The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-04-20
EARLY NORTH DAKOTA MISSIONARIES
BY Bertha r. Palmer
State Supt. of Public instruction

Editors Note-This is the
second of series of five ar
ticles written by Miss Bertha Il.
Palmer, state superintendent Of
public instruction, in connection
with the memorial service and
missionary rally to be conducted
Mt Walhalla June 26 in COM
memoration of the 18th anniver-
sary of the death Of the first
Protestant missionary in North
DakOta.)
The supreme sacrifice of three
early Protestant missionaries will bE
held in memory by the people of the
Northwest when on Sunday, June Is,
memorial service will be held for
them at Walhalla. This occasion will
be the 18th anniversary Of their
deaths and to many people in the
state this will be the first knowledge
Of the service and sacrifice Of those
pioneers.
In 1888. after resting for 35 years
in the prairie graves where they were
first laid the bodies were exhumed
and moved to a most beautiful spot
on the east slope of Pembina Noun
tain just back Of the village Of
Walhalla. Here the people of Wal
halla erected to the memory Of their
service granite column which re-
counts their sacrifice to all who visit
this beauty spot and care to read Of
this bit of early history.
The three Walhalla martyrs are
Reverend Elijah S. Terry, who was
killed and scalpcd by Indians June
%, 1852; Mrs. Alonzo Bernard, wife
of missionary, who died October
%, 1853, from the hardships and ex-
posture of ten years Of mission life;
and Mrs. Cornelia Leonard Spencer,
who was shot by Indians during the
night Of August 80, 1854. Mr.. Terry
was Baptist, Mrs. Bernard, Pres
bytcrian. and Mrs. Spencer a Con-
gregationalist. This spring, these
three denominations and the Meth
odists and the Evangelicals join in
holding services not only of the three
who gave up their lives but to honor
all those who gave their lives in the
service Of the pioneer missionary.
Terry's Life Interesting
The story Of Elijah Terry ranks
with any we read in history in
dramatic interest. Today it is pop
ular to recall the early days of OK
cart and covered wagon and to com
pare the life of the two periods for
the thrill which may be gotten from
contemplating the simplicity and
hardships of the long ago.
Think Of walking 20 miles in the
winter" VIC say as we step into an
enclosed car. think of riding be-
hind oxen" we cxclaim as we fly
over well kept roads at Is miles an
hour. "Think Of having to light
candles and the logs in the fireplace,
we chorus as we press the button
and remove our wraps in well
warmed room after drive.
Elijah Terry came from his home
in Lebanon, Ohio, out to St. Paul in
1850 when he was 20 years old. He
had been born and trained in good
Baptist family Of English tradition
The early family left England in
1895 during the great English migra-
ton. and settled at Springfield, Mass
The younger members continued t.
move west. Elijah's elder brother
had established himself as printe,
in st. Paul, then the frontier. His
,, paper later, became the pioneer
Press Some few months after this
his younger brother, whom we honor
this spring, feeling the call Of TIL.
West, came to st. Paul where hi
entered into the founding and build
ing of the First Baptist church
| From here he came out to the mis-,
sion field among the Dakotas. III
made the trip in company with. +;
young Baptist worker, James Tanner
whose father had been stolen wher
a small boy and raised among thu
Indians. James mother was an In
dian and because he spoke English
French and the several lndial
tongues, he was well qualified to b,
the companion and associate Of a new
missionary. For several years, Tan
representative of the Protestant faitl
in all that region.
Establish Mission
The two young men went directly
to St. Joseph (now Walhalla) to cs
tablish Protestant mission. 4
! flourishing Roman Catholic mission
had already been planted here il
l845. The trip was made early il
the spring of 1852. This account o
the journey was furnished by tn,
Hon. Chas. Cavalier to Rev. J.
Schell and appears in his "The Glib
| way AOuHlIy.
"Thcy travelled with dogs an,
sledges. The winter of that year ra,
we'll into April; the whole month o
March was terror, with the mercur,
going to the bottom of the tub,
nearly every night. The snow wa
also very deep, and the roads un
broken. Young Terry gave out: the,
the dogs; and death from cold ant
starvation stared them in the face
This was several miles before reach
ing the timber where they intended t,
camp for the night. The dogs coult
not draw him farther; nor could hi
companion carry him. So wrappin,
him in buffalo robe, Tanner lef
him lying in the snow, while he hur
ried on to make the encampment an,
care for the dogs; fully four hour
were consumed. It was already darl
when he returned to find his com
panion quietly sleeping in the snow
He had great difficulty in awakin,
him. Talking to him and shaking
him appeared to do no good. TER!
begged to be left alone; protesting
in his delirium that he was alread,
beside good warm fire, was en-
tirely comfortable. and did not wisl
to 60 out again in the cold Seeing
that milder means were unavailine
Tanner quickly decided upon
method Of treatment more heroic
Accordingly few vigorous applica
tions Of his moccasin on his back
with series of smart cuffs abou
his head and ears, began to brinl
him to his senses. A cOntinuanc