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Spirit Lake MassacreWild West | Single Page | 11 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
On Sunday morning, March 8, 1857, Inkpaduta and his warriors barged into the Gardner cabin and demanded breakfast. While Frances Gardner fed them, a warrior grabbed Roland's gun and removed the firing mechanism. Roaring Cloud, one of Inkpaduta's twin sons, demanded more food, but none remained. He pointed his gun at Harvey Luce, who grabbed the barrel and prevented the Indian from firing. After a few tense moments, the Indians left the cabin. About 9 a.m., bachelors Dr. Isaac H. Harriott and Bertell A. Snyder came by, knowing that Roland was about to leave for Fort Dodge for provisions. They wanted him to mail their letters, but Roland was worried about the Indians and refused to leave. Harriott and Snyder departed with their letters. Subscribe Today
About midday the Indians took Gardner's cattle, killed them and headed for the Mattock cabin. James Mattock, his wife and five children had built their home south of the strait between East Okoboji Lake and West Okoboji Lake. Living with Mattock was Mr. Madison and his 18-year-old son, Robert. Dr. Harriott, Bert Snyder and the Granger brothers, William and Carl, lived together in one cabin, between the two Okoboji lakes. The Indians attacked the cabins, killing everyone and burning the dwellings. They found Carl Granger near his cabin, shot him and chopped off the top of his head with a broad-ax. Only William Granger survived, because he was visiting relatives in Red Wing, Minnesota Territory.
Back at the Gardner cabin, the settlers were discussing their options. At 2 in the afternoon, Harvey Luce and a visitor, Robert Clark, went to warn their neighbors about possible Indian trouble. Two hours later, when Roland Gardner stepped out of the cabin, he saw nine Indians fast approaching. He called out, 'We are all doomed to die!' Although he did not want to give up without a fight, his wife took an opposing view. 'If we have to die, let us die innocent of shedding blood,' Frances Gardner said.
Honoring his wife's wish, Roland did not resist as the Indians entered his home and demanded flour. As he went to the flour barrel they shot him in the heart. The Indians then grabbed Frances Gardner and Mary Luce and held their arms tight, while others took rifles and bashed in their heads. They were dragged outside and finished off. Abigail Gardner sat in a chair in a state of shock. The Indians tore her sister's baby from her arms, dragged Roland Jr. and Mary's toddler outside, beat them with stove wood and left them for dead. Seeing her family dead or dying around her, Abbie begged the Indians to kill her too. They grabbed the 13-year-old by the arm and indicated she would not be killed, but would be taken prisoner. 'All the terrible tortures and indignities I had ever read or heard of being inflicted upon their captives now arose in horrid vividness before me,' she recalled in an 1885 narrative, History of the Spirit Lake Massacre and the Captivity of Miss Abbie Gardner.
The Dakotas scalped the dead, plundered the house and took Abbie to their camp about a mile away, near the Mattock place. She saw the cabin in flames and heard the screams of two people as they burned to death. Around the house were the bodies of five men, two women and four children. Robert Clark and Harvey Luce were shot on the southern shore of East Okoboji, bringing the day's death total to 20 whites.
Abbie Gardner spent her first night of captivity at the Indians' camp near the ruins of the Mattock cabin, while the Indians celebrated by singing, dancing and drumming until early morning. Having whetted their appetites for murder, Inkpaduta's cohorts searched for more prey. They found Joel Howe on the trail, shot him down and hacked off his head. A Mr. Ring discovered the skull two years later on the south beach of East Okoboji. Warriors entered Howe's home, killed his wife, Rheumilla Ashley Howe, sons Jonathan (25), Alphred (16), Jacob M. (14), William P. (12), Levi (9), daughter Sardis (18), a young woman and old Mrs. Noble. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
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11 Comments to “Spirit Lake Massacre”
I have a pamphlet that may be of interest to someone in the Spirit Lake or Okobojois area. This pamphlet appears to be over 100 years old and speaks of the cottages in the area and about the New Inn that would open in 1903. At the time of this book or pamphlet's publishing, Abbie was still alive and receiving visitors. per the book, she would tell an absorbingly interesting story of her life among the savages and experiences.
Even as old as this appears to be, it has still compelled me to someday visit your fine area.
If you would like to discuss this book, please feel free to contact me at the email address supplied.
By Penny Bumpus on Feb 16, 2009 at 1:50 am
HistoryNetStaff, I greatly enjoyed your article about the Spirit Lake Massacre. The facts of this incident have long been among our "family stories". However, my research only uncovered one mention of my great great Grandma, Emma Mead Hushaw and her sister, Hattie. I'm glad to see someone has fully researched the incident and reported all the facts. I can add two more: Emma was told she was taken to show the indians how to make "white man's bread" (?) and she was released because she hollered and carried on so much. Keep up the good work. Sincerely yours, Judith Mandernack
By Judith J. Mandernack on Mar 27, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Hi Penny,
I hope someone took you up on this, but if not, I'd love to buy it from you. I'm going back home to Iowa in October and can donate it to the Iowa State Historical Society or the county chapter inyour name.
Kat in NJ
pettycrewkd@yahoo.com
856-728-9546
By Kat Pettycrew on Aug 5, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Kat -
The cabin and a small historical interpretive center are still on Abie Gardner's cabin site. I am sure they would have a great intrest in the brochure / book. Contact info is below..
Mike Koppert
Box 74,
Arnolds Park, IA 51331.
Telephone: 712- 332-7248
Email: gardner@iowaone.net
By Brad from Iowa on Sep 8, 2009 at 1:36 am
I do not really understand the term "renegade" assigned by the HISTORYNET.com assign to Inkpaduta.
Does this mean that you will assign the same term on the brave patriots in European countries – among these my own – who fought bravely against the German invaders during the Second World War?
Inkpaduta was a great patriot and freedomfighter who saw no other way than to kill so many of the intruders as possible. Intruders who had stolen the land of his people and broken up their way of life.
Niels Jurgensen
Denmark
By Niels Jurgensen on Sep 19, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I've lived in Okoboji all my life 40 years and now that the big Corporations have moved in buying up all the property around the lakes and taking over all our local governments and law enforcement. OMG this place is now a hell hole of prudeism and bureaucracy pushing for a new world order & one world government. The level of corruption is unprecedented. I can fully sympathize with the Indian uprising.
Good news is the crimanals tyrony is being exposed and they are on their way out. Google search "The act of 1871" & "AMERICA The Corporaton".
By Kevin Black on Nov 5, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed this article. Thank you for exposing the atrocities committed by both sides. I fully agree that the Native American’s had their contentions, but we are now faced with revisionist history that paints (no pun intended) the Native Americans as peace loving nature lovers. How far is this from the truth! The disregard for human life and the brutality displayed to captives is not that of a peaceful people. The “white man” is not responsible for all the ills in the world; quite to the contrary, without Europeans coming to the New World this land would be in the sad shape that faces Mexico and many other Third World countries. We need to keep up on our history, but not rewrite it for guilt ridden liberals who want to appease those who seek to destroy us.
By B Hicks on Nov 27, 2009 at 12:56 pm
For B Hicks:
Your white approbation is showing. Not that you would understand if your rhetoric is any judge.
You are quick to point out that Native Americans weren't "nature lovers". Fine. And yet you are loathe to even admit White Americans were known for any atrocities whatsoever. The fact you even gloss over this is telling. Either you are ignorant and don't understand your own nation's history and the involvement of your own race, or you do understand and want to pretend it didn't happen. Either way is unconscionable.
Instead, you live in your own little half-baked conservative worldview where "this land would be in sad shape" if weren't for the White Man.
YOU are the one who is engaged in revisionist history. Just like most narrow minded and racially intolerant conservatives you let your own racial prejudices cloud your judgment.
Let me put it in simple terms so you can understand: You are entitled to your own opinion. You are NOT entitled to your own facts.
Yeah. Deal with it.
By Kenneth Mark Hoover on Dec 18, 2009 at 3:42 pm
According to local newspapers of the time Inkpaduta was in Dakota Territory during the Minnesota killings. Little Crow was considered the chief leader.In Minnesota, if Inkpaduta had been there Little Crow would have deferred to the first great Sioux hero. Inkpaduta was the chief leader in the later Dakota Territory battles against Sibley and Sully. And Inkpaduta was at the Little Big Horn and was said to be 79 plus years old and blind (birth date 1797-Little Big Horn 1876 look it up on the net) so it is very unlikely Inkpaduta led any warriors that day. Old newspapers, records & books of the day continue to be the best source of information…so look things up yourself for answers too.
By Matthew Max on Jan 1, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Please spare me of the bleeding hearts for noble red men and accusations of opportunistic white men.
The majority of people wanted to get along with day to day living regardless of the skin or customs. Every race has its vicious and its kind people. Once racial savage hatred begins, it starts roaring like an out of control fire that destroys everything in its path. The Spirit Lake events started out as tit for tat on both sides that brutally escalated. Unfortunately the victims (red and white) were not the people who began the retaliations in the Spirit Lake Settlement. Nothing was noble about the red or white men who had blood on their hands and revenge in their hearts.
Lets keep events in perspective.
By Carolyn Van Doren on Jan 19, 2010 at 11:06 am
Well put Carolyn. It is the innocents that usually suffer…as was the case there too!
By Matthew Max on Jan 21, 2010 at 10:40 pm