Clatsop Indian Families On January 19, 1806, Lewis described in his journal the family organization for the Clatsop Indians. "Several families of these people usually reside together in the same room; they appear to be father & mother and their son's wives and children; their provision seems to be in common and the greatest harmoney appears to exist among them. The old man is not always rispected as the head of the family, that duty most commonly devolves on one of the young men. They have seldom more than one wife, yet the plurality of wives is not denyed them by their customs. These families when associated form nations or bands of nations each acknowledging the authority of it's own chieftain who does not appear to be heriditary, nor his power to extend further than a mear repremand for any improper act of an individual. the creation of a chief depends upon the upright deportment of the individual & his ability and disposition to render service to the community; and his authority or the deference paid him is in exact equilibrio with the popularity or voluntary esteem he has acquired among the individuals of his band of nation. Their laws like those of all uncivilazed Indians consist of a set of customs which we have gtrown out of their local situations. not been able to speak their language we hav not been able to inform ourselves of the existence of may peculiar customs among them."