Story

Restoration

On May 26, 1980, President Carter signed Public Law 96-25 allowing the Cow Creek Umpqua Indians to file a complaint in Claims Court in Washington, D. C. over the value of their lands taken in 1853.

In 1853 they were paid 2.3 cents an acre when, at the same time, the Government was charging non-Indian Donation Land Act settlers $1.25 an acre.

This became case "No. 53-81L". Sue Crispen Shaffer, the current Tribal Chair, was instrumental in lobbying Congress during the period leading up to this victory. She has played a key and decisive role in all subsequent tribal developments concerning restoration, and economic development, and tribal organization and governance.

Finally, after 130 years, on December 27, 1982, President Reagan signed "PL 97-391", the "Recognition Law", which restored the Cow Creek Umpquas as an Indian tribe and established formal relations with the United States Government through its trust agency, the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

In 1984, before the Cow Creek Umpqua Land Claim came to court, a settlement was negotiated. The Cow Creek Umpqua Indians were to be paid $1.25 per acre with an agreed-on total of $1.5 million. No land and no interest was included in the settlement. After paying their own expenses they were left with a total of $1.3 million.