USA > South Dakota > History of southeastern Dakota, its settlement and growth, geological and physical features--countries, cities, towns and villages--incidents of pioneer life--biographical sketches of the pioneers and business men, with a brief outline history of the territory in general > Part 5
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In December. 1857, the Governor of Minnesota Territory ap- pointed James Allen, Register of Deeds: James Evans. Sheriff; James L. Fiske, Judge of Probate; W. W. Brookings, Distriet Attorney: J. L. Phillips, Justice of the Peace; and William Little. James Mc Bride and A. L. Kilgore, Commissioners, for Big Sioux County. as defined by the Legislature of Minnesota, constituting what is now the county of Minnehaha.
On the 11th day of May. 1858. the eastern portion of Minne- sota Territory was admitted as a State, and all that portion of the present Territory of Dakota, bounded on the north by the Dominion of Canada. on the east by the States of Minnesota and lowa, on the south and west by the Missouri and White Earth . Rivers, was left in an unorganized condition, in which condition it remained until the 2d day of March, 1861. when it was included in the Territory of Dakota. During this time there were no laws
47
SIOUX FALLS SETTLEMENT.
extending over this excerpt from the Territory of Minnesota. which, by common consent, was named Dakota, from the large tribe of Indians of that name, who had inhabited it as long as it had been known by the whites.
In the spring of 1858, many immigrants came in, and the pros- pects of the pioneer settlements began to brighten exceedingly. A Mr. Goodwin and wife arrived carly in May, Mrs. Goodwin be- ing the first white woman to come to the Territory to settle. Soon afterwards, came Charles White, wife and daughter. Mrs. White and daughter Ella were the first white women who came to Da- kota and remained permanently, these ladies remaining through- out all the Indian troubles. Mrs. White died, a few years ago, in Yankton; her daughter lived at Sioux Falls until her marriage, and is now living at Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory.
As June was drawing to a close, the Indians again made trouble, this time driving all the settlers from Medary and the upper part of the Valley, burning their houses and destroying their property. They also sent word to the people of Sioux Falls, ordering them to leave. In this dilemma, the people of the Falls assembled for consultation, when the conclusion was reached to fortify for de- fense and remain. At that time there was a defensive force of more than sixty able-bodied men at the Falls. A sod fort was at once erected, in which most of the people gathered at night. The condition of anxious suspense, the fears, the anxieties, the per- plexities and the privations of the little garrison can only be ap- preciated by pioneers who have been participants in similar expe- riences. On the heels of these busy preparations, a delegation of painted warriors, sent by their tribes, arrived at the Falls and ad- vised (?) the people to leave, but did not attempt measures for forcible ejectment. These Indians were Yanktonnais.
Although much courage, on the part of the settlers. was appar- ently manifested during the period of the threatened inva- sion, the real panicky condition of affairs was soon shown: for no sooner had the excitement subsided, than a large portion of the total number left for regions of greater security; and, in conse- quence, the population of Sioux Falls had reached its highest tide, for years to come, on the 1st day of July, 1858, on which day it was greater than at any other time up to 1869.
In October, 1858. Messrs. Brookings and Phillips traveled from Sioux Falls to Dubuque, Iowa, by ox-team, and after the former
18
IHISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
had visited Philadelphia, returned by the same conveyance in midwinter.
THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.
A Provisional. or "Squatter," Legislature was elected in Octo- ber,. 1858, as will be explained by the following notice-copies of which notees were the first printing done in Dakota. The print- ing was done on small slips of paper, about two inches by five in dimensions, and a copy, now before the writer, reads as follows:
"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 Is, 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 sand 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. 1558." [.D.ck ott Democrat" Print, Sioux Falls City. ]
At the date of the above notice. Samuel J. Albright started the Dakota Democrat, the first newspaper printed in Dakota Territory, which was published by him at intervals until the autumn of 1860, when Albright left, and the paper fell into the hands of a Mr. Stewart, who printed it for a short time, under the name of the Independent; the reason for which change of name was grounded in necessity. Albright having taken the Democrat heading away with him. The Independent heading had formerly been used for the name of a paper published at Sergeant Bluffs, Iowa, by F. M. Ziebach.
Soon after the election, the Provisional Legislature convened. Henry Masters was elected President of the Council, and S. J. Al- bright Speaker of the House. During the session. Henry Masters was elected Governor. This first session of-to say the least-an irregular legislative body, lasted but a few days, memorialized Con- gress for the organization of a new Territory, and authorized A. G. Fuller to represent the proposed new Territory in Congress.
The year 1859 was in the main an uneventful one, the Indians varying the monotony by stealing a horse occasionally. Governor
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SIOUX FALLS SETTLEMENT.
Masters died in the early autumn of that year, this being the first death of a white man to occur in the Valley. Another election of members of the Legislature and Delegate to Congress, took place in the fall of 1859, J. P. Kidder being elected Delegate. The Legislature met early in the autumn at Sioux Falls. W. W. Brookings was elected President of the Council, and S. J. Albright Speaker of the House. At the close of the session, W. W. Brook- ings was elected Governor. This Legislature passed a few bills, but the principal business was the memorializing of Congress for the organization of a new Territory.
During the year 1859, A. F. Shaw came to the Territory, locat- ing at Sioux Falls, on the east side of the river. The year before, William Stevens, S. Nesmith and Joseph Scales, had located on the east side. Later in 1859, George P. Waldron moved with his family from Dubuque, Iowa, to Sioux Falls. Mr. Waldron was a Director of the Western Town Company.
The year 1860 was passed with but few incidents of importance, and was characterized by but little immigration. J. B. Amidon and family came early in 1860, or late in 1859. B. M. Smith made yearly visits to the Falls, as agent of the Dakota Land Com- pany, and in the summer of 1859, Hon. J. P. Kidder visited the Falls, stopping two weeks or more.
March 2d, 1861, the bill for the organization of Dakota Terri- ritory was approved by President Buchanan, but owing to the dull times and the excitement East, incident to the war of the Rebel- lion, but few new settlers came. In addition to the constant un- easiness, and the more or less perilous state of affairs with which the pioneers had to contend, on account of the unreliable and blood-thirsty tribes of Indians by which they were surrounded, it must not be forgotten that, during the period which elapsed be- tween the admission of Minnesota as a State, and the organization of the Territory of Dakota by Congress, the situation of the Sioux Valley colonists, was a peculiar one; as, in all that interval, neces- sarily, by reason of the inchoate condition of things, there was really no duly authorized government, and no law. So far as the purely legal status of the settlers was concerned, they were all "squatters" on virgin soil, and each was a law unto himself. Never- theless, we have seen that social and civil regulations, rude and ir- regular as they were of necessity, were yet adequate to the emer- gencies of the times; and by organized persistence, order was finally
.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
brought out of chaos, the redemption of the soil to civilized uses went on in the main unchecked. and this vast region took its place by the side of its Sister Territories, destined by the lapse of a few years to outstrip them all in the race.
In the first regular organized Legislature, Sioux Falls was given a member of the House of Representatives, and was put in a Coun- cil district extending from the mouth of the Big Sioux River to the British Possessions, and entitled to two Councilmen. W. W. Brookings, of Sioux Falls, and Austin Cole, of Sioux Point, were elected to the Council, and George P. Waldron, of Sioux Falls, to the House. The first Legislature divided the Sioux Valley into the counties of Cole (now Union), Lincoln, Minnehaha, Brookings and Deuel. Lincoln County was named after Lincoln County, Maine, (the county in which W. W. Brookings was born,) and after Pres- ident Lincoln: Minnehaha, from the Falls; Brookings, for Council- man Brookings; and Denel, for a member of the first Council. Some of the first officers of Minnehaha County were: J. B. Amidon, Judge of Probate and Treasurer; Harry Masters, Register of Deeds; J. W. Evans, Sheriff: William Stevens, William Amidon and B. C. Fowler, Commissioners; James McCall, Justice of the Peace.
The spring and summer of 1863 opened very favorably for the Sioux Valley. A detachment of Company A, Dakota Cavalry, Lieutenant Bacon in command, was stationed at the Falls for pro- tection from the Indians. Two of Sioux Falls' oldest citizens, John McClellan and A. F. Shaw, joined this company and served through the war. The crops were very fine, and new settlers be- gan to arrive in encouraging numbers; but this promising outlook was brought to a most unexpected and gloomy termination. On the 16th of August, the succession of terrible massacres on the frontier of Minnesota was begun by the Indians, and eight days later, on the 25th of the month, Judge J. B. Amidon and son, of Sioux Falls, fell vietims to the savage assassins.
The circumstances of this double murder, which occasioned the greatest consternation, are substantially as follows: Judge Amidon and son went, on the morning of the 25th, from their home in. Sioux Falls to their land, a mile north of town, for the purpose of cutting hay, taking their dinners with them. As they did not re- turn at night, Mrs. Amidon, becoming alarmed, notified the sol- diers, who at once started in hunt of them. Their oxen were found chained to the wagon wheel, but the search for the father and son
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SIOUX FALLS SETTLENENT.
was unsuccessful that night. At dawn of the following morning. the search was renewed, resulting in finding the bodies of the Judge and his son. Judge Amidon, when found, was lying on his face with a bullet-hole through his body; the son was found farther back in the cornfield, the body shot with a dozen or more arrows. Circumstances indicated the details of the manner in which they met their death, to be about as follows: While haying near the cornfield, their attention was evidently attracted among the corn, and on going into the cornfield to see what was transpiring, the boy was shot with arrows. Attracted by the cries of his son, Judge Amidon started for the cornfield. but seeing the Indians, turned and fled in the direction of town. The flight of the father was stopped, and his life suddenly terminated, by a bullet from the gun of one of his pursuers, the ball entering the back and penetrating the heart or other vital organs, as he had fallen forward on his face in the direction of the town, and had apparently died almost instantly, there being no evidence of a single struggle after falling. The boy, although almost literally covered with the arrows of the sava- ges, had evidently survived for some time, as he had drawn the shafts from his body and laid them beside him.
The squad of cavalry commenced at early dawn to scour the country in search of the savage murderers, and while the most of them were out, a party of Indians came over the bluffs and fired in- to their camp. but, on the approach of the soldiers. the Indians fled to the river, where, in the brush, timber and high grass they escaped.
All this time, nothing was known at Sioux Falls of the dreadful massacres by the savages on the Minnesota frontier; but on Wed- nesday, two couriers arrived from Yankton with the fearful intell- igence, and with orders from the Governor commanding the sol- diers to at once proceed to Yankton, bringing with them all the settlers of the Valley.
It was with heavy hearts that this little band of pioneers aband- oned their earthly possessions, and turned their backs upon the fields and dwellings they had fondly called their own-dear to them, not only for their intrinsic value, but that they were the measure of sacrifices made, of toil endured, of hopes and ambitions unattained, that had nerved the weary arms and cheered the hearts of the little company in their struggle to win from the recesses of nature. homes, with home influences, home surroundings and home
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
love. All these bright anticipations were destroyed, when it was decided that the town must be abandoned.
In a few hours all the inhabitants of the Sioux Valley, with most of their stock, and with what goods could be hastily got to- gether, were on their way to Yankton, and the Sioux Valley was for several years deserted.
After the people of Sioux Falls had departed, the Indians came in and burned all the houses, save three, and in these fires were lighted: but fortunately. the flames expired without doing serious damage. Interesting relics of this eventful period yet survive, in the shape of partially burned papers belonging to Judge Brook- ings, among which was his diploma of graduation from Bowdoin College, Maine, and the certificate of his admission to the Bar. These, with the remaining contents of a trunk in the house, which he, with others, had occupied, were heaped in the middle of the floor, and set fire to, with the intention of burning the building. All that had been done to improve the place-all the property that had been accumulated during years of toil and hardship, privations and loneliness-was swept away, and the town of Sioux Falls, so beautifully situated, with so bright prospects for the future, was blotted out, as though it had never been. All that the blind fury of the ruthless savages could do to obliterate every trace of civiliza- tion in this part of the Northwest, was put into execution before the settlers had fairly passed from sight. This might fitly be termed the Indian Romance of the History of Sioux Falls, although, it is scarcely necessary to remark, it appears vastly more romantic at this distance of time than at the period of these occurrences, and to the unlucky participants therein.
Two months later a party of soldiers and citizens came back to look after the property they had left behind them. It was the time of the full moon, and the party camped on the west bank of the river, at the old Yankton crossing, three and one-half miles from Sioux Falls. The party was under the command of Captain Miner and consisted of not more than twenty soldiers and citizens, the authorities on the Missouri River fearing to spare a greater number of soldiers. Captain Miner and one or two other soldiers rode forward into town in the night, to reconnoitre, and on return- ing, reported no signs of Indians; so that all in camp slept well for the remainder of the night, and were up bright and early in the morning. anxious to catch a glimpse of the burned town, Their
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SIOUX FALLS SETTLEMENT.
surprise can be imagined, on coming over the hills south of the Falls, at seeing a party of mounted Indians rise out of the valley below and form on the bluffs north of town.
Nothing but supreme audacity could serve the turn in such an unexpected dilemma, the Indians being largely in the majority; so, clapping spurs to their horses, the command dashed madly forward to the attack; which show of confident bravery, the Indians per- ceiving, and doubtless thinking the advancing force much larger than it really was, the whole band immediately commenced a rapid and disorderly retreat for the river and the timber north of town, the soldiers following in hot pursuit. In crossing a wet and marshy spot, the horse of one of the Indians sank in the mire, which caused him to dismount and run for his life. This noble red rascal was overtaken, and despite his protestations that he was a "heap good Injun," was summarily dispatched. By that time the rest of the band was among the timber and beyond successful pur- suit; so the pursuing party hastily returned, gathered a few things at the devastated settlement, and retreated twenty-five miles before halting, making a short stop at the west side of the Vermillion River, where they fed their horses and then moved on twenty-five miles further before going into camp.
In October of this same year, all Dakota was deserted by the whites, save those of Yankton and BonHomme counties, who were enclosed in a sod stockade at Yankton, expecting every hour to be attacked by the savages. All this abandonment of a vast region in a fair way to be reclaimed, was the result, partly of an Indian "scare" consequent upon the Minnesota massacres, and partly in consequence of the appearance of small parties of preda- tory Indians along the Missouri River. How much of the alarm was justifiable by the true state of affairs, and how much of it came from that panicky part of human nature, which is often aroused by a mere spark, and spreads on all sides without apparent reason, magnifying petty dangers, and eventuating in a general stampede -is a matter for difference of opinion. Certain it is, that there were grave causes for serious alarm, and equally certain is it, that the stampede was effectual and almost universal. Many of the incidents of the hurried flight were ludicrous in the extreme, and are told to this day with great relish by those who were eye-witnesses of the occurrences. Clay and Union-quite thickly settled coun- ties-were depopulated in a day, the people rushing into Sioux
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
City, and leaving everything behind them-not even stopping to secure the entrances to their houses. Everywhere was demoraliza- tion, ending in complete and rapid desertion.
The Sioux Valley remained deserted from August, 1862, until May, 1865, when Fort Dakota was established at Sioux Falls, Cap- tain Eicher, with Company E, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, being detailed for that purpose, and a tract of land five miles square, including the present townsite, was set apart for a military reservation. The location of this post was selected by Col. John Pattee and W. W. Brookings. The latter gentleman had carte blanche to locate the post where he thought best, and came with the intention of locat- ing it on the northwest quarter of section sixteen, instead of on the southwest quarter; but Col. Pattee was of the opinion that, if the Fort should be located near the Island, the Indians could fire into it from the bluffs-a point, which, being apparent to Mr. Brook- ings, that gentleman yielded his preference: and, in consequence, from this incident, the town of Sioux Falls was started near where the Cataract House now stands, many thousands of dollars being thereby added to the value of the southwest quarter of seetion sixteen.
A. F. Hayward, now of Yankton, was the first sutler or post trader at Sioux Falls, but only remained there until November, 1865. when he sold out to C. K. Howard, who at that date located at Sioux Falls, where he has ever since remained, and has become the most widely known resident of the Sioux Valley, as well as one of the most enterpising, prosperous and popular business men.
The Volunteers were soon relieved by regular troops under Col. Knox, who remained until the fall of 1869, when Fort Dakota was abandoned. The reservation, however, remained until the spring of 1870.
In the summer of 1866, John Nelson, John Thompson, William Melville and Sylvester Delaney, with their families, settled in Min- nehaha County. The two former have lived here ever since, and are among the wealthy and influential farmers of the county of Minnehaha.
In 1867, Ole Gunderson, Foster Gunderson, Martin Gunderson, John Johnson, Larson Sweet, J. Larson, Ole O. Getset, Ole J. Arn- son, and their families, settled in the county. In the same year, Edward Broughton settled at Sioux Falls, and a number of par- ties moved into the Sioux Valley, within the limits of Lincoln
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SIOUX FALLS SETTLEMENT.
County; and during the session of 1867-8, the Legislature re-organ- ized Minnehaha County, after an interregnum of six years, by the appointment of John Nelson, John Thompson and William Mel- ville, Commissioners, and Edward Broughton, Register of Deeds; and Lincoln County by the appointment of Benjamin Ellinger, Roger T. Beal and Patrick McDonald, Commissioners; J. L. Laird, Sheriff; William L. Kuykendall, Judge of Probate; William Morris, Register of Deeds; N. J. Bond, A. B. Moore and Lewis Lowell, Justices of the Peace; James Masterson, Constable; J. H. Gilder- sleeve, County Superintendent of Public Instruction ; S. H. Vinson, Surveyor; Ed. P. Johnson, District Attorney.
From this time on, the Sioux Valley settled rapidly. In 1869, N. E. Phillips, one of the most popular and successful merchants of the Valley, settled at Sioux Falls. John Hunter, J. Duling, D. Reynolds and Clark Coates were among the settlers of the same year, are all here still, with the exception of Mr. Duling, deceased, and have all been quite successful in their business undertakings. The year 1870 found R. F. Pettigrew, John Bippus and Col. Allen here, as also Dr. J. L. Phillips and John McClellan returned to their old camping ground.
In 1869 a few settlers came inte Brookings County, and in Jan- uary, 1871, Brookings County was organized by the appointment of Martin Trygstadt, L. M. Hewlet and Elias Thompson, County Com- missioners, and W. H. Packard, Register of Deeds. This was the third county organized in the Sioux Valley.
In 1871 William Van Eps, who has since become one of the most prominent merchants of Dakota, moved to Sioux Falls.
In 1870 the military reservation at Sioux Falls was vacated, and much of the land that Sioux Falls now occupies was pre-empted from the government. From this time forward the settlement of the Sioux Valley has progressed with wonderful rapidity. In the fall of 1871 Minnehaha County sent Col. Charles Allen and O. B. Iverson to the Legislature, and during the same year, W. F. Kiter. started the Sioux Falls Pantagraph. In May, 1872, Judge W. W. Brookings held at Sioux Falls the first term of court ever held in the Sioux Valley.
Having thus brought down th hithe ... unwritten history of the early settlement of the Sioux Valley, to within a time when the material data are easy of access from the recoras, both official and
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
printed, we now proceed to the further pleasant task of noting the progress of events, beginning with 1871.
SIOUX FALLS.
The "Capital of Minnehaha County," which-by way of paren- thesis,-we may state, occupies an elevation of 87.1 feet above Sioux City, Iowa, 25.8 feet above Yankton, and 1413 feet above the sea-level, is located on sections sixteen, seventeen and twenty- one, of town one hundred and one. range forty-nine. As its name indicates, it is situated near the Falls of the Big Sioux River, which. being so uncommon in prairie countries. has given the place more than a mere local celebrity. When we speak of these Falls, we mean falls, not mere rapids; the equal in beauty of St. Antho- ny's, and surpassed in grandeur only by Niagara. The general course of the river is south: but its direction through this town- ship is to every point of the compass, flowing north through the village and finding its way through the granite, quartz-like rocks that mark its banks. Here the water comes gliding along down the incline worn in the solid rocks by the incessant wash of the ages of the eternal past, until it meets an obstruction, where it seems to pause just long enough to form a graceful curve, and then plunges with a roar into the abyss below. where it moves for- ward in a seething, boiling mass, until another obstruction is met, which it leaps with a bound, a portion of the volume rising in the form of spray, making rainbows in the sunlight and falling like rain on the adjacent roeks, while the greater portion rushes on, impatient of restraint. until, the last barrier passed, it moves off quietly to the Missouri.
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