History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 59

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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As the wise provisions of this beneficent measure became known to the people of the country, movements were set on foot at different places to organize colonies and emigrate in large bodies to the new sections of the West, wherever soil, cli- mate and natural advantages generally, offered the most favorable inducements. Such a colony was formed at Syracuse, New York, during the year 1863, called the "Free Homestead Association," with a numerous membership of parties who had accumulated each one, a small store of wealth, so the colony was in shape to remove with comfort and to begin their work of home building wherever they might locate in the New West, under comparatively favorable circumstances. The membership, counting only heads of families and single persons not mem- bers of any of the families was over one hundred. Counting the women and children there were nearly five hundred.

The secretary of this organization, and one of the principal working forces was Prof. James S. Foster, a Syracuse gentleman, who had for years been engaged in educational work in Central New York. The association, through correspondence, became acquainted with representative immigration agents and state officials in all the free land states of the West, and being so numerous a body and such a desirable class of people, these representatives of the New West were all anxious to secure them as citizens of their respective states and territories, and a result of this correspondence was that each of these western committees sent an agent to Syracuse during the fall and winter of 1863-4 for the purpose of laying before the association the advantages of their respective localities, and to impart such other information as would assist the association in determining where to settle. Dakota had no emigration bureau or official whose duties were connected with works of this character but the surveyor gen- eral of the territory, General Hill, had learned of the purpose of the association and had put himself in communication with its secretary, and was given a place on the list of states and territories which the colonists would consider before determining upon their destination or location. The general was notified during the early winter of 1863-4 that the "Free Homestead AAssociation" would hold a meeting on the 16th of January, 1864. for the purpose of hearing what he had to present regarding the advantages offered by Dakota to home seekers. The general was punctual in keeping the appointment and was regarded by a full attendance of the enrolled members and a large number who were then on the anxious seat. llis address was one of the best the association had heard and created a sentiment very favorable to Dakota.

Maj. W. A. Burleigh, the agent of the Yankton Indians at this time, had also learned of this "Free Homestead Association" and took occasion to stop off at Syracuse while on one of his visits to Washington, in December, 1863, at which time the association held a meeting and listened to what they pronounced one of the best speeches they had ever listened to from the lips of the versatile and eloquent agent. Doctor Burleigh had become thoroughly imbued with the opinion that Dakota was one of the most promising agricultural sections on the face of the earth and there was magnetism in his voice when he made an address on that theme. Having obtained all the information it was practical to obtain by

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this method, the association, in furtherance of the same object, sent a delegation of its members to visit and inspect certain localities in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota and Minnesota, it having been definitely decided that the colony would make its selection from one of these states or from Dakota. Wisconsin and Illi- nois had been on the list but were now crossed off as not offering the special inducement of a large and compact body of lands sufficient to afford a homestead claim to every member, this being a matter of prime importance as the association had, as a leading feature of its plan, the founding of a village of its own in con- nection with its farming community surrounding it, where it could profit by the trade of its members through mercantile establishments and various industries set up by its members, who in addition to being farmers embraced nearly every ordinary business trade and profession. The usefulness of the church was also recognized and an able clergyman of the orthodox faith was among the colony's members. It will be readily admitted, now that we are acquainted with the full scope of the plan of this association, not only that it was a very desirable acquisi- tion to any state or territory, but that no other section of the West could excel Dakota in furnishing the compact body of fertile lands surrounding points that promised, as the country developed, to become the centers of trade and industry. The embassy of experience and wise heads sent West on its errand of investiga- tion performed its duty as thoroughly as circumstances would permit and return- ing home gave its report in favor of Dakota, and of Yankton as the best point for a temporary settlement until its further plans could be intelligently executed. The names of these ambassadors were James S. Foster and Ross Brown.

Their report was satisfactory and the members of the association now set about closing up their affairs and preparing for the grand movement westward.

To the West. to the West, to the land of the free, Where the mighty Missouri rolls down to the sea. Where a man is a man if he's willing to toil And the humblest may gather the fruits of the soil.

This colony was the first organization in the United States to emigrate to the new Territory of Dakota. Their association was the result of an intelligent plan on the part of several enterprising and ambitious men to get away from the over- crowded East where the farming lands were too high in price for the man of ordinary means or with an ordinary income from the average trade or profes- sion to think of owning a farm. The work they were engaged in, and the removal they contemplated, was based on the most commendable motives and endorsed by the highest wisdom and judgment and soundest practice of mankind, a work that must forever have the hearty approval of their conscience regardless of the fate which came to the individuals who made up the membership of the colony.

This association had an executive committee to which was finally assigned the duty of attending to all matters connected with the transportation of so large a number of people. This committee was made up of James S. Foster, W. H. Fowler, Chas. Van Epps, R. E. Fairchild and Grove Buell. Each member of the colony over fourteen years of age was required to make a deposit of $25 with the committee as an evidence of good faith and permit the committee to go forward and complete its arrangements for the trip, which contemplated such a program that there would be no hitch or disagreement from the time of departure to the time of reaching their destination, which was at Yankton, Dakota Territory. The route agreed upon was by special train from Syracuse to St. Joseph, Mis- souri, via Buffalo, Chicago, and Hannibal to St. Joseph, thence by steamboat to Yankton. By this route a through ticket cost $31, which included board on the steamboat from St. Joseph to Yankton, full fare being charged for all emigrants above fourteen years of age, half fare for all aged from five years to fourteen, and under five years, free. This was the route favored by the committee, but because some of the colonists wished to have the discretion of going by a dif- ferent route, what was termed an all-land route, the committee recommended

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that they leave the main body at Chicago and proceed to Marshalltown, lowa, by rail, which was as far west as the railroads had penetrated at that day. At Marshalltown these emigrants were to purchase such equipment as was neces- sary and proceed to Yankton in true emigrant style, sheltered by the canvas-cov- ered prairie schooner, propelled by mule, horse or ox-power, and camping where night overtook them in some of the romantic valleys of the Hawkeye State near the margin of its crystal streams.

AAffairs progressed favorably with the Free Homestead Association, and about the 5th of April, 1864, its members boarded a special train at Syracuse, New York. and most of them bade a final farewell to the homes and friends and scenes they had known from infancy, to make new homes and new friends and new scenes in a land as new and untried as the land they were leaving was a century earlier. The trip West was uneventful; fortunately no accident marred the pleasure of the journey which possessed enough of novelty to awaken and hold their interest. As fate would have it the entire colony abandoned the "main body" and the steamboat transportation before reaching Chicago, possibly fearing sea-sickness which envious railroad men had informed them always afflicted those who ventured for the first time upon the boisterous, billowy Missouri, and elected to take the route via Marshalltown, thence across the plains to Yankton, a potent argument in favor of this route being that they would be able to pur- chase needed cattle and draft animals and wagons and many other articles neces- sary in founding their new homes to better advantage at the end of the railway than they could hope to do in the thinly populated territory to which they were going. This change of the route had one result not anticipated when it was decided upon, for it destroyed the unity of the colony to a material extent, as will be seen.

The colonists had their purchasing done and their overland outfits ready for the road on the ioth day of May, and nearly all got away from Marshalltown on that day. They kept together as well as it was practical so to do, until they entered Dakota at Pacquette's Ferry, and here some of the colonists separated from the main body and went up the Sioux. These settled on Brule Creek and above in a charming country ; still others left the colony in Clay County and took claims. C. N. Taylor founded Lincoln, which became a stage station and is now Meckling on the C. M. & St. P. R. R. The majority of them, however, came through to Yankton and settled in and around the village, some going on to Bon Homme County, where they took up claims. Whether by chance or design, they did not proceed to carry out their original plan of settling in a compact body and building their own village, but went to work independently, securing claims as a rule, but a number took up their residence in the town and remained citizens. As it turned out, nearly every portion of the Dakota settlements then existing re- ceived an acquisition from this first colony, composed as it was of a superior class of people, intelligent, industrious, honest, law abiding and enterprising.

As this was the first colony of Americans to emigrate to Dakota- the pioneer colony-it is deemed historically important that their names be preserved upon the historic page that they may be known to succeeding generations, their pioneer labors appreciated, and be honored by their descendants, who are already quite numerous in South Dakota.

The appended list may be relied upon as correct. It was prepared by a daugh- ter of the late James S. Foster, who was the leader of the colony. This lady was one of the younger children of the colony in 1864, and is now Mrs. O. II. Carney, of Yankton. She has possession of her father's records, and therefore is equipped to furnish reliable and accurate information regarding that important event in Dakota's early history. Added to the list is a brief notice of the death or present home of the old colonists and their descendants.

James S. Foster and wife who settled at Yankton and who have since died. Their children were Carrie, now Mrs. O. 11. Carney, of Yankton ; Cora, now Mrs.

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George Miner, Mitchell; Martha, now Mrs. Barber, Mitchell ; Miss Fannie Foster, Sioux City ; T. Max Foster, Sioux City; Albert D. Foster, Idaho.

Charles W. Foster, brother of James S., and wife, of Yankton County and who have both died. The children were Edwin Foster, now in Minnesota ; Eliza- beth, now Mrs. Henry Newton, Yankton; Lettie, now Mrs. Curt, Oklahoma ; Silas Foster, Iowa.

James D. Prentice and wife, Yankton County, have since died. The children were Elizabeth, now Mrs. Lyman Thomas, Yankton; Emory Guild, late of Bak- ersfield, California ( recently deceased ), and Mrs. Royal H. Jones, of Yankton.

Chas. N. Taylor and wife, who settled at Lincoln, now Meekling, Clay County, where Mrs. Taylor continues to reside. Her husband died a few years ago. Their children were Lorell Charles Taylor, who died ; George Lewellyn Tay- lor, Hemingford, Nebraska; Henry Taylor, Meckling.

S. V. Bunker and wife, Yankton, both now dead. Their children were George Bunker, since died in Florida ; Belle Bunker, died at Yankton ; William Bunker, Chicago; Samuel Bunker, Yankton.

A. F. Hayward, now in Quincy, Massachusetts.

S. C. Fargo and wife, Yankton County. Mrs. Fargo resides on the old home- stead south of Gayville, South Dakota. Mr. Fargo died a few years ago. The eltildren were Charles Fargo, now in Deadwood; Ella Fargo, afterward Mrs. Thomas Dickson, now dead ; Mary Fargo, also dead; James and Frank at home.

Charles Van Epps and wife, Yankton County. Mr. Van Epps is dead ; his wife, Mrs. Louise Van Epps, resides in Yankton. The children were Allen Van Epps and William Van Epps, Yankton; Edith, now Mrs. Halle, St. Helena, Nebraska: Grace, now Mrs. Bull, Mason City, Iowa; Herbert Van Epps, Des Moines, Iowa.

Geo. I. Foster and wife, who now reside at Fargo, North Dakota. This Mr. Foster was a brother of James S. The children were Charles and Clara, both liv- ing at Fargo.

D. B. Andrews and family ; F. C. Hill and family, and LaFayette Foster and family and settled at and in the vicinity of Sioux City.

Gideon C. Moody and wife, Yankton. Mr. Moody died at Los Angeles, California, in 1905. Mrs. Moody is now living at Los Angeles. The children were Helen, now Mrs. Doctor Dickinson, Los Angeles ; Charles Moody, Sturges City, South Dakota; James Moody, Deadwood ; Burdette Moody, Deadwood ; Warner Moody, Deadwood. Since the above was written, Charles died at his home in Sturgis, and Warner was murdered in Wyoming.

A. C. Brownson and wife, Yankton County. Both have since died, Mr. Brown- son quite recently. The children were Eugene Brownson, Vermillion ; Ellison, Valley, Nebraska ; Caroline, now Mrs. Lowe, Beverly, Kansas; Mary, now Mrs. Fox, Elk Point : Herbert, Frank and George all reside at Yankton; Martha, now Mrs. Mathias, Olivet, South Dakota.

Louis H. Eliot and wife, Yankton County, now reside at Thonotosassa, Florida.

Jolin Treadway and wife, Yankton County, both now dead.

I. W. Case and wife, with Mr. Case's mother and Miss Martha Case, his sister. Mr. Case settled at Vermillion and soon after removed to Yankton, where Mr. Case's mother and wife died a few years later. Miss Martha Case is now a. resident of Yankton. Mr. Case some time after the death of his wife married a niece of Mr. W. W. Corliss. Mrs. Theodore De Vol and Mr. Ralph Case, both of Yankton, are his children. Both Mr. and Mrs. Case died quite recently.

J. M. Bostwick and family did not make a settlement in the territory. Neither did B. B. Andrews and family or A. Bookout and family. These parties returned to Webster City and Boone, Iowa, where they located, Andrews near Boone.

M. Coykendall (or Kuykendall) and wife, Union County. Their children Cassius and Mary, and three younger, are still residents of that county.

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John McCall, single. Returned to lowa with Doctor Loomis and afterwards married the doctor's daughter, Miss Mary.

A. L. Hinman and wife, Yankton County. Mr. Hinman died in 1905, at Oskaloosa, lowa, where Mrs. Hlinman now resides. The children were Ida, now Mrs. Graham, Yankton; Daisy, now Mrs. Samuel Bunker, Yankton ; Will Hin- man, Sioux Falls; Mame, now Mrs. Ennis, Oskaloosa, lowa; Nellie now Mrs. Scarls, Omaha.

R. L. Kenyon, of Jordanville, New York, and M. Kenyon, William Randall, J. Countryman and D. R. Marvin settled in the Big Sioux Valley. Their present whereabouts or those of their children has not been ascertained.

C. H. Fowler and wife and three children did not make a settlement in the territory but went back into lowa and located.

Grove Buell, a bachelor, remained at Yankton a year, and then returned to his former home in Syracuse, New York.

Abe and Frank Alexander, brothers and young single men, settled in Yank- ton for a time, then removed to Bon Homme. Abe is now a prominent citizen of Campbell County, South Dakota, and Frank, after spending several years in the public land surveys went to the Black llills.

Mr. Fielding and wife and son Richard, settled at Lincoln, now Meckling, where they died some years ago.

Dr. J. O. Loomis and son Orine, discouraged by the drought and grasshopper raid, left the territory in 1864 and settled near Webster City, lowa.

Rev. L. B. Judson and family, Bon Homme. Did not remain long in the ter- ritory. Reverend Judson represented the Baptist Home Mission Society.

R. E. Fairchild and family and G. C. Cole and family settled in Bon Homme County but became discouraged in a short time and removed to near Webster City, lowa, where they now reside.

Franklin Bronson and wife, Yankton County and Buffalo County. Both have died. Their children were Nettie Bronson, now Mrs. John J. Thompson, Philadelphia ; Charles, Frank, George and Harriet, all of whom are dead, and all but Frank died at Yankton. Frank died in Sioux City. Harriet became Mrs. Clyde and left one daughter, Ethel Clyde, who is now Mrs. Miles and resides in Chicago.

The success which had attended the efforts of Yankton to secure immigra- tion, as attested by the coming hither of the New York colony, created quite a little envious comment among the people and by the newspapers in the sparsely settled portions of lowa and Nebraska.

Every western community of any note was striving to secure an increase in population. Dakota's success was made the subject of a leading article in the Omaha Republican, the leading Nebraska journal in 1864. The Republican, de- signing only to arouse the Nebraskans from an apathetic condition, told the story of the coming to Yankton of "eight hundred to one thousand population at one time," and added :

Yankton is about one hundred and twenty miles due north of this place, and 180 miles distant by the usually traveled route. It is out of the line of travel, with no particular commercial, agricultural or stock growing advantages. Yet we have the foregoing testimony in regard to what that people have accomplished. It is nonsense to blink the fact, and we refer to it not out of a spirit of jealousy, but to induce our leading men to turn their attention a little more in the direction indicated.

Dakota's growth during the earlier years of its occupation and settlement by the whites was extremely moderate. but this was not due to neglect or apathy, or want of enterprise on the part of Dakotans, but rather to the force of uncon- trollable circumstances that frequently thwarted the most earnest and liberal efforts, made apparently in accord with the most practical methods. Dakota might have successfully competed against ordinary rivals in the matter of getting getting population, but the great Union Pacific Railroad corporation with its Vol. [ . 22

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empire of lands granted by the Government and with millions of money, was an opponent too formidable for Dakota's available resources. That gigantic and enterprising corporation carefully searched this country over to secure people for its lands, and then crossed the seas and sifted Europe of its youth and enter- prise and transplanted it to the fertile plains of Nebraska. Other less powerful corporations worked in the same direction. In addition to these efforts of the land grant railroads, the great states of lowa and Minnesota were only meagerly settled, and the homeseeker from the eastern states, even when headed for Dakota, was obliged to resist the attractions and advantages that everywhere invited his attention while passing through these commonwealths, and was also beset by tempting opportunities presented by the people and by immigration agents who were working to obtain settlers for their vacant acres. In this way Dakota's im- migration was retarded and the territory received but a handful of the hundreds and thousands whose interest in the advantages of the West had been first awak- ened through the efforts of Dakota's agents. And as a rule the newcomer to Dakota who had resisted the temptations and blandishments presented by the citizens of neighboring states, and finally reached the territory, would have an entertaining story to tell of the methods employed by Dakota's eastern neigh- bors to dissuade immigration to the territory. The information was given that Dakota was no place for a white man; nothing fit for the subsistence of civilized people could be grown on the arid plains of the territory. It was a land of per- petual drought in summer, and awful blizzards six months in the year. If a farmer was lucky enough to get the promise of a crop the grasshoppers were sure to devour it before harvest ; even the potatoes were not safe from the ravages of the ravenous and gluttonous insect who would dig into the ground and con- sume the tubers. Indians always formed a part of these stories. They were con- stantly brandishing their tomahawks and scalping the people. Nearly all the dead people in the territory would be found minus their scalp lock. The early settlers of Sioux City were given sometimes to halt a party of immigrants headed for Dakota and in a half confidential tone and manner impart the information that the great American desert would be found just west of "Jim" River; and the immigrant was advised to keep his head shaved.

It will be observed that even at that early day Dakota was becoming some- what celebrated for push and enterprise. It was setting the pace for western communities that have since outstripped her in the race for population, not, how- ever, because of Dakota's failure to do her whole duty, but due largely to the earlier development of the western railway systems which, at times, has proved inimical to the interests of this section of the Northwest.

IMMIGRATION TO MONTANA GOLD FIELDS The Missouri River Route

The year 1862 witnessed the beginning of emigration to the newly discovered gold fields of the Northwest, on the headwaters of the Missouri and Columbia rivers. The first steamboats to enter this trade by carrying passengers and miners' supplies by way of the Missouri River came up from St. Louis early in May. Among them were the Shreveport, Key West, Spread Eagle, Emilie and Florence. They were fairly crowded with gold seekers, bound for what was known as the Salmon River diggings which at that time were the center of the mining excite- ment. These placers were reported to be immensely rich, and old Californians were said to be going in there by hundreds. Discoveries had also been made on a spur of the Bitter Root Mountains about twenty miles from Salmon River, and were reported, in richness, equal to the best placers discovered in California. The reports received were authentic, coming in letters that were vouched for by excellent authority. It was claimed that four men with a rocker were taking out twenty-seven ounces of gold per day, and that the diggings generally were paying from $15 to $ioo a day to the men. Laborers were difficult to secure and

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would listen to no offer of less than an ounce of gold per day. Ordinarily this gold would have been worth from $14 to $17 an ounce ; but owing to the increased price of nearly all commodities consequent upon the Civil war, the yellow metal, which was also a commodity, was selling for nearly double ordinary prices, and during the war became of still higher value. These Salmon River discoveries were among the first in the Northwest and were located on the Pacific side of the mountains, but it was quite apparent that the best route for the emigrant on this side of the Rockies was by way of the Missouri River. Dakota people, aware of this decided advantage, put forth their best efforts during this year and for sey- cral years following to direct attention to the route, and up to the time when the Union Pacific Railway reached Western Nebraska, the Missouri steamboat inter- ests reaped a golden harvest from this business, and Dakota's trade was also benefited.

Just about this time, June 1, 1862, the Steamboat Emilie reached Yankton from St. Louis having on board a party of explorers and prospectors who represented a St. Louis company, backed with a paid up capital of $100,000, organized to promote traffic by the Missouri route. This party intended to establish trading points in the upper country contiguous to the mines and gather information re- garding the overland route after leaving the upper river at or near Fort Benton. Another large body of emigrants rendezvoused at Fort Abercrombie on the head- waters of the Red River about the same time and went overland under a military escort. From this time forward for three or four years, the excitement over these and other discoveries spread throughout the country, and but for the war it is probable that hundreds of thousands of emigrants would have gone in to the gold region during the three or four years following by the Missouri gateway. Notwithstanding the war, however, the public mind was greatly exercised regard- ing the new gold fields, and the freight and passenger traffic of the Missouri grew rapidly, employing from thirty to fifty steamboats in 1863, 1864. 1865 and 1866.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 59

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