Nez Percé Indians (‘pierced noses’) A term applied by the French to a number of tribes which practiced or were supposed to practice the custom of piercing the nose for the insertion of a piece of dentalium. The term is now used exclusively to designate the main tribe of the Shahaptian family, who have not, however, so far as is known ever been given to the practice. Read more about the Nez Percé History.
Nez Percé Indian Biography
- Nez Percé Indian Chiefs and Leaders
- Jackson Sundown
- Chief Joseph (hosted at Indigenous Peoples History)
- Chief Joseph – Leader of the Nez Perce and a True American (hosted at Legends of America)
Bureau of Indian Affairs
- A Guide to Tracing your Indian Ancestry(PDF)
- Tribal Leaders Directory
- Recognized Indian Entities, 10/2010 Update (PDF)
Nez Percé Indian Cemeteries
- Maggie Williams Cemetery (hosted at Ewanida Rail Records)
- Native American Cemeteries (hosted at AccessGenealogy)
Nez Percé Indian Census
- Free US Indian Census Rolls 1885-1940
- Native American Census Records
- Indians in the 11th (1890) Census of the United States
- US Indian Census Schedules 1885-1940 (Ancestry)
Nez Percé Indian Culture/Customs
Federally Recognized Tribes
- Nez Percé Nation
- P.O. Box 365
- Lapwai, ID 83540
Genealogy Help Pages
- Proving Your Indian Ancestry
- Indian Genealogy
- DNA- Testing for your Native American Ancestry
- How to Write a Genealogical Query
Nez Percé Indian History
- Nez Percé Indian History
- Wallowa County, Oregon (hosted at Oregon Genealogy)
- Nez Percé Indian History (hosted at the University of Idaho)
- Kate and Sue McBeth, Missionary Teachers to the Nez Perce (hosted at University of Idaho Library)
- Nez Perce Indian Agency (Idaho) (hosted at Family Search)
Nez Percé Indian Land and Maps
Nez Percé Indian Language
- Nez Percé Language (hosted at Native Languages of the Americas)
- Sign Language Among North American Indians
Nez Percé Indian Legends
- Indian Mythology
- Coyote Creates Human Beings (hosted at First People)
- The Man Who Married a Bear
- Seven Devil Mountains (hosted at Bigfootencounters)
- Nez Perce Legend of Wallowa Lake (hosted at Oregon Genealogy)
- Nez Perce Creation Story
- Coyote and the Monster of Kamiah (hosted at Native American Lore)
- Yellow Jacket and Ant
- The First Moccasins
Mailing Lists
- NA-NEWBIES-L-request@rootsweb.com A mailing list for anyone new to Native American Research, all Tribes and Nations.
- NATIVEAMERICAN-BURIALGROUNDS-L – Discussing and sharing of information regarding remaining and lost Native American burial grounds in the United States
- NATIVEAMERICAN-CHIEFS-L – A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in the chiefs of the Native American tribes/nations in the United States. Stories or history of Chiefs in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean are also welcome.
- NA-NEZ-PERCE-TRIBE-L – A mailing list for anyone researching their Nez Percé ancestors.
- INDIAN TRIBES-LOCATION, One for each state. Ask questions to find the location of your ancestors
- INDIAN CEMETERIES, A place to share the location or transcriptions of Indian Cemeteries
Nez Percé Indian Military
- Nez Percé Indian War
- The Epic of the Nez Percé
- Sacred Journey of the Nez Percé (hosted at Idaho Public Television)
- Native American Medal of Honor Recipients (hosted at US Army Center of Military History)
- Native Americans Mustered into Service of the US, War of 1812 (hosted at Rensselaer County NYGenWeb)
Other Tribes
The list of tribes and organizations below are not federally recognized. Many of them are state recognized organizations only or working towards federal recognition. We do not have the resources to check the validity of each and every organization and expect that you should before attempting to join or send a monetary contribution. We will provide a listing for any Native American organization or tribe. If you would like your organization listed please submit the information here.
Schools
Nez Percé Indian Treaties
- Indian Treaties, Acts and Agreements
- Signers of Native American Treaties, Indian, Military and Guests
- Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties, Vol. 2
As the United States expanded westward from the original thirteen colonies, settlers often confronted the existing owners of the land. As a result the federal government often negotiated treaties with these Native Americans. This collection of official treaties was compiled by the United States and originally printed in 1904. (Subscribers Only) Try Ancestry.com’s Census Images for FREE!!!
Nez Percé Indian Suggested Reading
The Epic of the Nez Percé
In 1855, Governor Isaac I. Stevens of Washington Territory negotiated an equitable, even a liberal treaty by which the Nez Pierces were confirmed in their undoubted title by immemorial occupancy to the vast region in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, including the valleys of the Snake, the Salmon, the Clearwater, and the Grande Ronde Rivers.
Yellow Wolf – His Own Story
Follows the tribe on there journey to freedom. Lists all the battles and locations. (I have read this book and a friend made the trail trek and said the book followed very well)
The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story
To tell the story, West begins with the early history of the Nez Perce and their years of friendly relations with white settlers. In an initial treaty, the Nez Perce were promised a large part of their ancestral homeland, but the discovery of gold led to a stampede of settlement within the Nez Perce land. Numerous injustices at the hands of the US government combined with the settlers’ invasion to provoke this most accommodating of tribes to war. West offers a riveting account of what came next: the harrowing flight of 800 Nez Perce, including many women, children and elderly, across 1500 miles of mountainous and difficult terrain. He gives a full reckoning of the campaigns and battles–and the unexpected turns, brilliant stratagems, and grand heroism that occurred along the way. And he brings to life the complex characters from both sides of the conflict, including cavalrymen, officers, politicians, and–at the center of it all–the Nez Perce themselves (the Nimiipuu, “true people”).
