The Nevada journal., 1852-09-10
For the Journal.
The Indians and Indian Agents.

Sept. 1st is an article on the subject OF
the Indians and Indian Agency, which,
though in many respects well timed and
of some importance, operates to the pre-
judice of ono Of our best citizens. ana
not inclined to believe any injury or dis
respect to persons not there named, was
intendcd--bu on the contrary, its pub
lication was probably procured through
the representation or misrcpresonta-
tiens of a SECOND person That David
Bovyer, would willingly assist in the civ
ilization and improvement of the social
condition Of the degraded beings we
found here when California was FIRST set
tied by whites, have no reason to doubt.
But that he has been the only one
through whose agency the Indians have
received benefits, or who can control
and influence them-or even that he is
foremost in his qualifcations-is an er-
ror. And in all probability sense Of
his ewn second rate qualifications, and
envy for the superior merits of another,
have been strong inducements with him
in wishing to propagate the opinion that
he is the sole dictator Of the Indians of
this region. Contemporary with Mr..
Bovysr, has been Mr.. Simmon P. Storms,
who at present is located some eight
miles S. E. Of Nevada. Mcssrs. Bovyer
and Storms came to Califorsia together
arrived in San Fran cisco in July, l849
Like other adveniurors to the land Of
gold, they spent month or TIVE in vari-
GUS pursuits, during which time Mr.
Storms had formed an acquaintance
with tho Indians and their language but
rarely attained. Messrs. Kendall &
Mosman, had located trading post on
tho South Yuba, in lS48 or the early
part Of 40. On the Sd day Of October,
40, Storms and BOvysr, in connection
with another who soon after retired,
bought Kendall & Co.'s establish ment
and commenced trading, Mir. Storms
with tho Indians and Mr.. Bovyer with
the whites And here let me say, it is
wrong impression that there were no
other white men in the vicinity at the
time. Successful operations in mining
were going on at Grass Valley, on Deer
! Creek, Woods Ravine, and on the Yu-
ba, in tho immediate vicinity.
Since that time, the trading post near
tho White Oak Springs has changed
hands several times, som me.ines one, and
sometimes both having an interest
therein; and the rancho now occupied
by Bovyer was located and improved
by Messrs. Storms & Ward in February
and March 1851, This, and his entire
interest in that ncighborhosd being
transferred to Mr.. Bovyer about the
Goth of June, 1851, Mr. Storms enter
cd the service Of o. NJ. Wozeneraft,
Indian Commissioner, az Special Courier
and Interpreter. In this capacity MIR.
Storms rendered our government agents
services which but few if any others
could do, in collecting together the
chiefs and head men Of the tribes, on
the Yuba and Bear Rivsr--and through
him they were made to understand the
wishes of our Government On quitting
this employment, he entered the service
of Mr.. Samuel Norris, who had the gov
srnnspt contract to supply tho luba and
Bear River, and part of the Feather Riv-
cr Indians with beef Having the en-
tire control of this business, in cvnnec-
tion with the lndiaa trading establish
ment Of Msssrs. Norris & Leyell, his in
terccurse with the Indians was such as
to gain for him the confidence of all
those tribes inhabiting the regions above
named, by a strict adherence to justice
and by frmness, prudence and a steady
nerve in my and every case Of emer-
gency, has gained control over them
possessed by no other man in Nevada
county, or in California; and without
disparaging the pretensions Of others,
he has unqueslionably done more to
bring the Indians Of this part of Califor-
MIA to fair understanding with the
whites than any other man. The state
ment that the Indians, wherever you
meet them, will refer to Bovycr as their
chief, is perhaps true to very limited
extent; that is, with few in the imme
date vicinity Of his loca ation no farther.
His acquaintance with the Indians has
been confined to home--that of Mr.