Casson facts for kids

The Cassons or Casson are a Native American tribe from central eastern California. They are also known as the Gashowu. The Cassons are part of the larger Yokuts group of tribes.

Their traditional lands stretched from the eastern San Joaquin Valley into the foothills. This area was located between the San Joaquin River to the north and the Kings River to the south. It included parts of Madera County and Fresno County.

History of the Casson People

The Cassons, like many other Native Californian groups, faced big changes when new settlers arrived. They were often forced to leave their homes.

Treaties and Land

On April 19, 1851, the Cassons signed a Treaty at Camp Barbour on the San Joaquin River. Several other Yokuts tribes also signed this treaty. It was an agreement between the tribes and commissioners from the United States. The Casson chiefs who signed were Domingo Perez, Tom-mas, and Jose Antonio. Many Native Californians had taken on Spanish names during the Mission Period.

After signing treaties like the Camp Barbour Treaty, many Cassons were moved to reservations. However, important treaties like the Barbour Treaty and the Fremont Treaty were never officially approved by the United States government. This meant the agreements were not fully honored.

Life and Work in Yosemite

In the early 1900s, some Casson Yokuts families found work in Yosemite National Park. They often lived there for half the year. Then, they would return to their tribal areas. This was a common practice for surrounding tribes too, like the Mono and Paiutes and the Miwoks. By the late 1920s, Yosemite National Park even built homes for its Native American workers.