USA > Minnesota > Martin County > History of Martin County, Minnesota > Part 4
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The County Commisioners at this time bought the present Court House grounds from Benson C. Hinkle, price $100.00.4
The Superintendent of Schools was appointed by the County Commission- ers, one for each election district. G. S. Fowler was superintendent of Wav- erly and Seeley Shafer of Nevada.
J. W. Goodrich moved away this spring, our first and only lawyer. Mr. Calvin Tuttle sold his claim to Mr. Geo. Nelson, who had it surveyed and plat- ted into timber lots.
May 9th the commissioners met at a special meeting and appointed the off- cers for the towns of Fairmont and Waverly, they having failed to hold elections. The folowing officers were appointed at Fairmont: Supervisors,- B. C. Hinkle, A. Anderson, V. H. Bur- dick; treasurer, Isaac Johnson; Asses- sor, W. H. Budd; Town Clerk, W. W. Carrington, Justice of the peace, W. W. Carrington, and also J. B. Swearin- gen. At Waverly: Supervisors, Ira Clenick, Thomas Allen, Peter Connel- ly, treasurer, Geo. Fowler; assessor, L. F. True, town clerk and justice of the peace, Dan'l Skinner.
In May Calvin Tuttle, and family, W. S. Campbell and family and Thos. Cain moved away. Mr. Tuttle had taken quite an active part in the build- ing up of the country. In the summer
of 1859 Mr. Tuttle with some of his boys and Mr. Campbell had gone to Ft. Ridgely and made hay for the gov- ernment horses, etc. Mr. W. S. Camp- bell had held several offices in the town and county. As county surveyor he made a plat of the village of Fairmont for B. C. Finkle in 1860, and had also surveyed some roads. He had also held the office of county commissioner. The country was getting to thickly settled for Mr. Tuttle; he was a typi- cal pioneer, and moved further west. He was a man of considerable energy, of strong prejudices, and while gener- ous with his friends, with his enemies went to the other extreme. He de- serves particular mention, the first white settler in the county. Of his subsequent life after leaving Martin County we are not informed. Some record should be made, something done, that would in the years that are to follow, perpetuate the name of Mar- tin County's first white settler, Calvin Tuttle.
Mrs. Youngman and family (one son and two daughters) took a claim on the west side of Buffalo Lake; Mr. Bord- well a claim south of Fairmont.
The commissioners met in session June 2nd, 1862, all present. A. C. Dunn was allowed $15 for acting as county attorney in the case of the State versus Morse. The contract for build- ing the County house was let to W. W. Carrington, for the sum of $200. Mr. Carrington hauled the lumber from Shelbyville, and let the contract for the work to W. H. Budd. The sills, floor, joist and rafters were cut in the grove and hewed by hand. This is the building that was used for twenty years for county offices and court pur- poses, also used for holding public meetings. In it was held the first
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Sabbath school of the county. It was . also used, at the time of the establish- ing of a fort here, by the officers and men. This building is now standing in fair condition southeast of the pres- ent court house, and was sold by the commissioners on the completion of the present building to A. L. Ward, who reports the roof and sides, and the plastering to be in good condition and that he believes the builders did an honest job. There were a number of preachers in the county by this time and on the completion of thi: building they would take turns iu holding meetings every Sunday. The church rules and regulations were held somewhat loose at this time, the hand of fellowship and good will was extended alike to the Presbyterian. Baptist or Methodist. There were three school districts in which a term of school was held this summer. The school in Fairmont was taught by Mrs. Carrington in the oid Hinkle house 'ty o was all there was. So the commit. on the town plat, but was not com- tee sent to the mill ou the Blue Earth pleted on account of the Indian out- break of August 20th. There was also a school taught at Center Chain by Miss Fannie A. Burdick, also one near A. N. Faucher's tanght by Mrs. Loraine Swearingen, who taught the first school in Fairmont.
Time passed on, the settlers were doing all they could, trying to make for themselves homes and raise such crops as under the circumstances would most benefit them in supporting their families. A few new settlers would come, and some old ouces leave. Some land-lookers passed through the county, selecting claims to be occu- pied by themselves or others later, and some of them passed on to the Des Moines river. The War of the Re- bellion was then in its second year and | A very enjoyable celebration. Great
Was a theme of a great deal of com. versation, great interest was manf fested by the people, but on account: the lack of proper mail facilities eventos would become old before brought to: our knowledge The settlers began to , think that if they were better acquainted with each other they would feel safer, and could help each other more if there should be trouble. They therefore decided to celebrate the 4th of July, by having some speak- iug, music and a picnic dinner and a dance in the evening to be held in the grove near the house later known as the Lake House. This house then had ouly one room, 14x20 ft. It has a history, of which we will speak later. When the committee on arrangements. began to look around they could find a speaker and man to read the Declara. tion of Independence; but a fifer, tenor ?. drum, a flute, cornet and bass drum could not be found. An old fiddle or
river, at Shelbyville, and got a white elm about one-half inch thick, heavy and wide enough to make a drum. They also made a sheet iron drum. They then made a bridge across what was then a gitlley west of the house of Fred Betz. The oration was delivered in the grove near where Mr. Wollas- ton now lives, but the picnic dinner was held ueur the Lake House and the dance was held in the Lake House. The day was very fine, and at sun- rive the salute was given, and the people began toarrive from the north, east, south and west; there was a large attendance. The Declaration was read by J. B Swearingen, the oration de- livered by A. Cleudenning, singing by the choir and music by the full band.
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hospitality was shown by all the people
them from hostile Indians. Every to each other, and the oration by Mr. year a large number of Iudians came Clendenning was considered A No. 1, from the reservations, and from the and gave him a prominence in the timber where they had spent the county. At that time he was living at winter, would come to the county and hunt and fish. Our people had associ- ated with them, and traded with them, and did not anticipate much trouble. There were rumors of discontent among the Indians at the Yellow Medi- cine Agency, west of Mankato, on account of the failure ou the part of the government to make payment of their annuities at the time it should have been done. Winnebago City, now lives at East Chain and has resided there for a number of years. It was a genuine, old-fashioned 4th of July, without fire crackers, no lemonade, no ginger cakes, and no beer. The dinner in the grove was pleasing to the appetite, even without these, and the settlers became merry and thus became well acquaint- ed with each other. The dance was a decided success. Nearly all stayed all night, not going home till morning. It was thehrst 4th of July celebration and no one appeared to care to end it.
This year at the time of the assess- ment an enrollment was made of those liable to military duty between the ages of 18 and 45, the first enrollment made. Some enlisted from this county, and went south to aid in the defense of our country in the War of the Rebellion, of whom W. H. Swearin- gen. Jas. Canfield, Danl. Canfield, Hen- ry Youngman and some others whose names we do not remember. A great many of the settlers went to the set- tlements, further east to work in the harvest.
There was some sickness in the set- tlements but no deaths reported. During this year there were rumors of an Indian outbreak, and fears were entertained for the susty of the set- tlers. Previous reports and scares, which had come to naught, had rend- ered the people somewhat doubtful as to the actual hostilities of the In- dians. Then their attention was called largely to the War of the Rebellion, and in a measure they lost sight of the danger immediately surrounding
The government was badly embar_ rassed for ready money, as large sums had to be raised to defray the expenses of the War of the Rebellion, and some two months passed before they were able to raise the money and get it on the way to the Indian agencies, as it Was a custom to make the payment in gold. At that time Clark W. Thomp- son was Indian Superintendent of the Winnebago and Yellow Medicine agencies. He and oue Galbreath, a sub-agent, were doing all they could to call the attention of the antborities to the necessity of making prompt payment. Certain renegade Indians, lead on by half-breeds and "squaw- inen", were fermenting trouble. and leading the Indians that, on account of the war and the absence of the sol- diers from the country, that they could easily conquer and drive away the people from the state. Some friendly Indians gave notice and warning to the whites of the danger of an out- break. The government officials fill- al'y got the money and it was for- warded to St. Paul as fast as possible by special conveyance, but it was too late. The Indians had massed in large numbers from the agencies, and
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all efforts to pacify them seemed to increase their discontent, as the lead- ers took it up and made them believe. that it was on account of fear on the part of the whites. It is claimed by some, that had more stern measures been at once adopted, the rebel- lious disposition manifested by the leaders and their followers would have been quieted and prevented one of the most bloody and brutal massacres and greatest destruction of property ever told in the history of the West. With mail facilities (as we have before stated), not of the best, information of this danger was not received until actual hostilities had commenced and the soldiers were being rapidly pushed to the scene of the massacre by forced marches from St. Paul and other places.
During this time rumors became circulated in relation to the In- dians that caused great excitement. It was reported that they had com- menced killing the white settlers, were burning buildings and destroy. ing property; that on Aug. 18th, 1862, the Indians had killed some of the whites at a place called Acton, that they had killed most of the whites in the Redwood und Yellow Medicine agencies. Some doubted these rumors, and men were sent to learn the facts. From this county B. C. Hinkle and John ( Hinckle; Henry Prattand Wm. H. Bndd. Allen, and also some from Faribault The settlers at East Chain were as follows: B. Rowley and family; De- connty were sent to investigate. A number of days passed without hear- Witt Older and family; Darius Rowley ing from them. These were anxious and family; C. Schultz and family and days for the settlers here, who hardly J. H. Johnson and family. At Center knew what was the best thing to do. Chain, J. C. Hudson and family; Some thought they would be killed; Seeley Shaver and family; A. some, who did not'know much about the W. Young and family; G. Shaver cruelty of the Indians, said there was and family; Mrs. Hazelton; John no danger. On the 26th of August, Friend and Wm. Hendricks and early in the morning, some runners also O. Robertson and family. At Ten-
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came with the information that the Indians had broken out in actual re- bellion and had killed some settlers and soldiers at the agencies and had attacked New Ulm, were killing all the white settlers, had taken some of the women prisoners, and were burning houses and destroying property be- longing to the whites; that there had been eight persons killed at Belmont, north of Jackson, and that some fam: ilies west of Madella had been mas- sacred. Then all was excitement. Some started ont to notify the set- tlers in the different towns of the county, and began to get ready to move away to the older settlements. It took some time to notify the settlers to the south and southwest around Tenhassen. The following were the settlers and their families, as near as we can remember, who were then io- cated at Fairmont and vicinity: Mr. John B. Swearingen and family; Mr. A. H. Wooster and family; Mr. James Swearingen and family; Mrs. Young- man and family; Isaac Johnson and family; W. W. Carrington and family; V. H. Burdick and family; Wm. Jobn- son and family; J. W. Burdick and wife; Mrs. L. J. Allen and two chil- dren; Mrs. Frier and child; Mr. Chester Bardwell and family; A. Anderson and family; M. Pratt and family; B. C.
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hassen, Mr. Kusick, Mr. J. H. Babcock, C. Personius, with their families; H. Personius; Wm. Rice and family; J. N. Rice; Sam'l Carver and Dr. McDuff and family. At Elm Creek, John Allen H. H. Fowler and family; Geo. Fowler; M. P. Connely and family; Mr. Harri- son and family; Mr. E. Pratt and family; Mr. Beardsy and family; Mr. Lewis True and family; Mr. Skinner and family; Thos. Allen; Hosea True and family; Mr. E. B. Clynich and family; Mr. Chas. Parks and faivily; Avery Parks and family; Frank Parks; A. N. Fancher; Mr. Meeder and family; Mr. Hazen and family; S. Delano and family. At East Chain and on Fox Lake the following settlers: Lewis Tweed and family; Andrew Tweed and family; Jas. Tweed; Mr. Hansen and family and brother.
Philo Morse, who has been men- tioned before, who resided on Elm Creek, and a minister (Skinner), re- fused to move away with the settlers, saying that they had no fears of the Indians. And it was suspect- ed that it was these men who burned the settlers' buildings and not the Indians.
The people around Fairmont got to- gether very hurridly and left about noon (Aug. 26th.) They did not get quite out of the county that night, as it took some time to loud and take away their most valuable possessions. Some of them not expecting to come back, and some of them expecting to be killed. Wm. H. Budd and cthers left about the same time and went to East Chain to assist the settlers there in getting away and meeting the Fair- mont settlers at Winnebago City. On reaching East Chain they ascertained that the settlers had begun to move and had started for Blue Earth City.
They then started across the prairie to overtake our people on the road to Winnebago City. The people all along the road had left their houses and goods. They had, on receipt of the news, not waited for any ceremony or to take any steps to protect their pro- perty, but had started on the move.
We struck the trail leading to Win- nebago City ahead of the Fairmont movers and went on to that place, all along finding settlements deserted. At Winnebago we met John Allen, who was one of the parties who had been previously sent out to ascertain the facts as to the outbreak aud he told the news of the Indian massacre at the agencies and other places. In the morning we went to Law's hotel and there met B. C. Hinckle, of Fairmont. We procured some breakfast, but had to cook it ourselves. for the women had already gone east for safety. The men in the surrounding country were gathering at Winnebago City as they were afraid to stay in their houses or near the timber. All the settlers along the timber deemed it safer to move out on the prairie, which they did, and camped in companies. The settlers from Fairmont moving with their teams did not reach Winnebago City until noon of the next day. The Elm Creek and Center Creek settle- meuts had already passed on ahead through Winnebago City. The Ten- hassen settlement did not reach Winnebago until the evening of the second day.
Immediately after breakfast a company of fifty-three men was formed. In this company. from this county, were B. C. Hinckle, John Allen and W. H. Budd. H. W. Holly, Grover Burt, Jesse Dunham, Messrs. Goodnow and Sherwood were also
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members of the company. Holly was elected captain, Jesse Dunnham first lieutenant, and John Allen second lieu- tenant. A set of scouts were elected, and a complete orginazation was had. and the work was done with a system. Settlers were instructed to move out of the timber and to camp on the open prairie and to keep scouts, out all over the country to report any movements of the Indians.
The evening of the second day the settlers from Tenhassen reached Blue. Earth City. The delay was accounted for as follows: They had started the first day, but after moving a short dis tance the scouts which were in advance reported Iudians moving on them. This was a false report. What they supposed was Indians was a party of scouts sent out from Blue Earth City, Capt. P. B. Davy in command. This party, instead of passing through Ton- hassen were obliged to go around Lake Okomanpedan, in the edge of Iowa as the bridge over the inlet of the lake was gone. Dr. MeDuft, who then lived at Tenhassen, made a detour by the route north of Tenhassen, reached Winnebago and reported the settlers at Tenhassen surrounded by Indians. Arrangements were mude, and some
reaching Blue Earth they found that the settlers from Tenhassen were re- ported en route for that place, they having found that the scouting party of. Capt. Davy were friends aud white men instead of Indians. The settlers from this county moved on east of Winnebago City, to the vicinity of Walnut Lake and went into camp. with the settlers from other, places and
organized themselves for protection and mutual aid. The forming of the Home Guards at Winnebago City, in a measure stopped the stampede. Had it not been for that organization and others at Blue Earth and other places the country wond have been stam- peded. It took a great deal of effort on the part of the 'cooler heads to prevent the entire abondment 'of the county by the settlers. All sorts of | rumors were in circulation, and then, as now, the most ridiculous were apt to be believed. Some people were always seeing Indians and their trails.
The soldiers, while scouting for Indiana west of Blue Earth river, so general was the scare aud stampede, would find henses with the tables set and everything left as if the settlers had just stepped out.
After remaining in camp at Walnut Lake until the bestile Indians bad been driven westward by the voltin- toers and- U. S. soldiers,: the set- tlers began gradually to go back to their claims. They found their hogs and cattle, which had been running wild, got them together, and tried to save some of their crops. A large number of the settlers did not get back until after the soldiers of the
men detailed from the force at Winne- regnlar army had been stationed at bago City to go to Blue Earth City to Fairmont. I. took some time and enlist more men to go to the rescue hard work on the part of the settlers of the settlers at Tenhassen. On to get the legislature, at a special
meeting, to grant the settlers a line of forts from the Iowa state line through Fairmont, Madelia, New Ulm, Hutchiu- son, Glencoe, etc! The opposition to the establishing of the forts on this line was by some people at Blue Earth City, Winnebago City, Garden City, Mankato, etc., who wanted the line established through their towns. This would have left us entirely with-
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"ont any protection from the small bodies of Indians who would steal in and murder the settlers. Had not this line of forts been established through here, the settlers would have been obliged to move east of the line estab- lished and abondon their claims. The most of the settlers had raised very fair crops and bad enough to support themselves and families if they could live in their own houses, or two or more families live in one house. If they had been obliged to abandon their homes they would have been made destitute at the beginning of the winter. After the line of forts was established there was a patrol each day, from the Iowa line, connecting with Ft. Dodge and north to Ft. Ridg- ley. A scout would. start out from here in the morning and be relieved at each post and make Ft. Ridgley in the evening. One would start from Ft. Ridgley in the morning and get here in the evening, and scouting parties were out from the forts along the line each day, and any sign of Indians was promptly reported and the soldiers massed and sent in pursuit.
The fort established at Fairmont included what was the old court house building, running about ten feet south, thence 20 to 30 feet west, and then in a northern direction to what is now Lake Avenue then along the line of Lake avenue to Main · street, and from Main street south to a point about opposite. Max Feustel's new stone block, then west. It was a log stockade, made with soldiers' quarters and barracks inside. There was also a fort established on the north side of Elm Creek, on the land now owned by A. Roskoff.
The first soldiers stationed at Fair- mont were Company A of the 25th Wis-
consin, which regiment was stationed at the forts along the frontier. The officers used the building built for a court house for their quarters. Major Jerry Busk, later Governor of Wiscon- sin and Secretary of Agriculture under President Garfield, was'in command. This company was relieved from duty at Fairmont by company A, 7th Min- nesota troops. The change was made in the winter and the Wisconsin regi- ment was removed by teams during the very cold weather. At Rochester, Minn., the ladies of that place gave them a reception and free supper in honor of their prompt action in estab- lishing stockades and protecting the people on the frontiers.
It may be of interest to some to know the cause of the outbreaks by the Indians. It is true that there may be blame attributary to the govern- ment or its officials. It would be strange if not. Our knowledge of the matter leads us to say that in our judg- ment all that could possibly be done by the Indian agents and other em- ployes was done to appease them. In fact, if there was any error it was in treating them too leniently. The government had all it could possibly do in the early stages of the Rebellion to enlist and equip men and raise money to defray the expense of the war. The officials at Washington had, in a measure, overlooked the protec- tion of the settlers on the frontier. They needed in the South, and for the defense of the nation, every soldier, and had left only a small number. The annuity due the Indians was pay- able in gold. That was hard to get, and at the time of the outbreak was thirty days past due, but was received at the agency at the day of the outbreak. Some think that if more stern meus-
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ures had been used at the time of the | Ridgley at seven o'clock on Angust Spirit Lake massacre, that if the mur- 17th. On the same day Lieut. Culver and six men of Company B were de- tached to St. Peter with transporta- tion for a company of some fifty re- crnits, just enlisted at the Indian agencies, now en route for Fort Snell- ing for muster, leaving at Fort Ridg- ley two officers and seventy-six. men. Such was the military situation on the very eve of one of the most horrid massacres recorded on the pages of American history. derous Inkpadutah and his band had" been shot the Indians would not have dared to attack the settlers. It is a fact that then, as now, there were those who gave fool's advice, who pre- tended to be friends but were enemies. The "squaw-men," a certain class of settlers who expected to be benefited by the Indian war, done much to lead them to believe they could whip the whites, confiscate their property and drive them from the state. We do not credit the report that the South had sent emissaries to enconrage the massa- cre in order to help them. That we think is speculation.' One after another of the real or pretended grievances had been settled and the danger was be- lieved to have been passed the gov- ernment had sent forward to the seat of war in the South the soldiers kept here in reserve in expectation of the uprising of the Indians. It was evi> dently a part of the scheme of the chiefs and their attendants, for the troops had hardly left the state before their hellish work began. The follow- ing extract we take from the history of the Indian war at that time.
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"All prospect of trouble in this re- gion seemed now to have disappeared. The upper agency Indians had dis- persed. The Lower Sloux Indians had taken no part in the events above reconnted. All had apparently decided to wait patiently for the arri- val of the annuity money. Receiving uo information on the latter subject, and believing that no good reason 'existed for a longer detention of the detachment of Company C, Capt. Marsh|instructed Lieut. Sheehan to re- port at Fort Ripley, and in compliance, that detachment marched from Fort
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