Secretary of Washington Territory, Charles H. Mason, letter to Winfield Scott Ebey, regarding the beheading of his brother Isaac N. Ebey and protection for Washington Territory, August 28, 1857

• Main Author: Mason, Charles H., 1830-1859
• Other Authors: University of Washington Libraries. Special Collections Division.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Assassinations > Washington (State) > Whidbey Island; Ebey; Winfield Scott; 1831-1865 > Correspondence; Mason; Charles H.; 1830-1859 > Correspondence; Isaac Neff; Indians of North America; Charlotte Island; Queen Charlotte; Queen Charlotte Island; Tyee; haida; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/pioneerlife/id/3957

Secretary of Washington Territory, Charles H. Mason, writes to Winfield Scott Ebey to inform him that he has received the information of Isaac N. Ebey's murder by Native Americans from the north. He notifies Winfield that he has written to the British Governor of Vancouver, James Douglas, so that Douglas may prevent the Native Americans from returning to Washington Territory again. Mason writes that he has also requested a steamship to patrol the waters as protection from further attack and that he has sent muskets to Whidbey Island so that settlers may protect themselves. In 1857, a band of Haida Native Americans, possibly from Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Island or Alaska, traveled into the Puget Sound to avenge the murder of one of their chiefs in 1856. The Haida meant to kill Dr. John Kellog, the "Canoe Doctor," but they were unable to find him as he was at Port Gamble. Instead the Haida asked locals if Ebey was also a "Tyee" or chief-like figure to the whites. Local residents reported that he was indeed a leader among them. The Haida then decided to kill Ebey to exact their revenge. On August 11, 1857, the Haida landed at Ebey's landing and fired a gun to get his attention. When Ebey came out of his home, the Haida killed and beheaded him. The rest of Ebey's family escaped. In 1978, Ebey's Landing was made a Historical Reserve.