History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 19

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198

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Vol. I- 1

HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

These delightful sensations were, however, of brief duration, for even as they sat there drinking in the enchanting beauty of the scene, a band of red- skinned men, bedecked in the scant and hideous apparel of warriors, rose before them, and before our explorers could speak or had overcome a bit of their astonishment, two of the stalwart savages seized the horses by their bridles. wheeled them around with their backs to the magnificent picture, and, pointing south, spoke out in angry and sullen tones an order to the intruders to depart without a moment's lingering and go back where they came from. The situation was one that appealed very strongly to discretion and not at all to valor. The discoverers did not need a second order. The flashing eyes, the fiercely sullen expression, and the stifled gruffness of the command to "go," uttered with clenched teeth and with threatening gestures, were evidences that the Indians would admit of no parleying-not a word was uttered in reply-not even a backward look-but urging their weary animals into a double-quick they did not halt in their journey southward until they reached Split Rock River, some twelve miles away, and here they were compelled from sheer exhaustion to camp and spend the cheerless night. Early the following morning they were up and on the trail, and the second day after reached Sioux City, unimpaired in limb and loud in voicing the grandeur and value of their magnificent dis- covery, but somewhat reticent regarding the abruptness of their departure. Mr. Mills appeared to have been of that mold who would not easily accept defeat. particularly when the reward was great and the risk no greater than the menace of a few angry Indians, and a few weeks later found him alone on the trail again, bound for the Falls of the Sioux, which he reached. Having no unpleasant experiences, as pioneers view it, he took up a claim and built a sort of cabin, where he says he resided for a year, but it is more probable that he took a vacation for the winter and returned to his home further down the river or at Sioux City. His name does not appear among the settlers who came in (hiring the year following and who are all presumed to be mentioned in the records.

Mills also took a personal claim, covering the northwest quarter of section 16, township 101, range 49, which included Brookings Island, and built himself a small to by 12 cabin on the island. (This land, the reader will understand, had been ceded by the Sioux treaty at Lake Travers and Mendota in 1851 and was open to settlement.)

In May. 1857. Jesse T. Jarrett, Barclay Jarrett, John McClellan, James Farwell and Halvor Oleson, employees of the Western Town Company of Dubuque, reached the falls. Jarrett (Jesse) was in charge of the party, and they took up 320 acres bordering the falls in the name of the Western Townsite Company for townsite purposes. The tract selected for the townsite was de- scribed as the northeast quarter of section 16 and the northwest quarter of section 9, township 101, range 49, to which they gave the name of "Sioux Falls."

In June following, Messrs. Franklin J. Dewitt, Alpheus G. Fuller, Sam A. Medary, Jr. (son of the governor of Minnesota Territory), J. K. Brown, W. K. Noble, S. F. Brown, J. L. Fiske, Artemas Gale, James M. Allen, James Mc- Bride, James Evans, James McCall, William Settley and Arnold Merrill, repre- senting (as owners and employees) the Dakota Land Company of St. Paul, came to a point on the Minnesota River by steamboat-probably New Ulm- where they divided into two or three parties and pursued their journey over- land to the Big Sioux River, the party headed by Dewitt striking the river the farthest north, where they located and improved a townsite which they named Medary. Another party struck the river farther south and located the Town of Flandreau, while the third party, headed by Smith and Fuller, with Noble, Gale, Allen. Kilgore and Fiske, made their way to Sioux Falls, arriving about June 20th, and were greatly surprised to find another party in possession, who had already made choice of and located the Dubuque company's townsite.

FIRST CATARACT HOUSE, SIOUX FALLS, 1972

Showing the old stage coach

HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

However, the St. Paul people concluded to make the best of conditions, and selected the 320 acres immediately adjoining the "Sioux Falls" townsite, and gave the title of "Sioux Falls City" to their selection, the Dubuque people having appropriated the title of "Sioux Falls."

This most important part of their mission accomplished-a townsite secured- the St. Paul people returned home, leaving their interests in charge of James L. Fiske and James McBride. There were five men in the Dubuque party, viz. : Jesse Jarrett, the superintendent ; Barclay Jarrett, John McClellan, Farwell and Oleson, who with these two representatives of St. Paul, constituted a force of seven. These pioneers were then confronted with the growing antipathy of the Indians who had annoyed them by their presence and importunate attentions from their earliest arrival, but in July their conduct betrayed symptoms of ex- treme ugliness which culminated in an order to the whites to abandon their settle- ment and leave the country, or they would be driven off. The Indians were much more numerous than the whites. They claimed that the land was theirs, that they had not been consulted when the alleged treaty was made and did not recognize it. It is supposed that "Drifting Goose," a Yanktonnais chief, was at the head of these belligerently inclined redskins. He was recognized years later as the leader of a serious trouble in the James River country. An attempt was made to pacify the Indians with presents of blankets, sugar and bacon, but the truce in- (luced by this means was of short duration, and finally the palefaces were in- formed that they must leave "before another sunset" or there would be trouble of a serious character. The settlers had become convinced that the Indians had imbibed the war spirit, and as they were outnumbered and not prepared for a battle or even a safe defense, they concluded to evacuate the place, which they did, taking with them their property. The Indians did not molest their persons, and had evidently concluded that the best way to avoid a visit from the soldiers. which they dreaded, was to get rid of the whites without a resort to arms. The Dubuque party loaded their portable goods into skiffs, and returned by the Big Sioux and Missouri rivers to Sioux City. The St. Paul parties returned home. The Dubuque representatives reported the hostile attitude of the Indians to the officers of the Western Town Company, who urged them to make another effort, prepared to defend themselves at the point of a gun, and also to construct for- tifications that could afford protection in case the situation demanded it. It was the opinion of the leaders that the Indians would back down if they found that the whites were prepared to defend themselves.

Accordingly, supplied with abundant provisions and weapons of defense, on the 23d day of August, 1857, Jesse T. Jarrett, superintendent of the company, John McClellan, Dr. J. L. Phillips, W. W. Brookings, D. M. Mills, S. B. Atwood. A. 1 .. Kilgore, Smith Kinsey, Mr. Godfrey, and James Callahan, all in the employ of the Western Town Company, reached the Falls from Sioux City, where they encamped, and began to make improvements upon the townsite which the com- pany had taken. They had with them a sawmill, and the necessary mechanics' tools for constructing buildings, with a span of horses and a number of oxen. A little later Dr. Staples, president of the company, arrived, and soon after he deposed Mr. Jarrett from the superintendency, and appointed the young attor- ney, Mr. Brookings, to the position. Brookings was then twenty-four years of age, and had displayed the qualities of enterprise, energy and courage that recom- mended him for the leadership. The first work performed was the construction of a buikling and the installment of the sawmill; then followed a good stone building and also a frame store building. Indians annoyed them by running off their stock. Three dwelling houses were constructed. Early in the fall James M. Allen, William Little, James W. Evans, James L. Fiske, James McBride, James McCall and C. Merrill, superintendent, representing the St. Paul company. arrived, and these parties, with the Dubuque representatives, remained during the winter, during which season they erected a blockhouse near the island.

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HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

The Legislature of Minnesota Territory created the County of Big Sioux in 1857, covering the same boundaries afterwards defined by a Dakota legislature as Minnehaha County, and also Midway County, adjoining on the north, with Me- dary, county seat, and in the year 1857 Governor Ramsey of Minnesota Territory appointed the following named officers for the new County of Big Sioux: County commissioners, William Little, James McBride, A. L. Kilgore; register of deeds, James M. Allen ; sheriff, James Evans ; judge of probate, James L. Fiske; district attorney, W. W. Brookings; justices of the peace, Dr. J. L. Phillips, James McCall.

The Legislature of Dakota Territory at its first session in 1862 passed an act legalizing the official acts of Allen and McCall that had been performed after the State of Minnesota was admitted into the Union in 1858.

Early in the summer of 1858 a band of Yanktonnais or Sisseton Indians, mimbering about 100, appeared at Medary and demanded the immediate evacua- tion of the place. It is claimed that there were fourteen in the Medary party who remained there during the winter of 1857-58 and who built a few cabins and a blockhouse and began to prepare for farming in the spring of 1858. The Yanktonnais tribe, or a portion of it, had refused to recognize the treaty of cession made with the Sissetons and others, claiming that the Sioux Valley belonged to the whole Sioux Nation, and no tribe had any authority to cede it without the consent of all the tribes. These Indians had destroyed all the settlers' improve- ments in that portion of the valley, and informed the Medary people that they intended to burn their village, but would give them time to pack up their neces- sary raiment, and provision sufficient to last them until they could reach the white settlements in Minnesota. Major Franklin J. Dewitt, afterwards and for many years a prominent citizen of Yankton, was at Medary at this time, and was in favor of resisting the demands of the marauders; but the majority of the inhab- itants, numbering a dozen in all, having made no preparation for suitable defense or protection, and taken wholly by surprise, felt compelled to submit. The In- dians made no attempt to molest their persons, but burned the improvements that had been made, and then sent word to the settlers at Sioux Falls, by a half-breed Indian, demanding the immediate evacuation of the country; that they were on their way to the Falls and any white people found there would be driven off.

There were between thirty and forty settlers at Sioux Falls at this time, and after a council of war in which all participated, including the lone woman, Mrs. Goodwin, they resolved to remain and fight it out. They immediately set to work and constructed a substantial fortification of logs and sod enclosing the Dakota I.and Company's buildings, named it Fort Sod, and prepared for a siege ; but the Indians did not appear, having doubtless heard of the preparations made to receive them, and abandoned their hostile expedition at Flandreau. The incident, how- ever, served to increase the uneasiness and anxiety prevalent among a portion of the people, and when the threatened war clouds drifted past, and the danger was over for the time, the Sioux Falls settlement lost nearly one-half its poput- lation.

In 1858, the Sioux Falls colony was increased by the arrival of John Goodwin and his wife, Charles S. White and wife and daughter Ella; also Amos Dooley (or Duley) and wife, all from Minnesota. Mrs. Goodwin may be claimed as the first white woman to settle in Dakota. Later the same year William Stevens, with a number of others, came in. The Mr. Dooley and wife above named returned to Lake Shetek, Minnesota, the following year, and were all taken pris- oners by the Indians during the Little Crow massacre of 1862. Dooley was probably tomahawked and killed. His wife and one daughter were driven with other captives across to the Missouri above Fort Pierre and ransomed in Decem- ber by Major Charles E. Galpin, brought to Yankton and sent back to Minnesota and Iowa.

In the fall of 1858 the settlement was augmented by the arrival of Samuel Masters, of New York; J. B. Greenway and wife, of Kentucky; George P. Wal-

FIRST AND SECOND CHIEFS OF THE MANDANS

CHEYENNE WARRIORS IN COUNCIL COSTUME

CHEYENNE WARRIOR IN FULL WAR COSTUME

SQUAW'S CAPTURED FROM SITTING BULL. 1877

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HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

dron and wife, two daughters and a son, from New England; and Margaret Callahan, Mr. Waldron being a member of the Western Townsite Company. J. B. Barnes and Miss Callahan were soon afterward married, which was the first wedding in Dakota. J. W. Amidon and family, Henry Masters and son Samuel, John Lawrence, George Frosphonridge, J. B. Barnes, A. G. Fuller, John Rouse and B. C. Fowler and wife reached there the same year. Fuller was a member of the Dakota Land Co. In 1859 these were joined by Amos F. Shaw, S. J. Al- bright with a newspaper plant, James W. Lynch, Jefferson P. Kidder and Samuel F. and N. R. Brown.

The leading spirits in this Sioux Falls settlement were resourceful men of good ability and tireless energy. and the St. Paul parties represented some of the leading capitalists of New England. They were also backed by a number of the leading politicians of that day. The representatives of each company had come to Sioux Falls for the purpose of acquiring the water power and land adjoining in the interest of their companies, and to labor for the organization of the terri- tory with the view of making Sioux Falls the capital. The political situation in the United States at that time apparently favored their plans and they went to work as men always do when they feel that their success is well assured.

They began in 1858 to make substantial improvements. W. W. Brookings had been appointed general manager of the interests of the Western Land Company and built a sawmill, a cornmeal grist mill and a stone dwelling. The Dakota Land Company built a large stone store building and a second stone building which was used for a printing office. The next important step taken by the Sioux Falls pioneers was a political movement. The settlers proceeded to organize what is called a provisional government for the purpose of promoting the early organi- zation of the territory and securing its capital at Sioux Falls City. An election was held in October, 1858, and prior thereto certain notices were issued and posted, as is the usual custom. The first notice for the election in 1858 read as follows :

ELECTION NOTICE

At a Mass Convention of the People of Dakota Territory, held at the Town of Sioux Falls, in the County of Big Sioux, September 18th, 1858, all portions of the Territory being represented, it was Resolved and Ordered that an Election should be held for Members to compose a Territorial Legislature. In pursuance of said Resolution, notice is hereby given that on Monday, the 4th day of October, next, at the house of ( John Smith) * in the town of (Sioux Falls, ) in the County of Big Sioux. an Election will be held for (two) Members of the Council; and (five) Members of the House of Representatives, for said Legislature. The polls will be opened at 9 o'clock in the morning and close at 4 o'clock in the afternoon of said day.

The above notice would indicate that the plan at this time was to eleet a Legislative Assembly only, the Legislature so elected to meet, elect a governor, and take steps to set the provisional government in motion. An election was duly held at Sioux Falls, but it is doubtful whether there was another poll opened in the territory, certainly none west of the Big Sioux. Encouraged by the precedent established at the time Wiseonsin was admitted as a state, and its western con- nection left without a government, the Sioux Falls parties had some foundation for expecting the favorable recognition of Congress, and there was enough at stake to induce the Sioux Falls leaders to expend every effort that was made in behalf of their enterprise.

Nearly a year later, or in 1859, the prospect for recognition having possibly brightened. and possibly urged by the necessities of their situation, it was re- solved to hold a special election and a notice, of which the following is a copy. was published :

TERRITORIAL CONVENTION

A convention of the Citizen of Dakota Territory will be held at the Dakota House, Sioux Falls City, on Saturday the 3d day of September next, for the purpose of nominating

* The words enclosed in parentheses indicate a blank. to be filled in as occasion required.

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IHISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

a Candidate for Delegate to represent the said Territory in the Congress of the United States during the ensuing two years.

Sioux Falls City, August 10th, 1859.

This was a territorial convention, and in accordance with the action thereof, Jefferson P. Kidder, who had come into the colony from St. Paul in 1859, was duly nominated for delegate to Congress.

The next was an election notice, and the plans appear to have undergone some modification since 1858, for now provision is made for the election of territorial, legislative and county officers. This formal notice was issued :

ELECTION NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that on Monday, the 12th day of September. 1859, at the several Election Precinets in the County of Big Sioux, an Election will be held for the following named officers, to-wit: A Governor; Secretary of the Territory: A Delegate to Congress ; four Members of the House of Representatives; two Members of the Territorial Council ; Judge of Probate, a District Attorney, three county Commissioners, a Sheriff, a Register of Deeds, a County Treasurer, a Coroner, two Justices of the Peace, two County Assessors, and two Constables. Election to be held in the First Precinct at the Dakota House; Second Precinct at the house of Henry Mathers: Third Precinct at the House of Charles Philbrick.

J. M. ALLEN,

Dated this 6th day of August, A. D. 1859. Clerk Board County Commissioners.

The clerk omitted in this notice to state at what hour the polls would be opened and closed, which, however, was not a matter of serious importance under the circumstances.

Alpheus G. Fuller had been appointed a delegate to Congress from Dakota Territory by the officers of Midway County, at Medary, immediately after the admission of Minnesota into the Union in May, 1858, and had gone to Washing- ton for the purpose of taking his seat. At Washington he was confronted by a formidable obstacle in the person of Delegate W. W. Kingsbury, who had been elected delegate from Minnesota Territory prior to the state's admission, and who was permitted to hold the seat for the terin for which he was elected as dele- gate from the portion of the former Minnesota Territory not included within the boundaries of the new state; and who might therefore be held to have been the first delegate from Dakota. His term would not expire until the following March. Mr. Fuller, however, remained in Washington, and labored in behalf of the organization of the new territory.

The election at Sioux Falls was duly held on the 12th of September. The principal contest was between Jefferson P. Kidder and Alpheus G. Fuller. The election was not participated in by the settlers west of the Big Sioux River, and there is no evidence that these people knew there was an election : but the inhab- itants of the Sioux Valley at Sioux Falls and north all participated and a full vote, practically, was secured, as will be seen from the following abstract issued after election by the provisional secretary of state :

Office of Secretary of Dakota Territory.

Abstract of Votes cast at the General Election held September 12th, 1859. for the Election of Delegate to Congress as per Return from the various Counties now on file in this office :

Big Sioux County, Ist Precinct,

J. P. Kidder, 287 votes

A. G. Fuller, 28 votes

zd Precinct,

Kidder. 198 votes

Fuller. 5 votes

Vermillion County.

Kidder,

52 votes

Fuller.

none.

Midway County.

Kidder. 973 votes

Fuller,

114 votes

Rock County,

Kidder. 69 votes

Fuller,

none.

Pembina County,

Kidder.

IIO votes

Fuller.

none.

Total

Kidder, 1689 votes

Fuller, 147 votes

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HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

It was claimed that Mr. Fuller was aggrieved at the action of the Sioux Falls convention in setting him aside and nominating Judge Kidder, deeming it a reflec- tion upon his official course ; and he came out as an independent candidate. The vote shows that Mr. Fuller was in the field ; but the subsequent proceedings of the Sioux Falls colony were not disturbed by any manifestations of inharmony among the leaders.

Candidate Kidder seems to have enjoyed great popularity, and Midway County must have astonished even its most sanguine friends in getting all its voters to the polls. Medary, the county seat of Midway, was not a populous town, but it was surrounded by a region capable of sustaining a large population.

From one of the parties who participated in these exciting events it was learned that the Minnesota party, or at least a portion of it, made an earnest effort to promote the Town of Medary. The settlers there had a county organ- ization, given them by the Legislature of the Territory of Minnesota, called Mid- way County, and Medary was the county seat.

Mr. Kidder received the certificate of election, repaired to Washington and made a very earnest effort to secure admission to the House as a delegate from Dakota. To sustain his claim, provided he had been properly elected and accred- ited, there were abundant precedents, btit these precedents were all supported by a numerous body of people who were actual residents and citizens; while in this particular Dakota case it is questionable whether there were over fifty white people in the entire region described in the table of returns. Gen. William Tripp, at that time a member of the Western Town Company and a resident of Sioux City, visited Sioux Falls a few weeks after this election was held, and found about thirty people there, while the country north of the Falls was understood to be practically uninhabited. At this time the Yankton Treaty had been ratified, and the Indian title extinguished to all the land west of the Big Sioux, and north of the Missouri as far west as Medicine Knoll Creek, and settlements had been made at Big Sioux Point, Elk Point, Vermillion, James River, Yankton, Bon Homme, and opposite Fort Randall. These settlers do not appear to have par- ticipated in this election, and it was claimed that they were not consulted or even apprised of what their neighbors on the Upper Sioux were engaged in. Congress was aware of this situation and it doubtless had an influence in determining that body to refuse recognition to its accredited representative.

The Dakota Land Company located a number of towns in Dakota in 1858-59. The Dakota Democrat, the official organ of the company at Sioux Falls, printed a list of these locations as an advertisement. First was:

Renshaw, at the mouth of the Upper Coteau Percee, connecting with the Sioux at the Big Walnut Timber, twenty miles north of Medary and near Lake Preston. This location embraces 320 acres, well improved.

Medary, the county seat of Midway County, the first organized county in Dakota, situated on the Big Sioux at the crossing of the government road and twenty-five miles due west of Mountain Pass. Two hundred and twenty acres are script here.

Flandrau is the county seat of Rock County, at the junction of Coteau Percee with the Sioux, fifteen miles south of Medary. Six hundred and forty acres.

Sioux Falls City, established seat of government of Big Sioux County and the recognized capital of the territory, at the Falls of the Big Sioux, the head of navigation on that river. terminus of the Transit Railroad west, sixty miles south of Mountain Pass and too miles up from the Missouri. Three hundred and twenty acres.

Eminija is the county seat of Vermillion County, at the month of the Split Rock River and Pipestone Creek, on the Big Sioux, thirteen miles below the falls and at the more practicable head of navigation for large steamers. Six hundred and forty acres.

Commerce City is situated at the Great Bend of the Sioux on the Dakota side, half way between Sioux Falls City and the Missouri, a natural site for a town. Coal and timber plenty. At a point to which steamers of any class may ply in any stage of water. Three hundred and twenty acres.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 19

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198