Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-12-08
MARK WARREN
Letter from a Man who Met him Dur
ing his Self-Impostd Bnnishment.

ing his Self-lmposed Hanishmeh''
In fine Phoenix of oct - a brief ac-
count was printed of the death and strange
career of Mark Warren. a native of Wards
boro. and law student with O. J.. Shatter
of wilmington Immediately after his
admission to the Windham county bar he
went West and had not been heard from
since 1862. 5. +. Stebbins of Dakota saw
this notice in The Phoenix, and has recent
" written to his brother, G. @. Stebbins of
Townshend, about meeting Warren IN the
far West:
In August. 1871. when / was in the en-
plov of the Northern Pacific railroad land
department. ] was following a section
line extending north on the then unlnhab-
tied Red river flats, some eight or nine
miles east of where now the city of Fargo
stands. and saw an Indian pony and Red
river cart approaching from the west.
Coming within speaking distance, l was
surprised to see the cart occupied 10y a
white man with a long flowing beard, for
expected to find it occupied by an Indian
or a half-breed.
The man was very intelligent and inclin-
ed to be sociable, and as his pony was
tired, / invited him u our camp, which
was but few miles away. to stay over
night. He accepted my invitation, and in
the course of our conversation ! learned
that his name was Mark Warren, and that
he was formerly from WardsborO, Vt, and
that he was a student in the Townshend
academy at the same time ! was ] asked
him why he did not 20 and see his rela-
tives. His answer was that the years he
had spent on the frontier disqualified him
for civilization. ] then told him of the
ca frpr d i'm nd
asked him why he did not write to his
friends. He said he did not care to be the
subject of their fireslde conversation.
lie told me some of his history for the
last number of years. He said he had
been trading with the Indians in the far
Northwest, and described some Of his
methods of doing business with them In
the spring he bought maple sugar Of them,
for which he gave cheap iewelry and trink-
cts; and before the next sugar time he sold
the sugar back to them for valuable fUrs.
which he sold for cash. The transaction
yielded him a good profit and was satisfac-
tory to the Indians. IL had a specimen
of the sugar with him. but do not think
il would have taken the prize at the Co
lumbar Exposition.
He stated that some time before We met
he was in the British Northwest. and had &C
cumulated large sum OF money and valu-
able furs and started for 81. Paul. He said
he had enough to support him the rest of
his life. But as be was coming up the
Red river he was attacked by robbers. VINO
shot him in his side and beat him on his
head. and left him for dead; after d
little he regained consciousness and found
his way TO some friendly half-breed settle
ment where, after a long time, he recov-
cred and hired out TO the advanced corps OF
engineers OF the Northern Pacific railroad
as letter carrier between their camp and
the end of the railroad track, which was
at that time Oak Lake, Becker county,
Mimi, and al the time ! saw hun he was
on his way with package of letters 10 Oak
Lake. After this interview ! talked with
a number OF white men and half-breeds
who had known him for years il this wild
country, and they all gave him the name Of
being the most honest Indian trader thew
had ever known.
The next time ! saw Mark Warren was
in January. lSSj, az Bismarck. Oak This
time he Informed me that he had been en-
gagged in drawing freight from Bismarck to
the Black Hills with oxen. and that he
was winterinC on his claim OF 100 a res in
Burnt Greek Valley, some eight OF 10 miles
north OF Bismarck. Since that time have
heard nothing from him until read the
account Of his death in The Vermont
Phoenix