SITKA BOROUGH, ALASKA

USGENWEB PROJECT

 
Hello and Welcome! I'm Vikki Gray, your Borough Coordinator for the Sitka, Alaska borough. This is a brand spanking new site as of October 28, 2000, so any input you may have is invited! I manage the site but it is your site, so feel free to offer suggestions or pitch in and help! You may want to look at the volunteer section below to find ways in which you can help!  I am sorry but I cannot do research because I do not live in Alaska, although my ancestors lived here.

HISTORY

For a century the English had been searching for the Northwest Passage to lead them on a more direct route from England to the Orient. America was a nuisance and obstacle to be overcome on this endeavor. The first ship to make it's way through this famed passage was the Gjoa, steered by Roald Amundsen in the early 1900s. Prior to that time, all the major powers were vying for Alaska. The Spanish Quadra had traveled as far up the coast as Sitka, and dubbed the lovely mountain overlooking the town San Jacinto. Three years later in 1778, Capt. James Cook led a fleet up the western coast of the Americas as far north as Anchorage. Capt. Cook rechristened the lovely mountain San Jacinto as Mount Edgecumbe. Not to be outdone, the Frenchman La Perouse visited the region and laid claim for the French flag. Unfortunately this multi-national flag-waving was a moot point because inconveniently the Russians were already in possession and had made Kodiak their headquarters. The Russian fur traders had pushed Eastward, year after year, leapfrogging along the Aleutian island chain. The Russians were not noted for their seafaring ways and found it necessary to conquor and then assume the skills of the native Aleut and Inuit peoples. In 1792 a new type of Russian fur-trading manager arrived at the headquarters in Kodiak of the Russian-American Company. Alexander Andreevich Baranoff was a 42 year old who arrived from Okotsk in the ship Three Saints. Although Baranoff was both loved and derided, depending upon the observer, it is clear that he was the force behind the Russian settlement of coastal Alaska. The natives loved him and called him "Little Father" or "The Bear". His Russian financier, Shelikoff and his successor Khlebnikoff gave him high praise. The priests despised him. Baranoff didn't seem to care as long as he could realize his dream of a new Russian Empire. Baranoff's fleet entered Sitka Sound on May 25, 1799 on the Olga and Konstantin, in search of a new, more central headquarters for his dream. After a skirmish with the local Tlingit natives, he purchased a townsite from Chief Katlian and began building a town to be the capital of Russian-America. He named this town New Archangel Saint Michael, which was later changed to the Tlingit name, Sitka. One day after he landed the Americans arrived, led by Capt. Cleveland of the Boston ship, Caroline. Several years later the Tlingits, Sitkas, Chilkats, Hoonahs, Kakes, Kootznahoos, and Stikines gathered and attacked Old Sitka, killing almost everyone. The few survivors were taken by Capt. Barber of the Unicorn to Kodiak. In 1804, Capt. Lisianski and the ship Neva, arrived with reinforcements retook the town and drove the Tlingits out. Rezenoff, a Russian representative of the Czar was sent to Sitka sometime later to arrest and remove Baranoff. Instead Rezenoff was won over by the charm and humanity of the simple Baranoff. Baranoff was busy in the ensuing years investigating trade and industry possibilities for Sitka. Shipbuilding, expeditions to hunt California sea otters, a sawmill, charcoal-making, four mills, and a foundry. The only dependable industry proved to be fishing. In 1818 Baranoff set sail for Russia in the Kutusof, dying on board at Batavia and buried in the Indian Ocean.

The onion-domed St. Michael's Cathedral was built in 1848 by Bishop Innocent. Baranoff's successors were Russian gentlemen with manners and breeding, but no vision. What Sitka needed was new industry and development as fur-bearing animals were hunted near extinction. Slowly Sitka drifted to decay due to lack of interest, finance, or other support from Mother Russia. In the meantime gold had been discovered and it was clear that Britain and America wanted Alaska. Rumours of an American purchase of Alaska abounded. On October 18, 1867 the U.S.S. Ossipee to join the John L. Stephens. That afternoon the Russian flag was lowered and the American flag was raised. New Archangel became Sitka. The United States neglected Sitka until 1879, when it finally sent a navy gunboat to Alaska to give protection to the local citizens. Prior to that time, it was the Canadians who had to send a gunboat periodically to protect the locals from native uprisings. With no official local government, there was no official law and hence murderers, robbers, and shysters of all kinds went free. By 1912 Sitka acquired legal standing as a civil government and the navy withdrew. It's fishing industry grew although slowly the government removed to Juneau, which became the new capital of territorial Alaska.

Places to Start your Search

Alaska, The Great Land Index to the names in this book.
Bibliography A list of books about the Sitka area and Alaskan History for further research.
Cemetery - Sitka National Cemetery NEW! Online transcription. Surnames A-G Surnames H-Q Surnames R-Z
Cemetery - Russian If you know of others, or would be willing to transcribe a cemetery for posting on this site, please let me know.
Census Info Explains what census records are available for Sitka
Census - 1930 (Partial) NEW! Alaska Natives were living in the town of Sitka. Courtesy of Coleen Mielke.
Early Sitka Residents
UPDATED! Many names of early Sitka pioneers (large file - 333 KB) Bookmarks have been added to the left for easier navigation.
GenConnect/Ancestry Boards These have been improved and combined with the Ancestry Boards. Post/view queries, bible records, biographies, deeds, obits, pensions, and wills here.
Last of the Bush Pilots (Index) An index of the book "Last of the Bush Pilots". Many early aviators and pioneers of Alaska are mentioned in this book.
Links Under development. Let me know of any good links.
Mailing List Join the Sitka Borough mailing list and get some help from others researching the same area.
Maps All kinds to help you with your research
Photographs - Page 1 New! If you have any old photos that relate to the Sitka area and/or it's people, I will be glad to post them here.
Photographs - Page 2 .
Photographs - Page 3 .
Populated Places Compiled by the USGS
Presbyterian Church Ministers - 1878-1968 NEW!
Resources Where the data is and who to contact - Sitka Borough government, libraries, gen societies and museums, available census records, etc.
Sheldon Jackson Mission School
Sheldon Jackson High School
Sheldon Jackson College
College Presidents -NEW!
College Trustees - NEW!
College Staff - 1923-1952 - NEW!
High School Graduates (requires Adobe Acrobat to view) - NEW!
College Graduates (requires Adobe Acrobat to view) - NEW!
Sitka Man an index of people's names and names of boats, as described in this local history
Surnames Email me the surnames you are researching in the Sitka area here. You might find a cousin researching the same family.
Timeline An historical timeline of Alaska history to help you in your research.
Totem Poles Some fun information on totem poles and their meaning
Towns and Villages Taken from USGS records.
Volunteers & Lookups We need volunteers and helpers! Please read below to see ways that you can help.


    Other GenWeb Project Links
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Canada GenWeb Project World GenWeb Project

 

Sitka Borough Volunteers
Would you like to help? We need you!

Here are some ideas of ways that you can help:

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If you have problems, please email Vikki Gray , Sitka Borough Coordinator.

This page was last modified: Monday, 16-Apr-2007 22:01:33 MDT  

You are our 9826 visitor since 11/01/00 - thanks for stopping by!

Graphics and Page Design copyrighted 1999, 2000 by Vikki Gray for the benefit of the Alaska GenWeb Project. All rights reserved.