Russian Trader and Colonist
- Ivan Kuskov (1765–1823)
- UNITED STATES
Ivan Kuskov was born in Tot’ma, Russia, in 1765. He was an explorer and administrator with the Russian American Company, a major force behind Russian exploration and territorial expansion in the 19th century. The company had been chartered by the Russian Tsar Paul I in 1799 and was responsible for overseeing Russian interests and trading relationships in the Americas.
Kuskov, a longstanding employee, was selected by the colonial leader Alexander Baranov to lead a series of expeditions south from the Russian territory of Alaska beginning in 1804. His mission was to locate land suitable for settlement, where Russians could build a trading post and practice year-round agriculture not possible in the colder climes of Alaska.
Kuskov and his men, who included Alaskan natives as well as Russians, landed in Bodega Bay and found a good harbor with decent hunting nearby. Upon returning to Alaska, Kuskov told his superiors of the promising land in California, which was then a Spanish territory. Operating under the premise that it is more effective to ask forgiveness than permission, the Russians decided to establish their own settlement in the region.
Setting sail in late 1811, Kuskov and his pioneer settlers arrived at their destination in March 1812. They chose as the site for their planned settlement a Kashaya Indian village, a spot called Meteni by the local Indians. In exchange for “three blankets, three pairs of breeches, two axes, three hoes, and some beads,” the Kashaya Indians permitted the Russians to stay on their land.
Over the next few months, the multinational group of settlers built a fort, homes and shops and planted crops. The settlement they founded was dedicated in August 1812 and soon became known as Fort Ross.
Life at the settlement centered on the hunting of sea otters for their prized pelts. A Russian Orthodox church was constructed in 1824 to serve the spiritual and social needs of the settlers. It was a Russian settlement, but Russians were a minority at the fort. There were large numbers of Aleuts, or Alaskan natives, as well as California Indians from a variety of tribes, living there and interacting freely with the Russians. Few Russian women lived at the settlement, so most marriages were between Russian men and Alaskan or California Indian women. Thus, over the years, a large number of children of mixed Indian and Russian heritage were born.
In addition to administering the settlement, Kuskov was reputedly an avid gardener, often harvesting enough produce to send to Russian settlements in Alaska.
Kuskov remained at the fort as administrator until 1821. Upon retirement, he returned to his home in Tot’ma, Russia, where he died in 1823. In Russia he is remembered for his ambitious explorations, and the house in which he died is preserved as a historic landmark.
Treaty between Kashaya Indians and Russians:
Note: The following document is an English translation of the agreement between representatives of the Russian American Company and the chiefs of the Kashaya band of California Indians. This treaty, similar to many others with American Indians, was short on specifics. Concepts of land ownership were alien to California Indians, and thus are absent in such documents. Still, Europeans thought that such treaties transferred ownership of land, while many tribes believed they were simply allowing use.
Treaty between Kashaya Indians and Russians: On Sept. 22, 1817, the Indian chiefs Chu-gu-an, Amat-tan, Gem-le-le and others appeared at Fort Ross by invitation. Their greeting, as translated, extended their thanks for the invitation.
Captain-Lieutenant Hagemeister expressed gratitude to them in the name of the Russian-American Company for ceding to the Company land for a fort, buildings and enterprises, in regions belonging to Chu-gu-an, [land] which the inhabitants call Med-eny-ny. [Hagemeister] said he hoped they would not have reason to regret having the Russians as neighbors.
Having heard what was translated for him, Chu-gu-an and a second, Amattan, whose dwelling was also not far off, replied, “We are very satisfied with the occupation of this place by the Russians, because we now live in safety from other Indians, who formerly would attack us and this security began only from the time of [the Russian] settlement.”
After this friendly response, gifts were presented to the [chief] Toion and the others: and to the Chief, Chu-gu-an, a silver medal was entrusted, ornamented with the Imperial Russian seal and the inscription “allies [soiuznye] of Russia” and it was stated that this [medal] entitles him to receive respect from the Russians, and for that reason he should not come to them without the medal. It also imposes on him the obligation of loyalty and assistance, in case this is needed. In response to that he and the others declared their readiness and expressed their gratitude for the reception.
After the hospitality, when [the Indians] departed from the fort, a one-gun salute was fired in honor of the chief Toion.
We, the undersigned, hereby testify that in our presence the chief Toion responded in exactly this way.
Navy Captain-Lieutenant and Cavalier HagemeisterStaff doctor and Court Counselor Kerner
Commerce Counselor and Administrator of Fort Ross Ivan Kuskov
Assistant Navigator 14th class [Ivan M.] Kislakovskii
Company Agent Kirill Khlebnikov
Commercial Navigator Prokofii Tumanin