Suisun people facts for kids
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The Suisunes were a Native American tribe. They were part of the Patwin people, who were a larger group of Wintun people. The Suisunes lived in what is now Solano County, in Northern California. Their homeland included areas around Suisun Bay and Suisun Marsh. About 200 years ago, their lands stretched from today's Suisun City to Vacaville and Putah Creek.
Their main village, Yulyul, is thought to be where Rockville, California is now. Another record from 1811 says they lived near today's Fairfield. The Suisunes were also known as the "People of the West Wind."
They ate acorns, fish, and a plant called miner's lettuce. Their homes were cone-shaped huts. These huts were made from rushes or tule plants.
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Suisunes History
The Suisunes were one tribe of the Patwin Indians. The Patwin were the southern part of the Wintun group. These people had lived in the region for up to 4,000 years. Not many old records about them exist. It's believed that about 2,500 to 5,000 Patwin people lived in total.
The Mission Era
By 1800, Spain had taken control of most of the Bay Area. They had built seven missions in the Ohlone region. This area was south and west of the Suisunes' land. The closest mission to the Suisunes was Mission San Francisco de Asís. It was across the San Francisco Bay.
Franciscan missionaries wanted all tribes to join the Spanish missions. They also wanted them to live in Spanish towns (pueblos) and forts (presidios). But the Spanish had not yet reached the Suisunes' land. This was north of the present-day Carquinez Strait.
The Suisunes lived far enough away from the first missions to resist the Spanish. Over time, they joined other Patwin tribes. These tribes were in the central valley region. They worked together to fight against the Spanish entering their lands. They wanted to stay free. They even got horses from people who ran away from the missions.
The Suisunes might have avoided contact with missionaries for many more years. But in the early 1800s, Native Americans who ran away from missions started seeking shelter with the Suisunes. The missions would send people to find these "Christian" runaways. This led to battles and growing distrust between the groups.
Battles with the Spanish
The Suisunes fought to protect their land and people. Here are some key events:
- In 1804, 14 Mission Indians from other tribes went into Suisun land. They wanted to get mission runaways back. These 14 people either died in a drowning accident or were killed. The exact facts are not clear.
- By 1807, 62 runaways from the missions lived in Suisun areas. In February 1807, 40 Mission Indians went into Suisun land. They were looking for runaways from January, especially one man's wife. The runaways fought for their freedom, and the Suisunes defended them. 12 of the attacking Mission Indians died, and the rest left.
- In May 1810, three more Mission Indians traveling were killed by Suisunes. As a result, the Spanish leader Gabriel Moraga led an attack. He attacked 125 Suisunes, and a "fierce battle took place." In this battle, 125 Suisun men were forced into three huts and killed. Two huts of men died fighting, and one hut was burned down. The soldiers went back to San Francisco with "6 boys and 6 girls of Suisuns and Chupcans."
Moving to the Mission
The next year, in 1811, a large group of Suisunes gave up fighting. This might have been because of the loss of 125 men. They moved into Mission San Francisco de Asís in what is now San Francisco. Between 1810 and 1816, a total of 326 Suisunes were baptized at this mission.
Tragedy at the Village
In 1817, Jose DeArguello, a Spanish commander, sent his lieutenant Jose Sanchez to lead another attack. This attack was against the Suisun tribe. It is thought to have happened in the hills behind Benicia. The Spanish then gained control in areas that are now Fairfield and Suisun City. They reached the Suisun village of Chief Malica, who was the tribe's leader.
At this village, facing defeat, Chief Malica and most of his tribe made a difficult choice. They chose to end their lives rather than be captured. The Spanish tried to save some people, while several others ran into the hills. The remaining tribe members either survived in the hills or joined other groups. They later came together again under a new leader, Chief Sem-Yeto, also known as Chief Solano.
Chief Solano's Time: 1823-1850s
Sem-Yeto, who later became known as Chief Solano, was born around 1800. He became the next chief of the Suisunes. Sem-Yeto was described as tall, about 6 feet 7 inches, handsome, and brave. He was baptized at the San Francisco Mission in July 1810. He was about 10 years old and lived there until he was an adult. He became known as Chief Solano. His baptism happened two months after the tragic battle of 1810. Sem-Yeto might have been captured as a child in Moraga's raid, or his family might have brought him to the mission soon after the battle.
In 1823, Sem-Yeto and the Suisun people at Mission San Francisco moved. They went to the new mission in Sonoma, California. This was the Mission San Francisco de Solano. They helped build and populate this last Franciscan mission north of San Francisco Bay.
In 1834, General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo of Sonoma became a good friend to Chief Solano. He was a powerful leader in the region. They formed an alliance with the Suisunes. The mission system was starting to close down. Chief Solano and the Suisunes led many trips to calm other tribes in the region. These tribes included the Wappo and the Pomo Indians. These tribes were trying to resist Mexican rule. Chief Solano eventually helped bring peace between the Native Americans and the Mexicans. A peace treaty was signed in 1836. Because of their alliance with General Vallejo, the Suisun tribe was quite strong.
General Vallejo even arranged for Chief Solano and 100 Suisun warriors to travel to Monterey, California. This was to impress and get military support from Juan Bautista Alvarado. He was the governor of Alta California at the time.
In 1837, a smallpox disease spread widely. It greatly reduced the native population in the Sonoma region. Other diseases also came from the Spanish and Russians at Fort Ross. Chief Solano was one of the few Native Americans to get a vaccination.
Chief Solano was also one of the few Native Americans to receive a land grant. This happened when the mission lands were divided up. The Suisunes who survived the disease started to work on farms or fish. Some chose to work for Vallejo at the Rancho Petaluma Adobe or other ranches.
In 1846, the Bear Flag Revolt ended. California was then given to the United States. General Vallejo was taken prisoner by Americans at Sutter's Fort. Sem-Yeto went north. The Suisun people continued to work on the ranches in California.
Notable Suisunes
- Chief Solano
- Chief Malica
Named After the Suisunes
Solano County is named after Chief (Sem-Yeto) Francisco Solano.
Suisun Marsh and Suisun Bay are named after the Suisun tribe.
Suisun City is named after the Suisun tribe and the marsh.
