The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-02-24
Sank Centre---Its Traditions
and Its Life
By GEORGE D. WING

instance, had saved him the cost Of
several bushels of corn.
A grist mill also situated upon the
north bank of the Sank, was Mr.
Moore's next business venture
business which still progresses here
and as in the days of old, still com.
poses the city's one and only manu-
featuring institution.
Although the government trading
post north of the river still existed
the village or community called Sank
Centre, had no mercantile establish
ment of it's own until 1861 when
Solmon Pendergast, hunter and cob
bier, arrived here from Hutchinson
and in company with one George Il.
Fish, established a store about a
half mile south Of the present city.
The following year they moved their
store into the present city limits; it
was around this base of supplies that
the military stockade was erected in
1862 during the Indian uprising.
The Pendergast store during the
days of the Indian trouble, became
a centre of activity, fulfilling the
office of store, inn and nursery.
A romantic feature in the life of
Mr.. Pendergast was his walking from
Hutchinson to St. Paul to- be mar
ried in 1860.
1t was the Indian uprising and the
erecting of the stockade south Of
Sank River, which most likely estab-
hshed the town site south of the riv-
er. Previous to that time, practical
ly all habitations of a business ma
ture, were in the vicinity of the mill.
When the first news of the out
break reached this, locality, the set
tiers hurriedly erected breast works
and small stockade, mounting "dum-
my" guns as warning to the Sioux.
1t was while this first and temporary
fort was in use that Rev. Thomas
Van Eaten, Sank Centres first VIC
tim was killed.
- According to settlers who are fam
iliar with this tradegy, Van Eaten
and his family lived in the vicinity of
Grove Lake. With others in their
neighborhood, the Van Eaten's hur-
ried into Sank Centre to take refuge
in the stockade. After bringing his
family here, Van Eaten, who did not
believe that the report of the Indian
raids was authentic, borrowed al
horse from a settler named Merry,
and started to. return alone to his
farm. He had left some stock pen
ned up at home and he wished to re-
lease them.
Nothing more was seen of him, but
The following day a party of Sioux
appeared upon the hill west of the
lily and with them the people rec
,gnized the horse ridden by Van
eaten the previous day. The Indians
lid not attack, but rode off after |
yiewing the dummy guns in the bar
.icade.
A few days later, a party of armed
settlers searching for the missing |
nan, found Van Eaten's mutilated
,ody. He had attempted to reach
lome by cutoff through the coun-
ny and had fallen into the hands of
he Sioux His remains were buried
n the village cemetery. |
A few days after the Van Eaten
flair, Company H, 9Th Mimi, Infan-
ry, Captain George G. Mccoy arriv-
d here from St. Cloud and the his
orical stockade of the locality was
rected around the Pendergast store.
was in this stockade that settlers
rom the entire territory found ref
ge all through the Indian wars and
which was inhabited by residents If
he community for many years.
During the days following the In
ian troubles there was a characterl
rrived here who for several years
emit an atmosphere of tradition of
he community.
This was "Old Franklin" Chippe-
va half-bred, and the prodigy of the
hudson Bay Company.
"Old Franklin" had been educated
It the expense of the Hudson Bay
'eople in England. His father was
J squaw-man in the employ of the
ompany. Relatives on his fathers
ide in England, had interested them