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Trenton Indian Service Area


It is actually a part of Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Trenton is supposedly a part of Turtle Mountain Reservation but that is incorrect. An office was established in Trenton for Chippewa's who were supposedly allotted over 500,000 acres in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota after 1892's fraudulent treaty known as that infamous 10 cent an acre Treaty, was ratified by American leaders in 1904. At this present time, Trenton Indian Service Area claims their population in Montana and North Dakota Counties within its area (in Montana it covers Sheridan, Roosevelt, and Richland Counties - in North Dakota they are Divide, Williams, and McKenzie Counties) is over 2,600. Below are demographics of this least of known Ojibway Reservations and google earth photos of Trenton, North Dakota. Below that is more historical information about Trenton Ojibway's.



Demographics of Trenton Indian Service Area (it's actually a part of Fort Peck Reservation)

Covers 900 sq. mi. or 576,000 acres

Population is over 2,600

Settlements

Trenton: Population is 524. A small mountain range which begins in eastern Montana ends in and around Trenton, as you can tell by those google earth photos.

South Trenton: It's population is included with that of Trenton. South Trenton is a mile southwest of Trenton. South Trenton has about 30 housing units and a population of possibly around 60 to 90.

Trenton has around 175 or more housing units and covers an area of 26.0 sq. mi. A few Chippewa's are farming on some of their land allotments around Trenton. From Trenton's office, affairs of Chippewa's within Trenton Indian Service Area, are carried out. However, Trenton Indian Service Area is considered to be a part of Turtle Mountain Reservation. That is incorrect. Trenton must be included with Fort Peck Reservation. There are several businesses in Trenton, as well as a school, along with Trenton Indian Service Area's Tribal office. Since this community is doing fairly well economically, it's average household size should be around 3.0 persons per housing unit or under. Below are links to several google earth photos of Trenton, North Dakota.



Trenton Full Photograph From Above

Road Closeup Photograph

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South Trenton Full Photograph From Above

Road Closeup Photograph

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Fort Buford Indian Reservation and TMR Land Allotments

Nearly half of Fort Buford Military Reservation was located in Montana. Adjacent to it on it's east was Fort Berthold Reservation. Adjacent to Fort Buford Military Reservation on it's west was Blackfeet Reservation. In 1888, Blackfeet Reservation was illegally fragmented. However, Fort Buford Military Reservation remained connected to Fort Peck Reservation. Later on in 1895 or a couple of years after 1892's illegal McCumber Agreement was signed, 900 sq. mi. Fort Buford Military Reservation was shut down. During those times there were at least two Ojibway villages within Fort Buford Military Reservation if not more. That happened on October 1, 1895. Earlier that same year (1895) chief Little Shell III and several other Ojibway leaders, were arrested. Chief Little Bear or chief MacCoos, was also arrested around that same time period and Deported to Canada to stand trial for 1885's Frog Lake Massacre. He was acquitted and returned to his native Montana.



Subsequently, chief MacCoos was no longer head chief of Montana Ojibway's. Chief Rocky Boy may have assumed that role sometime after 1895. I suspect chief Little Bear or chief MacCoos, was as actually chief Little Shell III. On April 21, 1904, 1892's infamous 10 cent an acre Treaty or McCumber Agreement, was ratified by American leaders. Afterwards, it caused all kinds of problems for ogima Rocky Boy who assumed role of being principle leader of Montana Ojibway's. It was reported that 390 Chippewa families moved to Trenton which is Fort Buford Indian Reservation which is actually Fort Peck Reservation, from northern North Dakota. Many of them also moved to Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota and obviously Turtle Mountain Reservation. Most remained in and around Great Falls, Montana however. Many Deportations of Montana Ojibway's were going on during those times.



It was reported that Trenton Chippewa's were allotted 131,000 acres in Williams County, North Dakota where part of Fort Buford Indian Reservation is. In fact, those 131,000 acres were probably that part of Fort Buford Indian Reservation located in Williams County, North Dakota. United States allowed some mixed bloods to settle on this Reservation to corrupt Ojibway's. By 1970s, Chippewa's owned only around 22,000 acres of those original 131,000 acres allotted them in Williams County, North Dakota.



Commencing in 1905 or about a year after 1892's infamous 10 cent an acre Treaty or McCumber Agreement was ratified, over 3,000 Chippewa's applied for land allotments at Glasgow, Montana's land office. Over 400,000 acres was allotted to them. When you take into consideration those 131,000 acres allotted to Chippewa's in Williams County, North Dakota, total acres allotted Chippewa's is well over 500,000 acres. Fort Buford Military Reservation covered 900 sq. mi. or 576,000 acres. So Fort Buford Indian Reservation's entire area was possibly allotted to individual Chippewa's. Exactly how much of that land remains Chippewa is not correctly known. However, old Fort Buford Military Reservation, is in fact a part of Fort Peck Reservation. And Fort Peck Indian Reservation's boundaries are incorrect.





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