The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-03-04

sofa. At this time Alexander Moore
was in Minneapolis attending to some
business. He heard of the outbreak;
and knowing that this community was
in danger as they had no idea of the
coming of the Indians, he performed
marvellous feat. In one day Mr..
Sank Centre on horseback to warn
the people. All day he rode on his
horse over barely perceptible trails.
He reached Sank Centre in time to
warn the people so that all the
farmers for miles around hurried to
the Stockade for protection. Had
Alexander Moore hesitated because
of the hardships and doubtful posi-
bilities of the deed, probably many
would have been killed.
In connection with this outbreak, a
number of old settlers have told me
an interesting but rather incredible
incident. At the time of the massacre
one family some miles south of town
were confronted with the fact that the
Indians were almost upon them. They
their cattle or save their thirteen chill
dren. They decided on the cattle and
drove them through a pass to safety.
The children using their own initiative
hid in the cornfield and miraculously
escaped the Indians
When I interviewed a number of
the old settlers, many of them dwelt
with apparent delight on what was
termed "The Flood" "The Flood" it
seems, was the result of a big cloud
burst in midsummer of the year 1867.
Ashley creek rose fifteen feet. The
dam was broken, and the river fiat
below was rushing body of water.
A small house near the river was al
so taken down stream. Men in the
town used boats to get the furniture
from the house. Because of the flood
the community lost three citizens.
Two men coming from Osakis down
Ashley Creek were drowned. One of
these was a man by the name of
Chambers, another, Newton Parker.
The third man was drowned below
the dam when he attempted to cross
the river. During "the flood" and for
sometime afterwards, the people had
to pay the sum of ten cents to be
ferried across the river.
One of the outstanding men-if not
the outstanding man-in the settle
ment was DIR. Palmer. He came in
September 1862. Shortly after cry
sipelas broke out at the Stockade
Many of the soldiers were afflicted +;
and in spite of the wonderful care
the doctor gave them two died. He
travelled over this country at any
time of night or day, through fearful
billiards and over roads that were
mere trails. He was always accom-
panied by his big dog. He is held in
affectionte esteem by all who remem-
Der him.
All my grandfathers were early
settlers in this vicinity. My great
grandfather Thomson migrated here
from Indiana. His home was orig
inally in Virginia.. Grandfather
Thomson came from Indiana in a
covered wagon in the year 1865. The
roads then were mere trails, and Of
ten they rode hub-deep in mud. On
reaching Sank Centre, he located his
claim about two miles south of Sank
Centre. Here he built home, haul
ing the lumber by ox-team from St.
Cloud. The house that he built still
stands on this tract of land.
My Grandfather Lucas Kells came
to Sank Centre in 1865. He first
kept harness shop. Then in the
year 1880, he started what is now
the First State Bank of Sank Centre
Sank Centres first banking insti-
tuition.
Mrs. Eliza Cooley, an old settler
who is now living here, came from
Hastings, Minnesota in eight days by
oxteam. This seems almost incredi-
BILE to US who are used to Minnesota s
splendid highways. Mrs. Cooley says
that at times there were no trails
especially across the prairie.
The home life of these pioneers is
very interesting. Great grandmother
Smith, who lives in our home, thinks
that they had fully as good time as
we have now. There were no cliques
or social distinctions. Everyone was
as good all his neighbor.
From 1866 to about 1869 the only
large frame buildings of any kind
were the hotel and Josiah Woods
house. They danced the square dane
es, waltzes, and polkas at the innum-
cradle parties held at Josiah Woods
house.
One of Grandmother's friends tells
an interesting story of a trip she once
made-about 1863-to Alexandria to
a dance. Fifteen young people start
ed out in the dead of winter in bob
sled. To reach their destination
twenty-eight or thirty miles away,
they were forced to start at three
o'clock in the afternoon and to spend
the night there. On the way the
wolves kept following them and howl
ing. She says that she was very
much frightened as the wolves were
very dangerous, especially in the win
ter when food was scarce. The driv-
er urged the horses on and finally they
managed to leave the wolves behind
About this same time John Clarke
and his family came to Sank Centre.
Mrs. Working was a daughter of Mrs.
Clarke. Mr.. Clarke built a log cabin
north of the city. Before it was COM
pleted the family moved in. The
house lacked windows and doors.
Mrs. Clarke hung shawls and blan-
kets in place of them. One nigat a
few days later, her husband was de-
tanned in town. That night the
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