Henson Wiseman Died 1912

WISEMAN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/3/2018 at 20:52:40

Sioux City Journal
28 February 1912

Death of H. wiseman Recalls A Massacre

Aged Man Lost Five Children to the Scalping Knife in the Frontier Days

Henson Wiseman, who died in his 95th year at Wynot, Nebraska was one of the last survivors of a by-gone day. He and his wife came west from Harrison County, West Virginia, in 1839, the year after they were married. They stopped at Burlington, Iowa and later went to Fort Des Moines. In 1856 they came to Sioux City, where they lived a year. Mr. Wiseman is said to have roofed the first house to be covered with shingles that was built in Sioux City. He was a carpenter by trade. From Sioux City they went to Cedar County, Nebraska.

At the time, that part of Nebraska was occupied by Indiana and in order to stop their depredations, the government called for scouts. Wiseman enlisted under the supposition that soldiers would be sent to protect the families of those who left home. The company was gathered together at Dakota City, Nebraska in the summer of 1862, and started on horseback for Crow Creek, South Dakota, 200 miles distant.

Thirty days after he had left home and while his wife was in Yankton, South Dakota buying provisions, the Yankton and Santee Sioux Indians massacred their five children in their home, inflicting terrible tortures on them before killing them. The same Indians gave news of the butchery to Indians at Crow agency, where Wiseman was stationed but it was not till some time later that Wiseman learned it was his own children that had been massacred.

He rode home at once and found his wife had gone to Sioux City. He started to go to her and met her on the way. They returned to St. James, Nebraska. Savages were roaming around that part of the country. Wiseman carried a rifle with him continuously and it is said that whenever, after that, he got a chance, he killed every Indian he saw.

His wife died 10 years ago. He is survived by a son, who was serving as a soldier at the time of the massacre and a daughter, Mrs. Christian Larson with whom he resided at the time of his death.