Honoring Paul Washington: The Man Behind Our Tribal Cemetery's Name

Honoring Paull Washington: The Man Behind Our Tribal Cemetery's Name

February 9, 1894 – September 28, 1918

L-R: Eddie Charley, Jip Washington, Paul Washington, Eddie Frye, Skinner Williams - Siletz - circa 1910

Have you ever stopped and thought about why our Siletz cemetery bears the name Paul Washington, and who exactly he was?

Nestled on the Siletz Reservation in Oregon, the Paul Washington Cemetery is a place of deep historical and emotional ground for our community. The cemetery is named in honor of Private 1st Class Paul Washington—a young Siletz man of the 91st Division who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I, giving his life in service to his country at just 24 years of age.

As noted in tribal histories like Charles Wilkinson's The People Are Dancing Again, Paul's legacy runs deep through the generations as the grandson of Shasta Tyee Push Wash. Though time nearly reclaimed the site, local families formed the Paul Washington Cemetery Association in the early 1970s to clear and restore the overgrown grounds, ensuring that the final resting place of our first tribal member lost in World War I would be honored for generations to come.

Paul Washington Cemetery sign in Siletz, Oregon

The weight of that loss echoed far beyond the battlefields of France, carrying the grief all the way back home to the Siletz Reservation where his family awaited news.

Klamath Falls newspaper clipping reporting Paul Washington's sacrifice in World War I.

Born to Isaac "Ike" Washington (Klamath) and Emily "Gwi-Wi-Sens" Charley (Chetco), Paul's life was rooted deeply in the heritage of our region. Though he was initially laid to rest overseas where he fell, his journey ended back home when his remains were returned to the U.S. and buried here in September of 1921. Today, the ground that carries his name stands as a lasting monument: Died with Honor in Service to his Country.

 

Newspaper clipping reporting the military funeral and return of Private Paul Washington's remains in September 1921.

Paul Washington Headstone 

The Record of Service

The official military service and registration records paint a clear picture of the young life dedicated to duty. Born on February 9, 1894, on the Siletz Reservation, Paul registered for the draft as a laborer in June 1917 before deploying overseas with Company G, 361st Infantry, 91st Division. His service records document the ultimate price paid on September 28, 1918, when he was killed in action in France—carrying forward a proud family legacy as the grandson of Subchief Pushwash, one of the bravest of the Klamath warriors.

World War I Draft Registration Card for Paul Washington, June 1917.

His journey across the Atlantic is preserved in troop transport records, showing that Private First Class Paul Washington departed New York aboard the ship Scotian on July 6, 1918, bound for the battlefields of Europe with Company G, 361st Infantry.

U.S. Army Military Service Card detailing Paul Washington's enlistment, assignments, and engagements.

Growing up, I attended funeral and graveside services in Siletz many times. Later in life, I had the privilege of taking my grandmother to the Memorial Day service at the Paul Washington Cemetery. It’s funny how it often takes getting older to truly wonder about and appreciate the deep, profound history behind our traditions and the sacred places that hold our people. Today, every time we walk these grounds, we carry forward the memory of young men like Paul Washington, ensuring his sacrifice and our community's roots are never forgotten.

Our traditional wax flowers our families work on weeks prior ( or the night before aye) and full decorate our families grave sites.