Reclaiming the Story of Ella Selsic: A Daughter of Old Joshua (Part 2)

Reclaiming the Story of Ella Selsic: A Daughter of Old Joshua (Part 2)

Series: Untangling the Threads: The Search for Ella Selsic and the Depoe Family

Here is the link to Part 1:

← Part 1  | Part 2 (Current Post) | Part 3 →

1884 Drawn map by ethnologis James Owen Dorsey based on information provided by É-ne-á-ti, a Tututni man living on the Siletz Reservation.

Ella Selsic (c. 1840s – 1900s)

For many years, Ella Selsic remained a 'shadow' in our family records—obscured by inconsistent spellings, anglicized names, and the deliberate silence of reservation-era documentation. By synthesizing federal allotment records, oral deposition testimony, and local history, we can finally trace the journey of this foundational ancestor. Daughter of the Chemetunne leader Old Joshua and a Yukichetunne mother lost to the turmoil of the Rogue River Wars, Ella’s life serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of our people and the enduring strength of our kinship ties.

Ella Selsic (also seen as Ellen) was a foundational figure in the Depoe and Selsic family lines. She was the full sibling of Charles Depoe, both sharing the same parents. Her family network was complex, including half-siblings such as Sandy Grant and Ada Depoe Arden, who shared the same father but had different mothers. Her life spanned the transition from ancestral homelands to the Siletz Reservation.

Charles Depoe and Ada Arden Depoe 

Visualizing Ella Selsic: A Portrait Reconstructed

While we don't have a known photograph of Ella Selsic herself, this computer-generated sketch offers a thoughtful look at what she may have resembled, drawing features from her known relatives and the cultural style of the time. It's a powerful way to finally put a face to the name we are reclaiming

Key Highlights of Her Life:

• Family Ties: Ella was deeply connected to the prominent Depoe line. Her status as the full sibling of Charles Depoe and her connection to Sandy Grant and Ada Depoe Arden (as half-siblings) helps clarify the intricate family network that persisted through the reservation era. Her ancestral nations include the Chemetunne (Joshua) and Yukichetunne (Euchre) bands.

• Ancestry: She was the daughter of Old Joshua, a leader of the Chemetunne (Joshua), and an unknown mother from the Yukichetunne (Euchre) band who passed away during the era of the Rogue River Wars.

• Marriage and Children: She was married to Frank Selsic (Chief En-sal-sun), a signatory of the 1855 Oregon Coast Treaty. They had children, including Antone Selsic and Nellie Selsic.

• Descendants: Ella has numerous descendants who are registered members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Key family lines descending from her include the Selsic, Tom, Martin, and Towner families, all of whom carry forward her legacy and tribal heritage.

• Land and Legacy: Ella and Frank held distinct land allotments at Little Whale Cove and Whale Cove.

• The Selsig/Selsic Family: While the records explicitly mention that Frank Selsig and his wife Ella and their son Antone, held the allotments spanning the northern rim of Whale Cove and the southern portion of Little Whale Cove, specific architectural records of a permanent family home on that exact bluff are scarcer. However, standard practice for Siletz allotment holders at the time involved maintaining cabins, seasonal fishing camps, or small residences on their coast plots to maintain their land claims and continue traditional marine foraging.

• Following her passing, the records of her estate—which included heirs like her niece and nephew, Nannie Thornton and Jasper Grant (children of Sandy Grant)—provided the vital documentation needed to connect these family branches.

1930s Whale Cove Depoe Bay Oregon Coast Highway 

A Life Reclaimed: Long obscured by inconsistent census reporting and anglicized names, Ella has been reclaimed through the synthesis of land allotment records, deposition testimony (notably from Joshua Tom), and local historical documentation. Her life stands as a testament to the resilience of her people and the endurance of these kinship ties.

Timeline: The Life and Legacy of Ella Selsic

• c. 1840s – 1850s: Early Life on the Coast

  • Born to Old Joshua, a leader of the Chemetunne (Joshua) band, and her mother, Nahl-ye-ta-ry-na-aa of the Yukichetunne (Euchre) band. Grows up immersed in the traditional coastal lifestyle, kinship networks, and villages along the lower Rogue River.

• 1855–1856: The Rogue River Wars and Forced Removal

  • Survives the turmoil of the conflicts. The family experiences profound disruption, and her mother passes away during this turbulent era. Old Joshua's people are ultimately removed to the newly established Siletz Reservation.

  • Marries Frank Selsic (Chief En-sal-sun), a key leader and signatory of the 1855 Oregon Coast Treaty. Together, they build a family and raise children through a time of immense transition, including Nellie Selsic (born c. 1850) and Antone Selsig/Selsic (born 1855/1857), born right around the era of the forced removals.

• Post-Removal Era: Building Life on the Siletz Reservation

  • Transitions to reservation life alongside her full brother, Charles Depoe, and her half-siblings (including Sandy Grant and Ada Depoe Arden).

• Marriage and Family

  • Marries Frank Selsic (Chief En-sal-sun), a key leader and signatory of the 1855 Oregon Coast Treaty. Together, they build a family and raise children, including Antone and Nellie Selsic.

• Land Allotments at Whale Cove

  • Holds and maintains coastal land allotments with Frank along the northern rim of Whale Cove and the southern portion of Little Whale Cove, continuing traditional marine foraging, seasonal camps, and land stewardship.

• 1900s: Passing and Estate Legacy

  • Passes away, leaving behind an extensive family network. Her estate records—involving heirs like her niece and nephew, Nannie Thornton and Jasper Grant (children of Sandy Grant)—later serve as vital genealogical keys to connecting these interwoven family branches.

• Generational Legacy

  • Her descendants branch out through the Selsic, Tom, Martin, and Towner families, carrying forward her name, culture, and enduring tribal heritage as registered members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.

Siletz Logo 1979

Series Navigation:

• Ella Selsic Series: Part 1: Tracing Ella Selsic: Beyond the Census Records | Part 2 (Current Post) | Part 3: Reclaiming Ancestral Names 

Sources:

Siletz Logo. (1979). Siletz News (Vol. [Insert Issue/Page if known], Jan. 1, 1979, seq. 3). University of Oregon Libraries, Historic Oregon Newspapers. Siletz Logo Archive

FamilySearch. (n.d.). Historical Record for Charles DePoe and Ella. Digital images, FamilySearch.