The Aboriginal Population of the San Joaquin Valley, CaliforniaCook, Sherburne Friend
History
The Aboriginal Population of the San Joaquin Valley, California
Cook, Sherburne Friend
Indians of North America -- California -- San Joaquin Valley; San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) -- Population
The Yatchikumne and, if we are to credit Schenck, the Passasimas
occupied a position on the Calaveras River comparable to that occupied
by the Moquelumnes on the Mokelumne. Schenck regards the Yatchikumne
as a tribe equal in importance to the Moquelumnes, and the county
historians speak of them as a large group. Their river frontage is
equivalent to that of the Moquelumnes. For these reasons we would be
justified in ascribing to the Yatchikumne and Passasimas the same
population as the Moquelumnes, i.e., 3,600. The evaluation of the other
two groups from the geographical standpoint is difficult, owing to the
uncertainty of their location. The Siakumne may be regarded as living
somewhere on the lower Calaveras and, if so, must be included with the
Yatchikumne and Passasimas in the estimate for the Calaveras. The
Seguamne may or may not have inhabited the banks of the Mokelumne and
Calaveras rivers. In view of our ignorance on this point it may be well
to omit them from consideration in this connection and leave the
estimate with the existing total of 7,200.
We may attempt some direct tribal comparisons. In considering the
northern San Joaquin Valley and delta 21 tribes and tribelets have been
examined, namely: Aguastos, Bolbones (4 tribes), Leuchas, Ochejamnes,
Guaypen, Quenemsias, Chuppumne, Chupunes, Tarquines, Julpunes, Ompines,
and the Cosumnes group (7 tribes). For all these the average population
calculated has been very close to 700. If this figure is applied
directly to the Moquelumne group, its population becomes 3,500.
However, some adjustment is necessary. The Moquelumnes by all accounts,
Spanish and American, were an unusually large tribe, probably reaching
at least 1,500. The Yatchikumne may not have been as numerous but were
apparently above the average size, let us say 1,200. The Passasimas,
despite the fact that Schenck thinks they were a "group plus" may be
regarded as smaller, perhaps no more than average. For the Siakumne and
Seguamne we must also assume the average figure, 700. With these
adjustments the total reaches 4,800.
The baptism books give us a record of the following conversions.
Tribe San Jose Santa Clara
_____ ________ ___________
Moquelumnes 143 ...
Yatchikumnes 118 ...
Passasimas 145 ...
Siakumne 22 ...
Seguamne 47 116
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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