The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-18
KIRBY COMES BACK
AFTER MANY YEARS
FRONTIERsMAN AND INDIAN
FIGHTER IS AT SLEEPY EYE.
One of the Few Survivors Of a Bloody
?. Encounter with the Redskins in the
20 Massacre Of 1862 Restless Early
Pioneer Of Minnesota Now Lives in
Washington. H. i
Special to- The Journal.

Special to- The Journal. - ~:
Sleepy Eye, Mimi, Oct. 1s.-After an absence
Of thlrty-four years, Philip Kirby of Spokane
has returned to Sleepy Eye to visit the scenes
OF some Of the widest experiences of his life
| as frontiersman and to talk again with friends
of the early days before the savages had yet
relinquished their claim to the prairtes between
| the valleys OF the Minnesota and the Cotton
| wood - -f....-
Mr. Kirby came to Minnesota from Wisconsin
In 1856. With his wife and two children he
I was living south of the Cottonwood river on
| the farm now occupied by Anton Buck when
| in August, 1862 news was brought by q neigh
Dor That the Indians were on the warpath They
thought there was no immediate danger, but
| smoke from burning farmhouses and stacks to
the north told them that there was no time for
/ delay, and. the family started for New ,Ulm.
On the way Mr.. Kirby was separated from his
| family, but all finally reached the village In
| safety. 49,. "s- ..
Saw Many Dead.
Soon afterward Mr.. Kirby came back up the
Cottonwood valley with party Of sixteen men,
accommodating expedition. All along the way
from New Ulm to Iberia We're evidence Of the
| bloody work OF the savages. Men, women and
children had been murdered. buildings plundered
and burned, but the Indians had moved toward
New Ulm. = - -..r -
At Iberia they picked up one man who had
eluded the redskins and turned back toward
New Ulm. The Indians had been repulsed IN
|
party OF seventeen cut off, and in the running
fight that the settlers made for the protection
OF the town all but six Of the seventeen were
shot from their horses and the two wagons Ives
| and Kirby were among the survivors, Kirby fell
| from the wagon, but succeeded in getting hole
| on the running gear and swinging himself tc
| the reach of the wagon, and he was carried into
| the town. 49,
! Mr.. Kirby left here soon after the outbreak
and, after period Of service In the army, tool
up his residence in Wisconsin. The spirit tina,
had lead him from his birthplace in Ohio to thu
frontiers Of Michigan and Wisconsin and Mime
sofa called him farther west, and he later moved
| to Washington.
Lodge Is Twenty five Years Old.
On Saturday evening the Odd Fellows will
celebrate the twenty-dfth anniversary Il Of tn.
organization Of their lodge with social gath
ering at their hall, and. an informal program
which will tttingly mark the occasion Of ,
quarter century's work. The lodge Is one o.
the strongest In the city, and has a member
ship OF about $50. It is in very prosperous
condition and is initiating new members at al
| most every regular meeting.
| Only two of the charter members still 70
| tain membership in the LODGE They are NJ
Fohl OF this city and August Schwedtfeeer O.
Sanborn. '"
High School Recognized.
The Sleepy Eye high school has been placed y,
the accredited list by three more Of the leadtn,
educational institutions in this country, namely
! the universities Of Chicago and Michigan AM
northwestern. A full. four-yesr Commercial
course has been recently added to the course ~
study. Superintendent Fl. e. Hendricks has bull