Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2022
Jannette Elizabeth Sykes was born near Lockport, New York, July 29, 1833. Her parents were Harry Nathaniel Sykes (1793-1872) and Elizabeth Seeber (1794-1862). Her family later migrated to Van Wert County, Ohio, where she married Joseph Warren DeCamp on May 30, 1852.
Joseph was born on October 13, 1826, son of John DeCamp (ca. 1790-1851) and Hannah Springer (1788-1842).
The couple moved to Shakopee, Minnesota in 1855, and in 1861 to the Red Wood (Lower Sioux) Indian Agency. Joseph operated the sawmill.
Joseph and Jannette were mostly friends with the Indians. The Dakota visited daily. They traded for what they needed. The Dakota, with few exceptions, were kind and peaceable, and after a few months she grew accustomed to them and did not fear them. They came almost daily with their bags of corn to be ground, and would linger about the house, asking questions about everything.
During winter 1861-62, the Dakota were suffering. Their crops had been bad and there was much sickness due to starvation. The deep snow made the roads almost impassable and government supplies became scanty. The weekly government issues of food failed to meet the wants of many hungry people.
The DeCamps opened their cellar and distributed many bushels of vegetables to those who were suffering. “I cannot doubt that our friendly attitude toward them became the means of our preservation after being taken captive.”
On August 18, an Indian man told her that all the white people had been killed at the agency, “and you had better be getting out of this.” Wacouta’s mother came running past. She cried, “Puck-a-chee! Puck-a-chee!” “Fly! Fly!”
Jannette and her children were taken captive in August 1862. Some of those she aided returned the favor. One was Towanetaton, or Face of the Village, also known as Lawrence Lorenzo. Towanetaton was the son of Left Hand and Tatidutawin or Her Scarlet House, most known by her Christian name of Catherine Tatidutawin.
Catherine was born into the Wahpeton Dakota community at Lac qui Parle in west central Minnesota in 1801, daughter of Dawamanyici and Kagiwin, according to Dakota Soul Sisters.
Catherine gave food and shelter to Jannette and family. Then Catherine’s son, Towanetaton, helped Jannette and family escape to Fort Ridgely. He guided them to a marsh where they hid, and then they escaped along the river. As they travelled, they faced many tribulations from hunger, thirst, severe weather, exhaustion, and fear. After five days, they made it safely to Fort Ridgely along with Mrs. Robideaux and her five children who had been discovered along the way.
When she reached the fort, she learned her husband had been mortally wounded in the Battle of Birch Coulee.
Jannette married Rev. Joshua Sweet, an Episcopal chaplain at Fort Ridgely.
Joshua died in 1874, and Jannette eventually made her home in California, where she died at Alameda on June 25, 1920.
Bibliography
“Totidutawin: A True Dakota Soul Sister.” Dakota Soul Sisters. https://dakotasoulsisters.com/2013/02/21/totidutawin-a-true-dakota-soul-sister/.