The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1884-08-08
Dakota History.

As originally organized Dakota included
Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, thus embrac-
ing about half million square miles,
The first settlement of Dakota by white men
was in 1872, when few Of the Scotchmen
who composed the Asslnaboine colony Of Lord
Sekirk, settled at or near where Pembina now
is. These loyal subjects of the British crown
were not little annoyed, years after, to find
that they had been tilling the soil and breathing
the air Of the land presided over by Uncle
Sans "bird O. freedom" and most of them
moved northward.
1t does not appear to be definitely known
when the first settlers came into South Dakota.
The party Of Louis and Clark (1S0S-6) were
the first white men to explore the Missouri
river to its source, and the report of the expe-
dition, published in 1914, probably gave the
first information Of Dakota. But the account
of the extreme cold and other hardships which
the explorers encountered were not such as to
make this land inviting. While the course of
empire took its westward fight Iowa, Ne
braska, Kansas and Colorado became the prom
ised land of the eastern emigrants. Dakota
was considered part Of the great American
Desert, a land of barren sands in summer, and
of snow and frosts in winter
Sometime, however, about the year 1850, a
few hardy adventurers settled in Dakota, and
their magnificent crops Of wheat bore unmis-
taxable evidence that this was, indeed, good
ly land. Their reports caused others to come,
and by the year 1858 thriving settlements had
been made along the Missouri at Elk Point,
Vermillion, Yankton and other places, and at
different points along the Big Sioux. These
settlements were upon Indian land, which was
finally ceded in the spring Of 1858.
During the next two or three years large
number of settlers came in and the people be-
gan to move for the formation Of the Territory
of Dakota. In these early days the citizens Of
Sioux Falls were no less energetic and enter
prising than they are now. They not only dis
cussed the matter, but proceeded to organize a
provisional government, choosing also full
list Of Territorial officers.
This was during the latter part Of 1859. On
the Sth Of November Of the same year there
was held at Yankton a meeting, the object Of
which was to petition Congress to organize
the Territory. A similar meeting was held at
Vermilion on the day following. The organi-
zation was not accomplished, however, until
February, 1861, and the approval of the Organ
lc Act OIL March I'd was one of the last official
Offices. William Payne, the first governor,
entered upon the discharge of his official duties
May q, 1861. A census showed the popula-
ton to be 1,7S6.
On September 18th there occurred the first
election, at which Capt. J. B. S. Todd was
elected Delegate to Congress.
The first Legislative Assembly met on the
18th Of March, 1862, and adopted full code of
laws.
In 1870 the census showed population OF
IA, ISL, Of whom 1887 were white This was
small gain for ten years; but little was yet
known Of the natural resources of Dakota.
Up to this time two thirds Of the entire pop
nlaton Of the Territory lived in the counties Of
Union, Clay and Yankton.
A gradual increase continued unit! 1876,
when the Dakota boom may be said to have
begun. At this time gold was discovered in
the Black Hills, and almost all the papers in
the country published wonderful stories Of the
precious yellow nuggets that were found there.
Adventures flocked in from every direction.
Not only did they find gold, but they found,
also, millions Of acres Of the very best land,