Part IV: Beneath the Surface: Indigenous Villages, Interracial Sanctuaries, and Empire City’s Hidden History

Part IV: Beneath the Surface—Indigenous Villages, Interracial Sanctuaries, and Empire City’s Hidden History

(Catch up on Part III of Mary's story as we continue tracking the family's journey...)

Married in Corvallis, Oregon, in 1866, Andrew and Mary Wilson soon made their way to the bustling Coos Bay community of Empire City, where they are documented together from at least 1870 to 1884. Drawn by its burgeoning timber and maritime economy—anchored by Henry Luse's active sawmill, a newly established county seat, and a growing network of local stores and hotels—they found a vibrant hub of opportunity. Appearing there on the 1870 census before Mary and the girls are later recorded at the Siletz Agency by 1885, they navigated the world as an interracial family during an era of profound complexities. Amidst a wave of restrictive anti-miscegenation laws—including a legislative push in 1866 attempting to outlaw marriages between white settlers and Indigenous people—finding a secure and supportive environment was critical. For Mary, an Indigenous woman, and her white settler husband, Empire City may have served as a vital sanctuary, offering stability, community, and distance from hostile legislation while they raised their family

The Pioneer Hotel in Empire City, Empire City Waterfront, 1884

The following excerpt from Lad Miller, shared through the Historic Coos County facebook group, paints a vivid picture of what daily life looked like in Empire City during that era:

"The bay presented to them a grand and promising appearance. They had also noticed the massive forests of cedar and fir on every hand, the marvelous schools of fish, and extensive clam flats.

Development came quickly to Empire City. Henry Luse built a sawmill right near the harbor and was soon cutting 15,000 board feet of lumber a day. Empire City was named the county seat, and a courthouse was hastily erected. By 1856, the last natives living in the Coos Bay area were relocated to reservations. By the 1870’s, Empire City had a school, stores, hotels, and five saloons. In an effort to bring culture to the region, the citizens of Empire City founded the Coos Bay Literary Society and met regularly to hold debates, charades, lectures, musicals, and plays of various sorts. In 1883, Elijah Smith built a salmon cannery and began marketing Cape Arago brand salmon. Empire City was also home to three newspapers that lasted varying amounts of time: the republican Bumblebee, The Rustic, and Coos Bay News, which later moved to the neighboring town of Marshfield.

Unfortunately, Empire City’s glory was not to last. The town was built on tide flats, and thus the tides would back up and the land would not drain properly. Large pools of water were common sites around the town. In 1893, the sawmill closed. Those who lost their jobs moved to neighboring towns for work. The final blow to Empire City came when the county voted to relocate the county seat to Coquille in 1896. In the four years after the county seat was moved, the population of Empire City fell from 700 to 187."

For Mary, an Indigenous woman, and her white settler husband, Empire City may have served as a vital sanctuary, offering stability, community, and distance from hostile legislation while they raised their family. On the 1870 census, Andrew is recorded supporting his household as a farm laborer—likely finding work clearing the surrounding timber and marshy tide flats or tending to local feed and livestock operations that sustained the growing pioneer settlement.

Mitchell’s 1880 State and County Map of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and part of Montana

In 1883, Elijah Smith built a salmon cannery and began marketing Cape Arago brand salmon. Empire City was also home to three newspapers that lasted varying amounts of time: the republican Bumblebee, The Rustic, and Coos Bay News, which later moved to the neighboring town of Marshfield. Unfortunately, Empire City’s glory was not to last. The town was built on tide flats, and thus the tides would back up and the land would not drain properly. Large pools of water were common sites around the town. In 1893, the sawmill closed. Those who lost their jobs moved to neighboring towns for work. The final blow to Empire City came when the county voted to relocate the county seat to Coquille in 1896. In the four years after the county seat was moved, the population of Empire City fell from 700 to 187.

Beyond the industrial hum of Henry Luse's mill and the active saloons, daily life in this frontier hub was shaped intimately by the elements and community ambition. Built directly on marshy tide flats, the town constantly wrestled with poor drainage and standing water, meaning residents navigated muddy streets alongside a bustling waterfront where ships moved timber daily. Yet, citizens actively sought refinement amidst the rough landscape—founding the Coos Bay Literary Society to host debates, musicals, and lectures at local halls.

For Mary, an Indigenous woman, and her white settler husband, Empire City may have served as a vital sanctuary

Modern view of the Coos Bay estuary, showing the relative locations of North Bend, Coos Bay (formerly Marshfield), and the historic site of Empire City along the South Slough.

Growing up alongside the bustle of Henry Luse's sawmill and the expanding county seat were Andrew and Mary’s daughters: Abbie (born in 1863—though notably not listed with them on the 1870 census, perhaps staying with extended kin or relatives elsewhere during that enumeration), Lavina (born in 1868), and Minnie "Mary" (born in 1870, just one month old). As these young women grew from toddlers into adolescence in Empire City, attending local school and navigating the social rhythms of a growing pioneer town, their daily lives reflected a unique blend of cultures. They likely spent their days helping gather from the rich local clam flats and berry patches on the sloughs, learning traditional lifeways from Mary, while interacting with neighbors, schoolmates, and an extended network of hidden kin

Beneath the surface of the bustling pioneer town lay a much deeper Indigenous landscape, built directly upon ancestral Hanis villages such as Ntiise'ich, Hanisiich, Waiqdii, Ntilii, and the Miluk village of Nikawaha. Contrary to the official narrative that all Native people were entirely driven out by 1856, many families maintained a quiet, resilient presence. Indigenous women married to white settlers frequently used their homes as a network of protection, sheltering relatives who remained in the area.

This network of resistance is a vital part of the family’s history. Tarheel, risked his life to protect kin, once canoeing up Witl'ich (South Slough) to warn families that soldiers were conducting a sweep to forcibly remove Natives to the Yachats reservation, narrowly escaping capture by hiding out at Dle'eye. Though he was eventually caught in 1864, he persevered and was able to return home after the Yachats reservation closed in 1876.

Parallel Paths: Navigating the Same Coast

Between 1866 and 1884, other Indigenous women certainly continued to live in and move through Empire City. Yet, caught between strict anti-miscegenation laws and aggressive military campaigns to clear the Oregon coast, their daily presence was rarely documented in the open—instead becoming deeply hidden, highly strategic, and fluid.

Among these contemporaries was Annie Miner Peterson (1860–1939). Born at Willanch Slough and later surviving the turbulent removals to the Yachats area of the Coastal Reservation where she kept Coos traditions alive, Annie moved to the Empire and South Slough area around 1880. Living and working locally through odd jobs like cranberry picking on North Slough during the exact years Mary Wilson and her daughters were rooted in Empire City, women like Annie and Mary navigated a shared, resilient network of survival, quiet resistance, and community right alongside the bustling settler town.

Annie Miner Peterson  from Coos County Museum

Annie Miner Peterson (1860-1939)

• 1860: Born at Willanch Slough
• 1861-75: moved to Yachats area of Coastal Reservation. Kept Coos traditions alive while learning Hanis, Miluk, and English
• 1876: moved to Siuslaw River area. Married William Jackson.
• 1880: left Jackson and moved to Empire / South Slough area. Worked at odd jobs like cranberry picking on North Slough
• 1918: Married Carl Peterson. Collected native baskets.
• 1934-35: recorded Coos history w/ anthropologist Melville Jacobs

Parallel Paths: Navigating the Same Coast

Between 1866 and 1884, other Indigenous women certainly continued to live in and move through Empire City. Yet, caught between strict anti-miscegenation laws and aggressive military campaigns to clear the Oregon coast their daily presence was rarely documented in the open—instead becoming deeply hidden, highly strategic, and fluid.

Among these contemporaries was Annie Miner Peterson (1860–1939). Born at Willanch Slough and later surviving the turbulent removals to the Yachats area of the Coastal Reservation where she kept Coos traditions alive, Annie moved to the Empire and South Slough area around 1880.  .

 With Mary (born in 1839) and Annie (born in 1860) both navigating the small, close-knit settlement of Empire City during the early 1880s—Mary raising her family and Annie picking cranberries on North Slough—it is highly likely these two women crossed paths, sharing an unspoken network of survival and resilience right alongside the bustling settler town.

A Living Web: Tracing Connections Through DNA

History is not just found in old census rolls and archives—it echoes forward through living descendants. With shared DNA matches pointing to descendants of families connected to Annie Miner Peterson, new dimensions of our shared ancestry are coming to light. While our lineages trace deeply to the Coos people, DNA clues and shared family branches also point toward a Tututni ancestor. Pinpointing the exact Tututni band and weaving together how these distinct coastal communities crossed paths remains an ongoing journey of discovery. If you share a connection or recognize these family lines, we are actively looking to piece this history together.

After their years in Empire City, Mary and her three daughters eventually left for the Siletz Reservation following the close of their time there around 1884. By the time they were documented on the 1885 Siletz Census, the household's dynamic had shifted: eldest daughter Abbie had already married a few years earlier in 1880, while Lavina was around 17, Minnie Wilson was recorded at age 14, and Louisa Wilson was recorded at age 12, carrying their family's resilient history forward into the next chapter of reservation life.

Closing the Chapter, Continuing the Search

The story of Andrew, Mary, and their daughters in Empire City is more than a window into pioneer-era Oregon—it is a testament to quiet endurance. Navigating the rigid laws, military clearings, and shifting landscapes of the 19th-century coast, families like theirs carved out spaces of sanctuary, community, and survival. Though Empire City’s boom eventually faded into tide flats and relocated county seats, the legacy of those who lived there persisted—echoing from the shores of Coos Bay to the Siletz Reservation and down through generations of descendants.

As we continue to piece together the specific ancestral branches, Tututni connections, and hidden threads of this history, one thing remains certain: these stories deserve to be remembered, honored, and carried forward.

Feedback & Corrections: I strive to ensure the historical information shared here is as accurate as possible. If you spot an error, have additional documentation, or would like to share related family history, please let me know. I welcome any corrections or insights that help deepen our understanding of this shared past.

A Note on the Family Story

My name is Amber, and these are my ancestors. While I did not have the privilege of knowing my great-grandparents, I was fortunate to grow up knowing my great-aunts and uncle—people I loved very much and who remain close to my heart. This project began with a simple desire to uncover the voices and stories that paved the way for us. My grandmother instilled in me the vital responsibility of being our family’s history keeper, teaching me that our stories deserve to be honored and remembered. As I digitize records, piece together our family tree, and untangle the branches of our history, my goal is to honor those who came before us—the ones whose resilience, endurance, and stories have shaped who we are today.

Our Ancestral Lineage: This history is rooted in the deep, enduring ties of our people:

• Tututni & Kwatami (Siletz): Mikonotunne (Mackanontin), Chemetunne (Joshua), Yukichetunne (Euchre), and Sik-ses-tenne (Sixes).

• Grand Ronde: Umpqua, Shasta, Klickitat, and Lower Chinook.

Sources:

• 1870 United States Federal Census: Population Schedule, Empire City, Coos County, Oregon, household of Andrew Wilson. National Archives and Records Administration.

• 1885 Oregon Census / Siletz Agency Records: Siletz Indian Reservation census rolls documenting Mary and children, Bureau of Indian Affairs.

• Miller, Lad. "Empire City Waterfront, 1884..." [Facebook group post]. Historic Coos County, 22 Feb. 2021.

• Oral History and Family Archives: Descendant documentation regarding Indigenous village sites (Ntiise'ich, Hanisiich, Waiqdii, Ntilii, Nikawaha), family protection networks, and the accounts of Tarheel's canoe journey up Witl'ich (South Slough) and hiding at Dle'eye

• Coos History Museum. "Women's History." Coos History Museum, Coos History Museum. Accessed 20 July 2026.

• Mitchell’s 1880 State and County Map of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and part of Montana

• Hometown History Maps - Empire, Oregon Collection

• Miller, Lad. "Empire City Waterfront, 1884..." [Facebook group post]. Historic Coos County, 22 Feb. 2021, Facebook.

• General Land Office (GLO) Records / Land Patents: If Andrew or Mary held land claims or interacted with land patents in Coos County during the 1870s or 1880s, citing the Bureau of Land Management GLO Records adds incredible specific verification.

• State Anti-Miscegenation Legal History: For the mention of the 1866 legislative push and legal complexities, referencing state statute collections or historical overviews on Oregon's marriage laws (such as materials from the Oregon Historical Society) can formally anchor that context.