USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 17
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Edward Clark Tuttle, clerk of court, was born in La Crosse, Wis., July 26, 1873, son of Birdsey N. and Helen M. (Bansman) Tuttle. Birdsey N. Tuttle was born in Boston, Mass., and became a merchant and contractor in La Crosse, Wis., where he died in 1899. 1Ie was married in that city, and there his wife still lives. She was a native of Darmstadt, Germany, and came to America when she was fourteen years old. The children in the family were Laura, Fred, Jesse, Norman, Edward C. and Nellie. Edward C. received his education in the schools of La Crosse. In 1889 he came to Minnesota and located at Howard Lake, where he en- gaged in the barber business. While there he served as village recorder and as justice of the peace. He also became a director in the German American bank, of that place, a position he still ocenpies. In December, 1908, he was elected county clerk of court, and in 1912 he was elected to sneceed himself. At the 6th Congressional Republican Convention held in the city of Brain- erd, Minn., Mr. Tuttle was elected delegate to the National Re- publican Convention, held at Chicago, Ill., June 17 to 22, 1912. Mr. Tuttle is a member of Howard Lake Lodge, No. 82, A. F. & A. M. of Howard Lake; king of Buffalo Chapter, No. 71, R. A. M., of Buffalo; member of Howard Lodge, No. 136, K. of P., of Howard Lake; was a clerk of Howard Lake Lodge, No. 2551, M. W. A., of Howard Lake; and belong to Buffalo lodge, No. 141,
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1. 0. 0. F. and Paran Encampment, No. 42, 1. O. O. F., of Mont- rose. Mr. Tuttle was married December 18, 1893, to Marie F. Thompson, of Howard Lake, born at Logansport, Ind. Marie F. (Thompson) Tuttle is the daughter of Alexander E. Thompson and Sarah Etta (Scott) Thompson. Alexander E. Thompson was born in Cass County, Ind. He was married in that county and moved by team in covered wagon to Vietor township, Wright county, in 1877. Ile died May 5, 1779, and his wife now lives at Howard Lake, Minn. The children in the Thompson family are Marie F., born July 22, 1876, at Logansport, Ind., and George F. Thompson, born April 8, 1878, in Victor township, Wright county, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle have had six children. Stuart and Cecil are dead. Marguerite Helen, Lorna May, Frank Scott and Birdsey Norman, live at home. Mr. Tuttle is a splendid example of the success that may be attained through intelligence and hard work by a man of high aims and sturdy forebears. Ever inspired with the purpose of making the most of himself and at the same time to promote the best interests of his fellow man, he has well deserved the pleasant things of life that have come to him. He has demonstrated that when his rights are assailed he is a power- ful antagonist, and no less is he a stanneh and loyal friend. As a man he occupies a position of probity and influence, as a citizen he has always stood for progress, as an official he is thoroughly and uniformly courteous. The popularity which Mr. Tuttle's genial temperament and never-failing good nature have won for him is founded on a solid foundation of true worth, and although he has already achieved an enviable measure of prosperity and success, yet, being still a young man, his friends predict for him an even more notable future.
John A. Berg, son of Andrew and Charlotte (Carlson) Berg, was born in Minneapolis, Minn., March 30, 1882. His parents emigrated to America from Sweden in 1873, loeating in Minne- apolis : and in 1882 removed to Cokato, Minn., where, in JJuly of the same year, the father died, The mother was left with a family of six children to care for, but it was not long before the cares and worries of the home were lightened by the aid given her by the elder children. Mr. Berg's boyhood was spent at Cokato, where he found employment during the vacation period and at- tended the village school, where he acquired a thorough and prac- tical education in the common branches. As a youth he found employment in the Cokato creamery and later became assistant postmaster under A. Ilammarsten. In 1904 he accepted the ap- pointment as deputy county anditor under II. C. Brasie and in the fall of 1908 succeeded to the office of anditor, which position he continues to hold. Mr. Berg's conduct of the office has met with general approval. as evidenced by the fact that he has been elected four consecutive terms and three of these terms withont
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opposition in the primary or general elections. Mr. Berg is re- garded among the best informed men in the county in the laws relating to taxation, ditching, roads and elections, by which his duties as county auditor are governed and is a rapid and accurate accountant. Mr. Berg is a member of the Baptist church. IIe is naturally gifted in music and shows a willingness at all times to use his talent by assisting in choral work in the churches and in directing the village band. Mr. Berg was married July 23, 1904, to Helen Bergstrom, daughter of Lars and Maria (Fryckstrom) Bergstrom, pioneers of Cokato. Mr. and Mrs. Berg are the parents of three children, Lillian, bora December 29, 1906; Doris, born November 21, 1908 ; Carl, born October 19, 1912.
Oscar J. Peterson. Wright county registrar of deeds, was born August 7, 1872, in Minneapolis, son of John M. and Lizzie Peterson. About 1875 Osear eame with his parents to Wright county, where they located a farm in Middleville township and here he attended the county school. Later he took a business course at the Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter, Minn. Then he engaged as a clerk in a mercantile business at Annandale and later at Cokato, continuing in this work for about five years. In 1897 and 1898 he was deputy for Edward M. Nagel, registrar of deeds. Next he engaged in the real estate and machine busi- ness until the fall of 1909 when he was elected registrar of deeds for Wright county, which office he has held ever since. Mr. Peterson belongs to the Knight of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Modern Woodmen of America. He is also a member of the Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. Peterson was married November 18, 1912, to Alma Anderson.
Henry Spindler, judge of probate, of Wright county, was born in Waconia, Carver county, Minnesota, December 5, 1871, son of Gottlieb and Regula (Herman) Spindler, natives respectively of Germany and Switzerland. Gottlieb Spindler died in November, 1905, and his wife still lives in Buffalo. Henry Spindler received his early education in the publie schools of Waconia, later attending the high school. He engaged in teaching for about three years in the district and public schools of MeLeod county. In the fall of 1896 he entered the University of Minnesota, grad- uating from the law department in 1898. He then came to Wright county and located at Annandale, where he opened an office and began practicing law. He remained there until 1906, when he was elected judge of probate. He has been re-elected every term since and is the present ineumbent. Mr. Spindler is a member of the Buffalo Lodge, No. 141, I. O. O. F. He was married, April 30, 1908, to Emma Wolff, who is his deputy.
Orson C. Chamberlin, treasurer of Wright county, was born in Monticello, October 3, 1873, and is thus one of the few native- born sons who have held county office here. He was reared in
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the home of his parents, Emmons and Almeda (Foster) Chamber- lin, received a good education in the district schools, and as he grew to manhood farmed on his father's old place and elerked in a store. In 1903 he and J. H. Huston engaged in the hardware business at Monticello. In 1906 the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Chamberlin continued the business alone. In 1907 he sold out, and came to Buffalo as deputy treasurer under A. G. Johnson. Here his good cheer and obliging temperament won the sincere regard of all with whom he came in contaet, and in 1908 when he came before the people as candidate for county treasurer he was elected by a substantial majority. He took office January 1, 1909, and has since continued to serve, with such eredit to himself and with such satisfaction to his fellow citizens that in the fall of 1914 he was reelected for four years more. The routine work of the office is well attended to, and those who transaet business there are made to feel that Mr. Chamberlin competently fills the position. As a fraternity man, Mr. Cham- berlin has assumed state-wide connections, and the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Woodmen count him as a valued member. Ile belongs to Buffalo Lodge, No. 141, Buffalo, and Paran Encampment, No. 42, Montrose, both of the I. O. O. F .; to Nelson Lodge, No. 135, A. F. & A. M., Buffalo ; Galilee Chapter, Lodge No. 53, O. E. S., and Buffalo Chapter, No. 71, R. A. M., of Buffalo; Minneapolis Consistory, No. 2, A. & A. S. R. S. J .; St. Cloud Lodge, No. 516, B. P. O. E., of St. Cloud ; and Monticello Camp, No. 3168, M. W. A., of Monticello, as well as to minor orders. Mr. Chamberlin was married, October 22, 1902, to Elma E. Barnett, of Monticello, daughter of W. P. Barnett, a pioneer, and they have two bright sons, Glen and Raymond.
George Parsons Dodd, a leading citizen of Buffalo, is widely known as an authority on criminology. The best years of his life have been spent in maintaining the law and order of the state, and his influence on the penal institutions of Minnesota has been marked. Mr. Dodd was born in Quebec, Canada, Octo- ber 20, 1848, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Dodd, the pioneers. At the age of seven he was taken to what is now Ottawa, Canada, and in 1864 he came with the rest of the family to Chatham town- ship, this county. He spent his young manhood on the farm, and living near Buffalo, he early became identified with affairs in that village. While scarcely more than a boy he assisted in putting up the first frame house to be erected in the western part of the present village. It was in 1876 that he went to the state prison, at Stillwater, as guard. His work attracted attention, and he was soon made the prison storekeeper. In all he spent twelve years at the prison, and during that time commended himself to the state authorities for his efficient service, good judg- ment, bravery and justice. In a period when modern prison
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reform had not become generally popular he assisted in inaugu- rating many reforms and became a valued member of the execu- tive foree of the prison. He was influential in the starting of the "Prison Mirror," in 1887, the paper being the only one of its kind in the world at that time. The influence of the paper has been widely extended, and has done mueh toward cheering the prisoners while confined and giving them a new start in life when released. In the same year he assisted in organizing the prison choir, which has also been an important influence in improving the discipline and bettering the lives of the inmates. At the great prison fire of January 24, 1884, he proved his hero- ism in a way that will live forever in the annals of the state, and which saved Minnesota the blot of having dozens of its wards perish while in custody. At the time of the fire he was in charge of the prison fire department. The thermometer stood at twenty-seven below zero, and Mr. Dodd fought the fire stand- ing in the frigid water. He went to the female department, where his wife was in charge, and helped her to get the women prisoners into the cell department. At this time the fire was at its height, and word eame that thirty-eight prisoners were eut off on the fifth floor. Plunging through smoke, over slippery floors, at the risk of his life, Mr. Dodd reached the corridor and person- ally released the prisoners, taking them all to a place of safety. On his way from his wife's department, to release these men, Mr. Dodd was eut off by the flames, and in jumping over the ban- nisters he received injuries from which he has never recovered. The papers of the state joined in their praise of his valor. From Stillwater, in 1896, Mr. Dodd went to the Minneapolis Municipal Work House, where he remained until 1899. In 1901 he returned to Buffalo, and became deputy sheriff under Angus H. Grant, a position he still retains. He is an able, brave, shrewd and conscientious offieer, and has done most efficient work. From April, 1908, to April, 1914, he was village marshal of Buffalo, and in that capacity gave general satisfaction. Mr. Dodd is a member of Buffalo Lodge, No. 141, I. O. O. F., of Buffalo. He was married, June 27, 1883, to Anna L. Dowling, daughter of Christopher and Martha (Miller) Dowling, natives of Ireland, who were brought to Canada as children. Christopher Dowling was a mason by trade. He died at the age of eighty-three and his wife at the age of eighty-two. Mr. and Mrs. Dodd have two children, John II. and Florence Leona, both at home. Before her marriage, and until the fire of January 24, 1884, Mrs. Dodd was matron at the Stillwater State Prison under Warden J. A. Reed, and in this capacity won general praise. She has been an able helpmeet of her husband's in all his ventures.
Arthur C. Heath was born at Mckeesport, Pa., January 12, 1857. He was educated at Colgate University, taking the de-
TW. WOOD. Aug 1860. To-oyale-duta Little Crow-
LITTLE CROW
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gree of A. B. in 1879. In 1880 he came to Wright county, teach- ing three years at Monticello and one year at Buffalo. For seven years he served in the county auditor's office, first as deputy and afterward as auditor. After spending two years in Seattle he returned to Buffalo in 1895, and began the work of abstraeting the records of land titles. Having in 1898 completed his abstract books, he engaged in the business of making abstracts of title. He was married October 24, 1898, to Mrs. Ella Dean, who died September 25, 1899. He was again married, June 30, 1903, to Stella M. Jacobs. From this union have been born three children : Arthur C. Heath, Jr., Harold E. Heath and Eleanor JJ. Heath.
CHAPTER IX.
THE SIOUX UPRISING.
Indians Take Revenge for the Wrong's of the Centuries-Sum- mary of the Tragedy-Wright County Terrified by Reports- Big Woods Deserted-Preparations for Defense at River Points-The Dustin Massacre-Indian Agent Takes His Own Life-An Indian Killed-Indians Pursued-Death of Little Crow.
The Sioux outbreak was the eulmination of a long series of injustices toward the Indians on the part of the whites. De- bauched, defrauded, degraded; forced by fear of the strength of the whites, and by misrepresentations, to dispose of their lands; herded together on reservations; treated by the whites as half- witted children, cheated by the traders and starved by the stu- pidity of high officials at Washington, who, in addition to the provisions of already-unjust treaties, imposed additional eondi- tions; the Indians, knowing the revenge that the whites would take for a murder already committed by some renegade braves, arose in their might, and for a time nearly succeeded in regaining their hereditary holdings.
The immediate eanse of the outbreak, while it followed trouble at the reservation over deferred payments, occurred on August 17, 1862.
The Riee Creek Indians were deserters from the bands to which they originally belonged, because they were diseontented with conditions, and had grievanees against their chiefs or others of their fellow-elansmen. They were, too, maleontents generally. They did not like their own people, they did not like the whites. A few were good hunters and trappers, though none of them were farmers. They depended almost altogether for provisions upon their success in hunting and fishing. Detachments from the band were constantly in the Big Woods engaged in hunting.
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Four of this band, on a trip to Acton township, August 17, 1862, found a hen's nest in the corner of a settler's fence, and, against the remonstrance of his companions, one of them took the eggs. This resulted in a quarrel over the question of bravery, after which the four started out in angry mood to show how brave they were. They accordingly proceeded to settlers' homes and shot and killed three white men and two women, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson Jones, Howard Baker, Viranus Webster and Clara D. Wilson. Realizing that these murders would eause their arrest and severe punishment, they rapidly proceeded to Riee Creek, near the lower Sioux ageney, informed their relatives, and an immediate uprising was decided upon. Little Crow was asked to lead ; he at first hesitated, and then consented, saying : "Trouble is sure to come with the whites sooner or later. It may as well take place now as any time. I am with you. Let us hurry to the agency, kill the traders and take their goods."
At this date there was a great deal of bad feeling among the Indians towards, and dissatisfaction with the Federal government. Their annuity payments were long past due and they were suffer- ing for want of sufficient food. The fact that many white men had enlisted in the Union army and gone South, had led many Indians to the belief that they could drive the whites out of the Minnesota Valley and from their former hunting grounds. This was the situation when the young Indian murderers reached their band at Riee Creek near the lower Sioux ageney, where the Indians had gathered some months before to await the annuity payınent.
In his "History of the Sioux War," I. V. D. Heard, an officer on General Sibley's staff, says of conditions early in 1862:
"The Indians were grievousły disappointed with their bar- gains. They had now nearly disposed of all their land, and had received seareely anything for it. They were 6,200 in number and their annuities when paid in full, were hardly $15 apieee. Their sufferings from hunger were often severe, especially during the winter previous to the massaere."
Agency Attacked-Country Devastated. The Lower Ageney was located on the Minnesota river about twelve miles above Fort Ridgley-a small frontier post with a stone barraeks for the troops and frame residences for offices, but no defenees. Little Crow was a prominent chief and recognized leader. He had been well treated by the Indian agents and was regarded as a friend of the whites, but on this occasion was carried away by the wild fury of the Indians. When he gave the word, the savages rushed to the agency and the slaughter began. The whites were taken unawares and were easy vietims. All men were shot down; few women were killed. The stores proved such an attraction that the Indians poured into them, pillaging and looting, during which
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time some few whites managed to escape across the river. Later in the day, the savages crossed the Minnesota river, scattered throughout the settlements, and began their work of murder, rapine, unspeakable outrages, burning of houses and general de- struetion and devastation. Men, women and children were slaughtered under the most horrible circumstances, and their bodies shockingly mutilated. For generations the white man had subjected the Indian and his family to Inst, to greed, to wrongs and to avariee. Now the smouldering fires had broken loose. The unsuspecting settlers were taken completely by surprise, and made no resistance ; indeed, very few had firearms, and were not even aeenstomed to using them. Though hundreds of whites were slain that day, not a single Indian was killed. In some localities, the whites, learning of the uprising, hurriedly assembled together, naturally thinking numbers would add to their safety, and started for Fort Ridgley.
In a German settlement in western Renville county, twenty- five families had thus gathered and were waiting for neighbors to join them, when a war party of Shakopee's band suddenly ap- peared, surrounded them, and slaughtered 100 men, women and children within an area of two acres. At a war danee that ove- ning. Chief Shakopee exultingly declared that he had tomahawked so many whites that day that his arm was lame.
Down the Minnesota river on both sides below Fort Ridgley as far as New Ulm, and up the river to Yellow Medicine, the bloody slaughter extended that day. The fiendish butcheries and horrible killings beggar description. Here is one or many like in- stanees : Cut Nose, a savage of savages, with half a dozen other Sioux, overtook a number of whites in wagons. Hle sprang into one of the vehicles in which were eleven women and children and tomahawked every one of them, yelling in fiendish delight as his weapons went erashing through the skulls of the helpless vietims. Twenty-five whites were killed at this point. Settlers were slain from near the lowa line in Jackson county, as far north as Breek- enridge, including Glencoe, Hutchinson, Forest City, Manannah and other places. Fourteen were killed at White Lake, Kandi- yohi county. The much greater number of whites were slaugh- tered, however, within the reservations, and in Renville and Brown counties. During the first week, it is estimated that over 600 whites were killed and nearly 200 women and children taken captive. Only one man escaped death-George Spencer, wounded at the Lower Agency, was saved by a friendly Indian, and became a prisoner.
The Whites at the Yellow Medicine Ageney above the Lower Ageney, to the number of sixty-two, among them the family of Indian Agent Galbraith, eseaped by the aid of John Otherday, a friendly Indian.
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When the news of the outbreak reached Fort Ridgley, Captain John S. Marsh, with forty-six of his men of Company B, Fifth Minnesota, started for the Lower Agency. He was ambushed at Redwood Ferry, twenty-four of his men were killed, and he him- self was drowned in attempting to cross the river. The survivors of his command hid in the thickets and worked their way back to the fort at night.
Fort Ridgley Attacked Twice. The Indians attacked Fort Ridgley on the twentieth and again on the twenty-second of August, the latter day with 800 warriors. The force in the fort numbered 180 men, commanded by Lieutenant T. J. Sheehan. A small battery under Sergeant John Jones, of the regular army, did effective serviee. There were 300 refugees in the fort. After seven hours' fighting, the Indians retired. Had they charged they could have captured the fort, but Indians do not fight in that manner. The saving of Ridgley was the salvation of the country below, as its capture would have enabled the Indians to sweep the valley. The loss of the garrison was three killed and twelve wounded.
The most momentous engagements of the Indian war were the attacks upon New Ulm, as the fate of more than 1,500 people was at stake. The Sioux first assaulted it on the day following the outbreak, but were driven off. That night Judge C. E. Flan- drau, of the Supreme court, arrived with 125 men, and the next day 50 arrived from Mankato. Judge Flandran was chosen to command. On August 23 the Indians, some 500 strong, again attacked the little city and surrounded it, apparently determined to capture it. The battle lasted five or six hours. The Indians set fire to the houses to the windward, and the flames swept towards the center of the city, where the inhabitants had barri- caded themselves, and complete destruction seemed inevitable. The whites, under Flandran, charged the Indians and drove them half a mile. They then set fire to and burned all the houses on the outskirts in which the Indians were taking shelter. In all, 190 structures were destroyed. Towards evening the Indians re- tired. Thirty-six whites were killed, including ten slain in a reconnaissance on the nineteenth. Seventy to eighty were wounded.
Owing to a shortage of provisions and ammunition, the city was evacuated on August 25. The sick and wounded and women and children were loaded into 153 wagons and started for Man- kato. No more pathetic sight was ever witnessed on this conti- nent than this long procession of 1,500 people forced to leave their homes and flee from a relentless foe, unless it be the pathetic picture, seen so many times on this continent, of the Indians being driven from the lands of their ancestors by the no less relentless whites.
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Situation in the Minnesota Valley, Ileard's history thus viv- idly portrays conditions in the Minnesota Valley at this period : "Shakopee, Belle Plaine and Henderson wore filled with fugi- tives. Guards patrolled the outskirts, and attacks were con- stantly apprehended. Oxen were killed in the streets, and the meat, hastily prepared, was cooked over fires on the ground. The grist mills were surrendered by their owners to the public and kept in constant motion to allay the demand for food. All thought of property was abandoned. Safety of life prevailed over every other consideration. Poverty stared in the face those who had been affluent, but they thought little of that. Women were to be seen in the street hanging on each other's necks, telling of their mutual losses, and the little terror-stricken chil- dren, surviving remnants of once happy homes, crying piteously around their knees. The houses and stables were all occupied by people, and hundreds of fugitives had no covering or shelter but the canopy of heaven."
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