Chief Winnemucca’s Proposition

Honey Lake Valley, 1952

In January 1860, Dexter Demming was brutally  murder at his cabin at Willow Creek Valley by a band of renegade Indians. A posse was formed to search for the Paiutes. The posse encountered them at Snowstorm Canyon.  A skirmish occurred, but it was in vain, for the Indians had the upper hand due to the rugged terrain. The posse’s efforts was not a total loss, for they did recover some of Demming’s belongings.

Back in Susanville a meeting was held to determine what the next course of action should be. Some where of the opinion they should go en masse to Pyramid Lake to confront Chief Winnemucca. about Demming’s murder. Cooler heads prevailed and two men, Captain William Weatherlow and Thomas J. Harvey, were designated to make the diplomatic visit with Chief Winnemucca.

The two men met with Winnemucca and prevailed upon him to turn over the tribal members that committed the murder. During the course of conversation Winnemucca was evasive. In conclusion, and by surprise, Winnemucca informed them, the settlers could purchase Honey Lake Valley for $16,000. Upon payment Winnemucca stated there would be no livestock theft, murder or mayhem. This revelation left the two men bewildered.

From a historical standpoint, Winnemucca’s offer is a complete surprise. It has never been revealed who advised the sale of Honey Lake Valley and equally important how the price was determined. Weatherlow and others felt the offer was nothing more than blackmail. Whatever the case may be, tensions became intense and finally that spring escalated into the Pyramid Lake War of 1860.

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