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| CATEGORIES ABOUT CHIEF SEATTLE | |
| 1786 births | |
| 1866 deaths | |
| people celebrated in the lutheran liturgical calendar | |
| native american leaders | |
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"Chief Sealth" (Ts'ial-la-kum), better known today as Chief Seattle (also '''Sealth''', '''Seathl''' or '''See-ahth''') (''c''. 1786 – June 7 , 1866 ), was a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes in what is now the U.S. state of Washington . A prominent figure among his people, he pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers, forming a personal relationship with David Swinson "Doc" Maynard . Seattle, Washington was named after the Chief. BIOGRAPHY Sealth was born around 1786 on or near Blake Island, Washington . His father, Schweabe , was a leader of the Suquamish Tribe , and his mother was Scholitza of the Duwamish . In later years, Sealth claimed to have seen the ships of the Vancouver Expedition as they explored Puget Sound. Sealth earned his reputation at a young age as a leader and a warrior, ambushing and defeating groups of enemy raiders coming up the Green River from the Cascade foothills, and attacking the Chemakum and the S'Klallam , tribes living on the Olympic Peninsula . Like many of his contemporaries, he owned slaves captured during his raids. He was very tall for a Puget Sound native at nearly six feet; Hudson's Bay Company traders gave him the nickname ''Le Gros'' (The Big One). He was also known as an Orator ; and his voice is said to have carried half a mile or more when he addressed an audience. He took wives from the village of Tola'ltu just southeast of Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay (now part of West Seattle ). His first wife La-Dalia died after bearing a daughter. A second wife, Olahl, bore him sons and daughters. The most famous of his children was Kikisoblu or Princess Angeline , the daughter of La-Dalia. After the death of one of his sons in battle, he sought and received Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church , adopting the baptismal name Noah, probably in 1848 near Olympia, Washington . His children were also baptized and raised in the faith. "Chief Seattle and Chief Joseph: From Indians to Icons", by David M. Buerge For all his skill, Sealth was gradually losing ground to the more powerful Patkanim of the Snohomish when white settlers starting showing up in force. When his people were driven from their traditional clamming grounds, Sealth met Maynard in Olympia; they formed a friendly relationship useful to both. Persuading the settlers at Duwamps to rename the town ''Seattle'', Maynard established their support for Sealth's people and negotiated relatively peaceful relations among the tribes. Following the Battle Of Seattle (1856) , Sealth was unwilling to lead his tribe to the reservation established, since mixing Duwamish and Snohomish was likely to lead to bloodshed. Maynard persuaded the government of the necessity of allowing Sealth to remove to his father's longhouse on Agate Passage, 'Old Man House' or Tsu-suc-cub. He died June 7 , 1866 , on the Suquamish reservation at Port Madison, Washington . LEGACY |
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