Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2024

In 1857, three men wanted to preempt about fifty acres of land in what is now eastern Shakopee after the people of Tínṫa Otuŋwe were forced off the land. The men went to the United States Land Registrar office. It was at attorney L.M. Brown’s office, which was across from the Wasson House on the northeast corner of First and Holmes Street in downtown Shakopee.

First, Moses Starr Titus submitted a claim to Allan J. Phelps. Then he left, returning home. In a few minutes, Thomas A. Holmes went to the office. And just like Moses, Thomas A. Holmes put in a claim for the fifty acres. As he left, Henry Hinds walked into the office of the United States Land Registrar and also put a claim on the 50 acres.

Shortly after Henry Hinds left, he met face to face with Thomas Holmes in another building in downtown Shakopee. The two threatened each other.

Suddenly, Thomas seized the long hair of Henry. Henry promptly grabbed Thomas’s bristling foretop. And so, the fight began.

The two struggled back and forth across the floor, which was muddy and wet. Suddenly Thomas and Henry were on the floor, each with a handful of the other’s hair. Both got up, and the fight was renewed. Friends of Thomas Holmes cheered as he popped Henry Hinds. Friends of Henry Hinds cheered as he punched Thomas Holmes. And the fight continued onto First Street, with the group of supporters and opponents following into the street.

As the two men continued to fight, the people of Shakopee watched and cheered.

Except for one person, Jane Lamont Titus. She just watched.

Henry grabbed Thomas’s nose. Thomas Holmes gouged Henry’s eyes. They reeled into the street. They fell onto the wet streets of First Street. Blood was flowing out of Henry’s nose. Thomas bled from the gash above his eye. And people in Shakopee laughed and cheered.

Except for Jane Lamont Titus. She just watched. And as she watched, she thought and thought.

Jane Lamont Titus was part Dakota Indian. While her father was Scottish, her mother, Haŋyetu Kihnaye Wiŋ (Hush the Night) was Dakota. Jane’s grandparents were Maḣpiya Wic̣aṡṭa and Caŋ Paduta Wiŋ of the Bde Maka Ska band who lived in the southern shore in Minneapolis. Maḣpiya Wic̣aṡṭa was also known as Cloudman, and Caŋ Paduta Wiŋ was known as Red Cherry Woman. And during one of the treaties with the government, the “half-breeds,” like Jane Lamont Titus, were given scrip when the white people took their land.

The half-breed scrip arrived in Minnesota for distribution for those eligible in 1857, and Jane was able to get some scrip. Unfortunately, most of the half-breed scrip had been bought up by speculators, not the part-Dakota who should have gotten the scrip.

So, Jane Lamont Titus was one of the lucky ones. And while Thomas Holmes and Henry Hinds continued to fight on First Street, Jane walked past the Wasson House and through the door of the United States Land Registrar office. Jane pulled out her scrip, and gave them to Mr. Phelps, and Mr. Phelps gave Jane the deed for the land.

Jane walked outside, and as she did, Thomas and Henry looked up and saw that she had the deed. The people of Shakopee smiled and walked away. Thomas Holmes got up, brushed off the mud and blood, and helped pull up Henry Hinds. They had been beaten by a woman!

And Jane Lamont Titus? She looked at the bloody men, nodded, and walked home with a smile on her face.