Chief William Yellowhead
Born about 1769, Yellowhead (Musquakie) served
with the British during the War of 1812. Named
chief of the Deer tribe of the Chippewa (Ojibwa)
Indians in 1816, he settled with his band at the
site of Orillia in 1830 in accordance with
Lieutenant-Governor Colborne's plan for gathering
nomadic tribes on reserves. Pressure from white
settlers forced the Indians to relinquish their
land and Yellowhead's band moved to Rama in 1838-39.
It is believed that the Muskoka District, which
embreaced his hunting grounds, was named after
this greatly respected chief who died in 1864 and
was buried in St. James' churchyard, Orillia.
Erected by the Ontario Archaeological and
Historic Sites Board.
