Alesca Cota (1818-1908)

COTA, SMITH, HARRIS, MASSUCHELLI, LORAS, BURKE, BATHRICK, LANGWORTHY, MCEVOY, GERMAIN, GOODROW

Posted By: Christine King (email)
Date: 5/22/2017 at 09:46:25

LATE PIONEER HAD REMARKABLE LIFE
MRS. ALESCA COTA WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY, WAS WELL KNOWN.
CAME TO GALENA IN 1824
HAD MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM INDIAN WHO SOUGHT TO END HER YOUNG LIFE.

   A life of singular interest to Dubuque and vicinity was ended in Dubuque during the past week, when Mrs. Alesca Cota, more than once the victim of Indian cruelty and at one time almost miraculously spared from the wrath of an Indian before the outbreak of the Blackhawk War, passed away, after a brief illness.
   About the life of the late pioneer clusters much that savors of romance and again of tragedy for her young life was lived through a period of great danger to the white settlers and her young womanhood found the little mining settlement of Dubuque a gay tented city, and she one of the most beautiful belles of the little village.
   She was born in the state of Indiana, at Rising Sun, on the second of October,  1818. Her parents were James Smith and Susanna Harris. She came with them to Galena in 1824, residing there until 1833 when, shortly after the signing of the treaty with the Indians, she came over the Mississippi river on the second boat to arrive in Dubuque after the treaty.
   During the years of her childhood life in Galena, Mrs. Cota lived her life through a number of thrilling experiences with the Indians, and during the later years of her life enjoyed narrating the story of the awful night when the alarm of the Indians' approach was sounded and she was carried hurriedly in her mother's arms to the blockhouse, where in company with other women and children of the settlement she remained throughout the long terrible night in suspense, expecting the momentary arrival of the Indians, bound on the errand of death and destruction. But for some reason the Warriors of the painted faces changed their minds and the danger was averted.
   Perchance the most thrilling experience of the late pioneer's life was, when in a canoe paddled by a young squaw she was held in a rocking craft for a long period of time in mortal agony of being thrown over by a young Indian who appeared bent on terrorizing the little white faced victim. But for the greater part of her life in Galena the little girl associated much with the young Indian girls and until the time of her death was able to speak the Indian language. Her father, who served during the War of 1812, was also in the Blackhawk war and was given two grants of land.
   When Mrs. Cota was ten years of age her mother died and on the fourth of July the family landed in Dubuque on the second boat that came over the Father of Waters, after the signing of the famous treaty. There were but three shanties in the settlement then, but the settlers began to come shortly afterwards and many tents were placed for their convenience, making the little settlement a gay, white tented city. Mrs. Cota was in attendance at the first ball given in Dubuque which was held in the Old Bell Tavern, afterwards the scene of many events of pioneer importance. In 1835 Mrs. Cota was married to her later husband by Father Massuchelli, the first priest to take up his residence in this section and who was found laboring here among the Indians settlers when Bishop-Loras came to the settlement to take up the work of the young diocese.
   The wedding of the beautiful young bride was an event of much importance in the community, and in the crude log cabin church the young couple plighted their troth, with the Italian missionary, Massuchelli, performing the marriage ceremony. Ten children were born of the union, four of whom are still living, Mrs. Miles Burke of Dubuque, Cyril of Washington Township, Frank and Austin of Dubuque.

Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Sunday, March 1, 1908, Page 8
Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa