Son of William J. Duley and Laura Terry, he served in law enforcement and was Chief of Police in Tacoma, Wash. for many years.
He was born in Minnesota Territory in 1856, where his family farmed in Winona County. His family then settled at Lake Shetek in 1861, along with 11 other families.
In the early morning of August 20, when some Dakota men approached Lake Shetek, the settlers were not alarmed at first. They knew some of them by name, and considered them their friends. They had no idea that two days before, some hostile Dakota had declared war on all white settlers, Indian agents, and traders.
The Dakota suddenly attacked the settlers at Lake Shetek. Those who survived the initial attack fled to a cabin at the far side of the lake. They were then told by Old Pawn, an Indian who had been one of their friends, that they could leave the area in a wagon. But when they were just a few miles down the road, the Dakota suddenly attacked again. The men, women, and children jumped out of the wagon and fled down an incline into a marsh, where they hid in the tall grass. After this fateful day, the area would come to be known as Slaughter Slough.
The Dakota killed some of the men, and captured some of the women and children, including Jefferson, his brothers, sisters, and mother. When the Dakota forced them to climb up a ridge, Jefferson's brother Willie was shot and mortally wounded. His mother knelt to comfort him, but an Indian pulled her away and forced her to continue walking. More shots rang out, others fell dead, and Laura Duley pleaded with the hostiles to spare her family. The group walked on, and more shots were fired, killing members of the Everett family. Jefferson's four year old sister, Belle, died from knife wounds.
Finally, the gunfire stopped and the hostile Dakota went away with their remaining captives. Five men were still alive in Slaughter Slough. One of them was Jefferson's father. He fled the area, not knowing whether he would ever see his family again.
The captives were forced to walk across the Midwestern plains until they reached an area near Standing Rock in Dakota Territory. Jefferson's older sister Emma survived and was with him. His mother, who was pregnant, miscarried during her captivity, and Jefferson's baby brother Francis, 8 months old, died in captivity in October.
During his time of captivity, Jefferson was traded for a gold watch and a horse.
In November, he and the other captives were rescued by a group of Teton Lakota men, known as "Fool Soldiers". The Lakota men were led by Martin Charger, who successfully negotiated with Chief White Lodge, trading their own guns and horses in order to secure their release.
The Fool Soldiers gave the women and children moccasins, and carried some of the children so they could leave as quickly as possible. The Lakota men brought them safely to Fort LaFramboise. From there, the captives were taken to Fort Randall, where they remained for three weeks. The final leg of their journey brought them to Yankton Agency, where one historical account states they arrived on New Year's Eve.
Another account places Jefferson at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26. On this day, it is said that he watched his father cut the rope that sprung the trap doors to hang 38 Dakota men - the largest simultaneous, mass execution in US history. The men had been tried in a kangaroo court military tribunal and found guilty of participating in the war and/or killing civilians.
Jefferson was only 6 years of age when he was taken captive by the hostile Dakota. He spent the rest of his boyhood at Mankato in Blue Earth County, Minn, where his father was a farmer. In the mid 1870's, he and sister Emma moved to Alabama with their parents, where his father worked as a millwright.
Eventually, Jefferson moved out West. He married Mary Hackshaw, and their daughter Maud was born about 1888 in Washington.
In 1893, he was the lamp lighter for the city of Tacoma. He then worked in public service for many years, serving as Chief of Police and Sergeant of Police in Tacoma.
He was born in Minnesota Territory in 1856, where his family farmed in Winona County. His family then settled at Lake Shetek in 1861, along with 11 other families.
In the early morning of August 20, when some Dakota men approached Lake Shetek, the settlers were not alarmed at first. They knew some of them by name, and considered them their friends. They had no idea that two days before, some hostile Dakota had declared war on all white settlers, Indian agents, and traders.
The Dakota suddenly attacked the settlers at Lake Shetek. Those who survived the initial attack fled to a cabin at the far side of the lake. They were then told by Old Pawn, an Indian who had been one of their friends, that they could leave the area in a wagon. But when they were just a few miles down the road, the Dakota suddenly attacked again. The men, women, and children jumped out of the wagon and fled down an incline into a marsh, where they hid in the tall grass. After this fateful day, the area would come to be known as Slaughter Slough.
The Dakota killed some of the men, and captured some of the women and children, including Jefferson, his brothers, sisters, and mother. When the Dakota forced them to climb up a ridge, Jefferson's brother Willie was shot and mortally wounded. His mother knelt to comfort him, but an Indian pulled her away and forced her to continue walking. More shots rang out, others fell dead, and Laura Duley pleaded with the hostiles to spare her family. The group walked on, and more shots were fired, killing members of the Everett family. Jefferson's four year old sister, Belle, died from knife wounds.
Finally, the gunfire stopped and the hostile Dakota went away with their remaining captives. Five men were still alive in Slaughter Slough. One of them was Jefferson's father. He fled the area, not knowing whether he would ever see his family again.
The captives were forced to walk across the Midwestern plains until they reached an area near Standing Rock in Dakota Territory. Jefferson's older sister Emma survived and was with him. His mother, who was pregnant, miscarried during her captivity, and Jefferson's baby brother Francis, 8 months old, died in captivity in October.
During his time of captivity, Jefferson was traded for a gold watch and a horse.
In November, he and the other captives were rescued by a group of Teton Lakota men, known as "Fool Soldiers". The Lakota men were led by Martin Charger, who successfully negotiated with Chief White Lodge, trading their own guns and horses in order to secure their release.
The Fool Soldiers gave the women and children moccasins, and carried some of the children so they could leave as quickly as possible. The Lakota men brought them safely to Fort LaFramboise. From there, the captives were taken to Fort Randall, where they remained for three weeks. The final leg of their journey brought them to Yankton Agency, where one historical account states they arrived on New Year's Eve.
Another account places Jefferson at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26. On this day, it is said that he watched his father cut the rope that sprung the trap doors to hang 38 Dakota men - the largest simultaneous, mass execution in US history. The men had been tried in a kangaroo court military tribunal and found guilty of participating in the war and/or killing civilians.
Jefferson was only 6 years of age when he was taken captive by the hostile Dakota. He spent the rest of his boyhood at Mankato in Blue Earth County, Minn, where his father was a farmer. In the mid 1870's, he and sister Emma moved to Alabama with their parents, where his father worked as a millwright.
Eventually, Jefferson moved out West. He married Mary Hackshaw, and their daughter Maud was born about 1888 in Washington.
In 1893, he was the lamp lighter for the city of Tacoma. He then worked in public service for many years, serving as Chief of Police and Sergeant of Police in Tacoma.
Son of William J. Duley and Laura Terry, he served in law enforcement and was Chief of Police in Tacoma, Wash. for many years.
He was born in Minnesota Territory in 1856, where his family farmed in Winona County. His family then settled at Lake Shetek in 1861, along with 11 other families.
In the early morning of August 20, when some Dakota men approached Lake Shetek, the settlers were not alarmed at first. They knew some of them by name, and considered them their friends. They had no idea that two days before, some hostile Dakota had declared war on all white settlers, Indian agents, and traders.
The Dakota suddenly attacked the settlers at Lake Shetek. Those who survived the initial attack fled to a cabin at the far side of the lake. They were then told by Old Pawn, an Indian who had been one of their friends, that they could leave the area in a wagon. But when they were just a few miles down the road, the Dakota suddenly attacked again. The men, women, and children jumped out of the wagon and fled down an incline into a marsh, where they hid in the tall grass. After this fateful day, the area would come to be known as Slaughter Slough.
The Dakota killed some of the men, and captured some of the women and children, including Jefferson, his brothers, sisters, and mother. When the Dakota forced them to climb up a ridge, Jefferson's brother Willie was shot and mortally wounded. His mother knelt to comfort him, but an Indian pulled her away and forced her to continue walking. More shots rang out, others fell dead, and Laura Duley pleaded with the hostiles to spare her family. The group walked on, and more shots were fired, killing members of the Everett family. Jefferson's four year old sister, Belle, died from knife wounds.
Finally, the gunfire stopped and the hostile Dakota went away with their remaining captives. Five men were still alive in Slaughter Slough. One of them was Jefferson's father. He fled the area, not knowing whether he would ever see his family again.
The captives were forced to walk across the Midwestern plains until they reached an area near Standing Rock in Dakota Territory. Jefferson's older sister Emma survived and was with him. His mother, who was pregnant, miscarried during her captivity, and Jefferson's baby brother Francis, 8 months old, died in captivity in October.
During his time of captivity, Jefferson was traded for a gold watch and a horse.
In November, he and the other captives were rescued by a group of Teton Lakota men, known as "Fool Soldiers". The Lakota men were led by Martin Charger, who successfully negotiated with Chief White Lodge, trading their own guns and horses in order to secure their release.
The Fool Soldiers gave the women and children moccasins, and carried some of the children so they could leave as quickly as possible. The Lakota men brought them safely to Fort LaFramboise. From there, the captives were taken to Fort Randall, where they remained for three weeks. The final leg of their journey brought them to Yankton Agency, where one historical account states they arrived on New Year's Eve.
Another account places Jefferson at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26. On this day, it is said that he watched his father cut the rope that sprung the trap doors to hang 38 Dakota men - the largest simultaneous, mass execution in US history. The men had been tried in a kangaroo court military tribunal and found guilty of participating in the war and/or killing civilians.
Jefferson was only 6 years of age when he was taken captive by the hostile Dakota. He spent the rest of his boyhood at Mankato in Blue Earth County, Minn, where his father was a farmer. In the mid 1870's, he and sister Emma moved to Alabama with their parents, where his father worked as a millwright.
Eventually, Jefferson moved out West. He married Mary Hackshaw, and their daughter Maud was born about 1888 in Washington.
In 1893, he was the lamp lighter for the city of Tacoma. He then worked in public service for many years, serving as Chief of Police and Sergeant of Police in Tacoma.
He was born in Minnesota Territory in 1856, where his family farmed in Winona County. His family then settled at Lake Shetek in 1861, along with 11 other families.
In the early morning of August 20, when some Dakota men approached Lake Shetek, the settlers were not alarmed at first. They knew some of them by name, and considered them their friends. They had no idea that two days before, some hostile Dakota had declared war on all white settlers, Indian agents, and traders.
The Dakota suddenly attacked the settlers at Lake Shetek. Those who survived the initial attack fled to a cabin at the far side of the lake. They were then told by Old Pawn, an Indian who had been one of their friends, that they could leave the area in a wagon. But when they were just a few miles down the road, the Dakota suddenly attacked again. The men, women, and children jumped out of the wagon and fled down an incline into a marsh, where they hid in the tall grass. After this fateful day, the area would come to be known as Slaughter Slough.
The Dakota killed some of the men, and captured some of the women and children, including Jefferson, his brothers, sisters, and mother. When the Dakota forced them to climb up a ridge, Jefferson's brother Willie was shot and mortally wounded. His mother knelt to comfort him, but an Indian pulled her away and forced her to continue walking. More shots rang out, others fell dead, and Laura Duley pleaded with the hostiles to spare her family. The group walked on, and more shots were fired, killing members of the Everett family. Jefferson's four year old sister, Belle, died from knife wounds.
Finally, the gunfire stopped and the hostile Dakota went away with their remaining captives. Five men were still alive in Slaughter Slough. One of them was Jefferson's father. He fled the area, not knowing whether he would ever see his family again.
The captives were forced to walk across the Midwestern plains until they reached an area near Standing Rock in Dakota Territory. Jefferson's older sister Emma survived and was with him. His mother, who was pregnant, miscarried during her captivity, and Jefferson's baby brother Francis, 8 months old, died in captivity in October.
During his time of captivity, Jefferson was traded for a gold watch and a horse.
In November, he and the other captives were rescued by a group of Teton Lakota men, known as "Fool Soldiers". The Lakota men were led by Martin Charger, who successfully negotiated with Chief White Lodge, trading their own guns and horses in order to secure their release.
The Fool Soldiers gave the women and children moccasins, and carried some of the children so they could leave as quickly as possible. The Lakota men brought them safely to Fort LaFramboise. From there, the captives were taken to Fort Randall, where they remained for three weeks. The final leg of their journey brought them to Yankton Agency, where one historical account states they arrived on New Year's Eve.
Another account places Jefferson at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26. On this day, it is said that he watched his father cut the rope that sprung the trap doors to hang 38 Dakota men - the largest simultaneous, mass execution in US history. The men had been tried in a kangaroo court military tribunal and found guilty of participating in the war and/or killing civilians.
Jefferson was only 6 years of age when he was taken captive by the hostile Dakota. He spent the rest of his boyhood at Mankato in Blue Earth County, Minn, where his father was a farmer. In the mid 1870's, he and sister Emma moved to Alabama with their parents, where his father worked as a millwright.
Eventually, Jefferson moved out West. He married Mary Hackshaw, and their daughter Maud was born about 1888 in Washington.
In 1893, he was the lamp lighter for the city of Tacoma. He then worked in public service for many years, serving as Chief of Police and Sergeant of Police in Tacoma.
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