Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-26
HISTORICAL.
Valuable Data of the First ExpIora-
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Valuable Data Of the First ExpIora.
.s tion Of the Mandan Country.
The following, in answer to ques.
tons propounded by Rev. Dean Col
Inns OF this city. to the librarian of the
Jesuit University of st. Louis, throws
some light on the somewhat obscure
history Of the first settlement of the
Missouri River Valley and Mandan
Indian country. The Library of the
Jesuit University of st. Louis is the
repository of the early history of the
church in North Dakota, and what.
ever information is impaired by them
is considered reliable.
Rev. D. v. Collins, Mandan, North
Dakota. Dear Rev. Father:-In re.
ply to your queries dated April srd,
which. however, came to me a few
days ago in an envelope stamped June
LIST, I am at present able to answer
as follows: ..5:
1. Who was the first white man in
your part of N. Dakota?
2. Was it sieur de la Verendrye?
1t was. asHs
3. Was the date 1884? No, he did
not reach Dakota till '3s. @
4. What route did he follow from
Manitoba? Fort Maurepas, near the
present Alexander, Man, was the
starting point; September 1888 de la
Verendrye left Winnipeg and passed
up the Red River, At the fork of the
Assiniboine, now Winnipeg, he left
some men to trade. He set out from
(there on Sept 26,) 'ss. A week
later he reached the Portage of the
Prairie, where Fort de la RENE was
built Thence the course lay west
south west up the Mouse River. By
the middle of November they had
crossed the height of land between
the Assiniboine River and the Mouse
River. On Dec 3rd (Feast of st. f..
Xavier) they reached the Mandan
town and stayed there until Dec. s.
(Feast of the I'm. Concept) Two
Frenchmen remained here TO learn
the Mandan tongue.
5. How many whites were with
him? Two OF his sons, a priest, and
40 others. soldiers and courier bu
bois. ,~,-..,sss
8. How many Indians? Some
Crees began the march, but retired,
an increasing mode Of Assiniboines
that numbered 500 before he reached
the Mandans were with him.
z. What priest was with him?
Father Claude Godfrey Coquart s. ].
accompanied the party. He was born
at Melun, France. 1902; became an s,
y. aged 20. He died at Chicontimi on
the Upper saguenay July 1, 1865, and
was buried there in the cemetery 81
st. Frances Xavier chapel.
8. Did the priest oficiate? Notice
the feasts. You may be sure that
Mass was said in North Dakota daily
from the end of Nov. to Dec. 9Th In.
elusive, 1898.
3. What expeditions took place be.
tween this and 1904?
am not able at present to answer
the following questions concerning the
different Fur Companies.
There can be little doubt that Aug.
uste Chouteau of the firm of Laclede,
Maxon & Co. and later proprietor
must have assembled the Missouri sew.
eral times during this period. So also
his half brother and partner, Pierre
Chouteau. These were catholics. and
were for years the very princes Of ST
Louis. Their descendants are numer
Gus and prominent here yet.
Major Chittenden has two volumes
on the Fur Trade of the Missouri. j
understand he had access to whatever
NJ M. s. the Chouteaus left on their
work.
10. What Indians were in North
Dakota? Assiniboine, Mandans, Yank
tons. Riccarees. Cheyennnes, Titon
vans. Poncas, etc.
II. Civilization of these Indians;
Very low. a
l3. How many visits did Fr. De
Smet make? / find the answer in Mr.
Steinbruck's paper. Major Chitten
den has lately published the Life AMI
Letters of Fl. DeSmet In four volumes
It should be In the Public Library d
Mandan. All that ! can find abou
him is there. 5
IA. We have little Of the local his
tory Of Dakota Our Catholic histor
ians are seeking in vain for fullel
accounts about a Catholic colon,
which Lord selkirk brought out to hi
Red River settlement. Perhaps yoi
may be able to trace this. 1t wal
II