KinSource
Home
Minnesota County Histories
Main Page Table Of Contents

Renville County Martyrs
The History of Renville County, Volume 2
Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Chapter XLIII
p. 1347-1350

The following partial list of those killed in Renville county during the Massacre is from the pen of Marion P. Satterlee, who has done much to preserve the facts concerning the Indian outbreak. To Mr. Satterlee's list have also been added a number of other names by the editor of this history. This list does not include the casualties at the battle of Bird Cooley and the ambuscade at Redwood Ferry.

Urius Andermack. Mentioned in Flora church records as one of the Renville county martyrs.

John Boelter. John was massacred at Middle Creek. The wife fled to the woods with two infant daughters; the youngest died of starvation and exposure. Another child was carried to safety by Michael Boelter, a brother-in-law.

Mrs. Michael Boelter and children were killed at Middle Creek. The face of the oldest was shot away, one was shot and thrown into a pit. The youngest was beaten to death by pounding it over something. It is also stated that the parents of Michael, or his wife, were killed, but the accounts are incoherent.

John Buehro. Killed not far from Fort Ridgely. His story is told elsewhere in this work. He had found safety in the fort, but was sent by his wife back to their cabin to get her green silk dress and household goods.

Gottlieb Busse and family were killed at Middle Creek. Gottlieb was shot with baby Bertha in his arms; Wilhelmina, the mother, and two-year-old Caroline were killed the same way; Augusta, five, was shot down alone. Minnie, August and Amelia were taken prisoners and rescued at Camp Release. Minnie is author of "Captured by the Indians." August, it is claimed, was so angered when the Indian who killed his parents was not hung with the others at Mankato, that he afterward made a business of hunting Indians and was probably killed at the Custer massacre. The name is sometimes spelled Buce and frequently in other ways.

Andrew Bahlke was killed near Birch Cooley. He was the brother of Mrs. Marie Frorip and was shot by the Indians while remonstrating with them about killing his dog.

Charles Blair, captured with the Brown family, escaped to Fort Ridgely, but being in poor health died from the effect of the exposure soon afterward.

Mark Brooks, sixteen years old, was shot by Indians while carrying dinner to his uncle, David McConnell.

William and John Carrothers, sons of David Carrothers, were killed at Beaver Creek while trying to escape with a party of settlers.

Charles Clausen and Frederick, his son, were killed near Birch Cooley. Mrs. Frederick and her two infant daughters were captured and were rescued at Camp Release.

______ Cruer and wife were killed at Beaver Creek. G. Cruer, aged eleven, and John Cruer, aged nine, boys, escaped to Fort Ridgely. -- Fort Ridgely records.

Peter Eindenfeldt (or Inefeldt) was killed near Birch Cooley. He was stabbed with a butcher knife, which was left in his breast. His wife, nee Zitlaff, and child were rescued at Camp Release.

Radnor Barle, son of Jonathan W., aged fifteen years, was killed at Beaver Creek.

Balthasar Eisenrich was killed near Birch Cooley. His wife and five children were at Camp Release.

Benedict Eune was killed near Birch Cooley, on the road to Fort Ridgely. His son was taken captive and rescued at Camp Release.

August Frass and son, John Frass, were killed with the Schwandt party at Beaver Creek.

_____ Frace, residing near the Brown place, on the Sacred Heart, was killed. His wife and two children were found at Camp Release.

Mrs. Marie Frorip, a widow, with her son John and daughter Louisa, and her brother, Andrew Bahlke, lived on the hill in the southeast quarter of section 25, Beaver. The Indians came along and killed the dog. Andrew Bahlke came into the yard and scolded the Indians, whereupon they shot and killed him instantly. Mrs. Frolip started to run. She was shot in the back, her flesh being filled with buckshot. In time she made her way to Fort Ridgely. John and Mary were captured.

Emil Grundman, wife and three children, in the Flora settlement. The children were burned in the Krieger home at Beaver Creek.

Max Haack (also spelled Heck and Hack), killed near Camp township. His widow afterward kept the hotel at Three Mile Creek, in Camp township.

John and Patrick Hayden were killed at Beaver Creek.

S. R. Henderson, wife and two infant daughters. Mrs. Henderson was burned alive with the two and a half year old child, and the nine months old baby was hacked to pieces and thrown into the fire piecemeal, near Birch Cooley.

Dr. Philander D. Humphrey, physician at the agency; wife, Susan Ames Humphrey, and two children, killed at a cabin in Birch Cooley while fleeing to the fort. A son, John Ames Humphrey, a boy of twelve, escaped.

Ernest Houf, also wife and two little girls. Overtaken by Indians and wife killed in wagon; husband while trying to run with the children was shot and the children kicked to death, at Beaver Creek. Flora church records say that there were two more children killed in this family.

_____ and _____ Horning, sons of August, one and three years old, burned in the Krieger home at Beaver Creek. Were left for dead but were only stunned; were with the Paul Kitzmann party attacked on the nineteenth.

Rosina Heining and three children. Mentioned in the Flora church records.

W. Inerfeld (may be Inefeldt or Eindenfeldt), no particulars known. Name given in Flora Evangelican Association church as having been killed during the Massacre.

J. H. Ingalls and wife, killed near the Brown house in Sacred Heart. Four children were captured. Two of them, girls, twelve and fourteen years, found at Camp Release. Two little boys were taken by Little Crow and their fate is still shrouded in mystery.

Henry Keartner was killed near Birch Cooley. Wife escaped to Fort Ridgely.

Patrick Kelly was killed at Beaver Creek.

Paul Kitzmann, wife, daughter Wilhelmina and son Gustave. All except the baby boy killed near Middle Creek, while endeavoring to escape. Gustave was slaughtered while in captivity, as he cried and annoyed the Indians. A son, Ludwig, now known as Louis, was a prisoner at Camp Release.

Frederick Krieger and infant, near Middle Creek. Of eight children six escaped, and one, Henrietta, was prisoner at Camp Release. The story of the wife Justina, is one of suffering and miraculous escape hardly equaled in history.

John Kockendorfer, wife and daughter Sarah killed at Beaver Creek. John Kockendorfer, a boy aged eleven; Rose Kockendorfer, a girl aged nine; Katie Kockendorfer, a girl aged seven, and Maggie Kockendorfer, aged five, escaped to Fort Ridgely.

William Lammers was killed at Cairo. Wife and two children at Camp Release. Later married to George Rieke.

John Lateau (called Latto and Sateau) was killed at Beaver Creek. Wife and four children escaped. Flora church records say one child was also killed.

_____ Levant, wife, two daughters and a son killed at Beaver Creek. A. Levant, aged eleven, escaped to Fort Ridgely. -- Fort Ridgely records.

John and Edward Magner were killed near Birch Cooley.

Hubert Millier, generally known as Jacob Mauley. The brave ferryman who carried over fugitives till murdered at the Redwood ferry.

Gottlieb Manweiler was killed at Middle Creek. His wife, nee Lenz, escaped with her parents to Fort Ridgely. He was superintendent of the Sunday school.

Mrs. John Meyer (Caroline Zitlaff), at Middle Creek. Also three children. Husband escaped to Fort Ridgely.

Mrs. _____ Nichols and son of Flora township killed. A daughter, Henrietta, captured and rescued at Camp Release and rejoined her father at St. Peter.

David O'Connor, at Beaver Creek, near Magner's place.

_____ Peco killed. One daughter taken by Indians. Wife and several children escaped to Fort Ridgely. The wife, E. Peco, is recorded as having been born at La Croix Creek in 1840. This was five years before La Croix settled there. She was probably a half-blood.

Peter Pereau (Paro), near Birch Cooley. Wife and a number of children escaped to Fort Ridgely.

_____ Piguar, near Birch Cooley.

Heinrich Rieke died of fright at Fort Ridgely.

Eusebius Reyff, wife, one son, Benjamin, and daughter Annie were killed at Beaver Creek.

John Roesler, wife and two children were killed at Middle Creek. Mentioned in Flora church records.

Friedrich Roesler. Mentioned in the Flora church records.

John Rosbe (Rusby), wife and two children. Killed in Renville county bottoms.

Ole Sampson and two children were killed between Beaver Creek and Fort Ridgely. Sampson was shot, two children were burned to death in the wagon, from which Mrs. Sampson, with the baby in arms, leaped and escaped.

John Sateau. (See John Lateau.)

Johan Schwandt, wife Christina, son Frederick, aged six, daughter Christina, four years old, daughter Karollna Schwandt Walz, son-in-law John Walz, and John Frass. Son August escaped; daughter Mary was taken captive with the Patoille party. At Beaver Creek.

Rev. Christian L. Seder was killed at Middle Creek. He was the pastor of the German Evangelical Association church.

John Sieg and wife, nee Zitlaff, and three of four children were killed at Beaver Creek.

_____ Sitzton and family (number not known), were killed at Beaver Creek.

Thomas Smith was killed near Birch Cooley, Aug. 18, 1862. Mistook a party of Indians for white men and approaching them was shot down. His wife and young children escaped to Fort Ridgely.

William Smith and family, except daughter Minnie, about four years old, at Middle Creek. She was carried several miles by August Schwandt, when he became exhausted and left her at a house, promising to bring help. She was afterward taken by the Indians and was a prisoner at Camp Release. She died a day or two after reaching Fort Ridgely. Flora church records say the spelling of the name is Schmidt and that Schmidt, his wife and two children were killed.

Frederick Schmidt killed after a desperate fight with the Indians near Fort Ridgely. Had left the fort with John Buehro to get Buehro's household goods.

William Taylor, colored citizen of St. Paul; dead body found by burial party, September 1, between Fort Ridgely and the ferry. He is mentioned in Grant's report, page 148, Indian outbreak, by Daniel Buck.

Mrs. Louis Thiele, nee Haak, and child of four years, killed at Beaver Creek.

John Walz, wife Karollna, nee Schwandt, at Middle Creek, were killed August 18, 1862. This murder was most horrid, an unborn child being taken from the mother and was nailed to a tree while yet alive.

Jehial Wedge, on section 14, township 113, range 35, at Beaver Creek. With the Earle party.

Mrs. Carl Witt, near Birch Cooley, was killed near that place. The husband and several children escaped to Fort Ridgely.

Gottlieb Zable was killed at Beaver Creek with the Paul Kitzmann party; his wife escaped.

Michael and Mary (Junis) Zitlaff were killed at Middle Creek.

Eugene White was killed at Beaver Creek with the Earle party.

John Zimmerman and his sons, John and Gottfried, were killed at Beaver Creek. His wife, Mary, blind, escaped with three children, the oldest seventeen and the youngest three.

John Zitlaff. Mentioned in the Flora church records.

At Birch Cooley. The following list of those killed, mortally wounded and severely wounded has been compiled by Major Return I. Holcombe, the Minnesota valley historian. In furnishing this list, the Major says: "According to this list there were twenty men killed and mortally wounded. There were also thirty-two men severely wounded, scratches not counted. Ninety-four out of the ninety-five horses were killed. All available authorities have been consulted, including the newspapers of the time. Heard's History (page 135) says. 'There were some twenty men killed or mortally wounded, and some sixty severely wounded, and over ninety horses killed.' Other accounts say twenty-two, and still others say twenty-three men were killed, and the number of wounded is given as from forty to sixty and sixty-five. Captain Grant say that twenty-two men were killed and sixty wounded, but his testimony concerning the battle is not reliable. The actual names are more convincing than any amount of figures would be."

Killed and mortally wounded: Co. A, Sixth Minnesota - Sergeants John Callege and William Irvine (mortally wounded), Corporal William M. Cobb, Privates George Calter, Cornelius F. Coyle (m. w.), Chauncey L. King, Henry Rouleau, William Russell, Henry Whetsler. Co. G, Sixth Minnesota - Sergeant Benjamin S. Tenny and Corporal Ferdinand C. W. Benneken. Co. A, Ninth Minnesota - Private Joseph Klein (m. w.). Captain Anderson's company, "Cullen Guards" - Sergeant Robert Baxter, Privates Jacob Truman, Pierre Bourier and Richard Gibbons (m. w.). Unarmed citizens - S. R. Henderson, J. C. Dickinson, J. W. De Camp (m. w.) and David Holbrook, a teamster from Belle Plaine.

Severely wounded: Major Joseph R. Brown, commanding expedition, wounded in neck and shoulder. Co. A, Sixth Minnesota - Privates Samuel G. Arbickle, Ernest S. Blase, Enoch Brown, Seth Fielding, P. G. Graney, Alvin Hayford, DeWitt C. House, W. A. Newcomb, Morris Neeley, John Quinn, Francis C. Shanley, Charles W. Smith and Sanders J. Welting. Co. B, Sixth Minnesota - Andrew J. Thompson. Co. D, Sixth Minnesota - Christopher Swagert. Co. E, Sixth Minnesota - Louis Klinkhammer and Richard Miller. Co. F, Sixth Minnesota - Robert K. Boyd. Co. I, Sixth Minnesota - St. John T. Bean. Co. A, Ninth Minnesota - Louis McDonald. Cullen Guards (Minnesota Militia) - Capt. Joseph Anderson, wounded in leg. Privates A. H. Bunker, Peter Burkman, James Cunningham, Henry Fandle, George Dagenais (half breed) and John Martin. Farrier, Thomas Barton. Volunteers, Maj. Thomas J. Galbraith, Sioux Indian agent for Minnesota; Captain Redfield and Daniel Blair, a citizen. Major Galbraith received two wounds.


Much has been written concerning the Sioux outbreak. In this "History of Renville County" it has been the aim of the editors to print the general story of the Massacre, a few typical experiences of Renville county people who went through those stirring times, the names, so far as possible, of the victims, and a recapitulation of the efforts that have been made to preserve the story of those days. The thoughtful reader is referred to the following books for further information concerning the Massacre: The Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society; History of the Minnesota Valley, Warner & Foote; Sioux Indian Massacre of 1862-63, I. V. D. Heard; The Dakotah War Whoop, Harriet E. Bishop-McConkey; Indian Outbreaks, Judge Daniel Buck; Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars, State Publication; History of Kandiyohi County, Lawson & Tew; History of Wright County, Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge; History of Stearns County, William B. Mitchell; The Indians' Revenge, Rev. Alexander Berghold; Indian Massacre in Meeker County, A. C. Smith; Recollections of the Sioux Indian War, Oscar G. Wall; Monuments and Tablets of the Minnesota Valley Historical Society; Memoirs of Gen. H. H. Sibley, Nathaniel West; Sheteh Pioneers and Indians, H. J. Hibschman; Sketches of History of Huntchinson [sic], W. W. Pendergast; My Capture and Escape, Helen Marr Tarbell; History of the Indian War, C. S. Bryant; and various histories of Minnesota.


© Copyright 2006 KinSource All Rights Reserved