Jackson County, Minnesota - Early Settlement - 1856, 1910

Early Settlement - 1856

HUNDREDS of immigrants had come to the upper Mississippi valley during the first half of the fifties, suitable places of residence had been found to the east and south of the present Jackson county but none had penerated to the sightly locations on the upper Des Moines. Jackson county was without a permanent settler until the summer of 1856.^ That year, from July to December, some forty people, including women and children, came to the Des Moines river country of Jackson county. They erected about a dozen log cabins along the river, extending from a point a few miles south of the present village of Jackson to a point seven or eight miles north of the village (most of the cabins being in the timber in the vicinity of Jackson) and settled as permanent residents.

*Mr. D. S. Oapper, In an Interview In tl)e Jackson Republic of August 30. 1873. claimed to have been the first white settler to locate in Jackson county, stating that he had come from the Boone river country, in Iowa, squatted on a claim Just east of the Des Moines river near the Biichael Miller farm on section 30, Wisconsin township, resided there three years, and left in December, 1856. He said that he broke up ground and raised crops and that when the settlers of 1856 came he assisted them in building their cabins. He recounted many a tussle he had had with the Indians who infested the country and stated that buffalo and elk were here in abundance. The reason I have not incorporated this data in the text is because there is good cause to doubt its authenticity. If Mr. Crapper resided in Jackson county when he is made to say he did, the fact was unknown to the settlers who located in the vicinity in 1856. He may have been in Jackson county In an early day but that he ever resided here is doubtful. He was known as a resident of the Boone river country.

The credit of becoming the first white settlers of Jackson county is generally (and rightfully) given to three brothers, William, George and Charles Wood, who came during the month of July, 1856,* and located on land which now comprises the principal business and residence section of the village of Jackson. William Wood seems to have been the leading spirit of the brothers.^ Early in the fifties he had left his Indiana home and gone to the new village of Mankato, where he joined Robert Wardlow, a dealer in general merchandise. Much of the trade of these days was with the Indians and William Wood had ample opportunity to become acquainted with the aborigines, frequently making trips to the interior country.

On one such occasion, in 1854, Mr. Wood, in the discharge of his duties as Indian trader, and also while cruising and looking about for a location in which to make a future home for himself and his mother's large family, came upon the sightly location of the present village of Jackson. Early in 1856 he returned to his mother's home in Bidgeville, Randolph

5"I think Mr. [William] Wood was the first to take a claim in what is now Jackson county, for some time during the winter [of 1856-57] he told me that he had selected his claim some time in July." - Jareb Palmer in Lakefleld Standard, December 7, 1895.

county, Indiana, and proposed that George Wood, who was then the head of the family, and Charles Wo6d, who was a boy of fifteen or sixten years of age, should go with him to the new and promising country which he had discovered and there prepare a home for themselves and their aged mother and her family. The suggestion was approved by the other members of the family, and in July the three brothers arrived on the banks of the Des Moines river to make their homes.*

Believing that the site was one favorable for trading with the Indians who roamed over the country and with white settlers who would in time be sure to spy out and locate in this beautiful spot, the brothers decided to establish a trading post. In accordance with the custom of the times in Minnesota, it was also deemed an individual farm claim under the preemption law (there was no homestead law at the time) of 160 acres, and in partnership a half section for a townsite. The townsite included the whole of the second bench - the residence portion of the present village - and the farm claims included the business portion of the present Jackson village and extended across the river.*^ The Woods naoned their proposed town Springfield because of the fact that there was a spring on it near where they built their cabin. The townsite was not platted by surveyors, but was simply held in anticipation of the time when settlers should come in sufficient numbers to warrant the building of a town. A large, one-room log building was erected at a point near the river in the northwest part of the present day village upon what is now the Frost liam and George Wood each took land claims. As the land had not yet been surveyed it is impossible to tell exactly the boundaries of their claims, and it is doubtful if the brothers themselves had more than an indefinite idea of where their land was. A man by the name of Baker, who came through the coimtry about the time the brothers were locating their claims, said that he was a surveyor, aild having a compass he ran a line north from the state line between the townships of Middletown and Petersburg and between Des Moines and Wisconsin, and from this line were located all the early day claims. In after years it was learned that this line was not within eighty rods of its proper location.- The bulk of the Wood brothers' land was on the west side of the river and included portions of sections 24, 23, 26 and 25, Des Moines township. The two brothers entered upon a full section of government land, each in Jackson county the three brothers lived and conducted their store, carrying a stock of goods of such kind and character as was most salable to the settlers, who came soon afterward, and the Indians.*

Almost immediately after the Wood brothers had located at Springfield (but not because of that fact) quite a number of settlers - all American born - came to the vicinity. Some selected claims and erected log cabins, intending to become permanent settlers. Others, in the speculative spirit of the times, selected claims and returned to their homes, intending to dispose of them later and thus realize on their visit to the frontier. It is impossible to give the dates of arrival of those who came during the summer and fall of 1856, extending over a period of time from July to December, but much

-"They kept a very good assortment of goods for a pioneer store, but a large part of It was Intended for the Indian trade, as the Indians fished, trapped and hunted all over the adjacent country and of course had much fur and hides to sell at figures allowing the trader fabulous profits." - Jareb Palmer.

of a historical nature concerning these pioneers has been preserved, which makes the history of the early settlement of Jackson county interesting. The greater part of the settlers of this year came from Webster City, Iowa, and the vicinity, and the causes that led to their settling here, together with the story of their settlement and incidents of the early days, will now be recorded."

In the spring of 1856 a party of explorers and homeseekers left the vicinity of Webster City in search of a desirable place to make a new settlement, most of the best claims in their vicinity having been taken. They proceeded northward and discovered Spirit and Okoboji lakes. On the banks of those lakes they staked claims and then returned for their families and other adventurous homeseekers whom they thought would accompany them on their return and assist in settling up the beautiful country they had found.

Accompanied by others, as had been anticipated, these men returned, only to find that a party of men from Red Wing, Minnesota, had come during their absence and "jumped^' their claims. As the Red Wing party were armed and declared their intentions of fighting for the claims if necessary, the Webster City |>eople concluded to look elsewhere for homes. They had not long to search or far to go. They proceeded north and east and came upon the beautiful country of magnificent groves and rich prairie along the Des Moines river in Jackson county. Those who had families and some who did not staked claims and erected log cabins, the logs being cut from the woods along the river. Among the party were speculators, who did not intend to permanently locate but who picked out the best claims they could get and waited for some one to come along and buy their rights. Usually, if they had a good claim, the;^ did not have long to wait, for claim hunters were plentiful. Before winter set in several of the claims had changed hands.

Some of those who had come to the Springfield settlement, as it was called in honor of the Woods' townsite, returned to Webster City in the fall, sold their claims, and induced a few others to locate in. the new settlement.

Among the fir?t and most prominent of the settlers of 1856 was James B. Thomas,® who came from Webster City with his family, consisting of a wife and six children, in August. Of all the settlers Mr. Thomas made the best preparation for winter. His claim was on the east side of the river, probably on the southeast quarter of section 25, Des Moines township, where he built a comfortable two-room log cabin with a fireplace in each room. He had a number of cattle and put up sufficient hay to keep them through the winter.

John Dodson and Joseph Chiffin, bachelors, were trappers who wftre also holding land claims. They lived in a little cabin on Dodson's claim, a couple of miles northwest of W^oods' store, probably on section 22. These men were partners and kept a few goods for the Indian trade. Chiffin's claim was on the east side of the river, northeast of the present day railroad bridge and on section 11. He built a cabin there, in which, during the first part of the winter, lived Robert Smith, an Englishman, and his wife and John Henderson, a Virginian, about whom the reader will learn more later in this chapter. During the latter part of the winter they lived in the Wheeler cabin farther down the river. They took adjoining claims on the west side, above Woods' store, but did not build.

J. B. Skinner and wife located on the west side of the river, in the timber only a few rods from the river bank, probably on section 3. There Mr. Skinner erected a log cabin in which he and his wife resided during* the early part of the winter, later moving down the river and moving into the Wheeler cabin. Farther up the river than Mr. Skinner, on the east side and probably on section 34, Belmont township, was the home of William Nelson, with whom lived his wife and one child. This family also spent the latter part of the winter in the Wheeler cabin, in the more thickly settled part of the settlement.

William Church and family early came to the settlement from Webster City, and he erected a cabin on the east side of the river, a few rods south of where the elevators along the Milwaukee road now stand. In this cabin lived Mr. and Mrs. Church, their one child, Mrs. Church's sister. Miss Drusilia Swanger, and a young German, Henry Trets by name, who was employed by Mr. Church. Late in the fall Mr. Church went to Webster City to lay in supplies for the winter, but on account of the heavy snow he was unable to return and .was absent all winter.

Another one of the early settlers was Joshua Stewart, who with his family, conbisting of a wife and three children, resided in a cabin about one-half mile north of the Thomas home, and there he had his land claim. Adam P. Shiegley, a trapper of French descent, came to the claim and lived in a cabin in a large grove in a ravine a short distance east and south of the Thomas cabin. He showed his French proclivities by being quite friendly with the Indians. He was a widower and brought to the settlement with him his boy of about two years of age. The child spent the greater part of the winter with the family of William Church

Among the other settlers who came to the Springfield settlement in 1856 were E. B. N. Strong (sometimes referred to as Dr. Strong) and family, who had a claim and lived in a cabin in a large grove on the west side of the river on what is now the southeast quarter of section 36, Des Moines township. Here lived Mr. and Mrs. Strong, their one child, two or three years old, (during the winter a second child was born to them) and Miss Eliza Gardner, who had accompanied the family from the Okoboji settlement.®

Two other settlers of some prominence in the community were David Carver an^ John Bradshaw, who were among the first to come from Webster City and build in the frontier settlement. Both these gentlemen erected cabins on the east side of the river, on section 19, Wisconsin township, north and east of Mr. Stewart's cabin, Mr. Carver's being the farther north. Messrs. Carver and Stewart commenced building a dam across the Des Moines river (near the point where Major II. S. Bailey afterwards started a brick yard) but it was not completed. These gentlemen expected to sell the improvements to parties of means when they were completed. Both Carver and Bradshaw spent part of the winter in Webster City, but returned on foot early in the spring. During their absence their cabins were unoccupied.

-"On one occasion, while on a trip to Fort Dodge, father fell In with a Dr. Strong: and prevailed upon him to visit the lakes with a view to settlement; but after stopping with us a few days he decided to locate at Springrfield. His family consisted of himself, wife and one child (two years old). His wife being In delicate health, and he necessarily being away much of the time from home, she persuaded my sister. Eliza, to whom she became attached, to accompany them. This was In the month of October, and owing to a heavy fall of snow on the first of December, followed by others In quick succession, until the snow on the level was four or Ave feet and In the drifts sometimes fifteen or twenty, traveling was Impossible. Eliza was thus unable to return and so escaped the fate of the rest of the family." - Abble Gardner- Sharp In History of the Spirit Lake Massacre.

On November 27 Messrs. Jareb Palmer, Nathaniel Frost and Bartholomew McCarthy drove into the Springfield settlement from Webster City and became identified with the early history of the place, they being the last to arrive during the year 1856. As Mr. Palmer has written so entertainingly of this trip and of the events upon his arrival, I here give his account as it was published in the Jackson Republic of September 19, 1884:

I was then residing at Webster City but was not a member of the parties that left there in the spring and summer of 1856, though I was acquainted with some members of each party, but cannot pretend to give a complete list of their names. Late in the fall some of them Returned to Webster City, and among them was Joseph Elliott, a young man who had taken a claim in Jackson county, theli known as the Springfield settlement. As he wanted to sell his claim Nathaniel Frost and myself bought it and began making preparations for the long and lonesome journey to Springfield. Bartholomew McCiirthy had also bought a claim of J. Griffith.

We all three set out at the same time and journeyed together until the 27th day of November, 1850, we arrived at the house of James B. Thomas. . . The next day we set about hunting up our claims. Mr. Frost's and mine was found to be the grove next south of the large grove, being, I think, on section 1, Middletown.

Mr. McCarthy found his up the river, being the grove where Ole E. Olson,, of Belmont, now lives. But he found that a half-breed Indian by the name of Gaboo had built a shanty on it and was keeping an Indian trading post there. He also claimed the grove. Mr. Frost accompanied Mr. McCarthy when he went to take possession of his claim. Gaboo was unwilling to give up the claim, but ht invited Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Frost to remain over night with him, which invitation they gladly accepted. '

Gaboo had a number of Indians camped out near his shanty, and in the evening they set up a great hubub of shouts and cries and lamentations and curses and imprecations. The two lonely white men began almost to feel their hair rise, and inquired of the halfbreed what it all meant. They were informed that the Indians were mad because the white men were trying to get his claim away from him and that they were talking of killing them before morning. Whether the whites were really alarmed or not I cannot say, but McCarthy finally compromised with Gaboo and entered into an agreement with him to pay him a certain amount of money on his removing from his claim, which he agreed to do in the spring. After the claim dispute was thus satisfactorily settled the Indians quieted down and the white men were glad to seek their repose. Whether their dreams were « disturbed by visions of tomahawks and scalping knives I have never learned. In the monliBg the half-breed told Mr. Frost of a claim up the river that had quite a good grove of timber on it; and so Frost and M%)arthy hitched up their team and drove up to view it. Mr. Frost liked it and concluded to take it, giving up to me his half of the claim we had bought. His grove is the one near John Monson's, On section 6, Belmont township.

Of these three arrivals Mr. McCarthy returned to his home in Webster City early in December, with the intention of commg back in the spring and taking possession of his claim. Mr. Palmer built a small cabin on his claim on section 1, Middletown, but made his home with Mr. Strong, working part of the winter for James B. Thomas and for the Wood brothers. Mr. Frost, who finally selected his claim up the river, did not build or live thereon during the winter but worked in the settlement further down the river.

In addition to these white settlers there were in the settlement two Indian camps. One of these, already mentioned in Mr. Palmer's account, was located on the east side of the river on what is now section 22, Belmont. This camp consisted of three or four families gathered about the trading house of Joseph Coursalle, or Gaboo,^® as he was generally called, a well known half-breed Sioux who had come to the country from Traverse des Sioux. Another camp of four families was located on the west side of the river a short distance above Woods' store and directly east from Dodson's cabin. This camp was presided over by Smoky Moccasin, or Umpashota," his Indian name, a medicine man with the authority of a sub-chief. The Indians of both these camps were ' annuity Sissetons and off-shoots from Sleepy

Besides the white settlers who had become permanent residents of the Springfield cx)mmunitj and spent the winter in the new country, quite a number of others had been here during the summer and fall. Some of these came with the intention of becoming permanent settlers, erected cabins, arid then returned to their former homes to spend the winter. Others came for the purpose of staking claims to be disposed of later and had no intention of living in the country.

William T. Wheeler, a lawyer from Jasper county, Iowa, was one who was in the settlement during the summer of 1856. He came and selected a claim with the intention of laying out a townsite and built his claim cabin a little south and west of the present location of the Milwaukee depot. This claim and cabin were afterwards purchased by Joseph Thomas. Mr. Wheeler remained only long enough to erect his cabin. As has been stated, the Wheeler cabin was occupied during the latter part of the winter by several of the settlers from up the river.

Others who came but did not remain were Bartholomew McCarthy, already mentioned; Joseph Elliott, who sold his claim to Jareb Palmer and Nathaniel Frost; J. Griffith," whose claim Mr. Mc- Carthy had bought; William Searles, who came from Iowa with his brother in-law William Nelson; and possibly a few others.

A recapitulation shows us tliat there were the following named forty-two people residing in Jackson county during the fall and winter of 1856 :'«

"It will be remembered that of these William Church was absent nearly all winter; Eliza Gardner was not a permanent resident, but was a visitor with the Strong family; David Carver and John Bradshaw were absent the gteater part of the winter.

The settlement consisted of thirteen cabins, of which four or five were unoccupied the greater part of the time. All the cabins were built of logs, cut from the nearby timber, and were covered with "shakes," lumber being used only for doors. Some of the cabins had floors made of puncheons, while others had earth floors. Most of them had at least one small window. All of the settlers were poor so far as this world's goods are concerned. The Wood brothers and James B. Thomas were the most fortunate in the possession of property and were domiciled in the best cabins of the settlement.

All had come to the settlement too late in the season to raise a crop or even to plant gardens, and only one or two had so much as plowed a furrow of ground. A few, but not all, had put up enough hay for the few head of stock they brought with them. In consequence of these con- ditions all kinds of provisions had to be hauled in from the nearest settlements^ which were long distances away. These were mostly brought in from Webster City, Iowa, and from Mankato, Minnesota, where the mail for the settlers was also secured. In the early part of the winter flour sold for $8.00 to $10.00 per hundred weight, later went to $15.00 and in the spring was not to be had at any price. Potatoes were $3.00 per bushel, beef 15 to 20 cents per pound and other staples in proportion. The last team arrived from the outer world on November 27, and from that time until the last of March the people of the Springfield settlement were isolated.

The winter of 1856-57 was one of the most severe that was ever experienced in the northwest country and will always be remembered by those who were at the time living on the frontier, by reason of its bitter coldness, deep snows and violent storms. On the first day of December began a terrific blizzard which continued with unabated fury for three days and three nights. It left the level ground covered with two feet of snow and all the hollows and ravines extending into the prairie were drifted full, in places to a depth of from twenty to thirty feet. The storms followed each other in quick succession all winter and into the spring. The snow accumulated on the sides of the bluffs along the river until it would break off and fall in an avalanche to the bottom. It was absolutely impossible to get about with a team except on the ice on the river bed. The settlers ^ere illy prepared for any winter, much less such a one as this, and there was much suffering during the long dreary season.

It was during, and as a result of, this severe winter that the first death occurred in Jackson county. During the summer of 1856 a military mail route had been established between Mankato and Sioux City. This was a connecting link of a route extending from Fort Bidgely, in Minnesota, to Fort Eandall, in Dakota, and traversed a practically uninhabited country. The contract for carrying the mails over this part of the route was let to Marsh and Babcock, of Mankato, to whom were given, in addition to a money consideration, a half section of land every twenty miles along the route, upon which they were to build and maintain stations for the convenience of the carrier. There were no postoffices along the route. In the fall the contractors mapped out the route, selected their lands and buUt small cabins thereon, in which were stored hay for the carrier^s pony and small supplies of provisions for the carrier. One of these stations was built on the river on section 17, Belmont township ; another was on Round lake, in the southwestern corner of Jackson county. No one lived in these cabins and the carrier had to secure his fuel, make his fire and prepare his meals after having traveled, perhaps, thirty or forty miles through the winter storms. A man by the name of Hoxie Rathban was employed as carrier, making the trip on a pony twice a month.

Mr. Eathban met his death at the station in Belmont township on December 26, 1856, after having been exposed to the terrible storms since early December. He had been gone so long on the trip that the contractors feared there miist be something wrong, so they sent two men to look for the missing carrier. The story of the finding of this unfortunate man is told in the language of Mr. Jareb Palmer:

Arriving at th^ mail station on the Des Moines river in this county on the 26th of December, they found the mail carrier there, but in a dying condition, being badly frozen, starving and unable to speak or move. He died a few minutes after he was found. He had evidently been there some time, but had not been able to build a fire, probably being loo badly frozen when he reached the cabin

Histoey Op Jacksok Cohntt

.to have sufficient 'Use of his hands to do so. He had lost his pony, probably in some snow drift, but had the mail sack all right, and in 4t was a letter postmarked at Sioux City on the 6th day of December. From this circumstance it was evident that he had been out itwenty days before he was found. His sufferings during those dreary days must have been terrible indeed, without the company, assistaoce or solaee - of a single human being. He had a wife and family in Mankato who were left to mourn his terrible death.

The men who found Kathban had come tfanmgh with a horse and jumper. They remained in the cabin over night and next morning commenced to retrace their lonesome

-the same day with ox teams to bring in supplies. The two parties met near Elm creek, about twelve miles northeast of Springfield. They 'caa)»ed together for the night, and before morning another terrible storm set in and they had to lay over all of the next day and night ^without a fire, the storm putting it out, but on the morning of the second day the storm had abated sufficiently for them to

The party laid over at Woods* store imtil 'the 31flt djy of December, when they once more commeBced their toilsome journey across the prairie and through the deeply drifted snow, taking the corpse with them. They -were four days in reaching Mr. Slocum's, on the Watonwan, twenty-five miles this side of 'Mankato, his being the first house on the route. 'The weather was intensely cold and the party suffered severely, some of them freezing their hands and feet. Mr. Frost was among the number that suffered from frost bites. Mr. Wood reached Mankato and procured his supplies, but was unable to haul them through the deep snow, even with ox teams. So he left Mr. Frost to care for the teams and returned alone and on foot to ^Springfield.

^William Wood, who was a man of extraordinary grit and endurance, made two trips alone across the prairie to Mankato dnring this winter, in addition to the one mentioned. While on one of these journeys he was overtaken by a storm at 'Cedar lake which put out his fire and drifted him under, covering him with snow to a depth of two feet. In that condition he lay two days and two nights. The experience was very painful as he was unable to turn over, but was compelled to remain in one position until the storm abated. Then with great difficulty he dragged his benumbed and stiffened limbs from under the snow, made a fire, dried his clothes and blankets, prepared and ate a frugal meal, and hastened on his journey. It is such incidents as these that show what these pioneers of Jackson county endured.

Another incident of the winter illustrates the terrible conditions of the settlers about Springfield and brought forth an act of heroism by a self-styled doctor, who performed several successful amputations with improvised instruments.

About the first of February Bobert Smith and John Henderson, who, it will be remembered, were living in the Chiffin cabin some distance up the river from the principal settlement, ran short of hay, and rather than see tlieir stock perish for want of food, decided to drive them to a settlement on the Watonwan river near ^fankato. Preparing themselves as well as they could, they started out on foot one bright sunny morning, carrying the necessary provisions and a few blankets, driving the cattle ahead of them. Their progress was slow and they did not make more than ten miles when night came upon them. The cattle were somewhat weak and were unable to wallow through the deeps drifts, so Smith and Henderson often had to go ahead and break a path for them.

At night the men made camp on the bleak prairie and were without shelter and fire. To their dismay there came up one of those ever dreaded blizzards - the terror of the prairie. So violent had the storm become by daybreak that they abandoned their cattle, nearly all of which perished, and sought to save themselves. They endeavored to find their way back to the settlement, but owing to the blinding snow they could not tell in which way to pro* ceed. They became completely lost and wandered about the prairie all that day and all the following night. They attempted to secure shelter by digging into the drifts of snow with their hands. Realizing that their only hope lay in traveling until the fury of the storm abated, they kept on, "going by guess^' most of .the time.

On the morning of the third day from the time they had left home the weather cleared and the unfortunate Smith and Henderson were able to discern the timber on the Des Moines river. This gave them new hope and they struggled on until, about two o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived at the Wheeler cabin, badly frozen and completely worn out. Fortunately Mr. J. B. Skinner, whose home was up the river, had just moved down to the Wheeler cabin and was on hand to render what assistance he could to the poor men. Everything was done that kindhearted neighbors could do. It was found that one of Mr. Smith's feet was badly frozen, as well as both of Mr. Henderson's, whose hands were also badly frozen.

There was no regular physician in the settlement and it was out of the question to attempt to send for one. Both Mr. Skinner and Mr. Strong bore the title of "doctor,'' though neither had practiced the profession. The latter cared for the unfortunate men as best he could for about three weeks, when it became apparent that if the men's lives were to be saved amputation of the limbs must be made at once. Mr. Strong had only a rudimentary knowledge of surgery, but he did not hesitate to take the only course which offered a possibility of saving life. Concerning the operation Mr. Jareb Palmer has written:

Dr. Strong had a large medical work and a few common drugs but no surgical instruments. However, he seemed equal to the occasion and never seemed to doubt his ability to perform the necessary operations and set about preparing the instruments. He was a wagonmaker by trade and had a chest of tools, and out of these he manufactured some instruments which he thought would answer the purpose. The back was taken off a carpenter's bucksaw, knives and nippers were made, thread prepared for tying arteries, etc. He talked freely of the ways and wherefores of the different steps in the operation.

Finally, everything being in readiness, on the night before he was to undertake the operations, he administered to each patient a large dose of laudunum, as he said, to deaden the nerves and alleviate the pain. Everything being in readiness, we repaired to the house where the patients were staying and proceeded to undertake the unpleasant, painful and dangerous operations. The doctor had called to his assistance Mr. Stewart and Mr. Nelson. 1 also assisted by holding the tomiquet. It was about the most impleasant experience of my life. However, what must be done had to be done. With our assistance the doctor amputated Mr. Smith's leg below the knee, also one of Mr. Henderson's, but concluded the latter could not endure another without a season of rest, so he postponed the further operations till the next day, at which time Henderson's other foot was amputated. Henderson's hands were so badly frozen that he lost about one-half his fingers. We hardly expected he could survive the double operation, but he did, owing probably to youth and a strong constitution. From the time of the operation both men seemed to get along as well as could be expected and they ultimately recovered, Henderson becoming a minister of the gospel and Smith a baker in a hotel at Fort Dodge, Iowa.

It was here in the month of February, 1857, on the banks of the Des Moines and in the midst of these primeval solitudes and such unpropitious surroundings that the first white cliild was born in Jackson county. The cliild was Grace Strong and was boni to Dr. and Mrs. E. B. N. Strong.'*

Of the residents of the Springfield settlement only William Wood and Adam Shiegley had any extensive knowledge of the Indians and their ways; the others were ignorant of Indian customs. None of the settlers had the least fear of the Indians camped near the whites or of those small bands which occasionally pas-

"Grace Strong became a temperance worker of national prominence and was the author of "The Worst Foe." a novel of more than ordinary merit. She died at Atlanta, Georgia, In 1890.

Bed through.^^ One such band passing through during the winter was led by that noted chief Sleepy Eye, who with a few warriors of his band took dinner at the home of Dr. Strong. None of these parties had ponies with them as the snow was too deep for them to travel. Whenever these roving bands stopped at the settlement the whites invited the red visitors to share their shelter and food and invariably treated them with kindness. Nor did the Indians appear in worse than their normal mood.

Inkpadyta and his outlaw band passed through the settlement on their way south during the fall and camped on the river bottom near the site of the lower bridge in Jackson. The members of the band visited from house to house and were everywhere received kindly by the settlers,

""The few settlers trusted the friendship of the Sioux implicitly, as they [the Sioux] at that time boasted that they had never shed white man's blood. During: the whole winter I never heard a single expression of fear or doubt of their friendship." - Jareb Palmer.

who shared with them their scanty fare, which had previously been transported over many weary miles of trackless prairie. The chief and his warriors were acquainted with the Wood brothers and during their stay they bought some goods at the store, promising to make payment in the spring.

The story of the Springfield settlement has been brought up to the month of March, 1857, at which time the little community was still snowbound, but hoping and expecting that spring would soon appear so that the work of farming and improving their claims might begin. Let us now interrupt the story of events at Springfield long enough to consider events that were taking place in other parts of the country - events which were to prove of terrible importance to our little band of frontiersmen, but of which they were at the time ignorant.