The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 4

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

said, "Vo-tan' and his companions, tinct about the end of the 15th cent- wearing long flowing garments arriv- ury and for a period of 200 years fol- ed in large ships about the year 955 B. lowing, Greenland was neglected and C." They found the whole of the forgotten. But when the first persons country from Darien to California arrived in Iceland and Greenland they "occupied by a barbarous people who found these most northern parts of used the skins of wild beasts for America already inhabited by the clothing, caverns and huts made with Es'-ki-mo, or, as they called them- branches of trees for shelter, and wild selves the In'-nu-its which signifies fruits and roots with raw fish for "The People." food." Vo-tan', it is said, wrote an America, in view of the traditions account of the origin of the Indians and facts above stated, must have and of their immigration into Amer- been known to the barbarous tribes of ica, attempting to prove "that they eastern Asia for hundreds and even were descendants of Imos of the race thousands of years, and it is singular of Chan, or the Serpent." The forest that it should have been visited by covered ruins of Mexico and Central one of the most enterprising nations America present so many different of northern Europe five centuries be- architectural styles that it seems very fore the time of Columbus without probable they were built at different awakening the attention of either the periods of time and by people of dif- statesmen or philosophers. ferent civilizations.

These mounds, and the things found

Iceland was discovered about 860 in them, indicate that their builders and was colonized in 874; and that were much further advanced in civil- land had been occupied by the Irish ization than the red man, known as Culdees, a monastic order, many years the North American Indian. Their before. Red Erik, a resident of Ice- numerous fortifications suggest that land, arrived in Greenland in 986, a they resisted the encroachments, but colony of Norwegians settled there were unable to cope with their fero- sometime afterward, christianity cious invaders. It is believed that was introduced and Arnold appointed the ruins of the immense temples, the first bishop in 1126, a stream of monuments, highways and other as- emigration set in and in 60 years 4000 tonishing achievements of engineer- homesteads had been occupied, and in ing skill found in Mexico, Central 1261 a form of colonial government America and Peru, are the handiwork was established there under Hakon of these same Iowa Mound Builders Hakonsen, King of Norway. This developed to a higher degree of pro- settlement of Norwegians became ex- ficiency.

THE INDIANS OF IOWA.

II.

THE INDIANS OF IOWA.

"Such of late Columbus found the American, so girt With feathered cincture; naked else, and wild Among the trees, on isles and wooded shores. "-MILTON.

TWO GREAT NATIONS.

URING the occupan- has, Osages and other tribes of the cy of this territory lower Missouri district,) and others by the mound build- whose domain extended over the west- ers, who were an agri- ern prairies between the Mississippi cultural or shepherd to the Rocky Mountains and from the race rather than hun- Sas'katch'-a-wan to the Red river of ters, game became very plenty. The Texas. Indians who relied upon the chase for

These two great streams of savages a livelihood, learned of these delightful came first against each other in the hunting grounds and took possession. valley of the upper Mississippi and

There came from the St. Lawrence then turned southward. The Algon- region, the Algonquin or Delaware quins from the east seem to have out- stock that embraced the Delawares, flanked the Sionx and began to oc- (sometimes called Lenni Lenapi,) the cupy that part of Iowa that lies south Chip'-pe-was, Shaw'-nees, Ottawas, of a line extending from the mouth of Pot-ta-wat-tamies, Nar-ra-gan'setts, the Iowa river in Louisa county, to Illinois, Pow'-ha-tans, (a confederacy the mouth of the Big Sioux near Sioux of thirty-three tribes) Sac and Fox City; and the Sioux occupied the ter- and other tribes to the number of ritory north of this line.

thirty or forty. All of these spoke dialects of the same language and oc-

I-THE ALGONQUINS.

The Algonquins were represented cupied the territory that extends on Iowa soil by the Chippewas from from the upper Mississippi to the At- the Lake Superior region, the Sac and lantic, and from South Carolina as far Fox tribes from the vicinity of Green north as Hudson's Bay .. From the Bay, Wisconsin; the Ottawas and Pot- northwest there came a more savage tawattamies from the country south horde known as the Sioux (Soo) or of the Great Lakes, and the Illinois Dakota (allies as they called them- from the Illinois river district.

selves) families that included the Da-

The Chippewas were a powerful kotas proper, the Assiniboin (rebels tribe that ranged formerly over most . because they withdrew from the con- of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minneso- federacy about 1600 and settled in the ta and were constantly at war with Assiniboin river district,) the Win-ne- the Sioux and others of their neigh- ba'-goes, (parent stock of the Iowas, bors. They took sides with the Eng- Kansas, Quappas or Arkansas, Oma- lish in the Revolutionary war of 1776

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

and again in 1812. They number at latter is a part ofthe original hunt- present about 20,000 and are located ing ground of the Iowas. These In- on thirteen reservations in the above dians number about 450, and this year named states and are making gratify- (1898) have harvested for their own ing progress in civilization. support, 1,000 bushels of wheat, 2,000

The Ottawas in 1650 were driven by bushels of oats and 20,000 bushels of the Iroquois, (at one time the most corn. powerful confederation of Indians on II-THE SIOUX (SOO) OR DAKOTAS. the American continent and some- The Sioux or Dakotas, the other great family, were represented in Iowa by the Dakotas proper, from the up- per Mississippi region, the Winneba- goes from the country west of Lake Michigan, the Iowas identified with the Iowa River district, and the Otoes (now united with the Missouries,) the Omahas, Sissetons and Yanktons. times called the "Six Nations,") be- yond the Mississippi only to be forced back a little later by the Sioux. They then settled near Mackinaw, Michigan. They aided the French in their war with Great Britain in this country, known as the French and In- dian War of 1754, and aided the En- glish in the Revolutionary War. The tribe has been reduced to a mere handful and they have been moved to Indian Territory.

The Pottawattamies were driven from Michigan into Wisconsin by the Iroquois. They were allied with the French in their wars against the Iro- quois and participated in the Indian conspiracy led by Pontiac, chief of the Ottawas, who besieged the city of De- troit for eleven months in the year 1769. In the wars of the colonists with Great Britain they aided the lat- ter. In 1838 most of them were re- moved to a reservation in Kansas. Most of these became citizens and abandoned the tribalrelation. Of the others, some are in Kansas, some in Indian Territory and the remainder became wanderers.

The Omahas after a fatal visitation of small pox that greatly reduced their numbers, wandered westward to the Niobrara river and together with the Otoes have been located on reser- vations in eastern Nebraska.

The Yanktons in 1803, when Lewis and Clark made their remarkable tour of discovery through the northiwest, were found in northwest Iowa. The description given by them of these Yanktons is that they were "strong, well-proportioned, bold and dignified." They found a brotherhood among them consisting of a chosen few, the bold, athletic ones, who vowed they would never say die or give up a pur- pose formed, for anything. They camped and held their pow-wows sep- arate from the balance of the tribe. In council their word was law. While making a trip to the Black Hills they

The Sac and Fox tribes were united about the beginning of this century. met the Kites, and eighteen of the They originally occupied the southern twenty-two that formed this brother- part of Wisconsin, especially the Fox hood, licked the dust in an engage- river district, and also the Rock river ment that ensued.

district in Illinois. In 1832 they were The Sioux nation, for many years, conducted across the Mississippi and has been the most powerful of all the united with the Iowas. A little later Indian tribes of North America. The all were removed to the Sac river dis- chiefs and warriors of this tribe have trict, Missouri, but subsequently were been noted for their "fine physique, located on special reservations, one in great personal courage and great skill Indian Territory, the other in Tama in warfare." Though slow to adopt Township, Tama County, Iowa, The civilization their intellectual powers

THE INDIANS OF IOWA.

compare favorably with those of most French in their early wars with the other tribes. Their number at pres- English, and the latter in the time of ent is about 40,000, divided into twen- the Revolution and the war of 1812. ty-one sub-tribes that are more or less The Winnebagoes, some time pre- independent of each other. Their vious, or about the time of their re- reservations include 108,450 square moval to Iowa, seceded from the Con- miles and they range over most of the federacy of the Sioux and became the unsettled portion of the Dakotas, east- allies of the Sac and Fox tribe. This ern Montana and north-eastern Wy- placed them on bad terms with the oming.

Sioux, their neighbors on the north,

The history of the Sioux has, from in the northeastern part of Iowa, and the first, been one of war, and their trespassing on each others' hunting name a terror to their Indian neigh- grounds afforded pretext for continued bors, as well as to the whites. In war between them. To remedy this their progress toward the east they difficulty, on the 15th of July, 1830, the encountered the Chippewas, who at United States Government entered that time formed a tribe sufficiently into a treaty with the above named powerful to cope with them. After a tribes by which each of them ceded long continued warfare with the to the Government a strip of land Chippewas they were driven back into twenty miles in width along their line Minnesota.

of division from the Mississippi, (vi-

In 1857 a band invaded the settle- cinity of Prairie du Chien,) in a ments along the Little Sioux river in southwesterly direction to the the Des Moines river. This strip, "neutral ground" and both parties

this state committing depredations at mouth of the Boone or head waters of first, but murder at Lake Okoboji and vicinity, known as the Spirit Lake forty miles in width, was called the Massacre. Again in 1862 the bands in Minnesota fell upon the white settlers were to have the privilege, in common, and a terrible massacre ensued. As a of hunting and fishing upon this broad result of these outbreaks they were division line. placed on reservations in the Dakotas.

THE BLACKHAWK WAR.

"Far from the tumult fled the roe,

Close in her covert cower'd the doe,

The hurricane had swept the glen."

For a number of years previous to constant presence of large bodies of 1825 the Winnebagoes and their neigh- troops. In 1875 and 1876, the chief, bors, the Sac and Fox tribe, had pos- Sitting Bull, at the head of a large session of and worked the lead mines body of warriors maintained a success- in southern Wisconsin. These mines ful resistance against all the troops had been known from the earliest days that were brought against him of exploration by the French, and had and finally escaped across the bound- attracted a mining population of con- ary line into the domain of Canada siderable extent. The encroachments with the bulk of his followers.

of the whites led to hostilities with

The Winnebagoes at the time of the the Winnebagoes in 1828 and as a re- advent of the whites, formed the van- sult the entire lead region was ceded guard of the eastward migration of to the government and the Indians the Sioux and were found in the vi- agreed to occupy the territory west of cinity of Winnebago Lake and Green the Mississippi.

Bay, Wisconsin, They also aided the

These Indians were reluctant to

The bands inhabiting the country farther west were in a state of almost constant hostilities with the whites Till, far beyond her piercing ken, until 1877 and the protection of the border settlements required almost

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

leave their villages and the hunting the other families of Indians in cus- grounds they had occupied for several toms, language and almost everything. generations, and their removal by the Schoolcraft, the great Indian author- government was immediately followed ity says, their feasts, sacrifices, burnt- by the Black Hawk War of 1832.

offerings and supplications to the

Black Hawk was a brave and noted Great Spirit, etc., remind him of sim- chief of the Sac and Fox who aided ilar customs and observances among the British at Detroit in the War of the Asiatic tribes before the Christ- 1812, and, until he was complete- ly subdued, never had a friendly feel- ing toward the government of this country. The principal village of his

ian era. Another authority claims they have descended from the Tar- tars of Asia. They have often been alluded to as the Arabs of Western tribe was located on the Rock River, America and their fondness for war three miles above its mouth or near the present city of Rock Island.

Having been removed to Iowa in 1831 without his consent, in the spring of the following year he re-crossed the Mississippi with a band of 200 warriors and on May 14, 1832, won a victory over the first force that was raised against him. But in three different engage- ments with United States troops at Galena, June 24th, at Blue Mounds July 21st, and a little later near the Mississippi, he was defeated and his power completely broken. He fled but was captured by the Winnebagoes and delivered to the government. After an imprisonment in Fortress Monroe for a year, he was taken to several of the principal cities of this country that he might see the folly of contending against the whites. When released to go to his country- men, he was deeply moved, as he pas- sed the village where he was born, where he had lived so happily, and where he hoped to die, for he found it occupied by another and himself a wanderer. He passed the remainder of his days with his tribe in lowa, and died in 1849.

SIOUX OUTLAWS.

has been proverbial.

When the cabin of the white settler began to break the monotony of the prairies of northern Iowa this tribe sought less molested hunting grounds in Dakota and Minnesota, but a band of Sioux outlaws, chiefly from the Sisseton tribe continued to roam over this section of country. Having mur- dered an aged chief, they had been expelled from the main tribe, but had drawn strength from other tribes un- til they numbered about 500 at the time when settlements were first made in Webster, Cherokee and Woodbury counties. They were then under Si- dom'-i-na-do-ta, (Two-Fingers) and as wanderers moved from place to place without regularity. As Pocahontas county was slow to receive settlers, they spent much of their time in this county.

These Indians were in league with another band of desperadoes, who re- sided along the St. Peter's river in Minnesota, of whom Young-Sleepy- Eyes was the chief. These two bands lived in a state of almost constant outlawry upon other tribes and some- times united in waging war against the Pottawattamies in the southwest,

The Sioux, in an early day, had no or the Sac and Fox tribes in the south- chief. This was an unnecessary lux- east part of the state. The early set- ury with them until they had deal- tlers tell of battles fought by them at ings with the British which required various places, as at Adel, Mud Lake, a spokesman and Wah-ba-shaw was Hamilton county, and along the banks the first to hold this position. of the Cedar, Skunk, Iowa, and upper

They were entirely different from Des Moines rivers, and Pilot Creek

THE INDIANS OF IOWA.

in Pocahontas county.

INDIAN BATTLES. *

"The battle at Adel occurred in the learned the exact position of the

year 1841, at which time the Sac and Fox tribe was encamped in the vicin- In the morning, after many of their warriors had gone on a hunt, they swooped down upon the unsus- pecting Sioux when they were not prepared to make a successful resist- ance. For a short time the conflict was desperate, but the advantage was all on the side of the attacking party, and the Sioux were completely van- quished. Sixteen of them were killed, including some women and children. ity of Des Moines. A party of twen- ty-four Delawares who were return- ing from Nebraska to visit the Sac and Fox tribe, with whom they were on friendly terms, were followed by a band of these Sioux, overtaken in the vicinity of Adel and in the bloody conflict that ensned, there fell twenty- three of the former and twenty-six of the latter. The only Delaware that survived through concealment in the The Musquakies lost four braves. grass, hastened to the Sac and Fox They charged into the village after the first fire and a noted warrior was killed by a squaw, who sent two ar- rows through his body. But few of the Sioux warriors escaped and all their dead were left unburied. Aft- er the fight the Musquakies hastily re- turned to their village in Tama county."

village, related the terrible fate of his companions and immediately five hundred warriors under Pa-slie-ta-ho, then eighty years of age, mounted their ponies, started in hot pursuit of the ruffians, and, overtaking them about 100 miles north of Adel, com- pletely routed them, killing many, and sustaining a loss of seven of their own number.

Another battle that occurred six miles north of Algona on the east branch of the Des Moines river is of historic interest. When in 1869 A. R. Fulton visited this spot he found "portions of skeletons mercilessly in- dented with tomahawk marks, and other relics of the battle." His ac- count of the battle is in part as fol- lows: "In April, 1852, a portion of the Musquakie (Fox) tribe, then and still residing in Tama county, under the leadership of Ko-ko-wab, went north by the way of Clear Lake to what was then called the Neutral Ground. While encamped at Clear Lake, their scouts brought informa- tion that a band of their old enemy, the Sioux, were encamped over on the east branch of the Des Moines. Ko- ko-wah with sixty warriors proceeded to attack them. They arrived in the "Reveille, Feb, 20, 1896,

night and concealed themselves in the timber, a mile above the Sioux en- campment, where, unperceived, they enemy.

Si-dom-i-na do-ta's band was en- gaged in battle with the Pottawatta- mies at Twin Lakes and on the South Lizard, where they were victorious and the war between these two tribes was at an end in Iowa.

We next hear of this notorious band of Indians in 1848 in Webster county, a short distance south of Fort Dodge, where they notified a party of survey- ors who were establishing a correction line across the state, not to go west of the Des Moines river as that was their territory. After serving this notice they departed and the surveyors con- tinued their work, but when they had proceeded a short distance west of the river the band returned and surround- ed the surveyors. They broke their instruments, stole their horses and provisions, and destroyed their land- marks, thereby convincing them they had better go no further into their territory. After this, Si-dom-i-na-do- tas' band again comes into notice by

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

reason of their frequent robberies of the state; thence to. the high lands the new-comers who had located above between the 'waters falling into the Boone and were waiting for the new Missouri and_Des Moines, passing to lands west of the river to be opened said highlands along the dividing for settlement or purchase. The mil- ridge between the . uforks { { of itary post at Fort Dodge was opened the Grand ___ river; thencegoalong in 1850, the time had come for the ad- the

highlands that form the vancement of the whites and these dividing ridge, separating the waters outlaws could no longer prevent the of the Missouri from those of the Des occupation of the territory by them." Moines, to a point opposite the source WESTERN IOWA INDIAN TREATY. of the Boyer river, and thence in a di- rect line to the upper fork of the Des Moines river, the place of beginning."

This treaty went into effect on Feb- ruary 24, 1831, by .¿ proclamation; and the settlement by the whites began at once, though at first,but few families had the daring to take up their homes in this wild country at that time.

Western Iowa was ceded by the In- dians to the United States on July 15, 1830. The Sac, Fox, Western Sioux, Omaha, Iowa and Missouri Indians sold this large tract of land to the Government and in consideration therefor, they received as follows: Sacs, $3,000; Foxes, $3,000; Sioux, $2,000; Yankton and Santee bands of the Sioux, $3,000; Omahas, $2,500; Otoes and Missouris, $2,500; total, $16,000. This amount was paid to the Indians in annual installments for ten years, and provision was made for farm implements for the Indians and schools for their children.

At the time of this sale western Iowa abounded in buffalo, elk and deer, and the streams abounded with fish. The Indians lived off the game and were loath to give up their fine hunting. grounds. They made :. no further claim to the lands after the treaty, but there were frequent out- breaks of the different tribes, and sev- eral times it became necessary; to call the Federal Troops to the assistance of the organized companies of pioneers. Reservations were set aside for the Indians, but it was with considerable trouble for many years that they were kept within bounds.

This treaty was negotiated and com- pleted on behalf of the Government by William Clark, Superintendent of In- dian Affairs, and Col. Willoughby Morgan, of the first United States In- fantry. The boundaries described in the treaty were as follows: "Beginning at the upper fork of the Des Moines river, and passing the sources of the The location of troops at Fort Dodge Little Sioux and Floyd rivers, to the in 1850 awed the Indians in the north- fork of the first creek that falls into ern part of the state and settlers east the Big Sioux river, or Calumet, on of the river were not molested, but in the east side; thence down said creek 1853 the troops were unwisely removed and Calumet river to the Missouri and the Indians very soon afterward river, thence to the Missouri state inaugurated a reign of terror among line above the Kansas; thence along the settlers as far east as the Cedar said line to the northwest corner of river.

THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE.

III.

THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE AND PRELIMINARY EVENTS.

"Westward the Star of Empire takes its Way."

I-REMOVAL OF FORT DODGE MILITARY POST.

HEN the military John Lemp, purchased from the state post was established of Iowa the section of land on which at Fort Dodge in the garrison had been stationed; and 1850 the Indians de- in March of the following year, 1854, serted the east side, platted thereon the town site of Fort and the majority of Dodge, at which time, there were on them fell back from ten to twenty the ground, only two other men, miles on the west side of the Des James B. Williams and John M. Hef- ley, and one family, that of Wiliam Moines river to a region which at that date was as yet comparatively unex- Miller, besides himself. plored, an Indian territory. Although

After the removal of the troops the they were occasionally seen on the Indians became more impudent and opposite side of the river, apparently

annoying in their depredations, and to observe the movements of the for the protection of the frontier set- troops, it was nearly nine months be- tlers, who now began to arrive in con- fore any intercourse could be had with siderable numbers, Governor Hemp- them. By the treaty of 1851 they stead, in 1854, and also his successor ceded the last of their lands in Iowa to Governor Grimes, empowered Major the Government, but as in the case of Williams to keep them in check, and previous treaties, they were permitted to raise men for this purpose if neces- to occupy them for hunting and fish- sary. The roving bands that inhabited ing until the arrival of white settlers this portion of Iowa became very upon the domain thus ceded. In 1852 friendly to the Major, his word to them some robberies were reported on the was law, and he succeeded in keeping Boyer river and a detachment of them peaceably disposed until Henry troops from Fort Dodge overtaking Lott, a desperate character of Web- the culprits, held Ink-pa-du-ta and ster county, waylaid and shot Si-dom'- Um-pa-sho-ta, two of the chiefs, a i-na-do-ta, chief of the Sissetons or few days, until the stolen property Sioux out-laws, and murdered his was returned.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 4

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846 Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058