Category Archives: Lac Qui Parle Mission

Three Dakota Daughters – Nancy McClure, Julia LaFramboise and Helen Sibley

Throughout the story of Minnesota’s territorial past we often encounter individual stories of women whose mothers were Dakota and whose fathers were white traders, soldiers or adventurers. These women share many things in common, including a sense that they did … Continue reading

Posted in Dakota Mission, Eliza Huggins Holtzclaw, Fanny Huggins Pettijohn, Hazlewood Mission, Helen Hastings Sibley Sawyer, Jane Smith Williamson, Julia Ann LaFramboise, Kaposia Village, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lydia Pettijohn Huggins, Magdelaine LaFramboise, Mary Ann Longley Huggins Kerlinger, Nancy Jane Williamson, Nancy McClure Faribault Huggan, Sarah Steele Sibley, Sophia Josephine Marsh Huggins Hanthorne, Tahshinaohindoway aka Red Blanket Woman, Traverse des Sioux, U.S. Dakota War of 1862, Women in Minnesota | 1 Comment

Mrs. Aiton Times Two – Nancy Hunter Aiton and Mary Briggs Aiton

In June of 1925, Miss Margaret Aiton of Minneapolis donated “some twelve letters” to the Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota History Magazine described the gift as follows: “Some twelve letters written by Jane Williamson, Sister of the missionary Dr. Thomas S. … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Hunter, Dakota Mission, Hazlewood Mission, Hugh Doak Cunningham, Jane Smith Williamson, Kaposia Village, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lydia Pettijohn Huggins, Marilla Hancock Holiday, Marion Robertson Hunter, Martha Houghton Hancock, Mary Napexni, Mary Smith Briggs Aiton, Minnesota Historical Society Photo Purge, Moses Newton Adams, Nancy Hunter Aiton, Nancy Jane Williamson, Nancy Rankin Adams, Sarah Rankin Hancock, Traverse des Sioux, Underground Railroad, Willie Hancock, Women in Minnesota | Leave a comment

Ann “Nancy” Margery Rankin Adams – Living Life with Moses

One of the challenges of writing about the “soul sisters” is that several of them are completely silent. They left behind no written record, no letters, no diary, no journal, and no memoir of their years with the Dakota mission. … Continue reading

Posted in Agnes Johnson Hopkins Pond, Dakota Mission, Jane Smith Williamson, Kaposia Village, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lucy Spooner Drake, Margaret Poage Williamson, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Mary Spooner Worcester, Moses Newton Adams, Nancy Rankin Adams, Sarah Rankin Hancock, Traverse des Sioux, Underground Railroad, Women in Minnesota | Leave a comment

Life of a Legend – The Story of Jane Smith Williamson – Part IV

Jane had been at Lac qui Parle just about a year when Thomas submitted his annual report to the A.B.C.F.M. in September 1844. He reported that Dakota men and boys had attended school an average of 20 days each; females … Continue reading

Posted in Fanny Huggins Pettijohn, Jane Smith Williamson, Joseph Renville, Kaposia Village, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Madeline Renville, Mary Ann Longley Huggins Kerlinger, Women in Minnesota | Leave a comment

Life of a Legend – The Story of Jane Smith Williamson – Part III

Jane Williamson didn’t come to the Dakota mission at Lac qui Parle as a missionary. Her intention was to stay one or two years to help Thomas and Margaret with their children and teach her nieces and nephews and the … Continue reading

Posted in Agnes Johnson Hopkins Pond, Catherine Tatidutawin, Cordelia Eggleston Pond, Dakota Mission, Fanny Huggins Pettijohn, Harriet Bishop, Jane Smith Williamson, John Baptiste Renville, Joseph Kawanke, Joseph Renville, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lorenzo Lawrence, Lydia Pettijohn Huggins, Magdalena Renville, Margaret Poage Williamson, Marguerite Renville, Mary Little Crow aka Tokanne, Rosalie Renville, St. Peter, Traverse des Sioux, Wawiyohiyawin/Sarah Hopkins | Leave a comment

The Story of Mary Napexni

In the John Aiton Family Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society is an undated letter, written in cursive English script and addressed to “Dear Mrs. Aiton.”  The letter continues: “I think the rose you sent me very pretty. You were … Continue reading

Posted in Dakota Mission, Jane Smith Williamson, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Mary Napexni, Minnesota, Minnesota History, Nancy Hunter Aiton, Women in Minnesota | 1 Comment

Life of a Legend – Introduction to the Story of Jane Smith Williamson

All of the missionary women whose stories have been recorded in Dakota Soul Sisters to this point came to the Dakota mission when they were young. Most were new brides; others were single women who came to experience the adventure … Continue reading

Posted in Alan Woolworth, Jane Smith Williamson, Jeff Williamson, John LaBatte, Kaposia Village, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Minnesota, Minnesota Historical Society Photo Purge, Minnesota History, Ohio, Stephen Osman, U.S. Dakota War of 1862, Underground Railroad, Women in Minnesota | 1 Comment

Heartbroken Heroine – Agnes Carson Johnson [Hopkins] [Pond] – Part II

On April 4, 1844, Agnes, Robert and 6-month-old Mary Frances, left the mission at Lac qui Parle to join Stephen and Mary Riggs at the new mission at Traverse des Sioux, 110 miles to the east on the Minnesota River. … Continue reading

Posted in Agnes Johnson Hopkins Pond, Dakota Mission, Fanny Huggins Pettijohn, Julia Kephart, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lydia Pettijohn Huggins, Margaret Poage Williamson, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Minnesota History, St. Peter, Traverse des Sioux, Women in Minnesota | Leave a comment

Heartbroken Heroine – Agnes Carson Johnson [Hopkins] [Pond] – Part I

On July 19, 1838, Alexander Huggins and Dr. Thomas Williamson wrote a letter to their mutual cousin, Robert Hopkins. Alexander and Thomas were at the Dakota Mission at Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, where they had been working for three years. … Continue reading

Posted in Agnes Johnson Hopkins Pond, Dakota Mission, Fanny Huggins Pettijohn, Julia Kephart, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lorenzo Lawrence, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Women in Minnesota | Leave a comment

Blogging and Real Life

If you’ve ever been a blogger you’ll understand how you can be totally involved in your blog topic, doing research, posting entries, and then suddenly, real life intervenes and everything comes to a screeching halt. I apologize to my followers … Continue reading

Posted in Lac Qui Parle Mission, Minnesota, Minnesota History, Traverse des Sioux, Women in Minnesota | Leave a comment