The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-03-21
Joseph Renville
An Outstanding Character and Pro-
duct of the Fur Trading Period.
(By n. M. Hitchcock)

(By II. M. Hitchcock)
VIM. HI. Heating, official historian
of the Minnesota Valley exploring ex-
petition of the years 1923, reported
quite extensively regarding the peo-
Piles and personalities who occupied
and conducted affairs in Minnesota
at that time.
The following paragraphs are his
comments regarding Joseph Renville
who was employed by the government
as chief guide and interpreter, to the
party and with whom he was closely
associated during the journey:
Joseph Renville is son of French
trader on the Mississippi, probably
the same mentioned by Pike.
His mother being a Sioux resident
of Petit Corbeaux, he was brought up
among the Indians, deprived of all
education excepting such as his power
full mind enabled him to acquire, dur
ing his intercourse with White trad
ers; it was, therefore, rather an edu-
cation of obervation than of study.
We have met with few men that
appeared to us to be gifted with a
more inquiring and discerning mind,
or with more force and penetration
than Renville. His mother being con-
nected with an influential family
among the Indians, he was early
brought into notice by them; his OBJ
iect seems to have been, from his
first entrance upon the pursuits of
life, to acquire an ascendency over
his countrymen.
This, he knew, could only be obtain
ed by the most daring and persever
ing course of conduct; and, according
ly, we have it from respectable au-
thority, that he never desisted from
any of his pretensions, and whatever
he had undertaken, he never failed to
achieve. AS trader, he was con-
sidered active, intelligent, and faith
full to his employers; his usefulness
depending, in great measure, upon
the influence which he possessed over
the Indians.
When at the commencement of the
late war 1.-THE war of 1912 between
Great Britain and the United States),
the British government determined
to use the Indians as auxiliaries, Col.
Dickson, to whom the chief direction
of this force had been entrusted,
selected Renville as the man upon
whom he could place most dependence:
to him, therefore was the command
of the Sioux given, with the rank, pay,
and emoluments of captain in the
British army. In this new situation
he distinguished himself, not only as
an active, but as humane officer, to
him the Americans, are, we doubt not,
injuries done by the Sioux; he re-
L.. IayroIa<;an.
vented them from sharing in those
bloody and disgusting transactions
which disgraced the conduct of the
Chippewas, the Potawatomis, Miamis,
Ottawas, etc.
After the war, he retired to the
British Provinces, retaining the half.
pay of captain in the line; he then
entered the service of the Hudson's
Bay Co. for whom he traded for sew
eral years at the head of Red River.
Being dissatisfied with their en-
ploy, he left them, and finding it i'm
possible to retain his pension as a
British officer, unless he continued
to reside in British territory, he vol
UNFAIRLY relinquished it, and returned
to his old trading post towards the
sources of the Red River.
This being within the territory of
the United States, he, with several
former agents and clerks of the Brit
ish traders, established a new COM
pany under the name of the Columbia
Fur Company. Of this, Renville may
be considered to be the principal prop,
as it is to his extensive acquaintance
with the Indian character that they
are indebted for the success which has
hitherto attended their efforts.
Renville's character has not been
exempt from the obliquy which has
always attended those who take de-
cisive and independent measures. 1t
has been thought, that having been
born on the Mississippi, and, there
fore, within the actual limits of the
United States, he ought not to have
joined the British during the war.
In extenuation, it ought to be remem-
bered, that he was of Canadian ORR
gin; that all the French traders have
uniformly considered themselves as
British subjects; and that the
trade upon the upper Mississippi was
entirely in their hands.
His separation, or, as it has been
termed, his desertion from the Hud
son Bay Company's service, has al
ways been objected to; but we believe
there were grounds of complaint on
both sides and having heard him COM
mended by those who were interested
on neither side of the question, we
are unwilling to believe that any
blame attaches to him in this trans
action.
We found him faithful, intelligent,
and as veracious as any Interpreter
we ever had in our company"
The above discussion of Joseph
Renville by Professor Heating will be
followed in the next number of the
Gazette by a report of valuable ser
vices which he rendered to the Whites
in later years, after he became re-
sident of the Minnesota Valley.