Category Archives: Traverse des Sioux

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 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

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

After Robert’s tragic death, Agnes had little choice but to take her children and return to her family in Ohio. She couldn’t make the trip alone, however, and it wasn’t until September that arrangements were made for her to travel … Continue reading

Posted in Agnes Johnson Hopkins Pond, Cordelia Eggleston Pond, Dakota Mission, Margaret Poage Williamson, Mission Park and Gideon Pond House, Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Sarah Poage Pond, Traverse des Sioux, Women in Minnesota | 1 Comment

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

Agnes, Robert and the children returned to the Dakota mission at Traverse des Sioux after little Nancy’s death in November of 1849, and resumed their work with Alexander and Lydia Huggins. Despite their ongoing frustration at their lack of success … Continue reading

Posted in Agnes Johnson Hopkins Pond, Dakota Mission, Lydia Pettijohn Huggins, Minnesota History, St. Peter, Traverse des Sioux, Women in Minnesota | 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

Mary and Stephen Riggs left Hawley, Massachusetts on the first of March 1837, and arrived at Fort Snelling in Minnesota (then known as Wisconsin Territory) on June 1, 1837. They stopped to visit friends along the way, including the Burgess … Continue reading

Posted in Dakota Mission, Lac Qui Parle Mission, Lorenzo Lawrence, Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs, Traverse des Sioux, Women in Minnesota | 2 Comments