History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 134

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

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In the summer of 1893 Evangelist E. A. Burrows, of Huron, held a series of important revivals in the southeastern part of the state and secured many con- verts. Such meetings were held at Vermillion, Dell Rapids, Yankton, Canton, Mitchell and elsewhere.

One of the largest chautauquas held in the state up to that time assembled at Madison in July, 1895. It was asserted fully 5,000 people were present to hear Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage, who was scheduled to lecture on that occasion. He failed to put in an appearance, greatly to the disappointment of the people who assembled. Many protests were made and in the end the Lake Madison Chau- tauqua Assembly began suit against him for violation of his contract. Rev. Sam Jones was present and entertained the audience.

The Lake Madison Chautauqua in 1897 was a great success. Mrs. Lake, of St. Louis, a famous temperance advocate and orator, was present and addressed the large audience. Other interesting speakers and lecturers were present. The chautauqua of the territory in 1889 was held at Milbank on Big Stone Lake and there were present fully 3,000 people. Many strong speakers were present and an enjoyable time was had.

In 1904 the Dakota Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was divided into five presiding elder districts embracing a total of 127 pastoral charges. At least one hundred of these charges contained from two to three preaching appointments each. There was a total of 232 Sunday Schools connected with the conference at this time, also 2,067 church officers and teachers and 15,141 Sun- day School scholars.

Late in 1906 the new Methodist Church building at Madison was dedicated. This was a record year for the Methodists, Baptists and Catholics particularly ; many church buildings going up in all parts of the state. Statistics of the Metho- dist Church prepared by Rev. G. T. Notson, secretary of the conference, showed that a total of $225,819 or $17.31 per member, had been contributed the previous year, 1906, to the cause of the church. The conference at this time covered only that part of the state east of the 101 meridian and thus did not include the Black

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Hills. During the year there was an increase of 494 members in the Methodist conference in South Dakota. The total membership by January, 1907, was 12,988.

In 1913 the Black Hills Mission was admitted into the Dakota Conference of the Methodist Church and since then has been included in the Rapid City district. The work of the conference is superintended by five men who preside over the following districts : Aberdeen, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Watertown. In 1914 the number of Methodists in the state was 18,814, the number of minis- ters of all classes 174, number of church buildings 224, number of parsonages I43, number of Sunday Schools 269, number of members of the Epworth League 3,672, members of the Junior League 1,476.

The Dakota Wesleyan University at Mitchell now has a property worth about $300,000 and an endowment fund worth about $250,000. It has a faculty of thirty members and a steadily growing student body. The presidents down to the present time have been as follows: 1885-93, Rev. William Brush, D. D .; 1893-1904, Rev. W. I. Graham, D. D .; 1904-08, Rev. Thomas Nicholson, D. D .; 1908-12, Rev. S. F. Kerfoot, D. D. The Methodists of South Dakota have two small hospitals, one at Rapid City and the other at Brookings. There is now in course of construction a large representative plant in the City of Mitchell to be known as the Methodist State Hospital. It is planned to erect a structure costing about $100,000 thoroughly up-to-date in all details.

In 1906 there were in the state 291 societies of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with 15,485 members, 235 houses of worship, 33 halls, 128 parsonages, 250 Sunday Schools and 20,013 scholars. There were five organizations of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America, with 176 members and four church structures ; also twenty-four societies of the Free Methodist Church of North America, with 444 members, II houses of worship, 8 halls, 10 parsonages, 17 Sun- day Schools and 522 scholars. The state census of 1915 showed a total of 52,839 Methodists in the state.

In 1863 the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions sent to the Crow Creek Agency for permanent work, Rev. John P. Williamson as mis- sionary among the Indians in South Dakota. He was a Presbyterian and con- ducted his labors under that faith. Prior to this time Catholics and Protestants both had sent missionaries temporarily or permanently among the Indians here. The most noted one perhaps was Father DeSmet, a Catholic, who came up the Missouri River nearly every summer and held services at the different trading posts. and even at the Indian encampments. Mr. Williamson arrived May 31st on board a river steamer, and with him on the same vessel came about one thousand three hundred Minnesota Sioux Indians in charge of Col. C. W. Thompson. At this time all the Indians of South Dakota were at war with the United States. A little later two steamboats arrived with about two thousand Winnebagoes who had been expelled from Minnesota. Mr. Williamson began his work at once and devoted the most of his time to the instruction of the Santees. The Winnebagoes seemed stubborn and opposed to any instruction he might offer, but the Sioux listened to him because perhaps he could talk their language. The succeeding winter was one of terrible suffering among the Indians. They ran entirely out of food and for a time lived on "cottonwood soup," because the steamboats failed to bring the expected supplies from St. Louis. This soup was prepared for them by Colonel Thompson. About one-fourth of the Santees died that dreadful win-

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ter; also many of the Winnebagoes. However the school and mission work was kept up all winter amid the distressing surroundings.

In 1865 the American Board sent to the Yankton Indians at Greenwood, S. D., H. D. Cunningham and wife as lay missionaries. After laboring for two years they were obliged to return owing to ill health. In 1866 the Government moved the Winnebagoes and Santees to the vicinity of Niobrara, Neb. Mr. Williamson, who had returned to Minnesota, came back in 1868 and resumed his labors among the natives of this state. In 1869 he located at Greenwood and there resided and worked for many years. The house he erected was constructed of hewed cotton- wood logs and was still occupied by him in 1900. The agency of the Yankton Indians was located here at a later date.

The first regular church organized among the Yankton Indians was established at Greenwood March 18, 1871, by Mr. Williamson and consisted of eighteen members all of whom were Indians. Mr. Williamson began soon to extend his work beyond the agency and finally reached out to other branches of the Sioux tribe. Hill Church, thirteen miles southeast of Greenwood, was organized in 1877; Cedar Church, fifteen miles northwest of Greenwood, in 1887; Heyata Church, fifteen miles northeast of Greenwood, in 1893. From that time down to the present, many churches have been organized among the natives in this portion of the state.

In 1870 Rev. J. W. Cook, an Episcopal minister, established a mission at Green- wood, his being among the earliest of any denomination to locate permanently among the Indians of this state. He continued his service with great patience and much success until his death many years later. Like Rev. Mr. Williamson he did superior school and church work and established many congregations of the Episcopal faith among the Indians, particularly the Yanktons. For many years, also, the Episcopal Church conducted a boarding school for Indian boys at Green- wood ; it was known as St. Paul's School.

During the winter of 1863-4 Mr. Williamson held services for General Sibley's Indian Scouts who spent the winter at Buffalo Lake in Northeast South Dakota. No mission was established there. Rev. Thomas Williamson and Dr. S. R. Riggs were both doing missionary work among the Indians after this date. Doctor Riggs accomplished excellent work on the Sisseton Reservation. He established a boarding school at Good Will, and continued the work until his death, up to which time there were five Presbyterian churches established among the Indians of the Sisseton Reservation. One of the prominent preachers under Doctor Riggs was Rev. John B. Renville, a Sioux Indian, the first to become a regular preacher. He was a son of Joseph Renville, a French half-breed, who was a famous trader among the Sioux nearly a century before. Joseph Renville was interpreter at the treaty held by Lieut. Z. M. Pike with the Sioux Indians at the mouth of St. Peter's River where now Fort Snelling is located. In his later years Rev. Mr. Williamson was general missionary for all the Dakota Indians. In all he organized about a dozen Presbyterian churches among the natives.

Mission work among the Teton Sioux was commenced in 1872. The Indians of Cheyenne River Agency were then scattered along the Missouri bottom in little villages, and here Rev. Thomas L. Riggs erected a hewed log house with two rooms below, one of which was a school room. Above was a garret for sleeping rooms. He called this Hope Station. It stood a short distance below

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

Fort Sully. Here Mr. Riggs remained for many years, instructing the Tetons in the ways of civilized life and showing them the comforts and benefits result- ing from religion. At first the work was one unceasing round of hardship, but in time the Indians became more placable and submitted to the instruction urged upon them. A little later other stations were established, one on Peoria bottom north of the present Pierre. Schools were opened and Indians were taught how to use the plane and saw and certain farm implements. The women were inter- ested in the sewing school, and all seemed anxious to learn to read from books. Thus with hard work and persistent effort the habits of civilization were slowly fastened upon the natives.

In 1874 the station at Peoria bottom, fifteen miles below Fort Sully and on the eastern side of the river, became the central missionary station, and Hope Station was continued only as an auxiliary. The other out-station was on Chan- tier Creek, five miles above Hope Station. Soon Mr. and Mrs. Riggs were joined by assistants. In 1875 there came Miss Bishop, a missionary helper, and in the same autumn Miss Collins and Miss Whipple located at Peoria bottom. At this time there were about three hundred Indians living there. The work consisted in teaching during the day, in addition to assisting with farming operations. Re- ligious services were given on Sundays and usually every evening. Steadily the work expanded until all the Indians in this vicinity were under the good influence of the school and the church. The Indian girls and women were taught to sew and to keep house. Nearly all belonged to the church and were required to do so in order to receive instruction. Finally, permission to establish an industrial school was obtained from the American Missionary Association, and accordingly, in 1884-85, twelve Indian girls were taken and became the nucleus of such school. The school at first had no building, but they managed to secure a small structure 12 by 14 feet where they had previously held day school exercises. This was moved into the mission enclosure and served as a kitchen, dining-room and sitting-room. The Indian matron and a few of the girls slept here, but the remain- der were kept elsewhere. In 1885 funds from the association were secured and a frame building to accommodate about fifty pupils was obtained. Here the pupils were taught to cook, sew, keep house and keep clean generally. English was the every-day language. The Bible was studied daily, both in English and in the Indian tongue. The object of the missionaries was to form and per- petuate Christian character among the natives. After a few years a few boys were taken into the school. However, they were not retained after reaching the age of ten or twelve years. Notwithstanding the fact that the Government about this time established a school system among the natives, the missionary boarding schools still retained their usefulness and popularity. The Oahe Church was organized in 1876 with one native and three white members, but within a short time it had a membership of 109, of whom about twenty were white people. By 1903 there were the following churches: Oahe, fifteen miles from Pierre; Cheyenne River, near Leslie; Remington, on Moreau River; Little Moreau, farther east on the Moreau River, and Virgin Creek, on the stream of the same name. There was also on Cherry Creek a small boarding school of ten pupils presided over by W. M. Griffiths and wife.

The first religious services by Presbyterians in what is now South Dakota were held in 1840. At that time Rev. Stephen R. Riggs, a member of that

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denomination, came from the Minnesota River to Fort Pierre and was accom- panied by Alexander Huggins. His audience consisted of Indians, but a little later a few whites joined his congregation. Other Presbyterians from time to time visited this field.

Early in 1860 Rev. Charles D. Martin, a missionary of the Presbyterian Church, came to Yankton and there preached the first sermon ever delivered to white people in what is now South Dakota. He came from Dakota City, Neb., a distance of about seventy miles. In October of that year he performed the first marriage recorded after Dakota Territory was opened to settlement. In June, 1861, he organized a Sabbath school in Vermillion in a log building that afterwards became known as the first church building proper erected in what is now South Dakota. In the construction of this building the few Pres- byterians were aided to the amount of $50 by the Presbyterian Board of Church Extension at Philadelphia. A little later the same board sent here a small library. Gen. J. B. Todd and Judge John W. Boyle assisted in this religious movement. The Indian outbreak in Minnesota in 1862 forced the people to convert this log church temporarily into a fort. About this time Mr. Martin became connected with the courts of the territory and thereafter ceased to preach.

The Presbytery of Dakota Territory was organized in 1864 and then included Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Colorado. Rev. Stephen R. Riggs was one of the original members of this body. The early work of the Presbyterians among the Sioux was mainly on Sisseton Reservation though at that time nearly all the Indians still led a wandering life. The first prominent organization among them by the Presbyterians was effected in 1865, when a membership of sixty-five was secured. At the same time there was organized what was called the Scout Church, which was composed of Christian Indians who had served as scouts in the United States army for a short time after the Minnesota massacre. Both of these churches were finally disbanded, and five local churches were organized therefrom. Several are yet active in the vicinity of Sisseton. They continued to increase until they numbered from thirty to forty and had a membership of from fifteen hundred to two thousand. Rev. Mr. Williamson had come to this field two years before Stephen R. Riggs came. These two men did an unparalleled work in translating considerable por- tions of the Bible to the unwritten language of the Dakotas. The far reaching results of their work would be difficult to tell at this date.

In 1872 the next important movement of the Presbyterians in South Dakota occurred. It extended from Iowa and passed up along the Big Sioux River, culminating at Canton, Dell Rapids, etc. The movement was led by Rev. Caleb M. Allen. He formed the church at Dell Rapids, which is yet active and is the oldest Presbyterian church of the white race now in the state. He organized a, church at Canton, which a little later was abandoned, but finally reorganized. Both were enrolled in Iowa. In 1877 Rev. George F. LcClere came from Iowa and located near Dell Rapids. He was followed the next year by Rev. W. S. Peterson, who located at Swan Lake. In 1879 Rev. James B. Currens came from Kentucky and a little later Rev. M. E. Chapin came from Ohio. One located at Parker and the other at Mitchell. About this time Rev. Ludwig Ligge located near Lennox. Rev. H. P. Carson settled at Scotland and Rev.

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W. L. Alexander at Volga, the latter in 1880. Others continued to come from this time forward in considerable numbers. Informal meetings or conventions of the Presbytery were held as early as July, 1879. One was thus held at Cameron in McCook County. At this time the missionaries were connected with the Iowa Synod, although this field was really within the territory of the Synod of Minnesota. Both synods had representatives in this field.

The second Presbyterian convention was held at Madison in 1879 and the third in Parker in 1884. The same year another was held at Mitchell, on which occasion Rev. A. K. Baird, of the Missionary Synod of Northern Iowa, was present. He was really the leader of these several conventions. The subject of "Ecclesiastical Relation" was discussed on this occasion. In the autumn of 1880 the fifth and last of these conventions was held at Flandreau.

By this time the number of ministers and churches had so increased that plans were perfected to convert them into an independent Presbytery. Hence, in October, 1881, a meeting was held at Dell Rapids for that purpose. It was ordered by the Synod of Minnesota, and as a result the Presbytery of Minnesota was duly constituted. It embraced the churches of white people that were then located in Dakota south of the 46th parallel. In all there were sixteen ministers, twenty-two churches and a membership of 380.

After this the growth was rapid and many calls were made upon the synods of Minnesota and Iowa for help. In 1883 the Synod of Minnesota divided this field into three presbyteries, and at this time there were here thirty-two minis- ters, fifty-three churches and over one thousand church members. This was called the Synod of Dakota, but a little later the name was changed to South Dakota. It was organized at Huron in October, 1884. At the same time the Dakota Indian Presbyterians included with the other three, Aberdeen, Central Dakota and South Dakota. By this time the church membership was about two thousand, with seventy-three church organizations and about sixty ministers. It was about this time, also, that the women of the Presbyterian churches formed organizations to help the aid and missionary societies. During the six years just prior to 1887, seventy-two Presbyterian churches were organized in South Dakota, with half as many houses. In 1887 the Black Hills Presbytery was organized, making the fifth in this Synod. Rev. John P. Williamson, of Greenwood, continued to be the chief missionary of the Dakota Sioux. In 1903 the Presbyterian Synod of South Dakota had 133 churches, nearly seventy thousand communicants, 110 ministers, and was in prosperous condition.

Educational work by the Presbyterians of South Dakota was started at an early date. The Presbytery, at a meeting held in Volga, declared its purpose to establish an educational institution where should be taught the higher branches of learning. The following committee was appointed to carry the measure into effect : Rev. H. P. Carson, Scotland; Rev. R. B. Farrar, Volga, and Rev. W. S. Peterson, Huron. They received an offer from Pierre for the location of the university in that city and accepted the offer. It became known as the Presby- terian University of Dakota, and in due time the first building, a frame structure costing about $2,500, was ready for domitory and school purposes. Rev. T. M. Findlay became the first president and school opened in September, 1883, with thirty students. A little later the name was changed to Pierre University and Rev. William Blackburn, D. D. succeeded Mr. Findley as president. In the Vol. III-61

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meantime the Presbytery of South Dakota had started an academy at Scotland. The Scotland Academy continued in operation until 1898, when it was consoli- dated with the Huron Academy, and the combined institution was removed to Huron. This institution has since been known as Huron College. Soon after this date Doctor Blackburn died and was succeeded by Rev. C. H. French, who had been principal of Scotland Academy. The college was reorganized and en- larged and started on its mission of great usefulness. Their first important build- ing was a large hotel structure, which served for both dormitory and school pur- poses for some time. The endowment fund of Huron College amounted to $100,000 on or before January 1, 1904. The institution was coeducational. To aid the latter design a large contribution was received from Ralph Voorhees, of New Jersey, after whose wife the woman's building was called the "Elizabeth R. Voorhees Dormitory for Girls."

In October, 1896, the Synod of South Dakota Presbyterian Church convened at Groton in its first annual session.' Its territory at this time included the whole state and consisted of five presbyteries (Aberdeen, Black Hills, Central Dakota, Dakota Indian and South Dakota), ninety-four ministers, 126 church organi- zations, with a total membership of over five thousand two hundred, and a sab- bath school membership of over seven thousand. The synod included one college, one academy, one Indian industrial mission school and preached the gospel in this state in five different languages.

In 1906 there were in the state 121 organizations of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, with a membership of 6,764, 106 church buildings, 42 par- sonages, 106 Sunday schools and 7,313 scholars. There was one society of the United Presbyterians with thirty-six members.

One of the wonders of recent years in South Dakota is the marvelous growth of the German and Scandinavian population. At the present time, 1915, people of German descent constitute almost one-fourth of the population. While a large majority have come here in recent years they began to arrive as far back as the '50s. Norwegians settled near Vermillion and Yankton as early as 1859. Nearly all of these people were members of the Lutheran Church in one form or another. They had no missionaries at first to hold services for them. Accordingly neigh- borhoods of these people would gather at a central point, sing hymns, read por- tions of the scriptures and also sermons from the postils of Luther, Arndt and other prominent early church men of their denomination.

In the fall of 1861 the first Lutheran minister arrived. He was Abraham Jacobson and came with a colony of immigrants from Iowa. He remained for some time in the southeastern part of South Dakota, preached to the Lutherans, baptized several chlidren and solemnized two marriages. In 1864 at a meeting held. in the house of J. A. Jacobson near Meckling, an organization of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of America was effected. They applied to the gen- eral council for a minister and accordingly Rev. J. Krohn, of Chicago, was sent to serve them. He arrived in October, 1864, and during that month held many services and built up a large following for that time. Services were held at the house of Peter Nelson, east of Vermillion, and in the house of Anders Ulvan, near Vermillion. Soon after this there was organized at the house of Mr. Ulvan a congregation. of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dakota Terri- tory. Soon there were sixty-seven voting members. The organization included

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all the territory from Brule Creek to Dakota River. Reverend Krohn visited the congregation from time to time and often preached at the house of Torger Nelson. In 1866 Rev. O. Naes preached several times to the congregation and administered the sacraments. At a meeting held in February, 1866, it was decided to call a minister and accordingly Rev. K. Magelssen was sent to serve them. He arrived in August, 1867, and held his first services on September Ist. Soon the congregation was divided into three districts called Vangen, Bergen and Brule Creek. A little later two other districts called Clay Creek and Lodi were formed. Soon Brule Creek separated and formed an independent church. A little later Clay Creek and Lodi did the same. In 1869 Vangen district erected a church building near Mission Hill. The Burgen church building was erected in 1870. This was the start of the Lutheran churches in South Dakota. Reverend Chris- tenson was one of the early pastors in charge of the various congregations. He was assisted by Revs. G. Gutbrandsen and N. G. Tvedt. The growth of the Scandinavian churches has corresponded with the increase in population of those people. Their numerous church affiliations are perplexing to one who is not familiar with their faiths and beliefs. In recent years they have far sur- passed in numbers any other religious organization in the state.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 134

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146