An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota, Part 4

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Marshall, Minn. : Northern History Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 726

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10Most of Catlin's distances were overestimated. The distance from the mouth of the Cottonwood to the base of the coteau where he came upon it is only about seventy-two miles in a direct line; then he was about thirty-six miles from the quarries.

11"This tract of country, as well as that along the St. Peter's [Minnesota] river, is mostly covered with the richest soil and furnishes an abundance of good water, which feeds from a thousand living springs. For many miles we had the coteau in view in the distanee before us, which looked like a blue cloud settling down in the horizon, and we were scarcely

sensible of the faet when we had arrived at its base from the graceful and almost imperceptible swells with which it commences its elevation above the country around it."-North American Indians, by George Catlin .. . .

12From 1836 to 1843 Nicollet, most of the time assisted by Fremont, prosecuted a geographical survey of the upper Mississippi country. Ile explored nearly all portions of Minnesota and many other parts of the country theretofore unvisited. His operations in Southwestern Minnesota were quite extensive.

HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

side of the river and struck across country to the west. They passed through the southeast corner of Lyon county, about where the city of Tracy now stands, and passed around the north end of Lake Shetek. Thence they proceeded southwest ward, between Bear lakes, to the Pipestone quarries. 13

After spending three days at the Pipestone quarries, where is now situated the city of Pipestone, the Nicollet party visited and named Lake Benton (for Mr. Fremont's father-in-law, Senator Benton) and then proceeded westward into Dakota, visiting and naming Lakes Preston (for Senator Preston), Poinsett (for J. R. Poinsett, secretary of war), Abert, Thompson, Tetonkoha, Kam- peska and Hendricks. Before returning to civilization Nicollet visited Big Stone lake and other places to the north. He returned to the falls of St. Anthony by way of Joseph Renville's camp on the Lac qui Parle.

As a result of Nicollet's exploration several physical features of Lyon county and the immediate vicinity were given names and appeared on a map for the first time, all quite accurately located. Among them are St. Peter or Minisotah river (on which are shown Crooked rapids, Rock Bar rapids and Patterson's rapids), Tchanshayapi or Redwood R., Waraju [Cottonwood] R., Pejuta Zizi R. or Yellow Medicine R., L. Shetek

13On Nicollet's map, issued in 1843. his route to the quarries is indicated by a fine dotted line. This map at the time it was issued was the most complete and correct one of the upper Mississippi country. It covered all of Minnesota and Iowa, about one-half of Missouri, and mueh of the Dakotas, Wisconsin and Illinois. The author gave names to many streams and lakes and gave the first representation of the striking topographieal features of the western and northern parts of Minnesota. He located, by astronomieal observations, the numerous streams and lakes and the main geographieal features of the state, filling in by eye-sketehing and by paeing the intermediate objeets. Other explorers had visited and described the Coteau des Prairies, but Nicollet was the first one to define its boundaries on a map. He described the region west of the Mississippi as containing several plateaus, or elevated prairies, which marked the limits of the various river basins. The most remarkable of these, he declared, was the Plateau du Coteau des Prairies (plateau of prairie heights), a name bestowed by the earlier French explorers, and Coteau du Grand Bois

(designated as the head of the Moin- gonan [Des Moines] river), L. Benton and Red Pipestone Quarry. On his map the country along the Minnesota river is labeled Warpeton country and that further south Sissiton country.

The next recorded visit of white men was in 1844, when an expedition in charge of Captain J. Allen came up the Des Moines river, operating chiefly to chart that and other streams. He passed through Jackson, Cottonwood and Murray counties and came to Lake Shetek, which he decided was the source of the Des Moines river. He gave that body of water the name Lake of the Oaks and described it as remarkable for a singular arrangement of the penin- sulas running into it from all sides and for a heavy growth of timber that covered the peninsulas and the borders of the lake.

With Lake Shetek as temporary head- quarters, Captain Allen extended his explorations in several directions. He proceeded due north from the lake and crossed the Cottonwood and later the Redwood near the present site of Marshall. When thirty-seven miles north of Lake Shetek he turned east and crossed the Redwood again near the site of Redwood Falls. From the mouth of the Redwood he explored the south shore of the Minnesota river several miles up and down and returned to

(wooded heights). Nieollet deseribed the Coteau des Prairies as a vast plain, elevated 1916 feet above the level of the ocean and 890 feet above Big Stone lake, lying between latitudes forty-three and fortv-six degrees, extending from northwest to southeast for a distance of 200 miles, its width varying from fifteen to forty miles. On the map he loeated it as extending from a point a short distance northwest of Lake Traverse in a southeasterly direction into Iowa, in- eluding the western part of Lyon county.

Of the country through which he passed on his way to the quarries Nicollet wrote:

"Whatever people may fix their abode in this region must necessarily beeome agrieulturists and shepherds, drawing all their resources from the soil. They must not only raise the usual agricultural products for feeding, as is now but too generally done in some parts of the West, but they will have to turn their attention to other rural oeeupations, such as tending sheep for their wool, which would greatly add to their resources , as well as finally bring about a more extended applica- tion of the industrial arts among them."

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IIISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

Lake Shetek. " The expedition then set out for the west and went down the Big Sioux river to its mouth.

From events so far recorded it can be seen that up to the middle of the nine- teenth century the general knowledge of the country comprising Southwestern Minnesota was extremely limited. For a decade after Captain Allen passed through Lyon county in 1844 there are no records of the visits of other white men, although undoubtedly some of the traders who had headquarters on the Minnesota river trod its soil occasionally.

Excepting what these nomadic people of the Indian country knew, we find that when Minnesota Territory was created in 1849 the southwestern portion was a veritable terra incognita. 15 In fact, all the land west of the Mississippi river was still in undisputed ownership of the Sioux bands, and white men (excepting the licensed traders) had no rights whatever in the country. But the tide of immigration to the West had set in and settlers were elamoring for admission to the rich lands west of the river. In time the legal barrier was removed. 16

In the spring of 1851 President Fillmore, at the solicitation of residents of Minnesota Territory, directed that a treaty with the Sioux be made and

14"From Lizard creek of the Des Moines to the source of the Des Moines, and thence east to the St. Peter's, is a range for elk and common deer, but principally elk. We saw a great many of the elk on our route and killed many of them; they were some- times seen in droves of hundreds, but were always difficult to approach and very difficult to overtake in chase, except with a fleet horse and over good ground. No dependence eould be placed in this country for the subsistence of troops marching through it."-Captain Allen's Report.

15" Westward of the Mississippi river the country was unexplored and virgin. There were wide expanses of wild and traekless prairie, never traversed by a white man, which are now the highly developed eoun- ties of Southern and Southwestern Minnesota, with their fine and flourishing cities and towns and the other institutions that make for a state's eminence and greatness. Catlin had passed from Little Rock to the Pipestone quarry; Nicollet and his surveying party had gone over the same route and had traveled along the Minnesota. Sibley and Fremont had chased elk over the prairies in what are now Steele, Dodge, Freeborn and Mower counties; the Missouri cattle drovers had led their herds to Fort Snelling and up to

named as commissioners to conduct the negotiations Governor Alexander Ram- sey, ex-officio commissioner for Minne- sota, and Luke Lea, the national com- missioner of Indian affairs. These commissioners completed a treaty with the Sissiton and Wahpaton bands-the upper bands, as they were usually called at Traverse des Sioux (near the present site of St. Peter) during the latter part of July, 1851. Immediately thereafter the commissioners proceeded to Mendota (near St. Paul), where they were successful in making a treaty with the Wahpakoota and M'daywakanton bands.

The treaties were ratified, with im- portant amendments, by Congress in 1852. The amended articles were signed by the Indians in September, 1852, and in February of the next year President Fillmore proclaimed the treaties in force. By this important proceeding the future Lyon county passed from the ownership of the Sioux to the United States. By the two treaties there were transferred about 30,000,000 acres from 8000 Indians, the greater portion of the land lying in Minnesota.17 The price paid was about twelve and one-half cents per acre.

After the lands were ceded settlers poured into the country west of the

the Red River regions, but in all, not fifty white men had passed over the tract of territory now comprising Southern and Southwestern Minnesota when the territory was admitted in 1849."-Return I. Holcombe in Minnesota in Three Centuries.

16In 1841 a treaty was negotiated by J. B. Doty, governor of Wiseonsin, in councils held at Traverse des Sioux, Mendota and Wabasha, by the terms of which the Sioux were to cede about 25,000,000 acres of land, but the treaty was not confirmed by the Senate.

17The territory ceded by the Indians was declared to be: "All their lands in the state of Iowa and also all their lands in the territory of Minnesota lying east of the following line, to-wit: Beginning at the junction of the Buffalo river with the Red River of the North [about twelve miles north of Moorhead, in Clay county]; thence along the western bank of said Red River of the North to the mouth of the Sioux Wood river; thence along the western bank of said Sioux Wood river to Lake Traverse; thence along the western shore of said lake to the southern extremity thereof; thence in a direet line to the junction of Kampeska lake with the Tehan-ka-sna-du-ta, or Sioux river; thence along the western bank of said river to its point of intersection

HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

Mississippi river and settlements were the numerous fur-bearing animals. During a part of the time he employed in the store a half-breed, John Moore.

founded at numerous places in the eastern part of the territory. But for some years they did not extend so far west as Lyon county, and until after the Sioux War the territory that com- prises the county was largely the same virgin country it had always been.

During the year 1855 white people for the first time resided in Lyon county, if we except Joseph LaFramboise, who for a short time had a trading post within its boundaries. In the year mentioned James W. Lynd established a trading post in the Lynd woods on the Redwood, and Aaron Myers and family located on the Cottonwood, in the present township of Amiret.

It was during the month of May, 1855, 18 that James W. Lynd established his trading post on the Redwood. The original site was on land which when surveyed was found to be the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 5, Lyons township,- land which later was taken as a homestead by Charles E. Goodell. The groves along the Redwood had always been a favorite camping ground of the Indians and the site was a model one for barter with the natives. The fur trade was a profitable one and Mr. Lynd is said to have carried on a successful business, trading sugar, blankets, calico, tobacco, ammu- nition and possibly whisky for pelts of with the northern line of the state of Iowa; ineluding all islands in said rivers and lakes."

Excluded from this territory were two reservations. That for the upper Sioux was a traet of land twenty miles wide, straddling the Minnesota river from Lake Traverse to the Yellow Medicine river. The reserva- tion for the lower bands was of the same width and extended from the upper reserve down to the neigh- borhood of New Ulm. There were disputes regarding these reservations until Congress in 1863 annulled all treaty obligations toward the Sioux and the Indians were removed beyond the limits of the state.

ISC. H. Whitney is the authority for giving this date as the time of the establishment of the post. He obtained the information from the half-breed LeMars and an old Indian, Shoto John by name.

19When Mr. Goodell took his elaim in the late sixties he found the remains of a burned building on the site of the old post. In 1880, while plowing for a garden a short distance north of this place, he unearthed a tub full of tools, consisting of several handsaws, an augur,

According to the best information available, the post was conducted at the original location on section 5 two years and was destroyed by fire.19 It was then moved down the river a short distance to the northeast quarter of section 33, Lynd township, only a stone's throw from the present village of Lynd. It was on land which later became known. as the Wright place. There he built a log cabin, in which he conducted his business some time longer and which in the late sixties was used by the settlers for various purposes. It is unknown how long Mr. Lynd operated the post in Lyon county. He moved to the Lower Agency on the Minnesota river, about six miles below Redwood Falls, and there established a store.20

The others who ventured far from the limits of civilization and founded a home in Lyon county in 1855 were Aaron Myers and family. That year he and his wife and children21 made permanent settlement on what is now the north- west quarter of section 31, Amiret township. Myers located there for the purpose of trapping and trading with the Indians, and his home was there two years and six months. Mr. Myers has told of his residence there:22

"I was born in Herkimer county,

ehisels, hoes, a handax, flatiron, a teacup and saucer. The tub had entirely rotted away, only the impression being left by which to determine what it had been. Most of the tools were destroyed by rust.

20 James W. Lynd was quite a prominent inan in the affairs of the frontier country and served as a member of the State Senate in 1861. He was one of the first victims of the Sioux massaere, having mnet his death at the store of Nathan Myriek at the Lower Ageney. Others killed with him were Andrew J. Myrick and G. W. Divoll.

21Mrs. Myers' maiden name was Walkup and she was born in Vermont January 31, 1826. She died as a result of exposure during the Sioux massacre. The children of the family were as follows: Louisa, born May 20, 1850; Arthur J., born November 20, 1851; Olive E., born July 24, 1854; Fred B., born May 25, 1857, died in 1864; Addie J., born May 12, 1861.

22Interview by Doane Robinson in February, 1900. At that time Mr. Myers resided near Garretson, South Dakota. He died there in March, 1905.

HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

New York, June 8, 1825. I moved from Polk county, Wisconsin, to the piece of land now known as the Robin- son farm23 on the Cottonwood river, four miles above the present village of Amiret, Lyon county, Minnesota, where with my wife and five children I lived for more than two years. We planted some corn and a garden, but in the main we depended on trapping and trade with the Indians. At first every- thing went well with us and our relations with the Indians were pleasant."

Mr. Myers was known among the Indians as Siha Sisrinna (Small Feet). He was also called Doctor because he successfully treated several of the In- dians who had sore eyes and also took care of those who were sick or injured. He became well-known among the natives who frequented the vicinity. 24

During 1856 and 1857 a wagon road was constructed across southern Lyon county, being a part of the road between Fort Ridgely and the Missouri river, known as the "Fort Ridgely and South Pass Road." It was constructed by the United States government under direction of Albert H. Campbell, who bore the title of "General Superintend- ent Pacific Wagon Roads," but the field work was in charge of Colonel William H. Nobles. 25

23The home of Mr. Myers was not on the George Robinson farm. When the pioneer revisited the scene in later years he recognized his old home on the Grover place, now the property of L. F. O'Brien. The original house is still standing.

24Much of the information concerning the early settlement of Saratoga (as the point later was known) is obtained from Dr. H. M. Workman, of Tracy, who secured it from Mr. Myers and others. I have also made use of data secured from Mr. Myers by Doane Robinson, now secretary of the South Dakota Histor- ical Society.

25Colonel William H. Nobles was born in 1816. He constructed the first wagon road in Minnesota and became noted as the discoverer of the pass in the Rocky mountains which shortened the emigrant route to the Pacific side some 500 miles, and through which the Union Pacific railroad now passes. A Minnesota county is named in his honor. In 1861 he was president of the Minnesota Old Settlers' Association.

26The course of the road as described by Albert II. Campbell in his report to the secretary of the Interior February 19, 1859, was as follows:

. This road was completed only as far as the Missouri river, 254 miles, some time in the fall of 1857,

The road entered Lyon county elose to the line that separates Monroe and Amiret townships and crossed the Cot- tonwood on section 31, Amiret town- ship, and section 36, Sodus township. Thence it continued westward, crossed the Redwood river near the present site of Russell, and passed close to Lake Benton. From the lake it extended to the Missouri river.26 The road was in- tended as a highway for emigrant trains to the Pacific. coast, but the eastern end of the road, at least, was never so used.

What particularly interests the people of Lyon county is the fact that Colonel Nobles had a permanent camp at the crossing of the Cottonwood, spent one or two winters there with his men, erected a house, stables and corral, and there built the finest bridge on the road. At the camp was a spring of water, which later became known as Nobles' Spring, while across the river was a fenced field, in which it is believed the roadmakers raised a garden. The bridge had a substantial set of abut- ments and the stable had a stone foun- dation laid in mortar. The ruins of the Nobles camp were in existence many years after the county was settled.

The following account of the building of the road and the activities in Lyon county is taken from the report of

in consequence of the insufficiency of the appropria- tion and of alleged Indian hostilities. The general location of this road is as follows: Beginning at the ferry on the Minnesota river, which is 150 feet wide at this place, opposite Fort Ridgely. The general course of the road is southwesterly, passing through a marshy region a few miles south of Limping Devil's lake to the north fork of the Cottonwood, a distance of about seventeen miles, thence to the Cottonwood river, over a rolling country, with lakes and marshes, about one and one-half miles below the mouth of Plum creek, distance about nineteen miles. From this point the road continues across Plum creek and three good watering places to the crossing of Cottonwood at Big Wood, about eighteen and one-half miles. Thence the road continues to Hole-in-the-Mountain, near Lake Benton, a distance of about thirty-two miles, passing through a region abounding in lakes and an abundance of wood, water and grass. From Lake Benton the road passes for the most part over a high prairie to the Big Sioux river, about twenty-three and one-half miles. This road, as far as built, is remarkably direet and is believed, from the description of the country through which it passes, to be the best location which could have been made, securing a plentiful supply of water, grass and timber."

HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

Colonel William H. Nobles, dated Jan- uary 18, 185S, "upon the Fort Ridgely and South Pass Wagon Road, con- structed under the direction of the Department of the Interior, 1856-57- 58":27

I have to report that I have located and built a good wagon road from Fort Ridgely to the Missouri river, in latitude 43 degrees, 47 minutes, between Bijou hill and Fort "Look- out."

The road has been selected and made with a view to accommodate the emigrant, by having it pass through a good country and in the vicinity of wood and water; and also, with these valuable considerations always in sight, I have been able to complete the road in almost a direct line from Fort Ridgely to the terminus on the Missouri river. . . The rivers on the road to be crossed are North Branch of the Cottonwood river, Cottonwood river (twice), Redwood river, Medary creek, Big Sioux river, Perrine creek, Riviere du Jacques or James river, besides a number of small creeks.

On the Cottonwood river I have constructed a rough bridge adapted to the present travel, but it is important that this river should be well bridged at both of the crossings. The rapid flow of emigration to this section of country also demands that the bridges be immediately con- structed.

. At this time most alarming accounts had been received from the Yellow Medicine, and messengers were going through the country preparing the frontiers in anticipation of a general Indian war.

In view of these difficulties I returned to my former camp on the Cottonwood river and employed my men bridging that stream and repairing wagons, harness, etc. .

I have erected on the Cottonwood river a substantial log house, with store-room, etc., and have placed the stock and property in charge of a small number of men. I have also erected good stables for the protection of the animals, cut and secured hay sufficient, I think, to keep them through an ordinary winter.

During a part of the time of the residence of the Myers family in Lyon county, a trapper, Charles Hammer by name -- but commonly called "Swede

27 Secured through the kindness of Hon. Warren Upham, secretary of the Minnesota Historieal Society.

2SThe Dakota Land Company also laid out towns at Flandreau, Medary, Sioux Falls and other points on the Big Sioux river, far out in the Indian country, and planned big for the colonization of the frontier. It seems strange, indeed, that any company of sane men would attempt to found a town in such a country as Lyon county was in 1857, but the act was not more out of the ordinary than many that were proposed.

The fifties were remarkable ones in Minnesota Territory by reason of the immense tide of immigration and the consequent activity in real estate operations. The fever of real estate speculation attacked all classes. Enormous and rapid profits were made by speculators

Charley"-made his home there and operated in the vicinity. Mr. Myers described him as a good-natured fellow. but did not know whence he came or what later became of him.

J. H. Ingalls is another who estab- lished a home in the same vicinity during the time Mr. Myers resided there. With four children (his wife was dead) he located on the Cottonwood a little above Mr. Myers' home, also on section 31, Amiret township, and near the Nobles stables. But little is known of Ingalls' life in Lyon county and it is known that he remained only a short time. He married again and with his wife and two daughters, aged twelve and fourteen years, met death in the massacre of 1862. Two other children. boys, were taken prisoners.

While the Myers family was living in this out-of-the-way place, in the spring of 1857, the Dakota Land Company located a townsite, named Saratoga, on section 1, Custer. near the Myers home. 28 A house was erected on the townsite and John Renniker, an employe, was left in charge. He has been described as a plain, honest Pennsylvania Dutch- man. The sole inhabitant of Saratoga determined to turn a penny to his own account and sold whisky to the Indians, in consequence of which he soon lost his position. Thereafter Saratoga was deserted and Renniker made his home with Mr. Myers, by whom he was em- ployed.

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An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota, Part 4

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Marshall, Minn. : Northern History Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 726

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Marshall, Minn. : Northern History Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 726