West 1/3, Section 17, Wood River Precinct, Hall County, NE. Along creek. No Marker.
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Grand Island Independent Friday 27 November 1896 p. 3
OF HISTORICAL FAMILY
Mrs. Baker's death will recall to the minds of the oldest citizens of the county, some of the dangers and perils of heir early life in this vicinity. Mrs. Baker's father, as above stated, "Captain" Joseph Smith, was one of the earliest settlers and the following account of his death at the hands of Indians appears in a History of Nebraska:
"In September 1860, a battle was fought on the Island between the Pawnees and the Sioux, but so little did the settlers fear them that the work of hauling hay was not stopped. This feeling of security did not last long; for, when the troops were ordered east to participate in the Civil War, the officers advised the settlers to abandon their homes, as the Indians would make a total clearance of the whites.
"It was on February 5th, 1862, when it became to chronicle the first massacre of whites by Indians in Hall county. Joseph P. Smith and Anderson, his son-in-law, farmers of Wood River, about twelve miles west of Grand Island, went after some building logs to the north channel of the Platte, about two and one-half miles south of their claims. They were accompanied by William and Charles Smith, and Alexander Anderson, aged eleven, nine and fourteen years respectfully. Anderson, who had taken a load of logs home that morning, returned to the woods, where he had left Smith and the boys and two teams, only to find all of them murdered. the old man Smith had seven arrows in his body, and was lying on the ice with his face down, holding each of his boys by one hand. His son William, was living. He was shot by an arrow and one of his cheeks was cut open from mouth to ear. He soon bled to death, after being carried home. The other son, Charles, had his skull crushed in and his neck broken, and young Anderson was found some distance off in the woods, with his skull also broken; but the four horses were taken away. The Smith family came from Lake county, Ind., in the fall of 1861, and Mr. Smith had opened a small store in connection with his farm.
"On the news spreading abroad, the settlers armed and jumping into their saddles, scoured the country, Jesse Eldridge and several other settlers on Wood River, captures seventeen Siouxs all armed with bow and arrow. This capture was made eighteen miles east of Fort Kearney, in a dry channel of the Platte, where the red-skins hovered by the bank, evidently trying to hide from pursuers. They were turned over to Capt. Johnson of fort Kearney, who released the murderers, the captain remarking 'that he would rather see twenty settlers killed than to have Fort Kearney attacked by the Sioux.' The rescue was timely for it was shown subsequently that those redmen were not guilty, at least of the Smith massacre."
*******
Grand Island Independent Friday 27 November 1896 p. 3
OF HISTORICAL FAMILY
Mrs. Baker's death will recall to the minds of the oldest citizens of the county, some of the dangers and perils of heir early life in this vicinity. Mrs. Baker's father, as above stated, "Captain" Joseph Smith, was one of the earliest settlers and the following account of his death at the hands of Indians appears in a History of Nebraska:
"In September 1860, a battle was fought on the Island between the Pawnees and the Sioux, but so little did the settlers fear them that the work of hauling hay was not stopped. This feeling of security did not last long; for, when the troops were ordered east to participate in the Civil War, the officers advised the settlers to abandon their homes, as the Indians would make a total clearance of the whites.
"It was on February 5th, 1862, when it became to chronicle the first massacre of whites by Indians in Hall county. Joseph P. Smith and Anderson, his son-in-law, farmers of Wood River, about twelve miles west of Grand Island, went after some building logs to the north channel of the Platte, about two and one-half miles south of their claims. They were accompanied by William and Charles Smith, and Alexander Anderson, aged eleven, nine and fourteen years respectfully. Anderson, who had taken a load of logs home that morning, returned to the woods, where he had left Smith and the boys and two teams, only to find all of them murdered. the old man Smith had seven arrows in his body, and was lying on the ice with his face down, holding each of his boys by one hand. His son William, was living. He was shot by an arrow and one of his cheeks was cut open from mouth to ear. He soon bled to death, after being carried home. The other son, Charles, had his skull crushed in and his neck broken, and young Anderson was found some distance off in the woods, with his skull also broken; but the four horses were taken away. The Smith family came from Lake county, Ind., in the fall of 1861, and Mr. Smith had opened a small store in connection with his farm.
"On the news spreading abroad, the settlers armed and jumping into their saddles, scoured the country, Jesse Eldridge and several other settlers on Wood River, captures seventeen Siouxs all armed with bow and arrow. This capture was made eighteen miles east of Fort Kearney, in a dry channel of the Platte, where the red-skins hovered by the bank, evidently trying to hide from pursuers. They were turned over to Capt. Johnson of fort Kearney, who released the murderers, the captain remarking 'that he would rather see twenty settlers killed than to have Fort Kearney attacked by the Sioux.' The rescue was timely for it was shown subsequently that those redmen were not guilty, at least of the Smith massacre."
West 1/3, Section 17, Wood River Precinct, Hall County, NE. Along creek. No Marker.
*******
Grand Island Independent Friday 27 November 1896 p. 3
OF HISTORICAL FAMILY
Mrs. Baker's death will recall to the minds of the oldest citizens of the county, some of the dangers and perils of heir early life in this vicinity. Mrs. Baker's father, as above stated, "Captain" Joseph Smith, was one of the earliest settlers and the following account of his death at the hands of Indians appears in a History of Nebraska:
"In September 1860, a battle was fought on the Island between the Pawnees and the Sioux, but so little did the settlers fear them that the work of hauling hay was not stopped. This feeling of security did not last long; for, when the troops were ordered east to participate in the Civil War, the officers advised the settlers to abandon their homes, as the Indians would make a total clearance of the whites.
"It was on February 5th, 1862, when it became to chronicle the first massacre of whites by Indians in Hall county. Joseph P. Smith and Anderson, his son-in-law, farmers of Wood River, about twelve miles west of Grand Island, went after some building logs to the north channel of the Platte, about two and one-half miles south of their claims. They were accompanied by William and Charles Smith, and Alexander Anderson, aged eleven, nine and fourteen years respectfully. Anderson, who had taken a load of logs home that morning, returned to the woods, where he had left Smith and the boys and two teams, only to find all of them murdered. the old man Smith had seven arrows in his body, and was lying on the ice with his face down, holding each of his boys by one hand. His son William, was living. He was shot by an arrow and one of his cheeks was cut open from mouth to ear. He soon bled to death, after being carried home. The other son, Charles, had his skull crushed in and his neck broken, and young Anderson was found some distance off in the woods, with his skull also broken; but the four horses were taken away. The Smith family came from Lake county, Ind., in the fall of 1861, and Mr. Smith had opened a small store in connection with his farm.
"On the news spreading abroad, the settlers armed and jumping into their saddles, scoured the country, Jesse Eldridge and several other settlers on Wood River, captures seventeen Siouxs all armed with bow and arrow. This capture was made eighteen miles east of Fort Kearney, in a dry channel of the Platte, where the red-skins hovered by the bank, evidently trying to hide from pursuers. They were turned over to Capt. Johnson of fort Kearney, who released the murderers, the captain remarking 'that he would rather see twenty settlers killed than to have Fort Kearney attacked by the Sioux.' The rescue was timely for it was shown subsequently that those redmen were not guilty, at least of the Smith massacre."
*******
Grand Island Independent Friday 27 November 1896 p. 3
OF HISTORICAL FAMILY
Mrs. Baker's death will recall to the minds of the oldest citizens of the county, some of the dangers and perils of heir early life in this vicinity. Mrs. Baker's father, as above stated, "Captain" Joseph Smith, was one of the earliest settlers and the following account of his death at the hands of Indians appears in a History of Nebraska:
"In September 1860, a battle was fought on the Island between the Pawnees and the Sioux, but so little did the settlers fear them that the work of hauling hay was not stopped. This feeling of security did not last long; for, when the troops were ordered east to participate in the Civil War, the officers advised the settlers to abandon their homes, as the Indians would make a total clearance of the whites.
"It was on February 5th, 1862, when it became to chronicle the first massacre of whites by Indians in Hall county. Joseph P. Smith and Anderson, his son-in-law, farmers of Wood River, about twelve miles west of Grand Island, went after some building logs to the north channel of the Platte, about two and one-half miles south of their claims. They were accompanied by William and Charles Smith, and Alexander Anderson, aged eleven, nine and fourteen years respectfully. Anderson, who had taken a load of logs home that morning, returned to the woods, where he had left Smith and the boys and two teams, only to find all of them murdered. the old man Smith had seven arrows in his body, and was lying on the ice with his face down, holding each of his boys by one hand. His son William, was living. He was shot by an arrow and one of his cheeks was cut open from mouth to ear. He soon bled to death, after being carried home. The other son, Charles, had his skull crushed in and his neck broken, and young Anderson was found some distance off in the woods, with his skull also broken; but the four horses were taken away. The Smith family came from Lake county, Ind., in the fall of 1861, and Mr. Smith had opened a small store in connection with his farm.
"On the news spreading abroad, the settlers armed and jumping into their saddles, scoured the country, Jesse Eldridge and several other settlers on Wood River, captures seventeen Siouxs all armed with bow and arrow. This capture was made eighteen miles east of Fort Kearney, in a dry channel of the Platte, where the red-skins hovered by the bank, evidently trying to hide from pursuers. They were turned over to Capt. Johnson of fort Kearney, who released the murderers, the captain remarking 'that he would rather see twenty settlers killed than to have Fort Kearney attacked by the Sioux.' The rescue was timely for it was shown subsequently that those redmen were not guilty, at least of the Smith massacre."
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