Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1902-09-12

We will not undertake to detail the
experience Of those who assembled here,
and saved the territory from entire de-
population. A brief resume Of the con-
ditions which marked the beginning Of
settlement in Dakota will suffice for the
purposes of this article. ri
The first successful movement for the
Organization and settlement Of Dakota
territory was made in the fall OF 1857.
45 years sgo. Prior TO that time sever
al attempts had besn made BY the 10.
terror department to induce the 1ndi-
ans to enter into treaty for the CO..
sion Of part Of their lands west Of the
Big Sioux and north and east Of the
Missouri river. For this purpose A. 8.
b. White, an attache Of the interior de-
psrtment. made several visits to the In.
disns then occupying and owning this
country, but on each occasion failed to
induce them to dispose Of their heritage
and hunting grounds, which to them q
that time meant oil that the words i'm
ply. Unnumbered and innumsrsble
buffalo. elk. deer and antelope pastur-
ed upon the nutritious grasses Of the
great prsiries, now devoted 70 the rails
ing Of the best beet cattle in the world;
otter, beaver, mink and other fur
ing animals were numerous along the
streams, while 4 turkey for Christmas
dinner. or any intervening meal. could
always be Obtained in the brush cover.
ed ravines. While these conditions pre-
vailed, no reasonable Offer would tempt
the Indians to cede any part Of their
possessions But the discovery Of gold
in California. and : few years later in
Colorado sent an everswelling tide OF
gold hunters, tourists and adventurers
across the Indians hunting grounds
and with this movement commenced
the depletion and finally the extermin-
alton Of the game animals Of the great
plains. Foreseeing the gradual but
certain loss of their food supply the In
dians became more prone to listen TO
over.ures for the disposal Of their lands
in exchange for that which their hunt
ing grounds no longer yielded IN ade-
quste supply of food and other neces
saries from the storehouse Of Uncle
Sam. Therefore in the fall Of 1857.
when Gen. ]. B. 8. Todd. deputed for
that purpose by the secretary Of the in
terror conducted . delegation Of Yank-
ton Sioux Indian chiefs to Washington.
. treaty was readily agreed upon where
by The Indians ceded to the government
: large portion Of their lands in Dakota.
lying south Of the 46th parallel and east
Of the Missouri river. In this mission
Gen. Todd wae accompanied and assist-
ed by Charles F. Picotte. half breed.
and w, P. Lyman. white man who
had married an Indian woman. and had
more or less influence with the tribe.
By the provisions Of the treaty Mr. Pi.
cote was granted . section Of land, 40
acres in the city of Ysnkton. the land
comprising that part Of the city east Of
Douglas avenue and south Of Eleventh
street. This grant should have made
Mr.. Picotte the wealthiest man in the
state. but improvidence and lack Of bus
iness capacity permitted this valuable
property to ''slip through his fingers"
and twenty years after coming into ito
possession he was given the position Of
interpreter ct Yankton agency ct q sal
ary Of go per month and the usual ra.
tions. He died there about Eve years
ago. with no fragment Of his once valu-
able property as legacy for his heirs.
At the session Of Congress Of 1859 90.
the treaty made the previous year was
ratified, and at the following session
the territory Of Dakota was organized,
the approval Of the organic act being
one Of the last official acts Of President
Buchanan. and among the first perform
ed by President Lincoln was the ap-
pointment Of officials for the new terri
tory. The officers named by the Presi.
dent were William Jayne. Of Illinoit.
governor, John Hutchinson, of Kansas,
secretary, Philemon Bliss. Of Miseouri,
chief Justice and J. F. Willelstou. Of
Pennsylvania, and r. A. Williams, Of
Tennessee. associate justices; William
E. Gleason, of Maryland, y. 8 attor-
ney, Wilson 8 Sha'er, Of Missouri, U.
). Marshnl: Geo. D. Hill. Of Michigan,
surveyor general; DR.. Walter A. Bur.
leigh, of Pennsylvania, agent for tho
Yankton Indians OF these first officers
William Jayne and w E. Gleason are
the only survivors.
The officers appointed to put the ms
chinery Of the territorial government in
operation arrived in May and June 1861,
and made their headquarters at Yank.
ton, which was designated BY the gov
ernor as the temporary seat Of govern
|ment. This was the alleged official
abiding place, although the most Of
them spent the greater portion Of their
time in Sioux City, and, to them, more
congenial points outside the territory.
1t was then that the territory was
opened to authorized settlement, al
though one, two. three and possibly
more wears prior to that time. num-
Der Of hardy adventurous pioneers had
invaded the territory and settled u
Sioux Point. Elk Point, Vermillion,
James River Crossing, Yankton. and
Bon Homme on the Missouri river. and
at Sioux Falls, and at Aedsry in Brook
ings county, at which point settlement
was made as early as 1867. !.