The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-25
Life TMZy OF Tmeidemfg>
Hankatt Loses by Death Man Whose Active Career
Was Remarkable.

MANKATO, MINI. March 24-(Special)
Adam p. Shigley, one of the best
known and one of the Oldest of the pio-
neer residents of Mankato, died at 2:30
o'clock Sunday morning.
Mr. Shigley resided on Parry street,
Bunker hill, in a two-story cottage, sur
rounded by trees and shrubbery that al
most hid from view the homestead where
the old gentleman lived alone for so
many years. He was a quaint old char
acter and to know him was to have
love and affection for him.
This pioneer, guide, scout, trapper and
hunter, this former partner of Buffalo
Bill, this old warrior who was with Gen.
Scott in the war with Mexico, and who
fought to save the whites In a number
of Indian outbreaks, was born in Gin
cinnati, o., May s, 1918. His father was
Methodist minister. When a youth
his parents moved to the West, settling
in Illinois. Young Shigley was of an ad-
VenturouS spirit and early In life he
started out to pave his own way over the
rough billows that were encountered by
those who sought home In the unbrok-
en- country. While yet a boy he was in
the Black Hawk war, afterward going
into Iowa, and at what is now Waterloo
he met that famous plainsman and
scout, Buffalo Bill. The two travelled
together as far as the Missouri river.
Buffalo Bill wanted Mr. Shigley to go
further West, but the latter did not wish
to and they separated, after having
trapped, hunted and secuted together
over a year. Mr.. Shigley returned to
Waterloo in 1857. Buffalo Bill never for
got his old-time partner, for when the
Wild West show visited here during last
summer Mr.. Cody, with his compliments,
60 No. l. airr1n 41,1r1
formance, also a request that his friend
call and see him at his tent on the
grounds. AS Mr.. Shigley was not in the
best of health he could not call on Mr.
Cody
During the early part of the year 1857
the Inkpaduta Indian war broke out 1t
was during that outbreak that the Spirit
Lake massacre occurred. Mr.. ShigIey
was living near Springfield He was in
terested in a store where the Indians
traded a great deal. Mr.. Shigley was
hunting and trapping, selling skins and
furs, as he had been for years He own
ed a claim near the store for which he
paid a $5 gold piece to a United Sta les
mall carrier. One day while setting his
traps on this claim he heard a gunshot
off in the direction of the store. Hardly
had the echo of that one shot died out
when another was heard The trapper
knew in an instant what those shots
meant. The Indians were committing
depredations. He crawled into the bush,
and as soon as the redskins went to the
store for the purpose of looting the place
he approached the house, where one per-
son had been killed and several wounded
Shigley unfortunately did not have his
gun with him, having left it in his cabin,
some distance away. Finally he was al
lowed to enter the house, the panic
stricken inmates having suspected on
the start that he was an Indian. Mr..
Shigley bound up the wounded and after
while the women became frightened,
fearing the redskins would return and
complete the work of destruction. They
finally prevailed upon Mr.. Shigley to go
with them toward the south. There were
nine people in the party, several feet Of
snow covered the ground and the weather
was dreadfully cold After hazardous
trip Of twenty miles Oranges cabin.
where Estherville now stands was reach
ed. Food was obtained there, and the
party recuperated for a journey to Fort
Dodge While stopping at Oranges cabin
lady named Mrs. Smith and Mr. Shig-
ley's three-year-old boy joined the party,
they having made the trip alone, follow
ing the trail from Springfield to the
cabin. These two had been left at Spring
, field under the impression they had been
killed by the Indians. Mr.. Shigley saw
the party safely to Fort Dodge where
there was troop of United States SOL
diers. 1t was at Fort Dodge that Mr..
Shigley became separated from his boy
His three-year-old boy was taken in
charge of by a Maj. Williams AS Mr.
Shigley was compelled to leave for the
front and he was away from Fort Dodge
many months, all trace Of his son was
lost, and from that day until his death
the father never again saw the boy.
About three years ago Mr.. Shigley got a
slight trace Of the boy in Mexico, but all
efforts to locate him proved him futile
A number of years ago Mr.. Shigley en-
gagged a couple of lawyers to assist him
in his efforts to find the boy, but his
| whereabouts were never learned. AS the
boys name was changed by Maj. Will