Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-23

or while We KNOW that you were wild,
We cannot always pray.
REMlNisCENCEs OF THREE CRNER.
ATOMS.
A correspondent of the st. Paul Pho
reer Press recently interviewed Gen.
Augustus c. Dodge. of Iowa, and got
from him personal "reminiscences of
general interest as below detailed:
my grandfather, Israel Dodge, was
a native of Waterbury. Conn. He Was
a soldier in the Revolutionary army,
and was wounded at Brandywine. At
the close of the war be went to Carlisle,
Pa, where he married, and built the
frs. stone house in that town. While
there re- heard that the King was giving
away land ont west. He mounted his
horse, and, after many weeks Of jour
neying through an unsettled country,
found himself west of the Mississippi,
stopping near Ste. Genevieve fourteen
years before President Jefferson &C
quired the Louisiana Purchase. Gen.
James Wilkinson, An old c0mrade of
nv srandfather's in the Revolutionary
army, was appointed the Military Gov
ernor of the Purchase, and through
their friendly relations my grandfather
secured grant of land few miles
from Ste. Genevieve. That town then
contained one or two -four mills and
several still houses, where -four
and whisky were made and sent
to st. Louis and other towns on
the river, transported in Mackinsc
boats. Ny grandfather once started
with several boat loads OF bacon. meal
and other stuff for'New Orleans. which
was then under Spanish government.
The river was infested with pirates, the
predecessors OF Murrell, 50 noted in the
annals of crime. While rowing down
the river his boats we're boarded by pi-
rates, who commanded him to row
ashore. which he decided to do. Mean
time he gave the leader of the pirates
Masonic sign, which it seems was rec
ognized. l do not know what it was,
for am not member of that or any
secret organization. The order was at
once given. Boys, let this man CO."
The pirates took to their own boats, my
grandfather continued his trip, sold his
goods for Spanish gold and returned
home. He was appointed BY General
Wilkinson High Sheriff OF that county,
and held office during his life. He was
present and witnessed the hauling
down Of the Napoteonic flag at st.
Louis, March Il, 1908, and the hosting
Of the American flag, amid the RrOans
snd lamentations OF tho French people,
who believed the country was going to
the devil under Yankee rule. he died
in 1906.
He did not bring his family west for
socae time after he came, 30 that my
father, Henry Dodge, was bern at VIM
cennes, Indiana, in l78S, and while IN
der age came to Ste. Genevieve. At my
grandfather g death he succeeded him
as high sheriff, and held the Office IT.
teen years. While in Office he hung two
notorious murderers, Robert Heath and
John Peterson, ON Academy bill. He
engaged in lead mining in ShibbOleth,
and maxim salt at grant of land given
him, nine miles square, near the mouth
OF the Saline river. He got $5 bushel
for his aalt, and made money. But after
= few years steamboats, began to bring
salt from the East, and prices went
down to Is cents per bushel. My father
persisted in the business and lost all be
had made. The only money those days
was Spanish silver and gold. There
were no small coins ~ We have now. /
have frequently seen him 90 to black
snsith shop with bag OF silver
dollars and cut them up into
halves, quarters and ei9hths for
small change. My mother made
the pockets Of his clothes Of budkskin,
in which 70 carry this fractional money.
During this time he was appointed by
President Monroe United States Mar
shall for Missouri, and was reappointed
by President John Quincy Adams. !
omitted to state that while he was
Sheriff no entered the volunteer militia
service in the war of 1912; was commits
stoned Captain, rose to the rank of
Brigadier General. and afterward be-
cane Major General, by appointment
militia system of Missouri. He was a
member Of the convention to frame the
first constitution Of Missouri. at st.
Michigan Territory. which then en-
bracsd all Of north Ohio and Missouri,
going overland, driving his cattle and
hauiise his household goods. Il required
three weeks to go from Keokuk to Ga
lcuas MS Iahhy wow W "oscA'
His object was to prospect for
lead mining. He had inherited from
his. fathers estate several slaves,
whom he could have sold at a large
price in New Orleans; bat he would
not do 80, AZ they had served the family
faithfully many years. He told them
he would take them with him, and give
them land and oxen and help them TO
get along. but they must work. They
went, aud he located them where
Ded2evlile, Wis, nov is, giving each
forty acres Of land, a yoke Of oxen and
a horse. subsequently he legally manu-
mitted them. BY Lewis Cass he was
appointed Chief Justice OF Iowa coun-
~, which then embraced what are nov
Iowa. Grant, Lafayette. Green. Monroe
and Dane counties. When the Black
Hawk val. broke cut in 1882. my father
entered the volunteer service, with the
rank Of Colonel. and under the Colon
elcy he fought his way into The regular
waa made in 1884 for battalion Of
mounted rangers, and my father vas
commissioned its commander, with the
rank Of Major. This was the first or
eanization of dragons in tho
lUltS0 otaUSD AAsc SSeA0AsSSsOss
vac brought to him by
General Scott, 10 Chioaeo, when
he brought the cholera there. Under
him we're Sumner, kearney, Hunter and
Mason, who subsequently became ia
NOUS. Az Colonel Of these Rangers he
made an expedition into the COmauche
country, captured 1910 Indians. and re-
covered . con. Is years old, Of Judge
Miller Who had been stolen in Arkansas
by the Comanchos; and had he not sue
oeeded he We0ld nave chased them %
long a. there was one of them on the
| top of the earth, for he believed dead
Indian the beet INDIAN. He was after
wards stationed At various points in the
| West 70 protect she frontier !; and while
at Leaveuworth. in 1896, he vas Ap.
pointed by President jackson tho Gov.
l srus,r NJ khe nav TApyit0Pv ~ Wisconsin