The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-19
PIONEER PASSES AWAY
GEORGE c., FATHER OF DIR. z. II.
WHITCOMB, DIES IN MIN
NEAPOIAIS
FOUGHT IN INDIAN UPRISING
Served With Distinction Through
That D1sturbance-AIsOF Fought
in Civil War-Was Eighty
Years of Age.

George c. Whitcomb, father of DR.. E
H Whitcomb, vice president of the as
| Sembly, died after a short illness in St
| Barnabas hospital, Minneapolis, yester-
| day, aged eighty years. He was an early
| settler in Minnesota, coming in June, 1855
and locating at St. Anthony. Later he
moved to a homestead in Meeker county,
| where year later he took a prominent
part in the memorable Indian uprising.
After the uprising had been suppressed
he served through the Civil war, and then
removed, in 1867, to Alexandria, where he
| lived until 1883. He then moved to Mime
! apolis and for a number of years past
| resided with his wife and daughter, Mary
| E. Whitcomb, at 401 Forest avenue. Be-
sides DR.. Whitcomb, he leaves another
| son, @. F. Whitcomb, who lives at Alex
aGdria.
The following sketch of the part play
ey by the late Mr.. Whitcomb in the In
dian uprising appears in the last souvenir
of the Territorial Pioneers:
FOUGHT AGAINST INDIANS.
He had raised a company of 1O3 men,
intending to take them to Fort Smelling
to join a regiment being raised there
for service in the Civil war On the
night of Aug. &c. 1852, there appeared on
his premises seven Indians, all armed
and with hostile intent. He gave them
food smoked the pipe of peace and as
sured them that their supplies were on
the way, and justice would be done them.
The next day they left, taking the trail
for the agency He soon heard at Forest
| City that the Indians had murdered two
families at Acton, seven miles from his
home. He sent men to learn the facts,
and they returned about / O'Clock that
night and confirmed the reports. BY that
time the settlers fleeing from the Indians
were coming into Forest City in great
numbers. They came with teams, and
on foot men, women and children, driV-
ing their cattle before them and bringing
in such property as they could. Capt
WhitcOmb Immediately started for st.
Paul to see the governor and obtain
means of defense. He drove to Carver,
arriving before shutdown that day. He
found no means of transportation from
there, except a small steamer with an
unwilling captain. He took forcible pos
session and compelled the men in charge
to run to st. Paul with all possible speed.
Arriving at St. Paul, the governor com
mlssioned him as captain, provided MIN
With arms and ammunition, and directed
him to return and use his company in
checking the stampede and defending the
settlers. His steamer and another loaded
with 100 muskets, 5000 cartridges and
other supplies soon started up the river
for Shakopee, where he impressed into
service horses and wagons. loaded them
with the supplies and started for the
frontier. At Hutchinson he left Is mus
the defense against the Indians, and
pressed on to Forest City. Here he reor-
gained the company, issued his remain
ing arms and ammunition, and with part
of his company started out into what had
then become the Indian country. He
found death and destruction everywhere,
but no Indians. He was gone three days
and buried twenty-seven bodies of white
settlers. Upon his return to Forest City
he constructed a stockade and prepared
for defense. Two days later he was at
tackled by the Indians, eco strong. They
We're repulsed with loss. The little garri-
son had eight men wounded. Mrs. Whit
comb remained at Forest City, caring
for the sick and wounded, and when all
the other women had sought safety else
where.
Mr. Whftcomb was born in Bolton, VT,
1921. In 1S47 he was married to Anna
B. Fetch, of Dedham, Mass Both were
descended from eminent and patriotic
ancestors. In 1897 the golden anniversary
of their marriage was happily celebrated
in Minneapolis. She, with the two sons
and daughter mentioned above, survives
him.