St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1949-05-27
Negro History
IN Minnesota
Continued from page 81

At Fort Smelling. IN 1855. q
poHshed and straight Negro
bowed 70 his master.
@You mean I am 70 have my
freedom7" he asked.
"Yes," his master answered.
you would like to have II. would
you not9"
Indeed, 1 would, sir. And, n
I may ASH, ! would nike sOnse-
thing else"
what b that3"
The servant giri Of your friend,
Major Tallafsrro."
Then you shall have her, and
I shall reserve the honor Of per-
forming the wedding ceremony
myself"
That Negro was bred Scott His
wedding 10 the servant giEi Of
Major TaIiaferro was the first ac-
tual wedding between two Negroes
IN Minnesota territory.
INDIANS AIDED
Before this, however, Il Il said
that there was q free Negro nam
ed John Stewart, who commenced
. successful religious and educa-
tive work among the wyandotte
Indians IN 1919 In the upper SAN
dnsISy. The influence Of this eff
fort extended into Canada, as
other Indians were converted and
became active helpers.
The Missionary Society Of the
Methodist Episcopal church claims
that Stewart was the first Pro-
testant missionary in the Mime
sofa territory. Stewart was
brought here from an Eastern
state by other white missionaries
who came TO convert the Indiana.
Say can be really speak the
Sioux language7"
"Yes, BY oraelCy, he can. tan
you he can. And IN let you
have him for Just q meager sum
-. say $1,000"
Quietly, the man were plotting
one Of the few sales Of a Negro
slave IN Minnesota, James Thomp-
son. II was a different sale from
the sale Of the Negro on the block
In Southern States. There was not
the Took at 'er, folks. she's
strong; she can do the work Of
two men. Come on folks, what a.
"a aay7"
This was Minnesota. and one
trader" was q missionary, Alfred
Bunson. Bunson wanted an IN
terpreter who spoke the sioux
language fluently. and Thompson
was the man.
Thompson was brought TO Fort
Smelling In 1877 by John cuIbert-
son. He was purchased by Captain
Day, an officer At Fort Smelling,
who later sold him TO Bunson.
Later. II Il said that Thompson
was set free. and he returned to
st. Paul to live.
HELPS CHURCH
Thompson lived an eventfnl life
IN the Minnesota territory. serv-
ing a. an interpreter for mission.
aries, he became interested In the
work himself, and was q great aid
70 the church that had set him
free.
In June 1874. Thompson took
part In the Old Settlers meeting
at the capitol. the only Negro 70
participate In that celebration, and
the only Negro member Of the as
ISOLATION. The st. Paul Daily press
described him thualyi
tho African has never before
been observed IN tho social re-
unions Of that body, the Ola
SettierA Thompson b q quiet.
modest man now over 90,
and may BE- regarded as one Of
re few living connections be-
tween tho dim and romantic
past Of Minnesota and lts culli.
waited. Intelligent and prosper
Gus present Thompson was
born n Vlrginia. . victim Of
slavery In la30, he was
brought 10 Fort Smelling by hla
owner, IN officer Of tho q. B.
army. He married an Indian
woman, and was later freed :"
TO most Ssttlers In Minnesota
prior to 1s4s. q Negro was a rnr-
ity. Many Negroes passed through
me state BY way Of the under
ground railroad TO Canada. Phil
anthropists VINO aided their e.
cape generally kept quiet about
IL
Even they did not know who or
what the Negro was. To them, he
was a brooding. shrinking shadow,
forever gliding IN and out, always
in the dark, never fully showing
his face.
He was q weeping mother, a
aiclLly baby. or a humble, childish
man, creeping eagerly. Indifferent
" TO freedom.
80 NEGROES
Ths nrst census that recorded
Negroes IN Minnesota was taken
IN 1850, n males and Is females,
q total Of SO. were listed.
BY 1850 the census recorded an
increase TO 250. During these early
days IN Minnesota the Negro
dominated the field OF barbering.
a. early a. 1852 the Minnesota
Pinneer commented on barber