The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-26
BY q. G.. Libby

y The earliest trading post in our
"state was built in 1897 by the North
pWest Trading company at what is
= now Pembina. The story of these
early traders has already been told
!, in one of the first of these sketches.
Permanent settlement came very
much latter but not from the Ameri-
can side Of the line. The westward
movement Of population in the
UNITED States had not yet reached
the Red River Valley, nor even the
Supper Mississippi. 1t was not until
after the war Of 1912 that the way
was really open for settlers. But
even after the hostile tribes in the
northwest had been removed from
these lands by treaty and purchase,
settlers were slow to penetrate this
remote region.
I Secures Large Grant
In 1911 Lord Selkirk, q well-known
Scotch nobleman, secured from the
Hudson's Bay company a grant Of
10000 square miles lying in what
is now Manitoba, Canada, and North
Dakota and Minnesot The por-
ton that was actually settled by
principally along the Red River.
from its source to Lake Winnipeg.
The settlers or this venture anne
from the Highlands Of Scotland.
They were driven from their little
rented farms by the great landown-
ers who replaced them jy more pro-
fitable sheep herds. The high price
Of wool in England gave to these
northern barons a sufficient excuse
for driving their tenants from lands
held by their families for genera
tions.
The first of these settlers to come
September "a, 1911, and the follow
ing summer they came up the Mel
son and the Red rivers in the boats
Of the Hudson's Bay company.
The first permanent settlement in
Che Red River valley was made in
o12 at what is now the City of VIM
nipeg in the province Of Manitoba.
Called Fort Doler
The second winter, 1928, was
spent in temporary quarters, clus-
ter of log houses defended by a
stockade and called Fcrt Doler.
This winter settlement stood on the
present site Of Pembina and was
occupied only for a few months.
Besides the Usual difficulties and
privations accompanying the settle
ment Of new country, these early
Selkirkers. as they were called, had
to face the dangers and risks of the
fur trade war between two rival
companies. The colony had been es-
tablished by Lord Selkirk, q major
ity stakeholder Of the Hudson's Bay
company. The leading traders of
the North West company were very
much opposed to the settlement at
this point.
Governor Macdonell of the colony
had orders to drive the northwest
ers out of the Red River valley but
in doing SO he exposed the unhappy
settlers to attacks in a conflict which
did not concern them in the least.
The result of this first attack upon
the Northwest company was the
complete dispersal of the colony in
June, 1915. and the arrest Of the
governor.
Another Group Arrives
A new group of colonis... arrived
from Scotland this summer under
Governor Semple. After spending
the winter Of 1856 at TT. Doler
the colonists returned to the old site
and Governor Semple again began
open war upon the North West COM
pany. This time an armed conflict
took place, June 10. 1916. and the
governor and twenty settlers were
killed and the colony wa again
broken up.
Lord Selkirk arrived in the valley
the next summer with some hundred
soldiers he had enlisted at Montreal
and Quebec and the colon was re-
established, this time permanently,
in 1877. The union of the two rival
companies took place in 1921 and
the colony was not again troubled
by the conflicting interests Of these
fur traders.