According to information sent to E.A. Underhill by the Hudson’s Bay Company at Winnipeg, Canada, in 1828 there were 50,000 Cowlitz Indians; the following year, 1829, only a few scattered camps remained. The ague, brought by the Whites, spread rapidly from Cowlitz village-to-village. Pioneers who arrived after 1829 found the Indians were descendants of those who had survived the terrible epidemic. When the government gave the Indians the franchise to take up homesteads, plural wives were common, and Cheholtz had two. He was told that if he wanted a homestead, he must give up one of his wives. He kept the younger one, Kathlene, but he built a cabin for the older one not far from his homestead.
He witnessed the transition of Indian to White control of the land. He was fondly remembered as a friend of the Whites and for his honesty and geniality with which he endeared himself to all of the old settlers. The Ex-Mayor had the gravestone erected at his grave. A newspaper article, from the Cowlitz County Advocate, regarding his death stated:
“Henry Cheholtz, the kindly old Indian who lived on the west side, was found dead in bed Monday afternoon, by one of his tribe, who went to visit him. Death was caused by organic heart trouble, for which complaint he had been receiving medical treatment for some time, although that was not generally known until after his death.
“The word was brought to Ex-Mayor T. W. Robin as soon as possible, and he at once secured watchers for the night, and had the remains brought to this city (Castle Rock) Tuesday morning and turned over to the undertaker, Charles Scholtz, to be prepared for burial. Owing to the absence of the coroner in Oregon, no inquest was held; in fact none was necessary, since Dr. Campbell certified that the old man’s death was due to natural causes.
“In deference to the old Indian’s oft expressed wish that he might have a White man’s funeral, and one of those ‘white things’ at the head of his grave, his wishes were respected and the funeral was held from the Methodist Church yesterday afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. A. A. Brittain, the pastor, who spoke feelingly of the many good traits of one who was born a savage long before the White man invaded this section, to a large audience, the church being filled to overflowing and many being unable to gain admission. Interment was in the Whittle Cemetery, the remains being followed to the grave by a large number.
“While looking over Cheholtz’ papers this morning, Mr. Robin found one which proved him to be a regular ordained minister of the Friends Church. The paper is in regular form, and was quite a surprise to Mr. Robin, but the fact remains that the old Indian was a Quaker minister.”
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Next time: Chief How-How.
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Roy I. Rochon Wilson was an elected leader of the Cowlitz Tribe for three decades and is the author of more than 30 books, including several histories of the Cowlitz Tribe. He is a retired ordained Methodist minister and current spiritual leader of the tribe. Wilson lives near Winlock.
