Pitt River Charley and Adoption

Biography

Henry Jackson and Pitt River Charley were captured as boys by the Klamath and Modoc people before 1864. They remained with their captors until after the Modoc War of 1872-73, when they returned to their home in California on a visit.

While there they became converted to the Earth Lodge offshoot of the Ghost Dance religion and went back to the Modoc people they introduced the religion there. They entered trances during ceremonies, when they would communicate with the dead, and during these dances song and teachings were revealed to them.

References

Hirschfelder, Arlene, and Molin, Paulette. Encyclopedia of Native American Religions: An Introduction. (New York: Facts on File, 1992) ("Jackson, Henry" and "Pitt-River Charley")