USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > History of Hennepin county and the city of Minneapolis, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota > Part 29
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VOYAGEURS.
Again fancy may run riot among the stories of the "Voyageurs" who, making the love of adven- ture their highway to happiness, spent weeks and months in dalliance with Indian maidens. Facts in regard to these adventures are coming to the knowledge of the explorer among the curious things of the past. Faney need not be very wild that discovers, on the streets of our great cities. half-breeds. bearing unmistakable marks of noble parentage. The fact that Frenehmen. frequently descendants from noble families, but of broken fortunes, cohabited with the Dakota squaws. rais- ing up sometimes large families, is freely admitted.
These half breeds, while in many instances bearing the impress of nobility in countenances. having the high cheek bones and coarse hair of the natives, were often much more reckless than their sires. For, we are assured. that their adven- turous sires frequently solemnized by a veritable marriage. contracts undertaken at first for the diversion of an hour. Their consciences, how- ever. were rather elastic, for the existence of such marriages in their wanderings, seems not to have interfered with others, contracted at home, or with new ones entered into for convenience or diversion at some new camp.
The progeny belonged neither to the one race nor the other, and since they could not be ac- knowledged, cared for and educated by the enlightened partner to the contract without ex- posing him to shame, were left to become breeders of strife and contention among the tribes. This is one of the evils that proves that "The effect of contact of the simple minded savage with the deeper and higher life of the intruder is fraught. with danger to both."
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EXPLORERS AND MISSIONARIES.
EARLY EXPLORERS.
Father Louis Hennepin. born in Flanders. in 1640, became a missionary to Canada. in 1670. Ile accompanied La Salle in his exploration of the great lakes, the upper Mississippi and its tribn- taries. Ilis " Description de la Louisane" pub- lished in 1683, and a similar work published in 1697, are said to do more credit to his imagination than to his priestly character. In spite of the claim that they contain many falsities, both pub- lications are esteemed by his supporters and the traducers of his veracity. In 1680. he dis- covered the Falls of St. Anthony, but robbed them of a beautiful Indian name, " Kakabika Irara." (severed rock. curling water) and substi- tuted the name of his patron saint. Le Sueur and Faribault were also distinguished explorers coming soon after Father Ilennepin. Next comes Captain John Duluth, in 1760, also Nicollet. Schoolcraft. Catlin and Featherstonhaugh. Ac- counts of these explorers will be found in another part of the work. They were valuable contribu- fors to the information of their day and also contributed to the growth of the territory and subsequently, of the State by their glowing de- scriptions of its resources and healthful climate.
Jonathan Carver, in 1767, exhibited here, what many a genuine Yankee has done elsewhere, good speeulating qualities. He was the first of the numerous land speculators. Ile roamed about much with a keen eye to the main chance, while he at the same time took in the scenery, the fu- ture probabilities. and ventured various prophe- cies for the future of the state, predicting that what is now St. Paul would soon have eastern and western communication. His notes and de- scriptions are valuable.
MISSIONARIES.
Passing over the experiences of the earliest missionaries. French Jesuits-of whom sufficient notice will be found in the preceding early history of Minnesota, by Rev. E. D. Neill-we shall no- tiee briefly the missionaries who. though late. compared with Father Hennepin and the Jesuit missionaries accompanying the traders and voya- geurs. are really early in the progress and settle- ment of the county. In a manuscript found at Fort Ridgely, and only partially preserved, writ- ten by James W. Lynde. one of the first vietims
of the Indian massacre of 1862, are found these words in regard to the missionary work; " It has been." says Mr. Lynde. " a eeasless and untiring effort to promote their welfare "; also. " The in- fluence of the mission among the Dakotas has ever been of a direet and energetie character. The first efforts of the mission were directed more to the christianizing than to the civilizing of the Sioux : but of late the missionaries. though their exertions in the former respect are not at all abated, have been more earnest in their en- deavors to teach the Indians to plant and till." Mr. Riggs, however. in commenting on this pas- sage. claims that the fruits of the teaching began to show in later years. but that the Bible car- ries with it the plow and the hoe. and that the missionaries were continually aiming to introduce industrial and mainly agricultural habits among the Indians.
Two brothers, who afterwards were ordained clergymen, S. W. and G. H. Pond, were the first missionaries to settle in the Territory. They came, in 1834. from Connecticut. They threw great zeal into their work. laboring equally for the good of the white man and the red. Their earnest lives, their Christian example and instruc- tion came to exercise an important moulding in- fluence on the moral and religious, and also on the material fortunes of the State. Setting out as they did. without the patronage of any mission- ary association, theirs may be called a purely Christian enterprise. S. W. Pond. by corres- pondence from Illinois, where he was located. with his brother, Gideon II .. who still lived in the old Connecticut home, planned this private missionary work.
On the east shore of Lake Calhoun they built a log honse. This was the first house erected by a private eitizen within the county. They did the work with their own hands.
These men were simply laymen but had been well educated. They were soon at work pursu- ing acquaintance with the Dakotas. their purpose being to seeure a thorough knowledge of their language and modes of life. Mr. Gideon II. Pond was eminently successful in this and ob- tained a very complete knowledge of. and was regarded as an authority on Dakota habits and language. With this in view. he sometimes
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HISTORY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY.
attached himself to their hunting parties, making long expeditions with these wild tribes.
The Dakotas were an association of the fiercest tribes of North American Indians. The Jesnit missionaries had long before abandoned all attempts to tame their wild natures. Mr. Pond has given many thrilling accounts of the devilish scenes to which he was a witness in the battles between the Dakotas and Chippewas. Similar scenes. re-enacted in 1×62. when white settlers were the victims of the tomahawk and scalping knife. have given the inhabitants of Minnesota a just abborrence of the Sioux and their savage traits. Men are still living who have taken an oath. as sacred as the ancient oaths of conspir- ators. sealed with blood. to " Hunt and shoot Ini- iuns wherever they may be found." Though we may call such retaliation un-christian and even murderous. let each man take home the provoca- tion and imagine similar ontrages perpetrated on his own family. before he passes judgment.
Here is a scene of August. 1838, which was one of the introductory experiences that taught Mr. Pond the character of this fierce people. We give farts condensed from Neill's account.
Peace and friendly interchanges had taken place between the Chippewas, or Ojibways. of Canada. and the Dakotas, or Sioux. of Minnesota. only a few months before the bloody arts. here reported, were enacted. This fact shows the treacherous character of the tribes and how little dependence contt be placed on the smoking of the calumet. Mr. Pond had joined a hunting party. consisting, according to Indian custom. of braves, squaws and papooses. During the all- sence of Mr. Pond and a large division of the Indian party. several Chippewas came to the lodges, and were hospitaly entertained and treat- ed with Indian marks of respret. in accordance with the spirit of the existing treaty. During the night. the guests arose and scalpel the Dakotas. even including women and children. Among the few to escape was a mother with her papoose. In the flight. the child perhaps saved the mother's life. for it received the death missle that might have proved fatal to her. She notified the other division of the party, and they quickly returned to witness a dreadful scene. Several had been killed. sleeping. while others had evi- dently engaged in the death struggle. Mr. Pond's
eyes were here opened to the fierce character of the people whom he had come to draw by cords of love to embrace the "Gospel of peace." He assisted in digging a grave into which they gathered the severed limbs. heads and mangled bodies of the Dakotas. As he turned away. sickened. from the sight. it must have required a brave heart to hold him to his work. This act of bad faith began a series of similar atrocities. undertaken. on the one side or the other. by Chip- pewa or Dakota. in retaliation. In some of these attacks. the white settlers were also sufferers. Could Mr. Pond have looked forward. about thirty years, and seen the wholesale slaughter of 1862. perpetrated by these same savages, who were then friendly to him could be have believed that. after the labors of many years. both by him. Mr. Riggs. Dr. Williamson and a host of others. sent here to preach the Gospel-that these tribes would. at a later day. break out with greater ferocity than ever, it seems almost certain that he would have abandoned his work as the Jesuit missionaries had done before him.
It seems as if our government would never awake to a realization of the fact that this anom- oby of tribes. having governments independent of the central government at Washington, can never be prodnetive of good. either to the central government. or to the wheels within the wheels. the tribes themselves.
Treaties were made with the Ojibwas and with the Dakotas in 1837. That with the Ojibwas was effected by Gov. Dodge of Wisconsin. Although. by the terms of this treaty, the right of the Ind- ians to the land ceased. still they continued to roam over it or occupy it at will. uninterrupted by the government. since they offered no hostility to the whites. Their tribal wars. however. con- tinned. rausing at times great uneasiness and alarm to the low settlers. We give here a brief account of
ONE OF THE BATTLES
of which Mr. Pond speaks. in order to emphasize further the ferocity of the tribes, and because the scene was laid in this county. The line of painted warriors marched over what is now the most populous part of the county. holding a war vouneil within the territory now covered by the city of Minneapolis. It happened in July. 1839.
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INDIAN BATTLES AND NEW MISSIONARIES.
There was a Sioux village on the west shore of Lake Calhon which, from its lodges, was esti- mated to contain about five hundred souls. Their old enemies. the Chippewas. were encamped in strong force further north. on the Rum River. near where Anoka now stands, and so. just out- side the limits of the counts. The distance be- tween the camps was about twenty - five miles. The Chippewas were usually the aggressors in the tribal wars and were. according to our judgment. more tricky and more ready to break the treaties, which the whites bad induced them to make with each other. In the present instance, a party of Chippewas. skulking in the vicinity of the Sioux village at Lake Harriet. encountered Ru- pa-co-ka-ma-za, son of the chief and nephew of Redbird. killed and scalped him and made good their retreat. The murderous act was at once reported at the village and the Sioux blood was roused to white heat for retaliation. Summon- ing their allies from neighboring villages, they met for a final council on the east bank of the Mississippi just above Nicollet Island. They there went through their Indian mummery and. before nightfall. set out, four hundred strong. to make a night mareh and fall on their enemies at dawn.
The expedition was successful. They sur- prised and defeated a body of Chippewas. superior to them in number of warriors. The Sioux. how- ever, lost heavily and Redbird and his son were among the slain. One squaw is reported to have attended the march of the avengers, to wreak on the enemy vengeance for the death of her hus- band. They returned to the village about night. the day of the battle. Seventy scalps were dis- played on the pole in the centre of the village as soon as they returned. Night after night. they repeated the sealp dance. Mr. Pond, who lived on the other side of the lake. described their orgies as the most heathenish and demoniacal ceremonies. They made night hideous for the few white settlers.
ent. The solution of the difficult Indian question ought to be, what of late has been offered to the Poncas. viz .. the homestead right with an added provision. requiring the breaking up of these lawless bands, rendering every Indian amenable. like other citizens to the laws, whose protection he enjoys and whose bounty he receives.
NEW MISSIONARIES.
Rev. Thomas S. Williamson, M. D., a native of South Carolina and a graduate of Jefferson Col- lege, Pennsylvania, who had been practicing med- ieine in Ohio previous to his ordination as a eler- gyman, was sent out by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The Board desired to learn through him if they had any call for labor here. His report induced them to send to his assistance Rev. J. D. Stevens. a native of New York. and Alexander Huggins, a farmer. with their wives. also. as teachers. Miss Sarah Poage and Miss Lucy Stevens. This band of recruits arrived at Fort Snelling. in 1835. and during that summer Dr. Williamson organized a Presbyterian church at the fort. Rev. Mr. Stevens located and built his house at Lake Har- riet, near the property of Eli Pettijohn. The rest of the party set out for the post of the trader- Renville, and located at Lac qui Parle. The Ponds soon joined hands with the new comers and the work went on prosperously, having the support of the American Board of Commission- ers for Foreign Missions.
In the summer of 1835, on the second Sabbath in June, the organization of the church at Fort Snelling took place, the first in Hennepin county. The communion was administered on the same day, for the first time in Minnesota. Twenty- two members recieved the sacred emblems. The missionaries from the lake, a few settlers from Mendota and some of the garrison of the fort made up this number. The elders of the church were Col. Gustavus Loomis. Hon. It. H. Sibley. then a young man in charge of the trading post at Mendota. A. G. Huggins and S. W. Pond.
It is humiliating to admit that this was enacted within the territory of the United States and The First Presbyterian church in Minneapolis. of which D. M. Stewart. D. D .. is pastor. is a continuation or perpetuation of the old church at the fort. It was reorganized in Minneapolis May 220, 1853. but dates its first organization at under United States jurisdiction. within the memory of many men now living. How much more humiliating to admit that such scenes are repeated to-day among the many tribes whom it pleases our government to recognize as independ- : Fort Spelling. June 14th. 1835. in 1837. Rev.
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HISTORY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY.
Stephen R. Riggs, a graduate of the same college as Dr. Williamson. Jefferson College. Pennsylva- nia. eame with his wife to strengthen the mission.
In the summer of 1835. Rev. JJ. D. Stevens, with the assistance of the Messrs. Pond, built a house in the woods on the west shore of Lake Harriet. In this house. in the autumn of that year. a daugh- ter was born to Mr. Stevens, the first white child born in this vicinity. In the spring of 1836, Gideon II. Pond returned to Connectient. where he remained a year, and returned an ordained clergyman. He remained at the Lake Harriet Mission several years after his return. Rev. Mr. Riggs. who joined the mission. as stated. in 1837. moved to Lac qui Parle in the autumn of the same year. Mr. Stevens remained only to the following fall. 1838, when he moved to Wabasha Prairie as Indian farmer.
The subsequent settlement of Hennepin coun- ty was principally from the good old New Eng- land stoek by men who came to establish family altars and build churches.
New Englanders have been called the " Salt of the Earth" in whatever state they have located. They have given tone to society and modified the government. the religion and the politics. The men have been men of phuck and spirit. and the women strong minded enough to assert their position and maintain the right, and the rites they brought from the East. They have been the salt of Minnesota. In fact. to follow out the figure chemically. salts of all kinds. when dif- fused. or held in solution. tend to crystalize in certain fixed forms. So it is with the New Eng- landers. Their enterprise carries them to every state. They are found diffused through all societies. Wherever they settle, blood tells. prin- ciple prevails, they crystallize in New England forms. We have New England forms of society. education and religion. New England wives, mothers and New England homes. In the city of Minneapolis alone there are fifty-one churches and fifty-eight church organizations.
The ambitions strife for splendor in church architecture is as infectious, to say the least, as the more homely Good Samaritan doctrines which the vaulted roofs were built to disseminate. This infection has reached this new country. It exhibits itself in models of architecture. already completed, and in vast piles now rising to he- come rival structures.
CHAPTER XXXII.
EARLY SETTLERS AGRICULTURE-NEW SET- TLERS THE RESERVATION - THE EQUAL RIGHT AND IMPARTIAL PROTECTION CLAIM ASSOCIATION OF HENNEPIN COUNTY. M. T. GROWTH- NAMES OF THE OLDER SETTLERS EXTENDING AND MULTIPLYING SETTLE- MENTS FINANCIAL PROGRESS.
Churches can not grow faster than population comes to Imild and support them. We must now see who the settlers were, that came in to build up the churches and establish industries 10 sustain them. The foundation of all industries is .Agriculture. The cultivation of the soil is the only employment that is directly creative of wealth. The farmer takes a piece of land which vielled nothing without care. llis care makes it productive of hundreds of dollars each year. In other words, he creates ralue from what was val- ne-less, while every other industry contributes ralur to the country by changes which it effects in the material furnished. Minnesota has come to be acknowledged as the wheat growing state of the I'nion.
It will be interesting to note the growth of agriculture in this county. and see who the early settlers were. that came to develop it.
As migratory birds, dying both north and south over the State. stop here on their way from the north. and again. at the proper season. com- ing from the south. give us a call. so it has been with the settlers. They have dropped in on us both from the north and from the south. Curi- ously, the first settlers came, like the fall feath- ered visitors. from the north. They, however. only stopped to oil their plumage, and moved on south. Our subsequent settlers came mainly from the east, or farther south, and came to stay. We shall see who both classes were as the chapter advances. The carly attempts at agriculture in Hennepin county were not characterized by those features that mark the beginnings in countries or states, bearing earlier dates of settlement. We cannot entertain the reader by descriptions of ernde implements such as wooden plows, but must admit that our pioneers were blessed with many of the modern improvements of scientific farming.
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THE SWISS COLONY AND NEW SETTLERS.
We can only claim for the first, courage to try the experiment of farming in so inclement a climate. during so short a season as the summer was found to continue.
Lient. Camp was called plucky, for testing it. but his first attempt proved successful. Ile made the experiment, in 1823, at Fort Snelling. llis success was very important to the future of the State, for, though several years passed, before the example was followed by others, Philander Prescott, employed as Indian farmer, undertook farming, near Lake Calhoun. This was in 1830, and the first plowing, outside the fort. Soon after, others followed. The settlers from the north, came in 1826. A colony, forced from their first settlement, near Hudson Bay, by an unusual food, settled under the protecting wing of Fort Snelling. This colony embraced only Swiss. The names of a few of them given are Perry, Garvais and Massey. Perry is described as a great owner of cattle, and was called, in consequence, the " Abraham " of this region. The purpose of gov- ernment Military Posts seems to have been inter- preted in one way by these settlers, and in quite another by the officers of the government. These settlers accused the officers, of the fort, of exerci- sing arbitrary and tyrannical power, and thus frustrating one purpose of a fort, viz., affording protection and encouragement to settlers. This view was sustained by subsequent settlers, who, like these Swiss, wished to settle as squatters on the reservation. The officers of the fort, how- ever, had definite orders from the United States Marshal, to remove squatters from the Fort Snelling Reserve. In accordance with this order, instead of fostering this colony, they subjected them to persecution, even proceeding so far as to burn their buildings. At last, in 1836-7, they were compelled to abandon lands where they had made their homes for about ten years. Mr. Perry moved to the present site of St. Paul, taking his cattle with him, and remained there until his death. Some moved to other points in this terri- tory, and others to the territory of Wisconsin. Such treatment of emigrants who settled near the fort, operated to discourage rapid settlement.
NEW SETTLERS.
The arrival of Col. John Il. Stevens, with a party of settlers, in April, 1849, was an important
event. Col. Stevens was the first settler in Min- neapolis. The party, consisting of ten, stopped first at St. Paul. but soon set out, on foot, to ex- amine the Canaan of their hopes, determined to make this their future home. Dr. William Dyer. a young physician, who subsequently became dis- tinguished in his profession, Alfred Courtwright, a successful teacher, and seven farmers. with the Colonel, constituted the party.
When they reached Fort Snelling, they, like all their predecessors, coveted the forbidden fruit- the land in the reservation. They pressed on, however. and were fully satisfied to settle at St. Anthony, where the land was open for occupancy. Only two of this famous party remained to wit- ness the subsequent marvellous growth of this county, but from them we learn, the country charmed them, beyond any thing they had ever seen. They forgot their fatigue in admiration of the view before them. The inroads of civilization, at that time, were too few to change materially the primeval character of the scenery. On the government reservation, on the west bank, was the old mill. and here and there a log house on the east side. These were the only marks of civ- ilization on the scene. The scenery about the falls seems to have attracted and delighted the visitors as much in its original beauty. as it does now, in its practical usefulness.
The Colonel could not. however, become satis- fied so long as he saw the fair lands on the other side of the river. Ile and many others were in- patient at the restriction on locating upon and improving these tempting lands. By some means, the restriction was removed in favor of a few, among whom was Col. Stevens, who then occupied claims within the reservation. The occupancy of such settlers, however, was like that of the early settlers, the Swiss, from the north, simply that of squatters. Col. Stevens built a log house in the winter of 1849, and occupied it, with his family, as soon as it was completed. Hle was, as stated above, the first settler in Minneapolis. A few months later, Calvin A. Tuttle, and soon Mr. Miller, leaving the east side, joined Mr. Stevens, and built houses near him.
In the spring of 1850, C. C. Garvey took a claim adjoining Col. Stevens on the south. The settle- ment soon had added to its numbers, Dr. L. Fletcher, John Jackins, Edward Murphy, Judge
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HISTORY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY.
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Bassett. Charles Hoag, Joseph Il. Cannes. and others. Their cabins were scattered over what is now Minneapolis, at intervals of half a mile or more. They had no churches. Their spiritual food was furnished by fireside instruction. unless. which often happened. Rev. Gideon II. Pond. or some one of the missionaries, preached at the house of Col. Stevens. Camps of Indians were often made in their vicinity. cansing interest and excitement. even though they created no alarm. Still. they were always thievish prowlers, even when professing the greatest friendship. \ ner- vous woman might often be startled by seeing the nose of an Indian or squaw flattened against the window palle.
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