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DICKINSON COUNTY Another IAGenWeb Project |
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A HISTORY OF DICKINSON COUNTY By R. A. Smith 1902 1902 History - Introduction Page |
Table of Contents.
Dickinson County—Location and Physical Features—The Lakes—Indians of Iowa Represent Two Distinct Races—Algonquins and Dacotahs—Algonquin Tribes, Sacs, Foxes, Pottawattamies, Illinois and Muscatines—Dacotah Tribes, Iowas, Omahas, Winnebagos and Sioux—The Neutral Line—The Neutral Ground—Treaties —The Treaty for the Purchase of Northwestern Iowa
Treaty of 1851—Minnesota Reservation—Upper and Lower Agencies—the Wahpekutah Sioux—Wamdisappi and the Outlaw Band Leave the Main Tribe—at Wamdisappi's Death Sidominadotah Becomes Chief—Has Trouble With Lott Near Mouth of Boone River—Lott Murders the Chief's Entire Family—Some Extracts from Harvey Ingham's "Scraps of Early History"
Dickinson County—Name—First Exploration—French Traders—Lewis and Clarke—Nicollet and Fremont—The Famous Astronomical Observation—The First Attempt at Settlement in 1856
The Party From Jasper County—They Encounter a part of Inkpadutah's Band at Loon Lake—The Exposed Condition of the Frontier—Necessity for Protection—Governor Grimes Appeals to Congress and the President—His Appeal Unheeded—The Terrible Winter of 1856 and 1857—Inkpadutah's Band Go South—The Trouble at Smithland—Different Versions—The Indians Start up the River—Trouble at Peterson and in Buena Vista County—Gillett's Grove—Gillett's Account as Given in the History of Clay County—Settlers Send to Fort Dodge For Assistance—Duncombe's Account
Situation at the Lakes—The Indians in Camp—Incidents of the First Day of the Massacre—Abbie Gardner Taken to Their Camp a Prisoner—Second Day of the Massacre—Mrs. Thatcher and Mrs. Noble Taken Prisoners—The Indians Cross the Lake and Go North To Marble Grove—Marble Killed and Mrs. Marble Taken Prisoner
Discovery of the Massacre—Markham's Narrow Escape—He Carries the News to Springfield—The Report Also Reaches Fort Dodge But is Not Credited at First—Howe and Wheelock Reach Fort Dodge—Their Account Accepted As True—Public Meeting Held—Volunteers Called For—Two Companies Raised Here and One At Webster City—Expedition Starts For the Lakes—Incidents of the March—Meet the Springfield Refugees—Meet Messenger From U. S. Troops—Main Body Turns Back—Detachment of Twenty-Three Proceed to the Lake
The Burial—Preparations for the Return—The Party Divides—The Storm—Adventures of the Party That Remained Behind
Extract From Lieutenant Maxwell's Account of the Expedition—Burying the Dead—The Party Divides—Captain Johnson and Fifteen Others Start Across the Prairie—Their Terrible Sufferings—Johnson and Burkholder Perish on the Prairie—Governor Carpenter's Account of the Return Trip of the Main Body—Terrible Experience on Cylinder Creek—Heroism of the Old Major
Inkpadutah at Heron Lake—Other Bands of Indians—Affairs at Springfield—The Attack and Defense—A Vivid Account by lion. Charles Aldrich—Heroism of Mrs. Church
Troops From Fort Ridgley Reach Springfield—Their Suffering—Judge Flandrau's Account—The Indians Start West—The Pursuit—Pursuit Abandoned—Indians Reach the Big Sioux—Tragic Death of Mrs. Thatcher—Cross the Big Sioux and Move Westward—Camp Visited By Two Agency Indians—They Purchase Mrs. Marble and Start Back—Inkpadutah Sells Mrs. Noble and Miss Gardner to a. Yankton—Mrs. Noble Murdered by Roaring Cloud—They Reach James River—The Yankton Camp—Arrival of Three Indians From the Agency—They Purchase Miss Gardner—The Return Trip
Government Apathy—No Attempt to Punish the Outlaws—Roaring Cloud Ventures Near the Agency—Is Killed by a Party of Soldiers and Volunteers—Little Crow Sent in Search of the Outlaws
Effect of the Massacre Elsewhere—Attraction of Emigrants—The Howe and Wheelock Party—J. S. Prescott and His Party—Geo. E. Spencer and the Newton Party
The Three Parties—The Trip to the Lakes—Taking Claims—The Claims of the Victims of the Massacre—A Wrong Impression Corrected—Granger and the Red Wing Party—Prescott's Visionary Scheme—The Spirit Lake Town Site Located—The Old Fort—The First Religious Meeting—Mode of Living
Naming the Lakes—Organizing the County—Hill's Trip to Sioux City to Obtain the Order for the Election—The Election Held—Officers Elected—Carrying in the Returns—The Boom—The Panic—Its Effect on the Settlement—The First Sawmill—The First Family After the Massacre—Peters and the Old Red Mill—The General Election
The Spirit Lake Claim Club—The First Postoffice—The First Mail Route—Torson's Wonderful Feat—Postoffice at Okoboji—The First Funeral—The First White Child Born in the Emigration in 1858—Farming—The Ravages of the Blackbirds
Disagreements and Jealousies—The Troops Ordered Hack to the Lakes—John Campbell and Ills Band of Indians—Two Recognized as Members of Inkpadutah's Band—Are Arrested But Make Their Escape—Campbell Tried and Hung for Murder at Mankato—"Bad Hail" and His Band—Indian Medical Practice—Quarrel Over the Steam Mill—Attempt to Replevin the Logs—A Fight Prevented by An Unlooked-for Circumstance—Umpashota and His Band
Emigration in 1859— The Government Surveys Completed — The Homestead Law—The First Physician—The First Marriage Ceremony The M. E. Church—Rev. Cornelius McLean—His Successor — The Circuit—The First Singing School— Special Election for Disposing of the Swamp Land— A Brief Review of the Swamp Land Question — Building the Courthouse and Two Bridges—Subsequent Bridges on the Same Sites
Discouraging Circumstances—Apprehensions of Indian Troubles--Measures For Defense—The Minutemen—Last Hostile Indian Killed in Iowa—The Townships—County Government—The First Board of Supervisors—The Breaking Out of the War—The Call for Troops—Heavy Enlistments—Renewed Apprehensions of Indian Troubles--Governor Kirkwood Appoints Judge Baldwin to Look After Frontier Defense
The Minnesota Massacre—How It Began—Ambush of Captain Marsh—The Battles of Fort Ridgley and New Ulm—The Indian Dread of Artillery—Colonel Sibley Placed in Command—The Battle of Birch Coulee—The Prisoners—Sibley's Effort to Get Them Without Fighting a Failure—Battle of Wood Lake—Sibley Makes Another Demand for the Prisoners—Indians Divided—The Larger Party With the Prisoners Surrender at Camp Release—Little Crow With His Band Escapes Up the River—Little Crow Ventures to the Settlement the Following Year and is Killed—The Indian Prisoners Tried by a Military Commission and Three Hundred and Three Sentenced to be Hung—President Lincoln Interferes—Orders Thirty-nine of the Leaders Hung
Events in Iowa—The Massacre Along the Des Moines—The Relief Party—Appeal for Government Protection—The Sioux City Cavalry-Tire Week at the Old Courthouse—Building the Stockade
Governor Kirkwood Takes Deep Interest in Frontier Matters—Sends Colonel Ingham to the Frontier—His Report—The Legislature Called in Special Session—The First Bill Passed Provides for the Northern Border Brigade—Joint Resolution Asking Government Protection—Organization of the Northern Border Brigade—Colonel Sawyers Placed in Command—Governor Kirkwood Appoints Honorable George L. Davenport to Collect Information—His Report—Speculations as to the Cause of the Outbreak—Opinions by Honorable George L. Davenport—General Sully—Judge Flandrau and Others
Expeditions Against the Indians—Sully's Expedition—His Force Leaves Sioux City and Follow Up the Missouri—Expect to Form a Junction With Sibley's Forces at Apple River—On Arriving There Find Sibley Has Been There and Turned Back—Battle of White Stone Hill—The Return to Sioux City—Sibley's Command—Move Across Minnesota—Fight Three Battles Before Reaching the Missouri—On Reaching the Missouri Find That Sully Has Not Yet Arrived—Rest Two Days and Then Turn Back—The Expeditions of 1864
Close of Military Operations on the Frontier—A Summary—The Fur Business--Trapping and Gathering Fur—Early Literary Societies—The Okoboji Literary League—The "Legend of Spirit Lake"
Causes Delaying Emigration—A Period of Dullness—The Early Work of the Methodist Episcopal Church—The Early Preachers—The First Camp Meeting—The First Religious Revival—The Fearful Storms—Blizzards—Who Coined the Word—A Description From the "Great Divide"--A Few Experiences—A Romantic Wedding Trip.
The Settlement at Lakeville in 1866—The First After the Close of the War—The Wet Summer—High Prices for Provisions—The First Settlers in the Other Towns—The Fuel Question—Burning Hay—Burning Corn—The Sod Shanty
The Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad—The Building of the Milford Mills—Several Controversies--The Level of the Water in the Lakes—The Courthouse Burned
A Period of Prosperity—Postoffice at Lakeville and Lake Park—The Grasshopper Raid of 1873—Where They Came From—Views of D. A. W. Perkins—Their Depredations—Extract from J. A. Smith's Pamphlet—The Seed Grain Question—The Legislature Appealed To —They Appropriate $50,000 to Buy Seed Grain—Commissioners for Distribution
The Second Invasion—The Destruction Greater Than Ever—Whole Neighborhoods Abandoned—Extract From Governor Carpenter's Article in "The Annals"—Grasshoppers Block Railroad Trains—General N. B. Baker—His Efforts in Behalf of Grasshopper Sufferers Impair His Health—His Visit To Spirit Lake
The Early Schools—Lack of Funds—Amusing Incident Related by Hon. A. W. Hubbard—The First School at Spirit Lake—The Court-house Used for School Purposes—The Early Teachers—The First School at Center Grove—The Little Log Schoolhouse Built by Subscription—The Early Teachers—The School at Okoboji—The School Building Erected by Subscription—The School at Tusculum—The Dickinson County Teachers' Association—The Early Institutes
The Need of a Railroad—Local Schemes—The Spirit Lake & Sioux Valley Railroad Company Organized—Survey Made—Aid Voted—The Scheme a Failure—The Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul Induced to Make a Survey—The Chicago & Northwestern—The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern the First to Build in the County —J. S. Polk and the Narrow Gauge
Disappearance of the Game—The Last Buffalo Killed in Iowa—"Hegira of the Elk"— Extract From a Paper Written by J. A. Smith for the Midland Monthly—The Deer—"Bob-Cats"
Early Fishing—The Supply Begins to Diminish—Measures Adopted for Their Protection—The Fish Hatchery at Anamosa—Branch at Spirit Lake—The State Hatchery Moved to the Lakes—It Is Injuriously Affected by Both High and Low Water and is Finally Abandoned—Legislative Restrictions—Fish Shanties Prohibited
Early Boating—The First Sailboats—The First Regatta—A Lucky Accident—Other Boat Races—The Yacht Club—A Narrow Escape—The First Steamers—The Favorite and Alpha—Larger Steamers Demanded—The Hiawatha—The Ben Lennox and the Queen
The Town of Spirit Lake—Selection of the Site—Arrival of the First Families—The Four Women Who Wintered Here the First Winter—The First Buildings—The Old Fort Used as a Hotel—The First Frame Houses—The First Social Events--An Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration—The First General Store—The First Hotel—How the Title to the Town Site Was Obtained—The Enterprise Abandoned by the Original Promoters and the Land Proved Up as a Private Claim—Life in the Town During the War
Spirit Lake Town Continued—The Early Merchants-The Early Business Houses Generally—The Beacon Block—The New Crandall House—The Coming of the Railroads—The Roller Skate Craze —Incorporation of the Town—The First Officers—The New Courthouse—The First Brick Buildings—The Stevens Block—The Electric Lights—A. M. Johnson's Store—The Roller Mill—The Cold Storage Plant
The Spirit Lake Postoffice—Postmasters—The Spirit Lake Beacon, The Pioneer Newspaper—The Early Advertisers—Early History of the Paper by J. A. Smith—Its Subsequent History—Other Ventures In the Newspaper Line—The Dickinson County Journal—The Spirit Lake Democrat—"Huckleberry's Paper"—The Spirit Lake Pilot—The Dickinson County Herald—Civic Societies
The Early Churches—M. E. Pastors—Baptists—First Church Building in the County—Rev. J. L. Coppoc—Subsequent Pastors—Congregationalists—Lutherans—The Catholics—The Evergreen Sabbath School—Spirit Lake Musical Association—The Pioneer Cornet Band —The Pioneer Girls' Club—The Spirit Lake Chautauqua
Milford, its Location—The First Settlement of Milford and Okoboji Townships—The Old Town—The First Hotels and Stores—Early Entertainments—The Milford Library Association—Amateur Theatricals—The Milford Dancing School--The Early Churches—The Work of Rev. J. R. Upton—The Building of the Railroad Forces the Moving of the Town
Lake Park, Superior and Terrill—Silver Lake Township, a Little of Its Early History—The Early Schools—The First Postoffice—Early Religious Meetings—The Coming of the Railroad—The Town of Lake Park—The First Business Houses and Enterprises—The Lake Park News—Churches—Civic Societies—Postoffice—Incorporation of the Town—Mayors—Present Officers—Superior—The Town Started by the Railroad Company—First Postoffice—The First Business Ventures—Postoffice—Incorporation—Officers—The Destructive Fire of 1897—Terrill—Carpenter's Wild Railroad Scheme
The Early Summer Tourists—Limited Accommodations—A Brief Description of the Lakes—Extract From Geological Report—The Early Stopping Places—Crandall's Lodge—Lillywhite's Lodge—Other Early Stopping Places—The Orleans Hotel
Resorts on West Okoboji—Arnold's Park—Its Growth—Variety of Entertainment—The Annual Shooting Tournament—Miller's Bay—The Popular Fishing Ground—The Observatory—The Highest Land in Iowa—What Professor McBride Says of It—Smith's Point—Okoboji Bridge—Some of the Early Visitors—The Botany Class of the State University—The Okoboji Postoffice—The Later Resorts on West Okoboji
Farmers' Organizations—The Dickinson County Agricultural Society—The Grange—The Farmers' Alliance—Farmers' Institutes—The Dickinson County Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company—A Few Statistics of the Growth of the County—A Full List of the County Officers to the Present Time—State and District Officers Elected and Appointed From This County
The Monument—Legislation Relating to It—Commissioners Appointed—They Organize—Ex-Governor Carpenter Made President—Contract Awarded to P. N. Peterson Company of St. Paul, Minnesota—Monument Completed—Report of Commissioners—Dedication of Monument—Addresses by R. A. Smith, Hon. C. E. Flandrau, of St. Paul. Hon. C. C. Carpenter, Lieutenant Governor Dungan, Secretary Richards and Others
Conclusion