Category Archives: Nancy Rankin Adams

The Hancock Wives – Martha, Sarah and Juliet

In a lovely setting in Oakwood Cemetery in Red Wing, Minnesota, six tombstones tell the sad story of Joseph Woods Hancock, his three wives and two young children. Joseph was born in Oxford, New Hampshire, on April 4, 1816. He … Continue reading

Posted in Juliet Thomson Hancock, Martha Houghton Hancock, Nancy Hunter Aiton, Nancy Rankin Adams, Sarah Rankin Hancock | Leave a 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 XII

When the Williamson’s arrived in St. Peter, Minnesota, on August 25, 1862, the town was bursting at the seams with refugees pouring in from all over the surrounding area. Many had left everything behind and saw their houses and farm … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Hunter, Eli Huggins, Elizabeth Means [Voris] Burgess, Elizabeth Williamson Hunter, Jane Smith Williamson, Lydia Pettijohn Huggins, Margaret Poage Williamson, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Nancy Jane Williamson, Nancy Rankin Adams, Peter Tapaytatanka, Robert Hopkins Chaska, Rufus Huggins, Sarah Hopkins Chaska, Sophia Josephine Marsh Huggins Hanthorne, Wawiyohiyawin/Sarah Hopkins, Women in Minnesota | 2 Comments

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

The Williamson’s returned from their trip to Ohio in May of 1848 and that summer Kaposia hosted the annual reunion of the Dakota Mission. Stephen and Mary Riggs and three of their children were there, along with both of the … Continue reading

Posted in Dakota Mission, Emma Wakefield, Harriet Bishop, Jane Anderson Robertson, Jane Smith Williamson, Kaposia Village, Marion Robertson Hunter, Minnesota, Minnesota History, Nancy Hunter Aiton, Nancy Rankin Adams, Susan Rainbow aka Susan Ellison, Sylvester Cook, Women in Minnesota, Wowinape | Leave a comment

Contrary Mary – The Story of Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs – Part III

Mary and Stephen Riggs’ years at Traverse des Sioux were always shadowed by Mary’s intense grief at the death of her brother Thomas. His grave was visible from their house and Mary planted it with roses and fenced it in to … Continue reading

Posted in Julia Kephart, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lucy Spooner Drake, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Mary Spooner Worcester, Minnesota, Minnesota History, Moses Newton Adams, Nancy Rankin Adams, Traverse des Sioux, Women in Minnesota | 1 Comment