USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,. > Part 36
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Lott was much overcome when he found in what condition the savages had left his family. His wife died a short time afterward from the effects of the treatment she had received from the Indians. The boy who started down the river in order to reach the settlement, perished from the effects of the cold, and his dead body was found on the ice. The two little girls were found some time afterward in a sorry plight, exhausted by the cold and hunger. After burying his wife and boy, Lott secured homes for the other children among the settlers of the county, and it is but proper to state, in this connection, that the little boy, now grown to manhood, re- cently made a visit to this locality. The two girls, having grown to be young women, were married and became the wives of two of the leading citizens of an adjoining county.
Having thus arranged his affairs, Lott directed his attention to wreaking vengeance upon the savages who had despoiled his home. The saddest part of the story remains to be told.
He does not seem to have been long engaged in meditating and planning and the plan of operations having been determined on, he lost no time in
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carrying it out. He procured an ox team and drove to Fort Des Moines, where he purchased two barrels; in one of these barrels he put pork, and in the other whisky. What other ingredient he mixed with the pork and whisky can be imagined from its effects upon those who partook of it.
Having thus laid in his stock of goods, he set out from Des Moines to the hunting grounds of the Sioux. After driving around for some time he learned that the old chief, Sim-au-e-do-tah, with a hunting party, was en- camped near a stream in the present bounds of Webster county. He pro- ceeded stealthily into the timber near by and hastily erected a temporary shelter, where he stored his pork and whisky. During the following night he kindled a large fire, and having heaped upon it a sufficient quantity of fuel to keep it burning for a day or two, he arranged his wagon, team, and cooking utensils in such a manner as to indicate sudden flight. After Lott had thus fixed up matters to suit his mind he quietly left the country. How the camp, with its team, wagon, pork and whisky was discovered by Sim- au-e-do-tah's band next morning, and just what became of the provisions, will probably never be known. However, the fact did become public that during the following summer the Indians in that vicinity were greatly ter- rified by the ravages of a peculiar and unknown epidemic, against which the skill of the medicine men, and the most importunate appeals to the Great Spirit, were of no avail. It is said that over seventy-five of the most robust and bravest of the warriors perished in a short time, and a feeling of melancholy and sadness took possession of the whole tribe of savages. Notwithstanding the sad havoc among the Sioux following Lott's last visit to their hunting grounds, the old chief, Sim-au-e-do-tah, and his sons, es- caped and continued to prosper. Upon hearing that the chief with his family still survived, Lott determined on a braver, as well as a more manly plan of revenge. Having disguised himself so that the old chief could not recognize him, and armed with a trusty rifle, whose unerring aim usually brought down his game, Lott mounted a horse and rode into the Sioux country. He entered the camp where Sim-an-e-do-tah was encamped and sought an interview with the old chief. After having put the wary savage off his guard by the presentation of gifts and the utteranace of the most ex- pressive words of friendship, Lott informed Sim-au-e-do-tah that a certain prairie, through which he had originally come, abounded in game of the choicest kind, and thus having aroused the old man's natural propensity for the chase, succeeded in prevailing upon him and his three sons to ac- company him on a hunting excursion. When Lott and the Indians arrived at the place where the game was reported to be, it was decided, upon the suggestion of the former, that they surround the prairie in which the game
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was concealed. The three young Indians were sent in opposite directions, and as soon as Lott and the old Indian were left alone, the former soon dis- patched the unsuspecting old chief. He then started on the track of the young Indians and killed all three of them in detail. It is further reported, that after killing the old Indian and his three sons, Lott dragged their dead bodies together on an elevation near the Des Moines River, and having built a log heap, placed them on it, and having set it on fire, returned to Boone county.
In time, reports of Lott's doings began to be whispered around, and at length became a subject for investigation by the grand jury. All the region of country north and west of Polk county was, at that time, attached to the latter for revenue, election and judicial purposes, and the jury which con- sidered the case was in session at Des Moines.
Among the members of the grand jury, was a gentleman residing at Boonesboro. Lott's case was the last one disposed of, and in the evening, just before the jury was discharged, a true bill was found against Lott, and he was indicted for murder in the first degree. It is not positively known when the Boonesboro juror left Des Moines, nor when he arrived at the for- mer place. All that is known is the fact that his horse was in the stable at Des Moines at dark on the evening of the day that the indictment was found, and that the same horse was in a stable at Boonesboro the following morning. It is also known that Lott left the country the same night, and the sheriff who went up from Des Moines to arrest him the next day failed to find him. Lott was never again seen in this region of the country, and nothing has been definitely known as to his whereabouts. It was rumored at one time that he made his way to the Pacific slope, and after having been engaged in barter and mining for a number of years, was finally lynched for some alleged misdemeanor. Whether, or not, such was the tragic end of his eventful life, is not positively known, but the incidents as above related bearing upon his career in these parts are vouched for by some of the early settlers then residing in the vicinity of his operations, and they can be re- lied on as substantially true in all the particulars.
; ยก It is a peculiar characteristic of the American Indians that they never forget nor forgive an injury, and although a wrong, either real or imagin- ary, inflicted upon them is seemingly forgotten or forgiven it is, neverthe- less, treasured up in the mind, and in cases where no favorable opportunity occurs for the aggrieved generation to avenge the wrong, it is transmitted down to the next generation, and the wreaking of vengeance is bequeathed as a sacred legacy to those who come after.
The Sioux were greatly exasperated when they found that their chief and
Mas Hitzone
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his sons had been decoyed and slain, and preferred complaint to the gov- ernment agent, through whose influence Lott was doubtless indicted. After Lott's escape, it became whispered about among the savages that Lott was not only responsible for the death of their chief and his sons, but that his pork and whisky had something to do with the epidemic which had previously carried off some seventy-five of their braves. They nursed their grievances, and their desire for revenge increased until it finally found vent in the Spirit Lake massacre, which created so great excitement, and did much to retard emigration at the time.
In the spring of 1857, almost ten years after the killing of Sim-au-e-do- tah and his sons, Ink-pa-du-tah, chief among the Sioux Indians, and cousin to the chief killed by Lott, led a band of Indians to a small settlement near Spirit Lake, in Dickinson county. They murdered many of the settlers and carried away some of the women and children into captivity. They plun- dered the settlement of all the stock and provisions and then retreated into Minnesota. Although the scene of this massacre was over one hundred miles away, it caused a thrill of fear and excitement in this county. Es- pecially was this the case among the scattered settlements in the north part of Polk county and the recently organized counties farther north. Reports were spread abroad, to the effect that the Sioux were on their way south, down the valley of the Des Moines, and that the merciless savages were depopulating the settlements through which they passed. All kinds of work were abandoned, and the settlers confederated together for their defense. At the county seat of Boone county, excitement was at fever heat, and after taking the proper steps to defend their own homes, the citizens organized a company for the purpose of going to the rescue of the settlers nearer the scenes of the massacre. The following account of the expedi- tion was published sometime since in one of the Boone county papers:
"News of the massacre was brought to Fort Dodge about the first of April, and to Boonesboro the next day or so. Following the news came fleeing settlers going south, and a day or two afterward, about the sixth day of April, came the news that Ink-pa-du-tah, after murdering all the settlers north of Fort Dodge and Webster City, had surrounded those towns, and the people could not long keep them off.
"This last news came to Boonesboro about 2 o'clock. A meeting was at once called at the court-house, and a company, one hundred strong, organ- ized to go to the relief of the beseiged towns. Judge McFarland was chosen superior officer, Samuel B. Call was elected captain, George B. Redman first lieutenant, Jonas H. Tipton second lieutenant, James Wright wagon-master, Dr. DeTarr surgeon and John H. Hall commissary. Hon.
19
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C. Beal locked his house, took his wife behind him on a pony to the house of her father, and started north on his own hook, recruiting wherever he could find a man who could leave home.
" There were hurried but tearful partings at Boonesboro of husbands and wives, and their uncles, cousins, and aunts. After regularly confiscating a ton of flour that belonged to John Grether, the same quantity of bacon belonging to Clark Luther, all the oats that William Pilcher had, and all the powder and 'fire water' in town, the company was ready to march at half-past four o'clock.
"An eye witness describes the departure as 'grand, gloomy, and peculiar.' Old men and boys, too weak to endure the hardships of the march, had to be driven back to prevent their going to the front, and a rear guard was put out to keep such stragglers back; yet many old men and boys escaped the guard, and by going cross lots came into camp that night at Hook's Point, where the commissary had four big log fires and a whole barrel of whisky. But those men did not drink. It was there for strictly medical purposes, and dealt out only on the surgeon's requisition! No one slept that night, as the constantly passing wagons, filled with fleeing settlers, who confirmed the reports of the day before, kept the company under arms all night. About daybreak an alarm was sounded. The pickets came in, and for a time they were sure the Indians were coming. A cow that had been left at home, some distance off, had got hungry and came trotting down the road, followed by some others of her family, making a terrible din with an old cracked bell about her neck, and created an alarm. She escaped un- hurt, unless the damning she got hurt her.
" After a hurried breakfast, the company started for Webster City. The day was cold, with a fierce wind blowing in their faces. They reached Web- ster City about two o'clock, where they were received in a very hostile manner by the people. Bucketsful, pitchersful, jugsful, and bottlesful of distilled and boiled down hostility met them at every turn and corner. In fact, men fleet of foot met the command out of town with bucketsful of rye, etc. A general invitation was given them to enjoy the freedom of the city, and every house in town was thrown open to them. A public meeting was held at the school-house that night, at which the people voted the company thanks and a fitting testimonial. It is related that on account of the expo- sure of the men on their trip, Dr. DeTarr and Judge Mitchell were the only members of the company that could appear and respond on behalf of the company. Dr. DeTarr's speech was printed in full in the Free- man.
" The company all slept well that night. There was not an Indian in the
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State, except the harmless Pottawattamies of Indian Town, under their chief, Johnny Green, and it was suggested that the company go down and give them battle. The next day the company returned home, without the loss of a man. The flour, bacon, oats, and fire-water left over they gave to the needy settlers on the route home.
"It is said that Mr. Beal and his command fortified near West Dayton, where they would have remained all summer if word had not been sent them from Boonesboro that the war was over."
This was the last Indian scare to which the settlers of the Des Moines valley were subjected.
During the following summer the government concluded a treaty with the Sioux Indians, and removed those living in southern Minnesota to the west of the Missouri River.
Thus did the successor and relative of Sim-au-e-do-tah wreak vengeance on the white man for the murder of the chief and the penalty of that foul deed had to be paid by innocent parties.
The Sioux Indians, always noted for their fierce cruelty, are still true to their former characteristics, and it was the same tribe under the leadership of Sitting Bull who for some years was a source of so much terror to the Black Hill's miners, and who composed the army concerned in the defeat and death of the brave General Custer.
THE TAMA COUNTY RESERVATION.
Skunk River, from its source, to its mouth, was a favorite resort in early times for trappers and hunters; game of all kinds abounded in the timber and region round about, while fur-bearing animals and fish, for which Skunk River has always been famous, were easily taken in great numbers. Wandering bands of Indians belonging to the peaceable Pottawattamie tribe, and a remnant of the Musquakies, who remained long after the stipu- lations of the treaty of 1842 went into effect, made this region a favorable resort. The Musquakie band originally lived on the south bank of the Iowa River, near where is now the western boundary of Tama county. They were removed west with the other bands in 1845-6, but many of them wandered back to their old hunting grounds. For a time the government declined to allow them a pro rata share of their annuity unless they would return to their reservation. They, however, persisted in remaining, and from time to time acquired the title to several tracts of land, amounting to over four hundred acres, when the Government changed its policy, paying them their proportion of the annuity, and allowing them to remain. There a remnant of the tribe still lives, cultivating a portion of the land, and as a
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rule, behaving themselves in a becoming manner. During certain portions of the year they leave their home and visit certain portions of the State, either on hunting excursions or to dispose of the pelts they have already taken. The Indians who are frequently seen in Poweshiek county, belong to that band. During the early settlement of Poweshiek county, they fre- quently visited this locality, and especially to the settlers along Skunk River were they a familiar sight. The few families of early settlers were seldom molested by these roving bands of savages, although they were fre- quently very saucy and threatening. These roving bands were more nu- merous in the Skunk River settlements than any other part of Poweshiek county, owing to the splendid facilities for hunting and fishing. It was no unusual occurrence for as many as fifty or a hundred of them to be seen passing to or from their favorite resorts further south.
At the time that the first settlements were made in Poweshiek county the Indians had not yet left for their new reservation. Mr. R. Morrison, at present a resident of Montezuma, says that when he first came to the county the region of country in the vicinity of the mouth of Sugar Creek was a favorite resort of numerous bands of them. They would form a tem- porary encampment and spend weeks in hunting, fishing and carousing. He was with them frequently on these hunting excursions, and says if there was any game in the country they were sure to get it. On one occasion when they returned to camp they proceeded to prepare a meal. They took a raccoon which had been dead for several days and proceeded to skin it. The weather was warm and the animal was in an advanced stage of decom- position. Mr. Morrison had a pressing invitation to remain for the feast, but it is needless to say he did not stay.
It is no uncommon thing for a few representatives of the original tribes to visit the county at the present day on trading expeditions. As a general thing, however, the Indians that are occasionally seen in the county now are representatives of the tribe who have a reservation in Tama county. The Indians at that reservation are comparatively quiet and peaceable, but degenerate both physically and morally, year by year, and gradually ap- proach inevitable extinction.
Every year small bands cross through this county on their way to Skunk River, where they erect temporary shelters, and hunt and fish and beg. While on these expeditions they not only manage to get a good living. but usually they accumulate a quantity of surplus provisions for future use. Since the completion of the railroad to this place Montezuma has become quite a shipping point for the savages. It is said that during the summer of 1879 they shipped from this point several hundred pounds of meat and
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flour which they had begged from the benevolent minded citizens of Keo- kuk and Mahaska county. The produce goes from Montezuma to that other great distributing point of the savages, Grinnell, and from there it goes north to Indian towns.
Early in the spring of 1880 the News, published at Mitchellville, in Polk county, contained the following in relation to the death and burial of a Musquakie Indian woman who died near that place, aged over one hundred years :
" Kesco, an Indian woman of the Musquakie tribe, died in her wigwam at Trulinger Grove, two and three-quarter miles north of Mitchellville, Saturday, March 20. She was 101 years old, and died of old age. Indian Jim, with his wife and a few other Indians, buried Kesco on sabbath after- noon, near the fence and just outside the Franklin cemetery, one-half mile from where she died.
"Although Kesco had been a burden to her tribe for many moons, they took care of her until the Great Spirit carried her away to the happy hunt- ing grounds. A striking contrast to some pale-faces who live within ten miles of where Kesco died, and who are trying to steal their parents' pos- sessions and send the latter
'Over the hill to the poor-house.'
"Jim got some boards and made a rough box; Kesco was shrouded in a blanket and laid in the box; a tin pail filled with corn, beans and bread was set beside her in the coffin; also a bottle of water. Next the cover was put on, the coffin lowered into the grave, a buffalo robe and roll of blankets were laid on the foot of the coffin, and then the grave was filled with earth. Jim's wife gathered the squaws about her and divided Kesco's few trinkets; then all went back to camp. Everything was done decently and in order."
INDIAN INCIDENTS AND REMINISCENCES.
During the visit of the Indians at Boston there was a lively competition between the managers of the various theaters in order to secure the presence of the illustrious chiefs at the several performances. Although the Pilgrim Fathers had in years gone by seen a plenty of the noble red man, so great was the transformation of the country during one century that the sons and daughters of those persons who not unfrequently went on forced marches to slay Indians, now looked upon the Indian as a great curiosity.
At the Tremont, the aristocratic theater, the famous tragedian, Forrest, was filling an engagement. His great play, in which he acted the part of the gladiator, and always drew his largest audiences, had not yet come off,
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and the manager was not inclined to bring it out while the Indians were there, as their presence always insured a full house. General Street, who, as before remarked, was in charge of the party, being a strict Presbyterian, was not much in the theatrical line, hence Major Beach, to whom we are indebted for the facts of this incident, and who accompanied General Street at the time, took the matter in hand. He knew that this peculiar play would suit the Indians better than those simple declamatory tragedies, in which, as they could not understand a word, there was no action to keep them interested, so he prevailed upon the manager to bring it out, promis- ing that the Indians would be present.
In the exciting scene where the gladiators engage in a deadly combat the Indians gazed with eager and breathless anxiety, and as Forrest, finally pierced through the breast with his adversary's sword, fell dying, and as the other drew his bloody sword from the body, heaving in the convulsions of its expiring throes, and while the curtain was descending, the whole Indian company burst out with their fiercest war-whoop. It was a fright- ful yell to strike suddenly upon unaccustomed ears, and was immediately followed by screams of terror from the more nervous among the women and children. For an instant the audience seemed at a loss, but soon uttered a hearty round of applause-a just tribute to both actor and Indians.
During the same visit to Boston Major Beach says the Governor gave the Indians a public reception at the State House. The ceremony took place in the spacious Hall of Representatives, every inch of which was jammed with humanity. After the Governor had ended his eloquent and appropriate address of welcome, it devolved upon one of the chiefs to reply, and Appanoose, in his turn, as at the conclusion of his " talk" he advanced to grasp the Governor's hand, said:
"It is a great day that the sun shines upon when two such great chiefs take each other by the hand." The Governor, with a nod of approbation, contracted his facial muscles in a most courtly gravity. But the way the house came down " was a caution," all of which Appanoose doubtless con- sidered the Yankee way of applauding his speech.
One of the most affable and remarkable of the Indians with whom the early settlers became acquainted was named Kish-ke-kosh. It was in honor of him that Marion county was at first named, it being afterward changed on account of the many objections which were raised to the orthography of the word.
This Kish-ke-kosh, previous to 1837, was simply a warrior-chief in the village of Keokuk. The warrior-chief was inferior to the village-chief, to which distinction he afterward attained. The village presided over by this
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chief is well remembered by many of the early settlers. It was located, some say, just over the line in what is now White Oak township, Mahaska county. Major Beach thus describes it: "The place cannot be located exactly according to our State maps, although the writer has often visited it in Indian times; but somewhere out north from Kirkville, and probably not twelve miles distant, on the banks of the Skunk River, not far above the forks of Skunk, was a small village of not over fifteen or twenty lodges, presided over by a man of considerable importance, though not a chief, named Kish-ke-kosh. The village was on the direct trail-in fact, it was the converging point of two trails-from the Hard-Fish village, and the three villages across the river below Ottumwa, to the only other prominent set- tlement of the tribes, which was the village of Poweshiek, a Fox chief of equal rank with Wapello, situated upon the Iowa River."
Here the squaws, after grubbing out hazel-brush on the banks of the stream, unaided by plow or' horse, planted and tended patches of corn. Here the men trained their ponies, hunted, fished, and loafed, until May, 1843, when they removed to the vicinity of Fort Des Moines.
The following incident is located at this point: Some time about 1841, Maj. Beach, Indian Agent, in company with W. B. Street and others, came up fron Agency City on some business with Kish-ke-kosh. Arriving late in the evening they encamped near the village, and on the following morn- ing Kish-ke-kosh, with his; assistants, came over to camp to receive them. The pipe of peace was lighted and passed around and the business trans- acted. After the council the whites were invited to come over in the even- ing to the feast which the Indians proposed having in honor of their visit. The invitation was accepted, and presently the whites heard a great howl- ing among the dogs, and looking in the direction of the village they could plainly see the preparations for the supper. A number of dogs were killed and stretched on stakes a few inches above the ground. They were then covered with dried grass, which was set on fire and the hair singed off, after which, after the dogs had gone through the scalping process, they were cut up and placed in pots along with a quantity of corn. The whites were promptly in attendance, but on account of their national prejudice they were provided with venison instead of dog meat. After the feast, dancing was commenced; first, the Green Corn Dance, then the Medicine Dance, and closing just before morning with the Scalp Dance. Kish-ke-kosh did not take part in this terpsichorean performance, but sat with the whites, laugh- ing, joking and telling stories.
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