USA > Iowa > Dickinson County > History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 31
USA > Iowa > Emmet County > History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
The results of this land trouble, aside from the ones previously men- tioned, were: heavy expense to the county; loss of money to the contrac- tors; loss to small purchasers who thought by buying these lands they could get a home cheaply, but later discovered their title was worth noth- ing; and the present difficulty in the county offices to make satisfactory and complete titles and description of these lands.
The history of the bridges and roads in Dickinson County is given in the chapter on Transportation and Railroads.
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CHAPTER XX DICKINSON COUNTY TOWNSHIPS
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FORMATION OF TOWNSHIPS SPIRIT LAKE TOWNSHIP SETTLEMENT-OKO- BOJI TOWNSHIP-TUSCULUM TOWNSHIP-CENTER GROVE TOWNSHIP- LAKEVILLE TOWNSHIP-RICHLAND TOWNSHIP-LLOYD TOWNSHIP- DIAMOND LAKE TOWNSHIP-SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP- SILVER LAKE TOWN- SHIP-MILFORD TOWNSHIP-EXCELSIOR TOWNSHIP-WESTPORT TOWN- SHIP.
FORMATION OF TOWNSHIPS
When the county of Dickinson was organized in the year 1857 there were no township divisions formed and no township officers elected. Two years later, in 1859, the county was divided into two civil townships- Spirit Lake and Okoboji. The bridge at the straits between East and West Okoboji Lakes was the dividing line.
In 1860 the township of East Okoboji was organized, and afterwards given the name of Tusculum.
In 1866 Center Grove and Lakeville Townships were formed and new boundaries created for all.
At a meeting of the board of supervisors September 28, 1872, new townships were formed and new boundaries drawn as follows: Superior Township to embrace the whole of Town 100, Range 35; Town 98, Range 36 to contain one civil township named Milford; Lloyd and Richland Town- ships to remain the same; Town 99, Range 36, and that portion of Town 99, Range 37 lying east of West Okoboji Lake to be Center Grove; Town 100, Range 36, to be Spirit Lake Township; Town 98, Range 37 to be Okoboji Township; Town 99, Range 37, except that part east of West Okoboji Lake, to be Lakeville Township; Town 100, Range 37, to be Dia- mond Lake Township; Towns 98 and 99, Range 38, to be Excelsior Town- ship; Silver Lake to remain as before. The first election in Milford was ordered to be held at the house of A. D. Inman; the first in Okoboji at the residence of Hiram Davis; the first in Excelsior to be held at the house of C. E. Smith; and in the remaining townships the elections to be held at the places previously designated. The records of the townships prior to this time were lost in the fire of 1871.
At the supervisors' meeting on September 6, 1875, Town 98, Range 282
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38, then a part of Excelsior Township, was set off into a new civil town- ship by the name of Westport, and the first election was ordered held at the schoolhouse near Randall Root's residence.
SPIRIT LAKE TOWNSHIP
The tax list of Spirit Lake Township in 1859 records the following names of persons living in the township and paying taxes that year: W. J. Adams, Benjamin Adams, Harvey Abbott, A. D. Arthur, W. B. Brown, Henry Barkman, William Barkman, F. A. Blake, James Ball, M. A. Blanchard, J. M. Blanchard, Dan Caldwell, J. A. Cook, William Carsley, Leonidas Congleton, William Donaldson, S. W. Foreman, H. Frantz, Law- rence Ferhen, J. P. Gilbert, C. F. Hill, S. Humphrey, J. D. Howe, J. D. Hawkins, Isaac H. Jones, R. Kingman, A. Kingman, William Lamont, David Maxwell, Frank Moore, W. D. Moore, William Miller, F. Palpuman, Jareb Palmer, Ebenezer Palmer, J. S. Prescott, James Peters, B. F. Parmenter, Charles Richards, George Ring, F. S. Robb, George Rogers, R. A. Smith, M. J. Smith, John Smith, William C. Swett, George E. Spencer, L. E. Strait, J. H. Schuneman, H. E. W. Smeltser and R. U. Wheelock. By 1860 the following names were added to the foregoing list: H. D. Arthur, Walter B. Brown, Charles Carpenter, Phillip Doughty, William T. Doughty, William Jordan, John Johnson, Hans Johnson, Peter Ladu and Norton Warner.
The list above will give the reader a clear idea of the names of the first settlers in Spirit Lake Township, which embraced at the time one- half of the county. The early history of the settlement has been described in the chapter on early settlement of the county, and further description here would be only repetition.
OKOBOJI TOWNSHIP
This division of the county at first comprised one-half of the county, the other half being Spirit Lake Township. The tax list of 1859 gives the following names of the then residents: B. Adams, G. H. Bush, Levi Daugherty, George Detrick, L. Morse, Moses Miller, William Oldham, Joseph Pasti, J. S. Prescott, R. Perigo, P. H. Risling, William E. Root, F. Webster, Philander Webster, Martin Webster, A. Wagoner, William Wise- garber, G. Mattison, A. Olson, M. P. and J. M. Webster. Prominent among the settlers prior to 1870 were: Levi Knowlton, C. A. Arnold, J. B. Florer, D. T. Janes, William Patten, John Matthesen, Halvor Knut- sen, Samuel Waller, Thomas Barcus, Homer Calkins, Ed Miller and L. F. Griswold. The township was named by R. A. Smith. Like Spirit Lake Township the early settlement has been noted elsewhere.
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TUSCULUM TOWNSHIP
Under the heading of Tusculum Township, or East Okoboji Town- ship, appear the names of the following taxpayers: H. D. Arthur, Will- iam Barr, C. Crandall, O. Compton, Arthur Dodge, Nathan Esty, John Francis, John Gilbert, Allen Gould, James Johnston, William Jenkins, William G. Jenkins, John Jenkins, P. Ladu, John Loomis, J. T. Loomis, William C. McClellan, B. Marvin, James Pollard, F. D. Reilly, C. Reid, L. A. Stimpson, Seth Thomas, C. Thurston, William Uptagrafft, C. War- ner, Consider Yarns.
CENTER GROVE
The original taxpayers in Center Grove Township, as it was first formed, were: W. B. Brown, G. C. Bellows, G. Blackhert, H. Barkman, F. A. Blake, G. Clark, O. Crandall, H. Crandall, O. Compton, F. Doughty, Aaron Dixon, Jesse Doughty, Phillip Doughty, James .Evans, N. O. East- man, E. C. Ellis, A. B. Ellis, C. Evans, Elihu Ellis, E. D. Howell, David Jenkins, G. H. Johnson, George Kellogg, G. Kingsley, E. C. Lowell, J. B. Mack, A. A. Mosher, A. S. Mead, H. C. Owen, E. Palmer, A. E. Peck, Samuel Rogers, John Robertson, O. Rice, M. J. Smith, G. W. Sherman, John Strong, James Skirving, R. A. Smith, J. A. Van Anda, T. Wyckoff and L. W. Waugh.
LAKEVILLE TOWNSHIP
The first settlement in what is now Lakeville Township was made about 1866, when a party consisting of Joshua A. Pratt, George W. Pratt, Joseph A. Green, A. Price and others came in, and located at Lakeville, at the site of the three lakes-Pratt, Silvan and Pillsbury. The tax list of 1871 for Lakeville Township gives the names of the following resi- dents : John Atwood, W. B. Arnold, C. L. Aldin, J. S. Anderson, G. Anderson, W. H. Anderson, Charles Betts, S. B. Betts, W. A. Blair, J. M. Brown, Ole Bjornson, T. N. Boyle, J. H. Beebe, W. Berg, F. Brown, Dan- iel Bennett, H. J. Bennett, J. H. Carpenter, J. A. Casey, J. Covington, Richard Campbell, Samuel Campbell, Harrison Campbell, S. M. Fair- child, Joseph Garrett, Alfred Goss, James Grant, William Gerhart, Foster Gerhart, J. A. Green, E. F. Hill, Oscar Hooker, G. W. Heard, J. W. Hop- kins, James Heldridge, Samuel Hutchinson, Nathan R. Jones, David Kenn, R. P. Kingman, James Kilpatrick, John Kilpatrick, William F. Lewis, William S. Leggett, John Lawler, F. M. Lawton, A. R. Lawton, J. J. Mosher, G. S. Myers, S. P. Middleton. H. J. and Daniel Bennett and Rev. Samuel Pillsbury came to the Lakeville settlement in the year 1868. A postoffice was established at the site and kept for several years by H. J.
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THE BEW YOK PUANC LIBRARY
MAIOR, LENOX
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Bennett. H. J. Bennett and J. Heldridge suggested the name for the township.
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RICHLAND TOWNSHIP
It is said that the name of this township was given by W. B. Flatt and recognized by the trustees. Some of the first settlers in the town- ship were: E. V. Davis, William Campbell, W. B. Flatt, J. C. Davis, Randolph Freeman, David Farnham, G. W. and H. N. Morse, Gid Mott, Jacob Groce, N. J. Woodin, F. N. Snow, G. Patterson, Aaron Shultz and Simon Young. Most of these settlers, however, did not remain here per- manently. The grasshopper raid demoralized the settlement. The tax list of 1873 for this township gives the names of: R. R. Andrus, Will- iam Campbell, W. A. Davis, Walter Flatt, R. Freeman, D. Farnham, Jacob and John Groce, Joseph Howell, Gid Mott, Henry Morse, Wark Morse, W. A. Morse, G. W. Morse, G. Patterson, William Patterson, Aaron Shultz, Lucian Stewart, F. N. Snow, N. J. Woodin, William Young, Thomas J. Stone and David Kinkade. Much swamp land is listed in this township in the early "70s.
LLOYD TOWNSHIP
This township was named in honor of John Lloyd, one of the first settlers within its boundaries. The first settlement was made in 1869, the first comers being: John B. Smith, John Lloyd, John Wilkinson, Ole Gilbertson, Joseph Kinney, A. G. Saxe, J. Johnson, Berg Bergeson, J. S. Bingham, R. R. Haugen, A. Dodge, G. S. Randall, M. Chappell. The majority of the settlers in this township were Norwegians. The tax payers in the early '70s were: Jull Arneson, B. Bergeson, E. Brenmon, Asa Benedict, J. L. Bingham, H. N. Chappell, M. B. Chappell, George Danford, Paul Doffenson, Erick Ellingson, Benjamin Felt, H. W. Foster, Tollif Fode, Joseph Gallop, Ole Gilbertson, Egbert P. Haugen, John Jar- vis, Jacob Johnson, Tollif Knudson, Joseph Kenney, Charles Knowlton, John Lloyd, Peder Oleson, R. Oskatabo, Lars Oleson, Gulick Oleson, Ole Oskatabo, Iver Oleson, John Peterson, William Randall, George Ran- dall, W. T. Smith, John B. Smith, David C. Shepherd, K. T. Sandesson, Henry Schambaum, Frank Truhn, Peder Thompson, Peter Uldnekson, John Wilkinson, B. Whitcome.
DIAMOND LAKE
The first settlements in Diamond Lake Township occurred in 1869 and 1870. Among the first settlers were: M. W. Lemmon, P. P. Pierce, P. Nelson, A. J. Welch, O. W. Savage, O. Sanford, Peter Vick, J. R.,
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J. T. and H. Tuttle, L. H. and William Vreeland, G. Horn, S. W. Harris. Most of these settlers left during the time of the grasshopper raids upon this county. Lemmon, the Vreelands, Horns, Vick, Welch and several others stayed through the attack.
The tax list of 1873 for Diamond Lake Township shows the follow- ing land holders here: A. W. Allen, Ole Bjornson, W. Burg, John Erick- son, William Ellsworth, Andrew Erickson, H. Gabijell, G. W. Harris, W. W. Lemmon, Peter Nelson, Otis Sanford, O. W. Savage, Joseph Ste- vens, Charles Swineson, the Tuttles, G. Vreeland, William Vreeland, War- ren Wilcox, A. J. Welch, Ed Miller, F. M. Lawton, A. R. Lawton, G. F. Griswold, Aaron Daniels, Robert Carter, H. F. Lawton, Thomas West, E. M. Denison, J. D. Dammon, Osker Hoakes, R. P. Kingman, E. F. Hill, John Pierce, Benjamin Grover, John Atwood, Peter Nelson, B. H. Hallett, David Kern, Pit P. Pierce, Benjamin Strickler, J. H. Miller, George Myers, E. T. Graham, Wicks Willard, J. F. Carrington, Ruben Tivey, Hiram Smith, A. C. French, Christ Walter, J. F. Dore, Daniel Daniels, John P. Herman, Oliver Swartz, M. H. Tappin, James Sherman, F. S. Horn, W. A. Richards, John Webster. The name of Diamond Lake was given to the township by the first settlers within its borders.
SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP
The first settlement in Superior Township was made in 1867 by Robert McCulla and his sons. McCulla had the distinction of having twenty-three living children at one time. Others who came shortly after McCulla were: Oscar Norby, R. S. Hopkins, Gilbert Anderson, Alfred Davis, M. and C. Reiter, Fred Jacobs and John Morgan, also the Everett family. R. S. Hopkins is given credit for naming the township.
The tax list of 1871 for Superior Township is as follows: James Braden, Arnold Davis, George Davis, Alfred Davis, K. Fisher, John Lam- bert, Jacob Lamb, Robert McCulla, William McCulla, Abraham McCulla, James McCanna, Oscar Norby, Solomon Nichols, P. Olson, Even Peder- son, Sever Severson, John Tolefson, John Wilson, Nich Siebold, Thomas J. Stone, S. H. McKnight, Alex Mckay, E. K. Olson, John and James Cussey, Lawrence Stone.
SILVER LAKE TOWNSHIP
The first settlement made in Silver Lake Township was by George Nicholson in August, 1868. He homesteaded his claim here. His coming was for this purpose-that of getting his claim in shape, and then he returned to the East for his family, returning in the late fall. Andrew Cloud came with him and also entered a claim, which he disposed of a
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year later to C. B. Knox. John Dingwall and James Acheson were other settlers of the year and were followed in 1870 by Alexander Robertson and John Dickerson. Later arrivals were: J. B. Drew, who bought out. Nicholson, Robert Fletcher, C. Lewis and John K. Robertson.
The first tax list gives the following names: James Acheson, John Dingwall, J. B. Drear, - Duggan, J. N. Dickerson, C. B. Knox, J. K. Robertson, Alexander Robertson, James Ross, H. Schuneman.
The name of Silver Lake was given by the many trappers who in- habited this region before the first settlers came. It was a favorite and productive hunting and trapping territory and the hunters usually picked the shore of Silver Lake as a camping place. It is also related that when the first settlers came here they found teepee poles set up here and left by the Indians. It was the custom for the red men to place these poles in advantageous spots over the country and when they arrived there at odd times simply stretch their robes over the framework and have a fin- ished teepee, thus saving the trouble of transporting a supply of poles. Silver Lake Township was originally, until 1872, attached to Lakeville Township.
MILFORD TOWNSHIP
The first settler in Milford Township was A. D. Inman in 1866. Some other claims were entered that year, but were never improved, nor is it certain who made them. The year 1869 brought in a large number of homesteaders, however, among whom were: Andrew Blackman, R. C. McCutchin, Z. Slayton, C. Christensen, John Allar, Homer Wise, S. E. Inman, G. P. Clark, Hiram Ogg, H. H. Shipman, the Reeves brothers, C. Tinkham, E. Freeman, Eli Miller and a few others.
The tax list of 1873 for Milford Township gives the names of the settlers here then as follows: W. B. Arnold, John Allen, Jake Barnett, A. Blakeman, W. S. Beers, Austin Case, B. Carlton, G. P. Clark, R. B. Carpenter, William Everett, Ira S. Foster, A. D. Foster, G. P. Hawkes, Phillip Hales, A. D. Inman, Stephen Inman, Mike Johnson, George Kid- ney, Hance Larson, John Mckibben, R. C. McCutchin, Eli Miller, Ed Moran, Hiram Ogg, Lain Paul, Ole Paul, Benjamin Pitcher, Elisha Page, John Page, Daniel Reeves, Wallace Smith, T. S. Seymour, M. W. Stone, Volney Smith, Asa Smith, Henry Seaton, Z. B. Slayton, H. H. Shipman, Clarence' Tinkham, S. Whitcomb, Homer Wise, Samuel Zink, John Law- ler, R. S. Gaylord, John Jarvis, Alfred Goss, A. C. Burnham, A. R. Cot- ton, G. W. Phillips, D. C. Shepherd, R. A. Smith and W. S. Reese. Some of the above are names of men owning land in the township, but not re- siding within its borders. The name of Milford was given by Seymour, Foster & Company.
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EXCELSIOR TOWNSHIP
As before stated, Excelsior Township originally embraced all of the present Westport Township, their division occurring in 1875. The first tax list, 1873, names the following persons as holding land within the township: J. S. Anderson, G. Anderson, W. H. Anderson, John Allman, Samuel Bartlett, Frank Boyd, J. H. Beebe, R. S. Beebe, R. Campbell, Samuel Campbell, H. Campbell, James C. Conkling, W. H. Coltrien, John Decker, Alfred Goss, James Grant, B. E. Hutchinson, George W. Hurd, Samuel Hutchinson, J. W. Hopkins, John T. Jewell, N. R. Jones, John Lambert, William F. Lewis, C. Lowder, Joseph Lucian, Charles Ladd, S. Middleton, R. A. McCutchin, M. McGhan, D. C. Moore, R. Nicol, C. D. Nicol, G. S. Needham, J. Putman, A. Peck, S. O. Pillsbury, Norman Phillips, D. Phillips, Lewis Potter, Edward Parker, H. C. Partridge, Randall Root, James R. Sloan, F. H. Stone, Thomas H. Stone, Leonard Smith, Eldis Smith, D. C. Shepherd, G. W. Smith, J. Smith, William Stillwell, A. S. Smith, Samuel Trindle, Lewis Taber, J. R. Upton, A. D. Wilson, Samuel Walker, John C. Work, H. W. White, W. O. White and G. Wilbur.
WESTPORT TOWNSHIP
When the first tax list under the heading of Westport Township was compiled the following names were given: Henry Barkman, Frank Boyd, James C. Conkling, John. Decker, John Giles, Samuel Hutchinson, J. W. Hopkins, Nathan R. Jones, J. T. Jewell, W. F. Lewis, John Lam- bert, J. S. Lucian, C. H. Ladd, Charles Lee, James, Hugh and Alexander McCutchin, R. B. and C. S. Nicol, Leonard Pearson, J. Putnam, Samuel Bartlett, Randall Root, D. C. Shepherd, Alex Smith, G. W. Smith, J. D. Smith, Samuel Trindall, Lewis C. Taber, W. O. and H. L. White. Most of the above had been previously listed in the township of Excelsior. The list is of the vear 1876.
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CHAPTER XXI
THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACREE
THE MASSACRE AND THE EVENTS WHICH LED UP TO IT.
INKPADUTAH-WHY INKPADUTAH DESIRED REVENGE-EVENTS ALONG THE LITTLE SIOUX RIVER-AT SMITHLAND-AT PETERSON-AT GILLETT'S GROVE-APPEALS FOR HELP-THE INDIANS ARRIVE AT THE LAKES-THE FIRST MORNING THE START OF THE MASSACRE-FATE OF THE MATTOCK HOUSEHOLD-AT THE HOWE CABIN-MURDERS AT THE THATCHER HOME-WILLIAM MARBLE'S DEATH-THE INDIANS LEAVE A RECORD.
INKPADUTAH -
The crowning figure in the famous Spirit Lake massacre was undoubt- edly Inkpadutah, the Wahpekutah Sioux Chieftain. In him was combined all the bravery, revenge, cruelty and arrogance of the Sioux tribe; he was an Indian in every sense of the word. Before narrating the part he played in the tragedy of Dickinson County something shall be told of the events leading up to the murderous raid upon the settlements in 1857.
It is related elsewhere in this book there were four bands of Sioux on the Minnesota River, following the treaty of 1851. There were two agencies-known as the Upper and the Lower-the former on the Yel- low Medicine River, about three miles from the mouth, and the latter on the Minnesota River, five miles below the Redwood and thirteen miles above old Fort Ridgley. The four tribes, or bands, were divided equally between the two.
The Wahpekutah band was identified with the Lower Agency. Wamdi- sappi was one of their principal chiefs and he, with a small portion of the band, afterward deserted the main body and his tribe became Nomads. They were outlaws. In this band was Sidominadotah, a brother of Inkpa- dutah. In Harvey Ingham's "Scraps of Early History" the following is said of him: "Fort Dodge was established as the frontier outpost of north- ern Iowa in 1850, just four years after Fort Des Moines was abandoned. Fort Des Moines was located in 1843 and occupied by troops until 1846, the years during which the Sacs and Foxes were being removed from the state. Between the occupancy of the two forts the Sioux came promi- Vol. 1 -- 19
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nently into notice, driving out every white man who attempted to push into their territory and trying to stem the tide of emigration to the Northwest. The event which, more than any other, led to the establish- ment of the fort, was old Sidominadotah's attack upon March, a govern- ment surveyor, in 1848. Sidominadotah is one of the conspicuous figures in our pioneer history. He was a brother of Inkpadutah and leader of a band of Wahpekutah outlaws. He was commonly called Chief Two Fin- gers, having lost the remainder of his right hand in battle. Major Wil- liams knew him well and has left an accurate description of him. He says: 'Sidominadotah was a man about five feet ten in height, stout and well formed, very active, had a piercing black eye, broad face and high cheek bones.' The major adds an item to the description which certainly entitles Sidominadotah to be called the man with the iron jaws: 'Both rows of teeth were double all around.' A dentist could have paid off all the old scores of the white race at one sitting. When killed he was forty- five or fifty years of age. He evidently was the leader of all the bands of the northern Sioux at that time, or, at least, held a prominent place among the leaders, for nearly all the attacks upon the whites who began to invade the territory north and west of Des Moines were led by him."
Mr. Ingham continues: "During the years of the occupancy of the fort (Dodge), Major Williams became acquainted with the various Sioux bands and their leaders. He has left very interesting descriptions of the latter. His estimate of the character of the outfit tallies with that before given of the Wahpekutahs. "The Sioux Indians,' he says, 'who inhabited this district of country, were the most desperate characters, made up of renegades from all bands.' They were generally very active, stout Indians and great horsemen. The majority of them were well armed with guns. They always had in their possession horses and mules with white men's brands. They generally encamped on high ground where they could not be easily surprised, and when any number of them were together, they en- camped in a circle. They were very expert hunters. Their famous leaders, Sidominadotah and Inkpadutah, were very stout, active men, also Titonka and Umpashota ; in fact, all of them. Of Inkpadutah, who led in the Spirit Lake massacre, and who was present in person at the raid on Mr. Call and the settlers south of Algona in 1855, he says: 'Inkpadutah was about fifty- five years old, about five feet eleven inches in height, stoutly built, broad shouldered, high cheek bones, sunken and very black sparkling eyes, big mouth, light copper color and pockmarked in the face.'"
Regarding Inkpadutah's sons the following is said by the same author- ity: "Besides these there were Cosomeneh, dark, silent, stealthy; Wahkonsa, Umpashota's son, a dude, painting his cheeks, forehead and chin with stars; Modocaquemon, Inkpadutah's oldest son, who was shot for his part in the Spirit Lake massacre, with low forehead, scowling
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face and thick lips; Mocopoco, Inkpadutah's second son, sullen and ill- favored."
When Sidominadotah was killed Inkpadutah stepped into his place as chief of the band. The latter was known as "Scarlet Point" or "Red End." Judge Flandrau writes of them as follows: "By 1857 all that remained of Wamdisappi's band was under the chieftainship of Inkpa- dutah. In August, 1856, I received the appointment of United States Indian Agent for the Sioux of the Mississippi. The agencies for these Indians were on the Minnesota River at Redwood and on the Yellow Medicine River a few miles from its mouth. Having been on the frontier some time previous to such appointment, I had become quite familiar with the Sioux and knew in a general way of Inkpadutah and his band, its habits and whereabouts. They ranged the country far and wide and were considered a bad lot of vagabonds. In 1856 they came to the pay- ment and demanded a share of the money of the Wahpekutahs, and made a great deal of trouble, but were forced to return to their haunts on the Big Sioux and adjoining country. To this Mrs. Sharp adds: 'Accord- ing to the most authentic testimony collected by Major Pritchette, Inkpa- dutah came to the Sioux Agency in the fall of 1855 and received annuities for eleven persons, although he was not identified with any band.'"
Of the movements of Inkpadutah and his band of ruffians little is known, as the natural hostility between the Sioux and the early settlers prevented any intercourse. In an article in the Midland Monthly, Harvey Ingham writes: "Major Williams expressed the opinion that but for the rapid influx of settlers an attack would have been made on Fort Dodge in 1855. As it was, Inkpadutah and his followers contented themselves with stripping trappers and surveyors, stealing horses, and foraging on scattered settlers, always maintaining a hostile and threatening atti- tude. Many pages of the Midland would be required for a brief enum- eration of the petty annoyances, pilferings and more serious assaults which occurred. At Dakota City, in Humboldt County, the cabin of E. McKnight was rifled in the spring of 1855. Farther north, within a few miles of Algona, the cabin of Malachi Clark was entered, and the settlers gathered in great alarm to drive out the Indians-a band of eighty braves led by Inkpadutah in person. Still farther north, near where Bancroft stands, W. H. Ingham was captured by Umpashota, a leader under Inkpadutah in the massacre, and was held a prisoner for three days."
Judge Fulton writes: "During the same summer (1855) Chief Ink- padutah and his band, comprising about fifty lodges, encamped in the timber near where Algona now stands. They occasionally pillaged the cabins of the white settlers in that vicinity. At last the whites notified
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