USA > South Dakota > Minnehaha County > History of Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Containing an account of its settlements, growth, development and resources Synopsis of public records, biographical sketches > Part 2
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In May, 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the Union, thus leaving
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
all the country west of it in an unorganized condition. During this spring a number of other settlers came, among them the first white woman who came to the Territory to settle. This was a Mrs. Good- win, who came early in May with her husband. Soon after, Charles White with his wife and daughter came.
In the latter part of June, the Indians again rose and drove all the settlers from the upper part of the Sioux Valley, including the settlement at Medary, burning all buildings and destroying property. They sent a message to the settlement at Sioux Falls, demanding its immediate evacuation, but by that time the population numbered thirty-five able-bodied men, who were not to be easily driven from the place they had hoped to make a home. A consultation was held, and it was decided to take measures for defense. A sod fort was built surrounding the house already mentioned as being near where the Burlington depot now stands, and here at night the people gath- ered, and a guard was detailed, the men serving in turns. Scarcely were these preparations completed, when a delegation of Indians visited the Falls and advised the people to leave.
The settlers pluckily "held the fort" until the excitement was over, and the Indians once more quieted, but it is not to be wondered at, that many of them had too great a dread of passing through another period of such suspense and fear, and when they could at last withdraw without leaving their companions in danger, they did so, and the population of Sioux Falls City was materially reduced.
A few years ago, a clipping from a newspaper, published some time during the seventies, came into the writer's possession, and as it is a copy of a letter written by one of the occupants of Fort Sod, in June, 1858, giving a graphic account of the life led in Sioux Falls at that time by thirty-five men and one woman, it is transferred to this work. If this should happen to arrest the attention of any of the occupants of old Fort Sod, it would undoubtedly surprise them that they had forgotton so much of the sufferings they had passed through. But here it is just as we have it:
Cleveland, Ohio, March 8th, 1875.
Friend Taylor: In looking over ancient home letters, I found the enclosed to my father which may give you an idea of what trials and difficulties the old settlers at Sioux Falls labored under seventeen years ago, when they tried to make homes there.
Supplementary to the letter should be added, how we were confined six weeks at the old Fort, and how our provisions ran out-with the exception of a barrel of caked musty flour, which we chopped out and then pounded for use, and how we lived on that fresh pickerel and pike with- out lard or salt-and how we daily grew poor in flesh and weak in spirits, and how at last Dewitt, and a companion (Brown, now at Fort Edwards, N. Y.) made their appearance with a horse and buggy bringing a sack of flour, a half bushel of beans, some pork, sugar and coffee; having cir- cumvented the Indians by taking a roundabout route through northern Iowa, and how the half starved garrison marched out in battle array, rivaling Falstaff's army, to welcome. Even more could be said, but have you not ex-Mayor Dewitt, as a fellow citizen of yours to apply to for additional facts, and Major Evans to corroborate them.
Fort Sod, Sioux Falls, D. T., June 17th, 1858.
Dear Father: We are in a state of excitement at the present time. Last Sunday a half-breed, who had been acting as interpeter at Medary reached here, stating that one hundred lodges of Indians (Yanktonais) had arrived at that place and ordered our townsite men away.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
Mr. Dewitt was at first disposed to fight them, but his men-a dozen or so in number- thought the odds were against them and refused to do so.
The consequence was the Indians forced all hands out of the houses, took what provision they wanted and burnt every building-down. Dewitt and men have all gone to Agency or to St. Paul.
The Indians sent word by the half-breed, for us to leave the country forthwith and that they would be down here in the course of a week and would drive us off, if we had not left. Mr. Dewitt also told the half-breed to tell us to go to St. Paul or any other convenient place at once.
On the receipt of this intelligence, we called a meeting of all the settlers, and unanimously determined to remain and defend ourselves and property. As some doubted the correctness of the half-breed's intelligence, we dispatched two mounted men towards Medary to reconnoitre. The next day they returned and reported the Indians to be within thirty five miles of here in great numbers. All day Monday was wasted by us, trying to decide which house to fortify. The Dubuque Company were determined not to abandon their buildings and we were equally deter- mined not to abandon ours.
The Dubuque Company's houses being under the brow of the hill, could not be fortified to much advantage, whereas our house was on an open plain, commanding an extensive prospect, with a fine spring of water adjoining; therefore the settlers, knowing that there must be unity of action in the matter, sided with us, and on Tuesday morning we commenced the building of our Fort. We have erected of sods and logs, a perpendicular wall eighty feet square, ten feet high, and four feet thick, with a deep ditch surrounding the exterior base, port holes are arranged every few feet in the wall, and an inner platform to stand upon. Also have an inclosure of three acres, securely fenced for the herding of the cattle.
We now feel safe and are determined to resist the Indians and if necessary to fight them. We want to teach them that they can not every season drive off the settlers on this disputed land.
The new settlers, Mr. Goodwin and his wife, have moved into our old cabin which is now a wing of the store house, and Mrs. Goodwin has made a large flag out of all the old flannel shirts we could find, and we now have the stars and the stripes proudly waving over Fort Sod.
All the property of the place is now deposited with us, including the inovable portion of the saw mill machinery.
We are on a military footing. Have organized into a company, (the undersigned Ist lieu- tenant) sentries and scouting parties on duty day and night. All told we number thirty-five inen for defense, not including the woman, and she can shoot a gun as well as any one.
The Dubuque Company's agent, Brookings, whose feet were frozen off last winter, will be brought to our house as soon as Indians are reported in sight. We feel secure now and could fight 600 Indians, and even if the walls could be scaled, which is almost impossible, we could retreat into our store house which is impregnable.
Those Yanktonais occupy the country northwest towards the British possessions, and pre- tend to claim an interest in all the country owned and ceded by the Sioux Nation. The Chiefs who were in Washington the past winter are not with them. They have been told that a treaty has been made with the Yanktons, but they will not recognize it until the first payment is made, and they even threaten to kill the chiefs for making the treaty.
All the troops in this section of the country (Fort Randall and Ridgely) are on the Mormon expedition, and the result is that settlers are left to protect themselves.
The news of this Indian difficulty will travel all over the country, and we cannot expect any more immigration this way before next spring; and from all accounts there were large numbers enroute here to settle in the Big Sioux Valley, who will now turn back. I fear immigration will be retarded for several years.
Four Sisseton Sioux came in last night, but hurried off when they heard of the Yanktonais coming. We sent letters to the Agency by them. Weather hot, 90 odd degrees in the shade. James M. Allen.
At this time there were trading posts established at Yankton and other near points on the Missouri river, which were controlled by Frost, Todd & Co., and this company, unlike those at the Sioux Falls settlement, was opposed to anv immediate organization
16
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
of the Territory until a treaty could be made with the Indians, and the land beyond the Big Sioux river be ceded to the United States. They would then be entitled, under the trading post license, to locate a mile square of land around the post to cover their improvements, which would include the Yankton town site, and then, should the Territory be organized, the advantage of Yankton for a capital would be recognized. On the other hand, should the Territory be organ- ized at once the capital in all probability would be located at Sioux Falls.
During the summer of 1858, the Dakota Land Company, deeming it necessary to make known to the world in general and Congress in particular, the need for organization of the great and increasing population of the Territory, as well as the wonderful advantages of the country, sent out from St. Paul a printing press, printer, and editor. The press was one which had already seen over twenty years of service, having been purchased of the Smith Press Com- pany in 1836, and used to print the first paper published in Dubuque, then a small mining town. In 1842, the press was sold to a stock company and used in printing the Grant County Herald, in Lancaster, Wisconsin. A few years afterward, J. M. Goodhue bought the old press and moved it with an ox team on the ice to St. Paul, where it was used for a long time in printing the St. Paul Pioneer. The Pioneer soon required a larger press, and in 1858, the old Smith press was again sent on its travels and by ox-power. After a long and tedious journey over the prairies, through forests and streams and around lakes it at length reached Sioux Falls, where it was once more to serve its purpose as the herald of advancing civilization, and was duly installed in a stone building on the bank of the river. The editor was Mr. S. J. Albright, and the printer was J. W. Barnes, afterwards a compositor in The Times office in Dubuque. The re- sult of this step was the birth of The Democrat. It was issued at irregular intervals, i. e., whenever the enterprising editor or citizens could think of anything that would advertise Dakota, and copies were circulated broadcast throughout the east.
The first issue of this paper appeared on the 2d day of July, 1859, a copy of which is now in the possession of Doane Robinson of Yankton. Mr. Robinson, in a letter to the writer, says: "It is printed on the outside only, and contains nothing of local interest except the poem by Gov. Masters entitled 'Sioux Falls' which ap- pears in the July (1898) monthly South Dakotan. I have my copy framed, and it is too frail to handle." He sent the writer four issues of The Democrat, viz., Vol. I, numbers 3, 4, 6 and 9. No. 3 was published August 26, 1859. No. 4 was published November 8; No. 6, December 15, 1859; No. 9, February 18, 1860. In these issues appear the following advertisements: Albright & Allen, Dealers in Real Estate; J. McCall, Mason, J. L. Phillips, Physician and Surgeon; W. W. Brookings, Attorney and Counsellor at Law; John Rouse, Boot and Shoe Maker; and J. W. Evans, Carpenter. The office of "The Democrat" was in the "Democrat Building" N. E. corner of Bridge and Main streets.
In 1881, an extensive history of Southeastern Dakota was pub-
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
lished in book form by the Western Publishing Co., of Sioux City, Ia., and The Democrat is there mentioned as Dakota Democrat, and the date of the first publication, in its account of the "Sioux Falls Settlement," is asserted to be on the 20th day of September, 1858, but in a chapter entitled "Sioux Falls" we find the following account of this newspaper: "The first newspaper published in the Territory was issued at Sioux Falls. This was the Dakota Democrat, estab- lished in 1857 by S. J. Albright." These dates are clearly erroneous. And its assertion that Mr. Albright left Sioux Falls in 1860, taking the heading of The Democrat with him, may also be erroneous. But it is a fact that Mr. Albright left Sioux Falls about this time, and the paper thereafter was published as The Independent, this head- ing having formerly been used for a paper published in Iowa by F. M. Ziebach. During the last fifteen years we have seen several accounts of this newspaper enterprise, and they differ so much in regard to dates and other things appertaining to its publication which should be accurately stated, especially as it was the first news- paper published in Dakota, that we have taken great pains to ascer- tain and record the exact facts in reference to it. Further on, an account of the destruction of the press will appear as one of the incidents of the burning of Sioux Falls by the Indians the last of August, 1862.
The Dakota Land Company, as already appears, was enterpris- ing in its efforts to obtain possession of land in Dakota favorable for the location of towns, and, believing that it will not be uninteresting, we transcribe a portion of a report which was submitted at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the company in October, 1859. This report was made by J. L. Fiske, showing the operation and progress made by the company from August 1, 1858. It briefly referred to the report of Secretary Gay, made the year previous, from which it appeared that the company had suffered heavy dam- ages and losses by the sacking and burning of the towns of Medary and Flandrau. The report then proceeded to show that during the vear "twenty-six hundred and forty (2640) acres of scrip had been purchased to lay on six towns" and that "two of the directors of the company had taken charge of a special expedition into the Territory for the purpose of resurveying and establishing the required bound- ary marks to six, designated by the board, preparatory to entering them with the scrip on hand." That this party visited all these parts, and, after preparing the necessary plats and other papers, Messrs. Gay and Smith proceeded to the land office having jurisdic- tion, and successfully entered the towns. Two of these towns were in Minnesota, namely, Saratoga, in Cottonwood county, and Mountain Pass, situated at the head of Lake Benton. In Dakota four towns were located, and described as follows: "Medary, the county seat of Midway county, the first organized county in Dakota, situated on the Big Sioux river at the crossing of the government road, and twenty- five miles due west of Mountain Pass, two hundred and twenty acres; Flandrau, the county seat of Rock county at the junction of the Coteau Percee with the Sioux, fifteen miles south of Medary, six hundred and forty acres; Sioux Falls City, established seat of gov- 2
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
ernment for Big Sioux county, and the recognized capital of the Ter- ritory, at the falls of the Big Sioux, the head of navigation, three hundred and twenty acres; Emanija, the county seat of Vermillion county, at the mouth of Split Rock river and Pipe Stone creek, on the Big Sioux, thirteen miles below the Falls, and at the more practical head of navigation for large steamers, six hundred and forty acres."
As already stated, the eastern portion of Minnesota Territory was admitted as a State in May, 1858, and this left all that portion of the present limits of the two Dakotas east of the Missouri and White Earth rivers in an unorganized condition. From this time until the Territory of Dakota was organized March 2, 1861, the situation of the settlers was a peculiar one. During the summer of 1858, the residents of the Sioux Valley were perplexed with the problem how to proceed in order to obtain the benefits of a duly constituted gov- ernment. Of course, they appreciated the fact that such govern- ment must come through the organization of a territorial govern- ment, and this could only be established by an act of Congress. But this would take considerable time, and until it was accomplished, unless some provisional laws were enacted, each person would be a law unto himself. Again the question was considered how to best present this state of affairs to Congress, and obtain territorial organization. It was finally determined that it would be advisable to set up a government themselves, elect a legislature, and enact such laws as would answer their purpose for the time being, memorialize Congress for territorial organization, and elect a delegate to Con- gress to urge the immediate establishment of a territorial govern- ment. Having determined upon this plan, they proceeded to put it in force, and a mass convention was called for that purpose. The action of the convention appears from the following notice, which was printed on small slips of paper:
"ELECTION NOTICE.
"At a Mass Convention of the people of Dakota Territory, held in the town of Sioux Falls, in the County of Big Sioux, on Saturday, September 18, 1858, all portions of the Territory being represented, it was resolved and ordered that an election should be held for mem- bers to compose a Territorial Legislature.
"In pursuance of said resolution, notice is hereby given that on Monday, the Fourth Day of October Next, at the House of
In the Town of
In the County of
An election will be held for . members of the Council and. 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.
"Dated at this 20th day of September, A. D. 1858.
"(Dakota Democrat Print, Sioux Falls, City.)"
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
With the thirty or forty souls who composed the population at that time, it required considerable ingenuity to arrange matters, and the elections were conducted in a somewhat peculiar manner. We learn from one of the members, that on the morning of election, the whole population organized into parties of three or four, elected each other judges and clerks of election, and then started off with their teams in various directions for a pleasure trip, and whenever a rest was taken, which occurred frequently, an election precinct was es- tablished, and the votes not only of the party but of their uncles, cousins, relatives and friends were cast, until as a result of the elec- tion the total vote rolled up into the hundreds, and was properly cer- tified to.
Soon after the election the legislature convened, and Henry Masters was elected president of the council, and at the close of the session was elected governor. S. J. Albright was elected speaker. This session lasted only a few days, but with due deliberation all needful bills for home government were introduced, discussed and passed. It also passed the strongest resolutions and memorials to Congress, praying for an early organization of the territory, and elected A. G. Fuller, Esq., to represent the Territory in Washington.
Years afterwards in speaking of this legislative session, a mem- ber said: "There has never been a regular legislature in Dakota in which dignity, decorum and good order were better observed than in this squatter legislature, and it would be well for other legislatures to take pattern thereby."
Mr. Fuller spent the winter of 1858-9 in Washington endeavoring to secure his admission as a delegate, but his efforts were of no avail, his influence being counteracted by that of Frost, Todd & Co., who desired to postpone the organization of the Territoryas before stated. He succeeded, however, in establishing a post office at Sioux Falls. Mr. James Allen was made the first postmaster, and the post office was located for a short time in the Dakota Land Company's building already referred to.
At this point in the early history of events we have had not a little difficulty in sifting the truth from a mass of contradictory statements made by individuals, who were residents of Sioux Falls at the time of their occurrence. Judge Charles E. Flandrau, of St. Paul Minn., and one of her foremost citizens, about three years ago, desir- ing to obtain the exact facts concerning the first settlement of Da- kota, and especially the facts in reference to the attempt to form a government on the principles of "squatter sovereignty," applied to S. J. Albright, then a resident of New York City, for the coveted information. This Mr. Albright is the same person who came to Sioux Falls in 1858, and was the editor of The Democrat. He com- plied with Judge Flandrau's request, and his narrative was so inter- esting and apparently correct, that it was published in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections, Vol. VIII, Part II, pages 134 to 147, inclusive. This narrative, with a preface by Judge Flandrau, has been published in pamphlet form, and through the kindness of the judge we have a copy before us. This narrative, while purport- ing to give an account of the first organized government of Dakota,
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
entirely ignores the provisional or squatter legislature of 1858, in fact, not only ignores it, but declares that "the first legislative assem- bly of Dakota came together in Sioux Falls City in the winter of 1859." Mr. Albright would undoubtedly admit he was mistaken in this if he had before him Vol. 1, No. 4, of The Democrat published November 8, 1859, at Sioux Falls City, of which he was then the "Editor and Proprietor," for in that issue may be found the follow- ing account of the assembling of the legislature in 1859.
"DAKOTA LEGISLATURE.
"Report for The Democrat.
"The second session of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota, convened at the Capitol House on the 2nd inst."
Then follows the legislative proceedings up to and including Monday the 7th day of November, 1859.
Again Mr. Albright in the same issue says editorially under the caption of "Dakota Legislature:" "This body convened for a second session the 2nd inst., that being the day appointed by law for its convocation."
After having given the facts in reference to the legislative as- sembly of 1858, and the election of Governor Masters, the propriety of referring to the inaccuracy of this narrative may be questioned, but it must be remembered that the narrative of Mr. Albright has the indorsement of the State Historical Society of Minnesota, and at some future time, when the evidence cannot be produced to sustain our statements, their accuracy may be challenged. Judge Flan- drau in his preface to the pamphlet above referred to characterizes these incidents as "a most interesting and curious epoch in the history of the Northwest," and also says: "It presents the only actual attempt (excepting one earlier instance, the organizing of the "State of Franklin" in 1784, in the district which now forms the eastern part of Tennessee) to form a government on the principles of "squatter sovereignty." If it is interesting, it is certainly im- portant that all the incidents connected with it should be correctly recorded.
In Vol. 1, No. 3, of The Democrat published August 26, 1859, there appears the following:
"ELECTION NOTICE.
"Notice is hereby given, that on Monday, the 12th day of Septem- ber, 1859, at the several election precints in the County of Big Sioux, an election will be held for the following named officers, to-wit:
"A Governor, a Secretary of the Territory, a Delegate to Con- gress, four members of the Territorial House of Representatives, two members of the Territorial Council, a Judge of Probate, a Dis- trict 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.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
"Election to be held in the 1st Precinct at the Dakota House; 2d Precinct, at the house of Henry Masters; 3d Precinct, at the house of Charles Philbrick.
"J. M. ALLEN, "Clerk Board Co. Commissioners. " Dated this 6th day of August, A. D. 1859."
Mr. Albright's narrative also ignores the fact, that Henry Masters was elected governor by the legislature in 1858, and here again we find in the issue of November 8, 1859, of The Democrat, the following notice of the death of Gov. Masters:
"DEATH OF GOV. MASTERS.
"Since our last issue Dakota has been called upon to mourn the death of one of her oldest, ablest and most honored citizens. Henry Masters, her Governor, has been called from his sphere of labor and usefulness on earth, to that bourne from whence no traveler returns. His demise occurred on the fifth day of September last, after an ill- ness of about ten days, and in the fifty-third year of his age. "
We also find in The Democrat of August 26, 1859, an advertise- ment of S. J. Albright and J. M. Allen of Sioux Falls City, Dealers in Real Estate, under the firm name of Albright & Allen, and in their list of references the following: "Hon. Henry Masters, Gov- ernor of Dakota Territory."
This would seem to settle the question that Henry Masters was the first governor.
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