Mrs. Alesca (Smith) Cota 1818-1908

COTA, SMITH

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 6/27/2019 at 12:19:24

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ALESCA SMITH-COTA
(Daughter of Susannah Harris-Smith)
Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Sunday, March 1, 1908, Page 8, Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa

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 u
Contributed by: Tamara Maury