Kathio State Park is within the new Mille Lacs Ojibwa Reservation. At Mille Lacs Reservation they've forgotten about chief Rocky Boy. No memorials or statues of chief Rocky Boy are found at Mille Lacs Reservation.

In Montana, chief Rocky Boy's Ojibwa Subjects were causing all kinds of problems well into the 20th century. They tried settling these disputes by creating new Montana Ojibwa Reservations yet American leaders were deceitful! In 1914, chief Rocky Boy was negotiating with Secretary of the Interior Lane, about securing new Reservations for chief Rocky Boy's Ojibwa Subjects. One is Mille Lac's Reservation. It was set aside in 1914 for Montana Ojibwa's and Ojibwa's that continued to live at Mille Lacs who were led by chief Wadena. On January 14, 1902 chief Rocky Boy sent letter to President Roosevelt telling him that chief Rocky Boy was leader of landless Ojibwa's in various locations in the United States in need of Reservations. They denied his requests for new Reservations yet accepted his proposal to allow his Ojibwa Subjects to settle on unsurveyed land or unallotted Reservation land. American leaders agreed to allot 40 acre homesites to chief Rocky Boy's Ojibwa Subjects at Mille Lacs. They are located at Mille Lacs Reservations west portion. Since 1914, Mille Lacs Reservation has been a Reservation. In Ojibwa Language, Mille Lac possibly means "Good Handle." It must be pronounced "Mil Ak."

1889 Uprising

In June of 1889 (remember Mille Lacs Reservation was ceded in 1864), some sort of conflict happened near Mille Lacs. It was reported that three companies of American Soldiers (anywhere from 240 to 750 soldiers) were sent to a location where killings had occurred. Since Mille Lacs Reservation was ceded in 1864, what transpired near Mora, Minnesota which is 20 or so miles south of Lake Mille Lacs, is very suspicious. They reported that 6 whites had been killed and wounded by Ojibwa Soldiers from Mille Lacs. The Nelson Act led to the minor rebellion. Below is an article from a Great Falls Tribune issue from June 15, 1889:

Chippewa Indians in Arms!
Indians on the War Path.

MINNEAPOLIS, June 14.-A reporter
started for the scene of the Chippewa Indian
outbreak last night, arriving there
this morning. Three companies of regular
troops are at Mona, the nearest town.
It is not known positively that more than
one man has been shot but the grave reports
are not yet discredited, as they are
thought to come from reliable men. Capt.
Stench left for the scene of the outbreak
with his force this morning. There
are several families living near the lake
who have had trouble with the Indians
and it is feared that they have suffered.

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Chiminising (Big Island Place)
Chiminising From Above

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Mille Lacs Reservations Demographics

Area: Concealed (Unknown)

Population: Not correctly known

Language: Ojibwa