Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022

“Minnesota” was derived from the Dakota word Mnisota, meaning clear water, that reflects the clouds and the sky above. It’s a beautiful image without a word for it in English.

According to Peter Diamond, in “Behind Minnesota’s Native History“ from Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, “The word was appropriated and anglicized to fit into the English lexicon, Minnesota, and became the term what we now call the land between its manmade borders. Supplanting language is just one form of cultural erasure. The Dakota, Ojibwe, and other tribal groups have called this land their home for thousands of years and still do to this day.”

Water is a sacred symbol of native society – in Dakota, mni is at the heart of many of their traditions. Bdote, or “where the rivers join,” is passed down through oral history as the place where the first Dakota man and woman were created from the earth.

So, what happened to Minnesota’s native population? Beginning in the 1850s, Diamond noted that “Dakota nations were relocated by the U.S. government to land along the Mississippi River as part of treaty agreements. But between 1850 to 1860, as Minnesota’s non-native population grew from about 6,000 to 170,000, the influx of people took crucial provisions and resources from the Dakota, and their ensuing hunger and hardship led to the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.”

In fact, in a speech on September 9, 1862, Minnesota governor Alexander Ramsey said, “The Sioux [Dakota] Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of Minnesota.” Almost all the Dakota fled the state, hid, or were forced out.

James Jim Redbird Otherday was born near the Springs (later called Faribault Springs) in what was later Shakopee in 1849. His parents were Jacob Oyatekokepa Otherday (1816-1869) and Martha Tamazawiŋ Toboska War Eagle Wamadeduda Otherday (ca. 1815-1911).

Jim, as some people called him, was “modest and unassuming and in a long and colorful career he made many friends and free enemies,” said an article in the Shakopee Argus-Tribuneon April 3, 1930. “In fact, he was the friend of everybody in the Shakopee community, and everyone had a good word for Jim. He lived on a five-acre plot of land and maintained a little garden….” He spent most of his time hunting and fishing.

James married Hapstiŋna Makaakaŋiwaŋkewiŋ Black Flute Lucy Campbell, who was also called Lucy, around 1864.

Hapstiŋna grew up on the north side of the Rivière Saint-Pierre (St. Peter’s River) around 1832. She was a Mdewakanton Dakota Indian. Her father was Antoine Joseph Kauginapin Black Flute Campbell (1825-1913), and her mother was Emma Emily Quana Otherday Laframboise Campbell Graham (1833-1919). Hapstiŋna’s mother was the sister of Ṡakpe II, the Dakota leader whose name is now the name of the town of Shakopee.

Jim’s brother, Anpetutokeca John Otherday, was the most recognized Native American at this time, even though Jim was also well known in Shakopee.

Anpetutokeca noted in 1869, “When I gave up the war path and commenced working the earth for a living, I discarded all my former habits … My wife died during the winter which left my heart very sad. It was very hard for me to learn the white man’s ways, but I was determined to get my living by cultivating the land and raising stock.”

Anpetutokeca was born about 1819 in present-day Nicollet County. Anpetutokeca was a Dakota mediator from Minnesota who sought peace between Native people and white settler-colonists. He was a leader of a small band of Wahpeton Dakota farmers living on the reservation near the Upper Agency with his wife, Roseanne. For guiding 62 European Americans settler-colonists to safety during 1862, Otherday was received as a hero in St. Paul. “He helped guide non-Indian families through Indian villages for their safe journeys. Some people understood it was a humanitarian gesture, and others felt that we were betraying the tribe,” said relative Michael Childs in an oral interview at Minnesota Historical Society on June 20, 2022.

Anpetutokeca served as a scout for Henry Sibley and fought beside white soldiers at the Battle of Wood Lake. He died in Dakota Territory in 1869, according to Gary Clayton Anderson and Alan R, Woolworth in Through Dakota Eyes: Narrative Accounts of the Minnesota Indian War of 1862.

As for Jim Redbird Otherday? During the Third District American Legion Convention, which brought more than ten thousand to Shakopee in June 1927, Jim entertained listeners for a fee, and his recollections of the Battle of Shakopee in 1858 was a hit to the people listening, according to The Shakopee Storyon page 318.

Jim was a familiar figure on the streets of Shakopee. He passed away at his modest little frame home across the river east of town on Friday, March 28, 1927. His daughter, Minnie Otherday Weldon, noted that she was 86 years old, according to the article, “Jim Otherday Crosses Divide,” in the Shakopee Argus-Tribune, April 3, 1930.

The funeral took place at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father McRaith officiating. The interment was at the Valley Cemetery, beside his wife, father, mother, and brother. After the Tiowakan Spiritual Center and Community Cemetery was opened at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in 2000, the remains of Jim and other relatives were reinterred at the SMSC.

For more information about James Redbird Otherday and Tínṫa Otuŋwe, visit Hoċokata Ti [ho-cho-kah-tah-tee] the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s (SMSC) cultural center and gathering space. The public exhibit, “Mdewakanton: Dwellers of the Spirit Lake,” enhance the knowledge and understanding of the Mdewakanton Dakota people and their history. Hoċokata Ti is at 2300 Tiwahe Circle, Shakopee, MN 55379. (952) 233-9151.

Bibliography

Anderson, Gary Clayton and Alan R. Woolworth. Through Dakota Eyes: Narrative Accounts of the Minnesota Indian War of 1862. Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1988.

Childs, Michael. Oral interview. Minnesota Historical Society, 20 June 2022. http://www.usdakotawar.org/node/1029.

Coller, Julius A. II. The Shakopee Story,p. 318.

Diamond, Peter. “Behind Minnesota’s Native History.“ Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, 3 Dec. 2019. https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/our-home-native-minnesota-history-center/.

“Jim Otherday Crosses Divide.” Shakopee Argus-Tribune, 3 April 1930.

Shakopee Argus-Tribune, 3 April 1930.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022

Anna Kubatová Kubat was born in Pušperk, Plzeň, Czech Republic January 21, 1841. Her parents were Johann Kubatová and Josefa Matka.

Anna came from a large family in Bohemia. In June 1862 Anna, along with her parents and some members of her family headed to America on the ship Geestemunde, and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland before heading to New Prague, Minnesota. In the story handed down by the Kubat family, Johann Kubatová raised his voice and named the place after Prague in his fatherland.

Anna married Mathias A. Deutsch, Jr. Mathias came in 1855 with his parents, brothers, and sisters. Mathias was a farmer, but also a shoemaker. He was born August 24, 1832, in Besch, Landkreis Merzig-Wadern, Saarland, Germany and died January 27, 1915, in Sand Creek, Minnesota. Mathias was the son of Mathias Deutsch and Anna Spandel.

Mathias was an upright, honorable God-fearing man who had earned the respect of his neighbors.

Mathias, like his family, spoke German. In fact, Mathias’s parents not only spoke German, they insisted that their son marry someone who also was German and spoke the German language.

Anna spoke Czech. The Czech language, formerly known as Bohemian, is a Slavic language. It is sometimes mistaken for Russian, Polish, and Slovakian. There are many similarities between the Czech and Slovakian language since the two countries used to be one country (Czechoslovakia) until their peaceful split in 1993.

So, Mathias did what every other son did. He married Anna, even though he only spoke German, and Anna only spoke Czech. They married on January 27, 1863, during the Civil War. Though they both couldn’t speak each other’s language, they must have been doing okay, as they ended up having nine children: Bill, Joe, Frank, Sophia, Anna, Mary, Henry, Matt, and John.

When Anna was 72 years old, Anna and Mathias had their golden anniversary on January 27, 1917, in Helena.

Two years later, Mathias died January 27, 1915, at age 82. He was the first of many family members buried in the family plot at the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Sand Creek.

Anna lived to be ninety years old when she died March 8, 1931. In fact, Anna lived for 68 years on the same family farm in Sand Creek.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022

Anna Christine Kreger was born June 28, 1871, in Waconia, Minnesota. Her parents were Andrew Ferdinand Kreger (1839-1916) and Mary Ann Moormann (1845-1916). Anna’s grandparents were Andrew Christ Kreger and Wilhemine, and Johann Bernard Moormann and Margaretha Mueller.

When she was 29 years old, Anna married Joseph Daniel Fischer (1869-1929) in St. Paul on July 25, 1900. It was a double wedding, with Anna and Joseph, and Julia Kreger, her sister, marrying John Doty. Rev. Father Solnce from St. Agnes Catholic Church officiated.

According to the Scott County Arguson July 26, 1900, “The church had been handsomely decorated with palms presented by Hanson, the florist, and the auditorium was well filled with friends of the bridal parties which lent a gala air to the glad occasion.”

After the church ceremony, the bridal party had a reception at the brides’ parents’. “Shakopee, of course, takes an unusual interest in this double wedding from the fact that one of the grooms, Mr. Fischer, has lived all his life here, and is now proprietor of the Shakopee Cement Stone works, one of the city’s successful industries.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Fischer will come to Shakopee, their future home, on this evening train, and commence housekeeping at once in the Henry Hinds house east of N.A. Ferguson’s residence. All is ready here to receive them, and a reception will be held at their home tonight.”

Anna and Joseph had four children: Evelyn Margaret Fischer Strunk, Beaty Anna Beatrice Fischer, Cyrus Joseph, and Joseph Daniel.

Anna Christine Kreger Fischer died on October 29, 1951, in Shakopee, and was buried next to her husband, Joseph, at the Catholic Cemetery in Shakopee.

Bibliography

Scott County Argus, 26 July 1900.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2023

Anna (Annabelle) Pope was born in Farmington, Minnesota on April 18, 1878. Her parents were Seymour Pope (1845-1907) and Mary Florence Williams Pope (1850-1931). Anna’s grandparents were Edmund Pope (1802-1858) and Jerusha Taylor Pope (1804-1851); and Jonathan D. Williams (1805-1857) and Elizabeth B. Matteson.

Anna’s great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Thomas Pope, was born in England in 1608 and died in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, was on the Mayflower, and came to Plymouth Colony as a settler-colonist, as did several of her relatives. Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was the first permanent English colony in New England from 1620 to 1691 and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony, according to Wikipedia.

Other great-great-great-great-great-grandparents of Anna were Ensign Jacob Mitchell (1645-1675) and Susannah Pope Mitchell (1649-1675). Jacob and Susannah were involved in King Philip’s War, sometimes called the First Indian War, Pometacomet’s Rebellion, or Metacom’s Rebellion. It was an armed conflict in 1675-76 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England settler-colonists and their indigenous allies. The war is named for Metacom, the Wampanoag chief who adopted the name Philip because of the friendly relations between his father Massasoit and the Mayflower Pilgrims, according to Wikipedia.

Ensign Mitchell and Susannah were slain by Phillip’s warriors “early in the morning as they were going to the garrison, wither they had sent their children the afternoon before,” according to The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Boston, 1847.

Anna, along with Ida Dorothea Busse, became the first graduates of Union School in Shakopee, in 1898. Students before them had graduated in Shakopee, but this was the first time that a state signed approval based on the good rank among schools of the state in the matter of examinations, according to the Scott County Argus, May 23, 1898.

In the Scott County Arguson June 19, 1898, the first annual commencement of Union School happened Tuesday evening, June 7, 1898, at the Lander Opera House on the corner of Holmes and First Avenue in Shakopee. The program was listened to with rapt attention by an audience “which tested the capacity of the big hall.”

It started with a march by the stringed orchestra, made up of “mandolins, guitar, and ‘cello.” Anna and Ida marched in, along with the school board, Professor McBee, and the speaker, Hon. William H. Eustis. Rev. J.B. Ferguson invoked the Divine blessing. Then Mrs. R.P. Starr, in a piano solo, sang “Selections from Faust.” According to the Scott County Argus, “The surprising ease and grace with which Mrs. Starr brings into play all the techniques of her art, at the same time never failing to express the thought of a composition, entitle her to high rank as a musician, and in the opinion of many she excels any pianist, professional or amateur, that has been heard in Shakopee.” She then sang “Narcissus”as an encore.

Other performers included Mabel Peck who sang “Angel’s Serenade,” Mae Plumstead sang a few soprano solos, and then Anna spoke about colonial women, probably from her family remembrance, and “it was a pleasure to hear her good thoughts in clearly denunciated words and expressive sentences. At the conclusion of her essay she was given quite an ovation, amid which a handsome bunch of roses was tendered her.”

After Ida spoke and a few more songs, Hon. William H. Eustis spoke for 45 minutes about his thoughts. Eustis likened the condition of his mind to his grandmother’s workbasket, in which there were many varied spools, some with much wound upon them and some with less. Finally, William Willson presented the diplomas to Anna and Ida, and after the benediction by Rev. Ferguson, the audience was dismissed.

As for Anna? After graduation, she stayed in Shakopee for a short time, and on June 22, 1904, in Shakopee she married Arthur Hubert Alexander of Northfield. Arthur’s parents were Jonas C. Alexander and Eliza Jane Nichols Alexander.

Anna and Arthur moved to Waterford, Minnesota, and by 1910 they had moved to Bucoda, Washington. In 1935 they moved to Soledad, in Los Angeles County.

Anna died July 31, 1957, in Los Angeles, California.

Arthur died August 23, 1962, according to The Signal, Santa Clarita, California on Thursday, August 8, 1957. He was buried in Los Angeles, next to the first graduate of Union School in Shakopee, Anna (Annabelle) Pope Alexander.

Bibliography

“King Philip’s War.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Philip%27s_War.

The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001–2009.

“Plymouth Colony.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Colony.

Scott County Argus, 23 May 1898.

Scott County Argus, 19 June 1898.

The Signal, 27 Aug. 1931.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2021

Angelica Maria Arevalo was born December 1, 1978, in Reynosa Tamaulipas, a small town on the border of the United States and Mexico.

Her parents are Hortencia Rodriguez and Gilberto Arevalo. Angelica is the oldest of eight siblings. Her parents and Angelica immigrated to the city of Houston, Texas when she was six months old.

Angelica attended Houston public schools, excelled in middle school, and was accepted to the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, a magnet school.

At age 16, Angelica started dating Eduardo Contreras. They met in church. On March 18, 1996, they were married. She continued her education and graduated, and, in 1998, Angelica became a citizen of the United States.

Eduardo had a good job opportunity in Minnesota because he was good with roofing and siding. In March 1999, Angelica and Eduardo moved to Shakopee. This is where Angelica saw the opportunity to begin advocating for and representing the Latino community. With the support of the deacon at the church she attended, the Iglesia del Dios Vivo, Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad, La Luz del Mundo, Angelica became a liaison between the church and city.

She helped with many projects from acquiring permits from the city to advocating for the brethren of the church. In her spare time, Angelica helped translate documents, interpret at courts, local schools, and even hospitals. There was always someone that would come and ask for advice, resources and information, since she was fluent in the English language and knowledgeable of the resources and programs available in Shakopee.

Angelica continued to work for the community, including the CAP Agency in 2011, where she started as a Spanish speaking customer service representative and later as a certified lactation counselor for Scott, Carver, and Dakota County’s WIC program; was a member of the Parent Advisory Committee at Central Family Center, where she worked on starting programs in other languages; was the vice-president of the Shakopee Diversity Alliance (SDA) from 2018-2019; and served as volunteer coordinator for Mary Hernandez’s campaign.

After all of this, Angelica was asked repeatedly to not just support candidates but join boards and political positions. To make a difference, Angelica joined the Shakopee Soccer Association where she promotes the association by recruiting players in diverse cultures and communities. She also helps with financial assistance to the players with financial difficulties.

Finally, Angelica decided to run for city council in Shakopee. She wanted to continue supporting diverse housing. Since Shakopee was so diverse and rich in cultures, family comes in many sizes. Having multi-living options and housing for all was a need.

Secondly, Angelica knew representation was still a lacking factor. She had been there for the Latino community and provided many services for so long she knew someone needed to be their voice. She wanted to become the first Mexican American female to sit on council.

And Angelica wanted to support local businesses to keep the community and downtown thriving.

Starting January 1, 2019, Angelica Maria Arevalo-Contreras became the first person of color and the first Mexican American city council member. She continues to advocate for and represent all the people of Shakopee.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022

Andrew Ferdinand Kreger was born January 15, 1839, in Germany, the son of Andrew Christ Kreger and his wife, Wilhelmina. While still young, Andrew and his parents emigrated to America, settling in Buffalo, New York. The last name, Kreger, was sometimes called Krueger and sometimes Krieger, but in later life his last name was Kreger.

Andrew moved to St. Paul, Minnesota Territory in 1854. When he was 22 years old, he lived in Waconia when he heard about the Civil War. On April 29, 1861, he became part of Company C, First Minnesota Infantry, where he was promoted to corporal and then sergeant.

In the famous Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, Andrew was one of many First Minnesota men who helped repel the Rebels, but at great sacrifice. Eighty-two percent of the First Minnesota men were killed or wounded at Gettysburg, the highest casualty rate of the war.

At one point, Union general Winfield Scott Hancock ordered the 262 men of the First Minnesota to charge the 1,600 advancing Alabama Rebels. Sgt. Alfred Carpenter, in a letter at the Minnesota Historical Society, recalled, “We advanced down the slope… Comrade after comrade dropped from the ranks; but the line went. No one took a second look at his fallen companion. We had no time to weep.”

A letter sent to the Winona Republicannewspaper said, “We are in the midst of a terrible battle. Two thirds of the regiment are killed or wounded. We got the better of the enemy in the fight, and our regiment captured one stand of colors.”

The Union and Confederacy suffered 45 thousand casualties at Gettysburg. Over 620 thousand soldiers died in the Civil War. Andrew Kreger was wounded in the left thigh during Gettysburg. He was in the hospital at Harper’s Ferry, and was mustered out on May 5, 1864, according to the St. Paul Dispatch, June 22, 1911.

On May 16, 1866, Andrew married Mary Ann Moormann at Assumption Catholic Church in St. Paul. They had eight children.

For 22 years he was employed as a car and truck builder in the Northern Pacific shops in St. Paul, according to the Scott County Argus on March 10, 1916. He also worked as a custodian at the McClellan School in St. Paul.

In 1915, Andrew moved to Shakopee to be with his daughter. On March 2, 1916, he died from heart trouble. He was ill only one day, and his death came as a great shock to many relatives and friends, according to the Shakopee Tribuneon March 10, 1916.

The funeral was held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Shakopee. A G.A.R. ritual with Commander Eli Southworth of General Shields Post happened before the funeral at the home. Rev. Father Andrew Koller officiated at the funeral of the old veteran. Military honors were given at the grave at the Catholic Cemetery, with trumpeter Walter Hancock sounding the taps.

Bibliography

St. Paul Dispatch, 22 June 1911.

Scott County Argus, 10 March 1916.

Shakopee Tribune, 10 March 1916.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022

Anderson Nguyen was born in St. Paul in September 1964, son of Tu Van Nguyen and Hoanh Thi Nguyen.

Anderson grew up in St. Paul, and he married Tuyet T. Cao. They had four children: Michelle Cao, Mimi Cao, Vicki Cao, and Mary Nguyen.

Anderson and his family were Buddhist.

Buddhism is the world’s fourth-largest religion, with over 470 million adherents. It originated in India, though it has largely been supplanted by Hinduism, and is still widely practiced throughout Asia.

Many people are drawn to Buddhism because of its emphasis on self-reflection. Its focus isn’t on a God or deity. Instead, followers strive to achieve a state of enlightenment. Buddhists believe that enlightenment cannot be achieved in a single lifetime. They believe in samsara, which is a cycle of death and rebirth. When someone dies, the energy within them doesn’t die with them. It just passes into another form. Only by achieving enlightenment can you escape that cycle.

While living in Minnesota, Anderson often learned of the Vietnamese rituals at the temple. The smell of incense and firecrackers, the bright yellows and pinks, the red envelopes, the altars adorned with fresh flowers and fruit—all are signs that Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, has arrived. For many Vietnamese, Tet is one of the most joyous events of the year. People look toward the future but also remember the past. More than a celebration of the new year, it is a celebration within the household of family values, and in Buddhist temples people gather for festivals held to enjoy specially prepared dishes, watch performances by popular singers and troupes of lion dancers, and experience the excitement that explodes on the first day of the new year, according to Allison Truitt in an article, “Offerings to Kings and Buddha: Vietnamese Ritual Activities at Chua Bo De.”

Anderson was a loving husband, father, son, and brother. A hard-working man, Anderson worked as a chef and shared those talents at home as well. He cooked the best food ever, especially seafood and crab. His happiest moments were with his family—cooking for them, having family dinners, and grill outs. Anderson loved his family deeply, including his cats Baku and Dior.

No matter what, Anderson was the life of the party. He would socialize, dance, sing karaoke, and make others laugh with his sense of humor. Anderson enjoyed traveling, playing cards, watching football, maintaining his cars, and taking bike rides. He also had great fashion sense.

When he was. 53, Anderson Nguyen, who lived in Shakopee, passed away on Monday, July 19, 2021.

Anderson had a final viewing and traditional Buddhist prayers on July 24, 2021, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation at 833 South Marschall Road in Shakopee.

Bibliography

Truitt, Allison. “Offerings to Kings and Buddha: Vietnamese Ritual Activities at Chua Bo De.” Louisiana’s Living, 1999. https://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/offeringskingsbuddha.html.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2021

Amy Ellen Mahtiya To Winyan Blue Sky Woman Crooks-Larca was born November 13, 1946, in Pipestone, Minnesota, daughter of Amos L. Crooks (1919-1999) and Rosemma Coursolle Crooks (1925-2003). She was a member of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Her brother was Glynn Allyn Crooks.

Amy served as chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary/treasurer of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Business Council.

She married Robert Larca, and they had six children: Tracy, Cyndy, Terry, Tricia, Melinda, and Terri Lynn, according to the McNearney-Schmidt Funeral Home.

Amy died April 1, 2012.

Dakota cultural practices have changed over time. There are many reasons for this: historical trauma, such as genocide; forced assimilation during the boarding school era (1860-1978) in which children were forcefully separated from their families and their language and cultural practices were brutally suppressed; the introduction of Christianity and the suppression of traditional ceremonies; and demographic changes beginning with World War II as many young Native people moved away, served in the military, and raised families outside of the tribal nation, according to Psychology Today.

People do not die, they walk on. Walking on implies a continuation of a journey rather than an endpoint on a linear path.

Like many Dakota, a traditional all-night wake happened on Wednesday, April 4 at the Glynn A. Crooks residence, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribuneon April 4, 2012. It included a prayer service led by Spiritual Leader Danny Seaboy. The family of the deceased feeds everyone in attendance. At least one family member must stand by the body at all times.

The rituals and ceremonies are an important part of the grieving process and are meant to encourage the spirit into the afterlife. The Dakota do fear death or going to an underworld. They believe in a spirit world, Wakan Tanka, in the sky in which the deceased are free of pain and suffering.

A Christian ceremony is usually performed. Afterward, a medicine man performs a more traditional ceremony with prayers, songs, and a drum group.

After each ceremony, friends and family take turns paying their final respects to the deceased by giving them “spiritual foods” called wasna or pemmican to help the spirit on its travels. Gifts for the spirit, such as knives and shawls, are also placed in the casket before burial.

The funeral happened on April 5, 2011, at the Tiowakan Spiritual Center at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. The Tiowakan Spiritual Center is a beautifully designed and welcoming church in Prior Lake. It is a diverse and inclusive Christian church. People are given the opportunity to share their testimony.

Officiating was the Rev. Marlene White Rabbit Helgemo.

Amy Ellen Mahtiya To Winyan Blue Sky Woman Crooks-Larca journeyed to the Spirit World on April 1, 2012, but her life continues with her family and her community.

For more information about the Dakota, Hoċokata Ti [ho-chokah-tah-tee], the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s (SMSC) cultural center and gathering space, is worth visiting. The public exhibit, “Mdewakanton: Dwellers of the Spirit Lake,” enhance the knowledge and understanding of the Mdewakanton Dakota people and their history. Hoċokata Ti is at 2300 Tiwahe Circle, Shakopee, MN 55379. (952) 233-9151.

Bibliography

“Amy Ellen Larca.” McNearney-Schmidt Funeral Home. https://www.mcnearneyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Amy-Ellen-Larca?obId=1152739.

Mendoza, Marilyn A. “Death and Bereavement Among the Lakota.” Psychology Today, 7 Oct. 2017. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-grief/201710/death-and-bereavement-among-the-lakota.

Minneapolis Star Tribune. 4 April 2012.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2023

Alice Hinds was born June 2, 1854, in Salem, New York. Her parents were Henry Hinds (1826-1903) and Mary Fassett Woodworth Hinds (1825-1906). According to Progressive Men of Minnesotaby Marion Daniel Shutter in 1853, and The Minneapolis Journalin 1897, “The ancestors of the subject of this sketch, on both the paternal and maternal sides, were of good old Colonial stock, having come to this country about the year 1650.”

“Several members of the family were soldiers in the War of the Revolution. Henry Hinds…was an early pioneer in the state of Minnesota, coming here in 1854 and settling at Shakopee, where he has ever since resided and practiced law.”

Alice’s grandparents were Charles Hinds (1787-1859) and Jane Agnes Oua Hinds (1793-1881); and Ira Woodworth (1793-1881) and Wealthy Ann Gilbert Woodworth (1797-1846). Great-grandparents were John Bradford Hinds (1753-1799) and Susanna Tenney Hinds (1750-1860); Robert Oua (1747-1830) and Margaret Peggy Armstrong Oua (1752-1814); Major Lott Woodworth (1766-1840) and Asenath Elizabeth Heath Woodworth (1768-1850); and Joseph Gilbert (1777-1829) and Charlotte Day Gilbert (1779-1852).

According to Alice, her father “was born at Hebron, New York, in 1826; graduated from the Albany Normal College in 1850; took up the study of law in the Cincinnati Law School and graduated from that institution in 1852.”

Henry married Mary Fassett Woodworth in 1853. Alice was the first of seven children, born June 2, 1854.

In 1854, the family moved to Shakopee, Minnesota Territory. The next six children were born in Shakopee: Mary Hinds Lord (1856-1923); Henry, Jr. (1858-1883); George (1860-1888); William (1862-1932); Dolly (1863–1863); and Charles Gilbert (1866-1920).

Henry opened a law office at Shakopee. “He held many offices of public trust. He was one of the leading lawyers of the Eighth Judicial District up to the time of his retiring from active practice in 1884. In the early day he acted as the county attorney of Scott County and judge of probate. He was a member of the lower house of the legislature from Scott County in 1878 and was made a member of the board of managers in the impeachment of Judge Page, making the closing argument for the board before the senate. In 1879 and 1881 he served in the state senate,” according to Progressive Men of Minnesota.

Alice married John W. Sencerbox, who was born September 1, 1849, in New York, and died October 27, 1922. They married in Shakopee on April 2, 1874.

In 1879, Alice and John had a daughter, Katherine (Katie). But a year later, in January 1880, Katie became sick with brain fever and died at age one.

Alice Hinds Sencerbox died July 17, 1900, in Spring Lake, Scott, Minnesota. According to the Minnesota U.S. Obituary Index, 1891-2003, it noted:

Alice Hinds Senserbox. (spelled wrong)

On the website, Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003, it noted:

Valley Cemetery
Shakopee, Scott County, Minnesota, USA
GPS-Latitude: 44.7970428, Longitude: -93.4972229
PLOT Front left of cemetery.
MEMORIAL ID 82315096

Spouse: Henry Hinds (Actually, this is the name of her father, not her husband. Her husband was John W. Sencerbox.)
Married: September 1, 1853, Salem, New York (This is the marriage of Alice’s father and mother.).
Father: Ira Woodworth
Mother: Wealthy Ann Gilbert. (Again, the memorial is wrong. Ira Woodworth and Wealthy Ann Gilbert are not Alice’s parents, but her mother, Mary Fassett Woodworth’s parents, Ira Woodworth (1793-1861) and Wealthy Ann Gilbert Woodworth (1797-1846).

Alice was buried at Valley Cemetery, according to Find a Grave.

John died October 27, 1922, in Minneapolis. He was buried in Valley Cemetery in Shakopee.

Bibliography

Gardengirl. “Alice Hinds Sencerbox (1854-1900).” Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121329386/alice-sencerbox.

The Minneapolis Journal. 1897.

Minnesota U.S. Obituary Index, 1891-2003.

Shutter, Marion Daniel. Progressive Men of Minnesota. 1853.

Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2020

Orestus S. Brown was born in New York in 1831. He moved to Shakopee in 1869 when his son, Frederick Van Ness Brown, was seven years old.

His wife, Evelyn Bortle Brown, died March 8, 1871. The family and servants lived on a farm between Hamilton (Savage) and Shakopee in Glendale.

In 1880, Orestus and his second wife, Carrie, along with their two children, Frederick and Gertrude, moved to their new home in downtown Shakopee.

And along with the family was Alice Briggs, who was listed as an indentured servant.

The house is at 519 First Avenue East, one of the oldest structures in Shakopee.

The house was built in 1856 as a 24’ x 24’ limestone. In 1880 it sold to David and Julia Brown, and in 1888 to O.S. Brown. The house is across the street from the First Presbyterian Church, now the Iglesia la Luz Mundo Casa de Oracion.

Some people in Minnesota were rich. But this wealth was not shared by all. People on the top, mostly businessmen, made lots of money. The middle-class people, such as doctors and lawyers, lived very comfortably. But, like most ordinary working people, Alice’s family was poor. Alice was 15 years old. Her father was from Tennessee, and her mother was from New York. Alice had brothers and sisters, and though they were living in a small, cramped home, Alice decided to get a job.

There weren’t many jobs in rural Minnesota except for farmhands, factory workers (which were mostly for men) and servants. The pay was bad, the hours were long, and there was not a lot of personal freedom, but Alice decided to work for a rich family in Shakopee. Once Alice got the job, she needed to be neat and pleasant around their home. She needed to be obedient and show the right attitude.

O.S. and Carrie wanted a servant who did the work. Alice needed to get up at dawn to light the fires and boil water for washing. She had to help cook and serve breakfast (and then, afterwards, she could eat her own breakfast). Alice had to clean the home, wash the floors, and help with the laundry. Alice had to sweep, dust, clean glass windows, and shake and beat the carpets. She had to polish the heavy wooden furniture, wipe down walls, and clean the pavement and steps outside the front door. She had to work all day, from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m., where she could retire to her cold and damp room and into the hard and lumpy bed to sleep (and hope the bed bugs don’t bite) before being up again at the crack of dawn.

Luckily for Alice, Freda and Charles Long were also servants of the Browns in 1880. Freda probably cooked, and Charles helped chop wood and helped with the farm. Freda, a white female, was age twenty, and Charles was white and male, age 23. Charles was also a farmhand. Both Freda and Charles were from Michigan, but their parents were from Prussia. Alice was born in Minnesota, and her parents were from Tennessee and New York.

A boarder, Columbus McMullen, also lived at this home. He was bedridden and probably disabled. He was 27 years old and probably needed to be helped by the three servants.

Monday was laundry day. Filthy clothes were washed and mended, and bed linens were cleaned. Bundles and baskets of wash were taken outside. The dirty water from the day before had to be hauled out of the kettles, bucket by bucket, and dumped in the yard, though not too close to the house. Then came refilling the kettles with water pulled up, bucket by bucket, from the well, or down at the bank of the Minnesota River. Then clean water had been poured into the kettles. Proper laundering required lots of boiling-hot water.

To loosen the dirt, the clothes were first boiled in a massive copper cauldron outside. Then they were scrubbed with lye soup made from ashes and pig’s fat. Sometimes Alice would use a brush, and other times against an old scrubbing board that liked to take the skin off Alice’s knuckles. Stains —and nearly every piece of clothing had some —were treated with lye or pipe clay and then soaked in soapy water.

People who lived in this house in Shakopee remember a spirit, an African American, who was doing laundry over and over.

Was it the spirit of Alice Briggs?

Alice was not in the next census, so people don’t know what happened to Alice, who lived and worked in Shakopee.