The early history of Ransom County, North Dakota

This booklet was suggested some years ago from the fact that early in 1902 the publisher prepared for M.B. De La Bere, then editor of the Sheldon Progress, a couple of articles entitled "Some Early Visits of White Men to Ransom County." These were published in the Progress in its issues of April 25 and May 2, 1902. Mr. De La Bere is not now living, but was a man that rather ought to have lived longer into the new century. The publisher was not personally acquainted with him but may have seen him during some call made by him at the Pioneer office in Larimore, if he was ever here. We do not remember how long it may have been after the publication of the articles mentioned that such a project as including in our series a booklet on Ransom County was considered, but it was a number of years ago.

 

Table of Contents

I. General Description.
II. Fur Companies and the Fur Trade.
III. Some Government Expeditions.
IV. Civil Organization and Settlement.

 

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Ransom County came within the country that once belonged to the Yankton Sioux. The Sioux nation comprised several divisions and the larger clans were In turn divided into a few subdivisions which was the case with the Yauktons or Yanktonais. The Sioux originally dwelt in the lake region of northern Minnesota, from which they were expelled by the Chippewas who pressed westward upon them from the country south of Lake Superior. This took place sometime before 1760. Jonathan Carver found then located along the Minnesota river in 1766. From this location their increasing bands were gradually lured into the Dakotas, (except the northern part of North Dakota which the Chippewas claimed) by the abundance of buffalo and other large game animals.

There dwelt at that early period along the Sheyenne river a different people from the Sioux, called Shawaya or Shahiada, and in modern times the Cheyennes. They had their principal village on the south bend of the river, which came to be named after them. This tribe the Sioux attacked and drove to the southwest across the Missouri river.