The San Francisco call., 1897-02-14

H-HERE is now living in San Fran
ATS cisco, at AIS Eddy street, a most
eJ1fS notable woman-one who has been
closely identified with some of the most
stirring events in the country's history.
She is Mrs. Selma Dodge Truett, and her
father was General Henry Dodge, the in
irepid 1ndian-fghter who conquered
Black Hawk, the cruel and bloodthirsty
red devil who led the Sac and the Fox
Indians against the hardy pioneers OF
Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin in the early
'30s.
Mrs. Truett is now rs years of age, but
neither in personal manners nor conversa-
lion does she show her very extreme age,
and no one unacquainted with her history
would consider the interesting lady more
than 60 years of age. And yet her early
life was spent amid scenes of savage war
fare, and she and those she loved were
daily exposed TO awful dangers, while a
fate most horrible hung bove their heads.
Yet this remarkable woman, at the age of
almost four score years, sits and chats
most interestingly with those who call
upon her, and is most amiable hostess.
No family was more prominent than
hers in the stirring times that marked the
Iowa. and no names are more lustrous
in the annals of those trying times than
those of her father, General Henry Dodge,
and her brother, General A. Z. Dodge,
both of whom on The field of battle and
in the legislative halls of the Nation,
made their power and influence felt on be.
half of the settlers.
But she can trace the fighting stock
from which she came back farther than
these-to DR.. Israel Dodge, her palernal
grandfather, who lived in the province OF
Louisiana before it became territory of the
United States, and who fought valian tly
in the War of the Revolution; was
wounded at Brandywine; served at the
extreme outposts on the Mississippi, and
after the revolution underwent all the ex.
posures and perils of those who fought
upon ''the dark and bloody ground" in
Kentucky.
Mrs. Truett is very modest and is quite
diffident In telling of the stirring events OF
her life. Then she feels herself apart from
this world. Her interest in the things o!
this life began to wane after the death oi
her husband, and has continued to do so,
until she feels very little personal concern
in the passing show. After life of varied
and thrilling experiences, she has retired
within herself and TRANQUILITY awaits
death, firmly believing that when she
passes from this earth it will be to be re-
united to her dearly beloved husband who
has gone before.
81 now am through with this world, %
the old lady said the other day. 81 no
longer take interest in earthly things. l
think 1 can say, like st. Paul. 'I've fought
the good fight L am ready 10 go. Ny
comfort lies here" and Mrs. Dodge drew
from her pocket q rosary and cruclfx, on
which she looked fondly.
Selma Dodge was born at st. Lora, near
the old French village of st. Genevie ve
below ST. Louis, the Oldest settlement on
the west side of the Mississippi. 1t still
exists, and French manners ard customs
and a patois still prevail there. The
Dodge home then was on the Selma
River, where Henry Dodge owned large
salt works. This daughter was named
Selma after the river on whose banks the
family lived. Here at her birth place Sc
lima Dodge spent the first years of her life.
She has but little recollection of them
now. But the monotony of the existence
on the Selma was soon TO be broken.
In 1927 Henry Dodge decided to follow
the tide OF immigration that had set to-
ward the Feon River lead mines. He se-
cured passage for his vie ana children on
the steamboat Indiana, then one of the
wonders of the Mississippi, while be him.
self went on horseback through Illinois,