An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota, Part 6

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Jackson, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 720

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

branch of the Des Moines river (in Humboldt county. lowa), where he was living in the winter and early spring of 185t. lis wife had died previous to the time and the small children were given in charge of his old neigh- bors, only his stepson. now a young man, at- companying him to his new home. He was still intent on trading with the Indians. tak. ing with him a small stock of goods and two or three barrels of whiskey. Upon his arrival he learned that there was a family of In- dians encamped a few miles alove him on the river and conceived the idea of murdering the whole family in revenge for the Indians having unintentionally caused the death of hi- son.

So, taking his stepson, he proceeded to the Indian camp, which was occupied by Si-dom i- ma do-ta and wife, mother and six children. On reaching the camp he told Si-dom-i-na -do. ta that there was a drove of elk feeding only a short distance away. The unsuspecting Indian took his rifle. mounted a pony. and fol. lowed the white men upon toa prairie, where. sure enough, there was seen a herd of elk not far away. The Indian rode gladly away, anticipating a rare treat in killing a fine elk and thus replenishing his larder. He had gone but a few rods when both men raised their guns and fired, killing the Indian instant 1. They then returned to the camp and proceeded to murder the whole family. as they supposed, with the exception of one girl, some seven or eight years old, who slip- ped out under the walls of the tepee and made her escape. She hid in the bushes not far away until Lott and his son had cum- pleted their bloody work and left: then she returned to the tepee and found her relatives all murdered. However, in looking them over. she discovered signs of life in her oldest brother, and, bringing some water, she threw it in his face and brought him to. He had bren knocked in the head with an ax or hatchet. but was not seriously injured. The boy and girl remained two or three days at the tepee in the hope that some of their friends would come and find them. but none reming. they struck out for a family of white people whom they know lived on the west fork of the Des Moines, some fifteen miles distant. They reached this place in safety and told their terrible story. It was not long until the Indians became aware of the mur- ders and they demanded that the whites de- liver Lott and his son over to them, to be dealt with according to the Indian idea of ret- ribution.

The settlers for thirty miles or more around engaged in a hunt for Lott and his son, but they were unable to find them. for Lott well knew what would be his fate if he fell into the hands of the enraged red men. So, im- mediately after committing his atrocious deed. he hitched up his team and started for Fort Des Moines. There he joined a party of Mor- mons who were about to start across the plains for Salt Lake, and as he had several

days start before the murders became known he had no difficulty in making his escape.

I afterward learned from reliable authority that Lott finally reached Oregon, at that time a very sparsely settled territory, inhabited by several tribes of Indians who waged almost incessant warfare against the white settlers. There he joined a band of Indian- and fought the whites with his red brethren. After one of the many fights the whites had with the Indians, in the spring of 1857, in which the lat - ter were defeated, there was found left among the dead the body of Lott. it being recognized by a young man who had known him while He lived on the Des Moines. The manner of hi- taking off seemed to be the exception of a not unrighteous judgment.

After the murder of Si-dom-i-na-do-ta in 1854 Inkpaduia became the recognized leader of the outlaw Sioux and continued operations in southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, atal was very annoy- ing to the settlers on the frontier.

In July. 1851. there was a big scare among the settlers of the whole of northern

"There is a conflict of anthority In regard to these outlaws and especially in regard to their leaders, Si-dom-i-na-do-ta and Inkpaduta. lowa authorities convey the impression that there was at all times only one band, of which Si-dom-i- na-do-ta was the leader, with Inkpaduta as second in command, and that the latter as- sumed the chieftanship upon the death of the former. Minnesota authorities state that after the removal of the Saes and Foxes from Iowa in Iste there were two bands, one operating in lowa under Si-dom-i-na-do-ta. while a few others remained on the upper Des Moines un- der the leadership of Inkpadula. Mr. Holcomhe. in Minnesota in Three Centuries, very clearly explains the relationship between the two no- torious outlaw leaders, and calls attention to errors made by Towa historians:

"Now, certain misinformed people have been Ind to believe that the Spirit Lake and Spring- til murders were perpetrated by the Indians in retaliation for the murder of Sintommince Doota ISI-dom-i-na-do-tal and his family by llenry Loft and his son. It is asserted by some lowa historians (Major Williams. before men- tioned, seems to have started the story) that Sintomminer Doota and Inkpaduta were broth- ors, and that the latter when he slew the pro- ple at Spirit lake and cut off their heads, dash- od out the brains of the little ones against trees and houses and ravished the women and girls of the lowa settlement. was merely tak- Ing Vengeance for the loss of his brother.

"The truth is. Inkpadnta was a Wahpakuota Sioux. his family were all members of that band. from southeastern Minnesota, while All Over Bed [SI-dom-1-na-do-tal was a Sisseton, from the upper Minnesota. It is doubtful whether Inkpaduta ever heard the partienlars of All Over Red's murder; it is certain that he would nut have been concerned if he had. With him it was every man for himself. he never had a .entiment so noble and dignified as that of revenge, and would not turn on his heel to ro- talinte for the slaughter of his nearest friend. Of all the base characters among his fellow out - laws. his nature seems to have been the vilest. and his heart the blackest Ho murdered his own people even those of his own band. Il. killed one of his companions to have his wife in safety."

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Iowa, the trouble originating at Clear lake, where a party of three or four Win- nebagoes met a young Sioux alone and kil- led him. The murderers sought protection at the homes of two white settlers at Clear lake, Messrs. Hewitt and Dickerson, who had settled there in 1831. These set- tlers were friendty to the Winnebagoes and assisted in getting them to a place of safety. The Sioux under Inkpa- duta were in an ugly mood over the occur- rence, searched the house of one of the white settlers, and threatened vengeance. The whites became alarmed and gathered at the home of Mr. Dickerson. It was decided to form a company and drive the Sioux from the neighborhood. According- ly twenty-five whites. under the leader- ship of a man by the name of Long, pro- ceeded to the Sioux camp and demanded that the Sioux leave the vicinity at once, which the Indians relnetantly agreed to do and did.

After having been so summarily driven from the Clear lake country, Inkpaduta and his band returned to his old hunting grounds on the upper Des Moines and about the lakes in Dickinson county, Iowa. They continued to annoy the few set- tlers along the Des Moines and its tribu- taries during the summer of 1855. During the year 1856 they were comparatively peaceful, and no fear seems to have been felt by the whites of the older settled por- tions of the country or by those who push- ed farther out on the frontier-among them those who came to the Springfield settlement.

Now, having told of the origin and hav- ing given a brief history of this outlaw band from the time of its organization, let us take a look at it as it was when the settlement at Springfield was founded in 1856 and then consider some events that led to the terrible massacres in the spring of 1857. In 1855 Inkpaduta and his war-

riors appeared at the Sioux agency and re- ceived annuities for cleven persons, al- though they were not identified with any regular band or a party to any treaty. They appeared again in 1856 and demanded a share of the money to be paid to the Wah- pakoota tribe. This time they were re- fused and made a great deal of trouble, but were forced to return to their haunts on the Bix Sioux river.8 At the time of the massacre the band consisted of about a dozen warriors and their women and children.

After having spent the summer of 1856 in the Big Sioux country, Inkpaduta and his band set out on a trip to their old hunting grounds and. as has been previ- ously stated, appeared at the Springfield settlement in the fall. From their camp at Springfield they proceeded to the lakes in Dickinson county, where they fished and hunted and visited the homes of the whites settlers. as they had done at Springfield, partaking of the whites' hospitality and thus gaining accurate knowledge of the number in each house, and making themselves familiar with the conditions and surroundings. From this settlement they procceded to the Little Sioux river, camping a few days at each of the large groves.

The Indians spent several days in the vicinity of the home of the Wilcox broth- ers, bachelors, who lived on the Little Sioux, and then went down the river to what was known as the Bell and Weaver cabin, situated near the present location of Sionx Rapids, and occupied by Mr. Weaver and his wife and his brother-in- law, Mr. Bell. From that point they con- tinned down the river, stopping at each settlement a few days to hunt and trap and enjoy the hospitalities of the whites. They passed the settlements at Peterson and Cherokee and the few settlers between

6Paper read by Judge Charles E. Flandreau before the Minnesota Historical Society.

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

them until they finally reached the town of Smithland, which was located on the bank of the Little Sioux, just above where it merges from the bluffs and flows out into the wide Missouri bottom. Smithland was then a little town of about a dozen buildings. It was an older settlement than those the Indians had before visited and the whites there knew, or at least had heard, something of the doings of this band in former years, so they did not ex- tend hospitality, as had been done by the newer settlements.

tukpaduta and his outlaws camped near the own and commenced begging and stealing food for themselves and their ponies, much to the annoyance of the pco- ple of Smithland. Fort the first time on the trip the Indians were not received kindly and for the first time they became insolent. A number of incidents occurred which aroused the wrath of the whites and caused the Indians to become more sullen and disagreeable.º Relations be- tween the white and red men had reached this stage when the settlers decided to order the Indians to leave.

Four or five determined men armed themselves and proceeded to within a few rods of the Indian camp. when to their surprise they found Inkpaduta and his warriors armed and prepared to fight. They ordered the settlers nol to approach and when the order was not heeded the Indians fired their guns over the heads of the whites, who then returned to town. The subject of the actions of the Indians was discussed and the settlers concluded

Pone moralng Mr. Smith, the founder of the town, caught an Indian stenling corn from his erlh and gave the redskin a sound cuffing. The Indians alleged that at another time while they were in pursuit of elk they had some difficulty with the settlers, claiming that the whites in- terrupted the chase. It is saldl that an Indian waar bitten by a dog belonging to one of the Seitters, that the Indian killed the dog, and that the owner of the dog then gave the Indian n severe beating and took his gun from him. Another time. it is sold, the settlers drove off a party of squaws who were stealing hay and corI.

that they did not care to feed so many Indians when it was difficult to get enough food for their own families, and that notice should be given that they must leave. Accordingly all the men gathered together and went to the Indian camp and disarmed the band, telling them they must leave the next morning, and that they might call for their guns then. The Indians did not call for their weapons. but left without them.

The Indians, who claimed that they were on their way to visit their friends, the Omahas, who at that time lived just across the Missouri river. now changed their plans entirely and returned over the route by which they had come. Their fracas with the people of Smithland had put them in an ugly temper and they at once began depredations upon the exposed and scattered settlements, although they did not shed human blood until they were on the extreme frontier.

At the first house they came to after leaving Smithland. the occupants being ignorant of the troubles at the latter place. the Indians seized the guns of the inmales. They then rasacked the cabin, taking all the money they could find and what trink- ets pleased their fancy. Inkpaduta and his warriors and squaws continued in a northeasterly direction toward Cherokee, helping themselves lo provisions and in some places killing cattle to supply them- selves with meat. As the settlers along this route were from ten to twenty miles apart, and as the snow was of enormous depth, preventing travel. one selller did not know what was happening to his neighbor. so cach in turn fell easy prey 'o the vagabonds and none offered resis- lence.

Some fifty miles above Smithland was a little settlement of abont a dozen houses, founded by a colony of adventurous men from Massachusetts and named Cherokee.

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

The people of this village had, in some manner, learned of the outrages commit- ted below and had hidden their guns, provisions and such valuables as the In- dians would be likely to take.10 Thiis ac- tion caused the Indians to become very angry and they threatened to take the lives of the settlers unless the hidden property was produced. Only by a nar- row margin was a massacre averted. The whites were generally firm and the In- dians got but little from the settlement. They had the satisfaction, however, of killing most of the stock before leaving.

At one cabin in Cherokee three bachel- ors who lived there did not hide their guns, nor did they propose to give them up. This action resulted in threats to shoot by both parties and bloodshed was narrowly averted. When the whites re- fused to give up their weapons the Indians cocked their guns and pointed them at the men, sticking the muzzles almost in their faces. The whites acted instantly and brought their weapons to bear upon the reds in the same way. For a time it looked as though some one would surely get hurt, but neither party fired and finally the In- dians lowered their weapons. Before they left they succeeded in getting hold of one of the men, dragged him from the cabin, wrenched his gun away from him, and beat and kieked him severely, breaking several of his ribs. His companions finally got him inside the cabin and fastened the door. This so enraged the Indians that they fired several shots through the door, but none of the occupants was hit. The whites did not return the fire.

10"At this place the whites had heard some- thing of the trouble before the arrival of Ink- paduta and his band, and, I presume, had they gathered together in one of the log houses, they might easily have defended themselves against this small band, but they were in the midst of an Indian country, and should they fire upon and kill any of the redskins, it was supposed that it would precipitate the whole Sioux nation upon themselves and other de- fenseless settlers. I might here remark that the same idea and feeling prevailed among nearly all the people on the frontier at that time."-Jareb Palmer.

As the savages proceeded up the Little Sioux they became still bolder and more insolent, stealing all the horses from the settlers, destroying all the property that was too bulky for them to take with them, and in several instances ravishing white women. From Cherokee they pro- ceeded to Peterson, in Clay county, where the story of their ontrages having preced- ed them, the settlers had secreted their weapons, provisions and valuables. But by bullying and abusing the settlers the Indians compelled many to produce their hidden stores, of which the outlaws took what they wanted. At this place they took two girls, aged seventeen and twelve years, to their camp. The younger they released the next day, but the older girl they kept in their camp more than a week. When they were ready to leave the young lady was permitted to return to her home.

From Peterson the red devils proceeded to the cabin of Bell and Weaver. Here they committed all kinds of deviltry, some so revolting as to be unfit to print. Among other things, the Indians amused them- selves by compelling Mr. Bell to stand against the wall while they threw their long knives and stuck them in the wall around his head. After the redskins had left. Mr. Bell and Mr. and Mrs. Weaver started out on foot across the trackless and snow-covered prairie in seeming fu- tile attempt to reach Fort Dodge, fifty miles away. After enduring the most in- tense suffering from fatigue, hunger and exposure, the fugitives reached Fort Dodge and were the first to bring intelli- gence of the dangerous situation on the frontier.

Major William Williams, of Fort Dodge, had been authorized by the lowa legislature to take measures for the protection of the frontier should he deem it to be in dan- ger. Therefore he at once organized a company of fifty men and was soon on his

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

way to the settlements on the Little Sionx. Upon his arrival he found that the In- dians had gone. After learning the par- ticulars of the atrocities committed, Ma- jor Williams, instead of following the In- dians, as it would seem it was his duty to do, gave what relief he could to the people who had suffered at the hands of the Indians and then returned home.11

From the Bell and Weaver cabin Ink- paduta and his Indians went to the Wil- toA cabin, where they continued their dop- redations, but fortunately there were no women there. They took three horses be- longing to the Wilcox brothers and then proceeded eastward to the Okoboji lakes settlement.

Such was the gang of desperadoes ap- proaching the exposed settlements and the unsuspecting settlers on the extreme fron- tier at Okoboji lakes and at Springfield. No warning had they that inkpaduta and his ruffian band, who had been peaceably inclined on their visit in the fall, was re- turning in a far different mood. bent on murder.

The Indians arrived in the vicinity of Okoboji lakes on the evening of March :12 and went into camp near the cabin of Mr. Mattock, where Arnold's Park is now. The band consisted of fifteen warriors,

"It is barely possible that Major Williams did not know that there Were white settlers in the direction in which the Indians had gone. Mr. Jareb Palmer has written of this possibility as follows:

"On reaching the Little Sioux he 1Major Wil- liamos] found that the Indians had left, they having gone In the direction of Spirit lake. The settlement at Spirit lake was of so recent date that I presume the major was ignorant of Its existence and it is possible that he had never "Von heard of Spirit lake Itself, as it was only just beginning to be talked about."

"This is undoubtedly the date of their ar- rival and is the one given by Mrs. Sharp. Judge Flandrean says they must have arrived on the 6th or 7th. R. A. Smith, In his history of Dickinson county, gives an carller date and says: "A letter found upon the ground writ- ten by Dr. Harriot, dated March 5 (two days before the mass ere, referred to the fact that the Indians were camped there, that they were on friendly terms with them and that they had done some trading with them. Other matters wore referred to in the letter which showed that they had no suspicions of danger." It is very probable that the Indians who arrived ho- fare the 7th were members of some other band, or. possibly, sconts from the renegade band.

including Inkpaduta, with the squaws, papooses and the usual complement of ponies, dogs and other appartenances of an Indian camp. On the morning of the Sth began the awful massacre. No white person knows the particulars of the be- ginning of the butchery, for at the Mat- tork home, where it began, all were killed. The killing of the settlers continued for several days, at the end of which time every white person in the Spirit lake coun- try, with the exception of four women captives, was murdered, while none of the Indians, so far as is known, was harmed.

It is not my intention to go into the details of this butchery at Okoboji lakes. commonly called the Spirit lake mas- saere.13 but to simply give a few facts concerning it, that the reader may gain an idea of the temper of the Indians when they attacked Springfield. In fact, the only approach to an authentic account of the massacre is that given by Mrs. Abbie Gardner-Sharp, and her story is confined principally to the events at her father's house.

When the Indians appeared in the set- tement on the morning of March & they continued the insolent, overbearing man- ner they had employed on the Little Sioux. those of the whites who came in contact with them noticing that they dis- played their sullenness and insolence to an unusual degree. Some of the settlers became alarmed. but others professed to believe that the Indians were simply in one of then peevish moods, and scouted the idea of any serious trouble. At break- fast time an Indian came to the home of Rowland Gardner, one of the prominent settlers of the place, and was given his breakfast. He was followed by others

"(huit of about forty people killed in this mas- stero only one was killed on Spirit lake; the others had their homes on the Okoboji lakes. At the time the whole lake country of Dickin- son county was known as the Spirit lake coun- try: hence the commonly applied name of the massacre.

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

until the whole fighting force, including Inkpaduta and his fourteen warriors, with their squaws and papooses, were in the house, and all were fed. Suddenly they became sullen, demanding ammunition and numerous other things, and not hav- ing all their requests granted, attempted to shoot one of the inmates. They prowl- ed around the place until noon and then went away, taking Mr. Gardner's cattle with them and shooting them on the way back to camp.

The Indians returned to this home in the afternoon, took Miss Abbie Gardner, then fourteen years of age, prisoner, and murdered the rest of the family. Miss Gardner (now Mrs. Sharp) has graphi- cally described the murder of her family in her History of the Spirit Lake Mas- sacre, from which I quote:

About three o'clock we heard the report of guns, in rapid succession, from the house of Mr. Mattock. We were, then, no longer in doubt as to the awful reality that was hang- ing over us. Two long hours we passed in this fearful anxiety and suspense, waiting and watching, with contlieting hopes and fears, for Mr. Luce and Mr. Clark [who had gone to warn some of the neighbors] to return. At length, just as the sun was sinking behind the western horizon, shedding its brilliant rays over the snowy landscape, father, whose anx- iety would no longer allow him to remain within doors, went out to reeonnoiter. He, however, hastily returned, saying: "Nine In- dians are coming, now only a short distance from the house, and we are all doomed to die." Ilis first thought was to barricade the door and fight till the last, saying: "While they are killing all of us, I will kill a few of them with the two loaded guns still left in the house." But to this mother protested, having not yet lost all faith in the savage monsters, and still hoping they would appre- ciate our kindness and spare our lives she said: "If we have to die, let us die innocent of shedding blood."

Alas, for the faith placed in these inhuman monsters! They entered the house and de- manded more flour; and, as father turned to get them what remained of our seanty store, they shot him through the heart; he fell upon his right side and died without a struggle. When first the Indian raised his gun to fire, mother or Mrs. Luce seized the gun and drew it down; but the other Indians instantly turn- ed upon them, seized them by the arms, and beat them over the head with the butts of

their guns; then dragged them out of doors and killed them in the most eruel and shoek- ing manner.

They then began an indiscriminate destrue- tion of everything in the house; breaking open trunks and taking ont elothing, cutting open feather beds, and seattering the feathers everywhere. When the Indians entered the house, and during these awful seenes, I was seated in a chair, holding my sister's baby in my arms; her little boy on one side, and my little brother on the other, elinging to me in terror. They next seized the children, tearing them from me one by one, while they reached their little arms to me, crying piteously for protection that I was powerless to give. Heed- les> of their eries, they dragged them out of doors and beat them to death with sticks of stovewood.

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An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota, Part 6

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Jackson, Minn. : Northern History Number of Pages: 720

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Jackson, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 720