Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/613

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 531 and swam the river in her fright. We soon found her <>u the island opposite the village, and with the aid of a canoe broughl her home. Some time passed before she could understand, seem- ingly, that the evil one <li<l qo1 wear a blanket. Some privations were suffered by being eul off from the resl of the world. Our nearest postoffice was twenty-five miles up the river. From thence we received our mail by going or sending for il by canoe. Many weeks often elapsed without news from the outside world. However, there were some things to balance the disagreeable. Plenty of work studying a new Language, trying to teach the children, and talking with the older people. The assessor did not trouble us. For about five years we had no special taxes to pay. For the use of a garden spot we paid the natives in vege tables." Soon after Mr. Hancock's arrival an Indian school was started, and Mr. Hancock set aboul Learning the Sioux language. He even compiled a dictionary in the Sioux Language. When the novelty of the school wore off, the interesl among the ^-* children waned most perceptibly and the school seems somehow to have fallen into disfavor among the Indians. Mr. Aiton and Mr. Hancock seem to have had different ideas ;is to the management of the school, and in 1850 the Latter went to Long Prairie, some 150 miles northeasl from St. Paul. Mi - . Hancock remained in charge at Red Wing and became ;i permanent resident of the city. Preceding the Messrs. Aiton ami Hancock, but at a date not positively known, came John Bush, who was one of the men sent under the provisions of one of the Indian treaties to teach the red men farming. The two missionaries found him here and learned to highly value his friendship and aid. ;is well as his understanding of Indian character. In the autumn of 1850 a man named Snow, having- secured from tin- United States government a license to trade with the Indians, built a trading house of logs near the river, using the upper part for a residence, while in the lower part he kept his Indian goods for sale. 'Calvin Potter came in 1851 and entered into partnership with Mr. Snow. A short time afterward. Snow -died of cholera while on a trip to St. Paul, and .Mr. Potter succeeded to the manage- ment of the business, continuing until the Indians sold their lands to the whites by treaty. It was this same year (1851) that a postoffice was established here through the friendly agency of Hon. II. H. Sibley, the .Min- nesota delegate in congress. J. W. Hancock was appointed post- master. He was under the necessity of performing a journey to St. Paul to be qualified and execute the required bond at an expense of over five dollars. His pay for the next two years