History of dickinson county iowa ia 1902 reprint genealogy. The severe winter of 18561857 made inkpaduta even bitterer toward the whites. Henry lott, who killed several members of lnkpadutas band. The three are descended from henry lott and abbie gardner. The spirit lake massacre, though a minor incident in the overall history of the usa, was in fact, a brutal attack, killing women and children of several families in the lakes area. Autograph letter signed regarding the henry lott massacre. The family consisted of rowland gardner, his wife frances, a son. Henry s actions may have helped cause the spirit lake massacre which occurred in march 1857 in northern iowa. Lott s motive for the killing is not clear, but it did give the dead indians brother, inkpaduta, a reason to seek revenge against the white people.
Mar 04, 2021 decades later, the spirit lake beacon would print statements from lotts brotherinlaw, franklin mcguire, who called lott the direct cause of the spirit lake massacre. History of iowa from the earliest times to the beginning. In the pages that follow, we will follow the course of henry lott s vengeance that would culminate in one of the bloodiest events in iowa history. Mar 08, 2021 the spirit lake massacre is the subject of a graphic novel being released this week by an iowa artist and author. Suffering a shortage of food, the renegade chief inkpaduta scarlet point led 14 sioux against the settlements near okoboji and spirit lakes in the northwestern territory of iowa near the minnesota border, in revenge of the murder of. The milton lott tragedy gypsy journal rv travel newspaper. Jno henry john lott 1808unknown find a grave memorial. Lott had blamed the sioux for the deaths of his wife and son in 1846, when some warriors evidently raided his homestead in central. Kelley said comic books also drew his attention, on occasion, as a youngster. Smith is an englishlanguage surname originating in the british isles. Inkpadutas band took straw against the settlers wishes.
Among others who had received indignities from this band was one henry lott who in 1846 settled near the mouth of boone river in webster county. The sioux killed 3540 settlers in their scattered holdings, took. New graphic novel depicts the last native american attack. Milton lott is buried in a lone grave across the river from my ranch. Henry lott, as some historians have noted, was a horse thief who had his share of trouble with certain bands of indians when he settled near the confluence of the boone and des moines rivers. Finding sidominadotah and his band camped on the des moines river about 30 miles north of fort dodge, lott and his stepson attacked the camp, killing the chief, his mother, his wife, and their four children.
The spirit lake massacre was only one page of his life. Shot in the back, rowland gardner fell and died without a struggle. The spirit lake massacre took place on this date in 1857 and the incident. Decades later, the spirit lake beacon would print statements from lotts brotherinlaw, franklin mcguire, who called lott the direct cause of the spirit lake massacre. This series of events became known as the spirit lake massacre. One reason can be traced to an 1854 episode when a whiskey trader and horse thief, henry lott, and his son. International regional magazine association inside the small cabin, the rifle blast must have been deafening. But more important is that milton lott s death was the start of a sequence of events that lead to the spirit lake massacre which took place in the iowa geat lakes area located in northern iowa.
From wikipedia the spirit lake massacre march 812, 1857 was an attack by a wahpekute band of santee sioux on scattered iowa frontier settlements during a severe winter. Upcoming graphic novel strives to tell both sides of spirit lake massacre tuesday, march 2, 2021 by seth boyes news editor when tensions between midwestern settlers and native tribes rose in the winter of 1857, it culminated in one of northwest iowas darkest stories the spirit lake massacre. Mar 02, 2021 upcoming graphic novel strives to tell both sides of spirit lake massacre tuesday, march 2, 2021 by seth boyes news editor when tensions between midwestern settlers and native tribes rose in the winter of 1857, it culminated in one of northwest iowas darkest stories the spirit lake massacre. Mackinlay kantor based his novel spirit lake 1961 on the historic events. The true story of the spirit lake massacre by david l. Winter of 184647, henry lott, had taken a residence at the mouth of the boone river, in what is now webster co, and. One reason can be traced to an 1854 episode when a whiskey trader and horse thief, henry lott, and his son killed, among others, inkpadutas blood brother sintomniduta and sintomnidutas wife and five children. There, just a month before the spirit lake massacre, settlers had forced. Suffering a shortage of food, the renegade chief inkpaduta scarlet point led 14 sioux against the settlements near okoboji and spirit. Rumors reported that he was seen again, in the spirit lake area, that he later participated in the new ulm, minnesota, massacre that killed 600 white settlers, and later in 1876, participated in the battle of the little bighorn against gen.
Egged on revenge for insults they had received from settlers as well as poverty and hunger, inkpaduta and his men went from cabin to cabin and murder 34 settlers at spirit lake. Dec 05, 2018 before the spirit lake massacre a man named henry lott, cited as an unscrupulous character by an article in 1886 in the sibley gazette, had an encounter with sintominaduta, inkpadutas brother, and blamed the wahpekuti tribe for burning his cabin and killing his family, although that didnt actually occur. The henry lott family from the 1880 boone co history book paragraph spacing has been used here that is not in the original text. The perp at the helm of all that malevolence, as most people know, was inkpaduta, whose hungry band murdered 35 to 40 men, women, and children and took four women captives. Full text of a history of dickinson county, iowa, together. Perhaps the most wellknown of these stories is that of abbie gardner and her family.
The spirit lake massacre march 812, 1857 was an attack by a wahpekute band of santee. Lott was settled near the mouth of the boone river in 1846. It was in the winter of 1857 that the conflict that had been simmering between settlers and inkpadutas band of sioux erupted into the famous massacre at spirit lake. A man named henry lott, cited as an unscrupulous character by an article in 1886 in the sibley gazette, had an encounter with sintominaduta. Milton lott, a 12 year old boy who was the first recorded death of a white person in boone county, iowa. Sioux indian chief sidominadotah pictured here was murdered in 1855 by henry lott, which percipitated the spirit lake massacre in 1857.
The lott cabin where the indian raid took place has long since disappeared, the blood of two fingers and his family no longer runs in lotts creek, and most people have forgotten all about the terrible deeds that took place here. Inkpaduta had a very large part in the minnesota and dakota uprisings. At spirit lake, he and his band killed over 30 people in what became known as the spirit lake massacre. Pioneers of polk county, iowa, and reminiscences of early days. Seventysixyearold gary kelley, of cedar falls, says the terrifying tale of the. Spirit lake massacre clay county history 1920 boone co. In 1848, a band of wapekutahs, led by sidominadotah two fingers, traced some stolen horses to the cabin of henry lott, who was living at the confluence of the des moines and boone rivers. Like most former iowa schoolchildren of a certain age, the incident we probably remembered best from our brief study of iowa history was the story of the 1857 massacre by sioux warriors of about 48 men, women, and children in two raids on settlements around spirit lake, iowa and southwestern minnesota. Nearly 30 years after the events, in 1885 gardnersharp published her memoir, history of the spirit lake massacre and captivity of miss abbie gardner, whose popularity led to reprinting several editions. Roster and records of iowa soldiers in miscellaneous.
Suffering a shortage of food, the renegade chief inkpaduta scarlet point led 14 sioux against the settlements near okoboji and spirit lakes in. The old english word smip comes from the protogermanic word smi. The library of congress is providing access to these materials for educational and research purposes. Carroll county iagenweb history of carroll county iowa 1912.
Henry lott m 42 pennsylvania jamima lott f 21 missouri alfred lott m 11 ohio henrietta lott f 1 iowa lauraette lott f 0 iowa sherman hart m 22 connecticut father of first death in boone county the milton lott tragedy. For many, the story of the spirit lake massacre begins about 10 years earlier, with henry lott. The name originally derives from smio or smip, the old english term meaning one who works in metal, related to the word smitan, the old english form of smite, which also meant strike as in early 17th century biblical english. Arnolds park, iowa, spirit lake massacre, monument flickr. A rare discharge certificate relating to the aftermath of the spirit lake massacre which saw a frontier volunteer party undertake a treacherous winter expedition to pursue the hostile sioux, guard against further attacks upon settlers, bury the dead, and attempt to recover four female hostages seized by the indians.
New graphic novel portrays spirit lake massacre of march 8. Letter after letter included in her book comes from a general or a colonel. The spirit lake massacre was an attack by a wahpekute band of santee sioux on scattered iowa frontier settlements during a severe winter. The massacre of the white settlers in the region of lake okoboji and spirit lake in 1857 by a band of indians under the leadership of inkpaduta has come to be.
The spirit lake massacre remembrance tour was a fundraiser for both institutions, and a new venture. Henry lott pedaled whiskey as an equal opportunity retailer and in the process made no friends. Lott s past had been a varied one and much of it was obscure. The spirit lake massacre is the subject of a graphic novel being released. Inkpadutas extreme hatred for whites seemed to be derived from the senseless murdering of his family in 1854 by henry lott.
The gardner family came to lake okoboji in july 1856. In the winter of 1854, a white whiskey dealer named henry lott murdered inkpadutas brother sintomniduta, his mother and six other family members. T he pioneers who first erected a cabin in the beautiful groves that lie along the shores of okoboji and spirit lakes, were rowland gardner and harvey luce, his soninlaw. The spirit lake massacre and the northern and southern border brigades history of the iowa national guard. Inkpaduta led his band toward the spirit and okoboji lakes, launching a series of small raids along the way. Henry lott, as some historians have noted, was a horse thief who had his share of trouble with certain bands of.
This event has spawned a body of historical research as well as folklore. A sioux uprising leads to bloody massacre at spirit lake in the spring of 1857, the renegade wahpekute dakota chief inkpaduta and his band of warriors descended on the homesteads near spirit lake in northwestern iowa and committed murder and mayhem. Feb 18, 2012 henry set out to avenge the death of his wife. March 8, 2021 by matt kelley the spirit lake massacre took place on this date in 1857 and the incident that left as many as 40 settlers dead is the subject of a graphic novel being released this. The spirit lake massacre, by thomas teaklea project gutenberg.
The groups exchanged fire and lit the fuse for the spirit lake massacre. Mar 08, 2021 march 8, 2021 by matt kelley the spirit lake massacre took place on this date in 1857 and the incident that left as many as 40 settlers dead is the subject of a graphic novel being released this. For years previous to 1857 the indians of the siouan tribes had obstinately resisted white settlement and had succeeded in a marked degree in retarding the movement. Three women and yearold abigail abbie gardner were taken captive. Williams declared that lott had committed the murders. The subsequent conflicts with the same hostile tribes, which occurred after the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, are described in this work, in connection with the history of the iowa troops. Although by formal treaty the wahpekute sioux dakota tribe had given up title to the land, small bands separated from the main tribe still lived in the region. The bestknown old west story of this region is what we call the spirit lake massacre, horrifying bloodletting that took place three years later. Feb 11, 20 the spirit lake massacre came as the culminating episode in a long series of incidents intimately connected with the settlement of northern and western iowa. Government officials recognized that lott had started the problems, but refused to apprehend him. The bestknown old west story of this region is what we call the spirit lake massacre, horrifying bloodletting that took place. Oct 23, 20 farther to the north, a small plot just up from the des moines river is the final resting place of a young boy whose death, along with the death of his mother, led to the murder of some 35 pioneer settlers at the spirit lake massacre. New graphic novel depicts the last native american attack in iowa.
They had recently emigrated from the state of new york. By this time lott and his son were on their way to california, never to be found again. A sioux uprising leads to bloody massacre at spirit lake. Upcoming graphic novel strives to tell both sides of spirit. Jun 24, 2016 she started leading tours of her familys cabin on the banks of lake okoboji in 1891, more than 30 years after her family was killed in the infamous spirit lake massacre of 1857.
The grindstone war and the death of sidominadota the strained relations between the whites and the indians resulted in unfortunate incidents which served to intensify the bad feeling already engendered. Remembering heroic actions in tragedy news, sports, jobs. The spirit lake massacre and relief expedition is herewith reproduced in its entirety, together with the rosters of the soldiers engaged. Gps coordinates of spirit lake massacre, united states. Suffering a shortage of food, the renegade chief inkpaduta led 14 sioux against the settlements near okoboji and spirit lakes in the northwestern territory of iowa near the minnesota border, in revenge of the murder of inkpadutas brother, sidominadotah, and sidominadotahs family by henry lott. Two fingers, traced some stolen horses to the cabin of henry lott, who was living on indian land, at the confluence of the des moines and boone rivers. One henry lott, an unscrupulous, criminal fellow, who had built a cabin at the mouth of the boone river as early as 1846 and sold whiskey to the indians, had offended one of the bands of sioux by stealing their horses, and was driven out of his cabin by them, his horses and cattle taken, and a. History of iowa from the earliest times to the beginning of. Reportedly caused the spirit lake massacre first wife.
The spirit lake massacre, by thomas teaklea project. The first ca 150 p 12 chapters deals with indian troubles and the aftermath of the spirit lake massacre. Spirit lake massacre in the mid1850s, families of white settlers pushed far beyond the frontier line of settlement in northwest iowa onto the shores of spirit lake. Okoboji and the iowa great lakes history books by jonathan. Most histories of the event point to an alleged theft of some sioux horses by henry lott in 1846 then living with his family near where the boone and des moines. Alongside a back road a few miles west of boone, iowa we found the lonely grave of a young pioneer boy who met a tragic death, only the first in a violent series of atrocities that stretched over five years and resulted in the infamous spirit lake massacre.
Bristow this article first appeared in the iowan, januaryfebruary 1999. Henry lott and his stepson, several years later, moved north into humboldt county where lott struck back at the indians in january of 1854. These roof tiles were taken from a building in buxton, iowa. It was one of the last captivity narratives written of european americans being held by native americans. During the winter of 18561857, lnkpadutas band traveled north from smithland, iowa, arriving at lake okoboji in march 1857 in search of food. This is how the spirit lake massacre was more or less described to me. Jun, 2008 this letter talking about lott killing the sioux indians, which started the spirit lake massacre. Upcoming graphic novel strives to tell both sides of. He apparently poisoned some pork and whiskey and left it where the sioux could find it and then left the area. Abbie gardner sharp cabin history iowa department of.
Image 1 of causes and results of the inkpaduta massacre. The tragedy milton lott boone ia us historical marker. Apr 17, 2012 pillsbury point, west okoboji lake near where the massacre began in 1857. Full text of a history of dickinson county, iowa, together with an account of the spirit lake massacre, and the indian troubles on the northwestern frontier see other formats. The spirit lake massacre march 812, 1857 was an attack by a wahpekute band of santee sioux on scattered iowa frontier settlements during a severe winter. There, just a month before the spirit lake massacre, settlers had for. She set up a tourist spot, selling mementos and copies of the book she had written about the massacre. Hamilton county history 1846 and earlier, indian territory. But lott s wife and their son, milton, were but innocent bystanders who lost their lives as the result of an indian raid at. Buxton was a mining town founded in 1895 by the consolidation coal company ccc, which supplied the chicago and northwestern railway.
Autograph letter signed regarding the henry lott massacre in. Image 1 of causes and results of the inkpaduta massacre library of. New graphic novel depicts the last native american attack in. Spirit lake was the last whiteindian conflict in iowa. Sharps book, history of the spirit lake massacre, is a graphic description of teh events leading up to that terrible day, and contains a vivid picture of the massacre, the relief expedition, the captivity of abbie gardner, her ransom and release. Two fingers shook his fist at a pioneer named henry lott, who is, by the way, the second rogue in this gallery. The massacre at spirit lake by scott cody guest columnist mar 8, 2021 spring was still a few weeks away from melting the massive amounts of snow that had fallen during the winter of 185657. John henry lott came to iowa territory from pennsylvania, by way of ohio, about 1840. New graphic novel portrays spirit lake massacre of march 8, 1857.
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