Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-01-02
PIONEERS WHO DISAGREE.

PIONEERS WHO DISAGREE,
Judge Br0olsings Writes LII tie Very
EARLY Dakota History.
Sioux Falls Press: The letter Of udge
Flandrau taken from the Winona Re-
publican and published in your Issue of
the 18th inst. inclinss one who knows
the actual facts to the belief that much
of what is called history is propably Go-
tion. Perhaps the best way to point out
the many errors OF the judge would be to
give the facts as known by one who was
living at Sioux Falls at the time, and
was part of the history that is endea
vored to be related. What the Judge
says about the organization OF the Dako-
70 land company ls undoubtedly true,
and certain members of che company
came to Dakota as he related in the
spring ct 1887, and for the purpose, pro-
badly, as he states. Their fisst townsite
on the Sioux WAS Medary, named attes
the governor of minnesota territory,
their second, Flsndrau, named after the
Judge himself, but when they arrived at
Sioux Falls they found the site OF the
falls occupied by party sent out by the
Western town company OF DubuqRe, To-.
Among the members of the latter COM
pany were the then Mayor Hetherington
of the city OF Dubuque, Hon. 3, p. Adams,
since chief jnstice of Iowa, DR.. George
NJ. Staples. Gen. William Trlpp, hon.
George P. Waldron, and Mahoney. after
wards editor OF the Dubuque Herald
This company had been organized for
abe ut the same purpose as the Dakota
land company. II had, ss early as Oc-
tober or November. 1856, employed
Ezra Millarj, late president of TIE
MslIard National bank OF Omaha,
to proceed to this section of Minnesota
and take up a@townsite OF 320 acres at
the falls of the Big Sioux. Mr.. Miilard
accompanied by D. M. Mills, who now
lives on the Sioux river, about sixteen
miles above Sioux City, visited Sioux
Falls late in the autumn OF 1856, arriv-
ing late one rainy evening. but still re.
loiced that they had found the coveted
spot. They came up on the east side
of the river through what is nov the
village of Brandon, following the course
OF the river, 30 that the first full view OF
the falls was from the high bluffs near
she present brewery Their mode OF con.
| veyance was light two horse wagon
After viewing the picturesque beauty oi
the fslls for moment they concluded tc
drive down the bluffs and camp for the
| night near the lovely islands at the head
| OF the falls. But to their astonishmani
they had no sooner reached their beautI
tul resting spot than party of Sioux
Indians appeared on the scene. tool
their horses by the bits, turned them
around and IN the Indian language in.
dicated 80 strongly that safety depend
ed on their Immediately retracipg theiI
steps back to Iowa. Messrs. Millard
aud Mills without any ceremony con.
c'udsd to let the Sioux roam over the
valley OF the Sioux for q while longer
unmolested by the pale face and Travelled
back twelve miles that same evening
Some two months later MIR. Mills re-
turned and built small log cabin on
the island and then returned to his
home on the lower Sioux for the balance
OF the winter. In May following Jesse
L. jarrett. JOHN Mcclellan and MessIs.
Farwell and Olson arrived 10 Sioux
| Falls in the interest OF the Western
town company, end We're here when
the members of the Dakota land com :
pany arrived. The prospect was SO in.
vIting that the letter company conclude !
to take up 800 acres Immediately south
and up the river from the falls. 90
cupied by the Western town company
| Fnese parties from both companies
we're driven off early in July following
by the Indians. On the 25.h day OF
August, 1857, q party of nine persons
came to Sioux Falls in the interest oi
the Dubuque party among whom were
DR., j. L.. Phillips, w. W. Rrookings and
John Mcclellan, who afterward became
permanent settlers. A month later the
st. Paul party sent ont seven men and
during the winter OF 1857 s eighteen
| persons winterea as the Falls. In the
IspriDg following enough game in to
make the number sixty Or seventy. Two
women came IN she summer OF 1865
Mrs. Goodwin and Mrs. White, the latter
having q daughter some years old, the
first white child ever in Sioux Fails.
In the latter part of October, 1858, on
election was held for member OF the
Legislature and delegate to congress and
A. q. Faller was elected to congress, al
| though at that time his home must have
been in st. Paul. The Legislature, q
few days after his election, assembled
here. Henry Masters was elected pResi-
dent OF the council and s.. j. Albright
speaker Of the house, and passed
memorial to congress, praying that thai
] portion of the territory OF Minnesota Do
4 included In the state of Minnesota nigh
at once be organized into ths territory
4 OF Dakota. Also passed Law extending
the laws of Minnesota territory over tLa
proposed territory of Dakota (althouRi
they must have been in force withoa
] any such ect), and also passed few
other acts AMI memorials. Thus Ia
there had been no governor and by ;
Joint resolution the president OF th,
council was declared eix-otfioio governor
90 Mr.. Masters became governor and tb,
first session of the squatser legislator,
for Dakota adjourned.
i In the following autumn a new cleo
tion took place and Hon. j. P. Kidde
was elected delegate, although he hvet
in St. Paul, and Henry Master wa
nom,oatad for governor, bnt died q feS
4 days before ection and 8. j. Albrign
was elected governor. He was In 81
Paul at the time and refused to serv
and had himself returned as membe
Of the lover honse. which Was easil.
done although he Hiay not have reosiye'
!, sny votes for the Legislature
He seemed TO have strong de-
sire sEseker of the lower house
which was the height OF his ambition
the Legislature met abnns the sam,
y time in 1853 as In the year following