Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-05-08
death REMOVES
PIONEER WOMAN

Mrs. Alma J. Parkin Passed
Away Early Last Evening
Mrs. Alma ]. Parkin died at st.
Alexius hospital in this city at 6:l5
last evening. In her death, Morton
county, and the state, has lost one OF
its earliest pioneers, a woman direct
~ descended from Two Lance, hered-
tary chief of the Sioux, a oma who
was directly in touch with the stirring
scenes of the early settlement of the
slope country, and who, by her mar
rage to a white husband, the late Sen
ator II. S. Parkin, Of Morton county.
was a connecting link between the
conflicting emotions and desires OF the
white settlers on the one side and he
remnants of the proud Sioux nation
on the other.
The Parkin home on the Cannon
Ball river, in Morton county, which
divides the balance OF the county from
the Indian reservation, has for more
than a generation been noted for its
hospitality, and there at this home,
have been entertained all the army
officers, government officials, state Of
licers and citizens of the slope country
who have had occasion TO travel to
Fort Yates and the Indian country be-
fore the advent Of the railroad. The
splendid hospitality and gentle cour-
tesy Of Mrs. Parkin presiding over it
at once gave a strong hold on she al
fectiOns of all who visited at the home,
and her death will be felt as a per-
sonal loss to hundreds Of the slope
people.
Herr history and the history of her
family indeed makes her a remarkable
woman. Her mother was Mrs. Galpin,
who next to %Sakakawea was perhaps
the most noted Indian woman of all
the western Indian nations.
Mrs. Galpin was a full blooded Sioux,
the daughter of Two Lance, and her
mother was a daughter of Iron Hill,
another hereditary chief. She marri-
ed Henry Picotte, a white trader, and
to them were born two daughters;
one, Louise. who later became the wife
of Mr.. Van Solen, and the other, Lulu,
who became the wife of Capt. William
Harmon, Of the United States army.
After the death of Mr.. Picotte, the
Indian princess "a again married to
Maj. Charles Galpin, who was then a
post trader at Fort Pierre, and to them
was born the daughter, Alma j., whose
death occurred yesterday.
Mrs. Galpin was a participant in
many stirring scenes, at several Of
which her daughters were present. At
II time she was captured by a hostile
band Of Indians, and at another time
she saved the lives of the people at
Grand River Agency. In ~ she was
designated by the government to or
ganiZe a party OF chiefs to visit the
city of Washington and confer with
President Grant on a peace mission,
which difficult matter she handled
with consummate skill. At another
ticer at Fort Rice, and again was in
t%ermediary in visiting the camp of
Sitting Bull, Of Custer massacre fame,
enueavoring to get him to come into
camp and sign his treaty of peace.
All of the daughters OF Mrs. Gal
pin were given good educations and
grew up to be women Of remarkable
refinement and g%entleness. AS the
young girl grew to womanhood she
had many suitors and finally married
H. S. Parkin, of Ohio, who had come
to the Indian country t trade. Mr..
Parkin and his young bride ]prospered
and o 0 became one Of the best
known and most respected families
in the slope country. Mr.. Parkin at
forwards became a member of the
state senate from Morton county, and
at the time of his death left consider.
able property to his wife, who, since
his death and up to the time of her
death, has kept up the home place at
!Cannonball.
Mrs. Parkin and all her ancestors
have always been active and sincere
friends Of the white settlers, and at
the same time she has retained the
love and affection OF the Sioux people
on the reservation. She was fond of
her Indian ancestors and took delight
in active and sincere work in assist
ing the Indians out of their difficulties
which the later governmental regula-
tons placed them in. She vas a fire.
quent visitor in Mandan and at Bis
marck, and, together with her sister,
Mrs. Van Solen, has for years been
in charge of the exhibitions and In
dian art work and industries at the
slope fair at Mandan.
Mrs. Parkin is survived by a sister,
Mrs. Louise Van Solen, a nephew,
Chaska Parkin, and a neice, Mrs. Lu-
cile Van Solen, who has for years
been her counsellor and guide, and
as a daughter to her.
She was fifty-siX years of age, and
her death, which was caused by com.
plications of heart trouble and gall
stones, was a shock to hundreds of
her friends in Bismarck and Mandan
and the slope country.
She will be buried at the home place
at Cannonball. Arrangements are
now being made for the funeraE which
via be attended>not only by hundreds
Of her white friends, but by large num-
bers Of the Indians from the reserva-
ton. The funeral will be held either
Saturday or Sunday, the exact time Of
which will be announced Mter.