The Hope pioneer., 1895-12-20
NORTH DAKOTA.

NORTH DAKOTA.
A Leaf from the History Of Nortt
Dakota by Col. Lounsberry, Editor
Of the Record, North Dakota's His.
torical Magazine - The Louisiana
Purchase-North Dakota Success.
lively Claimed by France and
Spain, Then a Part of louisiana
Later Of Missouri, MICHIGAN, Wis
consin and Minnesota-Pembina
Fargo and Bismarck in the Mime.
apolis District Only 46 Years Ago.
The history of North Dakota is
so interviewer with that of South Da-
kota that it will be impossible to write
OF the former without first giving the
outlines in the history Of the latter.
Both Dakotas were embraced in a
tract of land purchased by the United
States in 1903 of France for the sum
Df $l5,O0O,00O. Until 1867 it was claim
ed by France and then ceded to Spain,
In 1900 it was re-ceded to France
and in 1903 sold to the United States
as stated.
That part of this purchase lying
south of Arkansas was designated as
the Territory of Orleans. That north
was styled the District of Louisiana.
The District of Louisiana embraced all
Of the present states of Arkansas,
Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota,
Montana, Kansas, North and South Da-
kota, Indian Territory, and parts Of
Colorado and Wyoming. The govern
Ing power was vested in the Indian
Territory.
In July, 1905, this tract became the
Territory of Louisiana, and in 1912
the Territory of Missouri. In 1885
the Territory Of Michigan was organ
lied, and that portion of the two Da-
kotas east of the Missouri river be-
came a part of Michigan, with the
western part called Mandan Territory.
Two years later Wisconsin was organ
lied, and the two Dakotas became st.
Croix county, Wisconsin. In 1849 Min
nesota was created, and the eastern
half of the two Dakotas were in the
legislative district with Minneapolis.
In 1851 Minnesota was divided into
nine counties and the eastern half Of
North Dakota was in Pembina county,
Minnesota. The western half was still
Mandan, but in 1854 became a part Of
Nebraska. Norman w. Kittson repre-
sented North Dakota in the Minnesota
legislature in 1852. Joseph Rolette and
Ant0inn nf
colleagues in the house, Kittson being
In the council.
In 1863 when Minnesota was admit
ted to the Union, the eastern half of
North Dakota was without name or
q legal existence, and the western half
was Nebraska. Senator Graham N.
Fitch of Indiana introduced a bill to
create the Territory of Dakota, but it
failed. In 1860 Senator James S.
Greene Of Missouri reintroduced the
measure, and it became law by the
approval of President Buchanan
March 2, 1861. May 81, 1861, William
Jayne of Illinois, having been appoint
ed governor by President Lincoln, ar
rived at Yankton, and the Territory of
Dakota commenced it's civil life. It
has been asserted that the name is a
Sioux word, signifying "allied tribes"
This is not true as to it's Specification.
Utah" whenever used in the Sioux
language, means plenty. Minne-otah,
from which Minnesota came, means
many waters, not smoky or cloudy
waters, as given in the books. Poho-
cotah, La-cotah and Dak-cotah all have
the same origin and general meaning.
Applied to people they mean many
people. Applied to the country. "a
land of plenty" 1t was because of this
meaning Of the word that North Da-
kota, being land of plenty, in the
truest and best sense, refused to give
up the name, insisting upon being
styled North Dakota if the southern
part Of the state was unwilling to take
another name.
The name Pembina, first applied to
this portion Of Minnesota, and in 1867
to the Red river valley, extending as
far west as Nelson county, is said to
have originated from a berry growing
on the Pembina river, but this is not
the case. Pemmican was the "bread"
of the early settlers. 1t was made by
cutting the buffalo meat in strips,
hung In the open air until partially
dried. then whipped or pounded into
shretls on the hides Of the buffalo.
SACKS We're then made of the buffalo
skins, the buffalo fat heated and these
ii4-c 81. eds OF meat put into it until
It became thick, when it was turned
into the sacks and sewed up, and
would keep for years. The marrow
Fat was used for putting up the tender
oins, and into this berries We're stirred.
making the berry pemmican. There
fore, pemmican in a general way meant
something to eat. The Catholic mis-
sionaries had overrun the country and
most Of the voyageurs and traders were
devoted to that faith. The Holy Eu-
charist was celebrated at stated times,
and the hunters made long trips to at
tend, and they came to call this celebra-
ton the "Pembina," meaning blessed
bread, or, as Senator Bogie expressed
It, Sacred Bread.
While there is in history, there was a
settler at Pembina as early as 17SO,
who was reported still living there in
1923 by Lieut. Long, who at that time
the international boundary,
and for the first time officially display
ID the stars and. stripes on North Da-