Jefferson Dilts, son of Sarah Renfroe and Peter Dilts (1788-1848) was a scout for a wagon train out of Minnesota heading for the gold mines in Montana. There is a booklet dedicated to Fort Dilts, which is located in western North Dakota. I found the fort quite by accident on a trip to Washington State. I recieved the booklet from JoAnn Erickson, Box 27, Rhame, ND 58651, in September 1991, so not sure if she is still involved with this. However, you might be able to obtain a copy from the Bowman, ND Chamber of Commerce. It is worth a try. Jefferson Dilts was killed in North Dakota when Indians attacked the train. The Fort site is in the middle of rough county off of a dirt road, but if you are adventurous, it can be reached in a car. It is two miles north and 2 miles west of U.S. 12, which runs south of Bowman. ND.
See Robert Utley's biography of Sitting Bull The Lance and the Shield for an account of the fight in which Dilts was mortally wounded. He was remembered for his bravery by both his fellow travelers and by the Hunkpapa Lakotos who killed him-that is why the "Fort" was so-named.
36. JEFFERSON8 DILTS (PETER7, MARIA MARGARET6 VANARSDALLEN, CORNELIUS SIMON5, SIMON4, CORNELIUS SIMONSZEN3, SIJMON JANZEN2, JAN PAUWELSEN1 VAN AERSDAELE) was born 1824 in Ohio, and died 1864 in North Dakota. He married SARAH. She was born Abt. 1821.
Notes for JEFFERSON DILTS:
Jefferson Dilts was a corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry under Capt. James L. Fisk, US Quartermaster Corps. JD was helping escort ninety-seven wagons from Fort Ridgely, MN, through North Dakota to Montana gold fields in summer of 1864. On September 2, 1864, Sioux attacked the wagon train. Jefferson was among those injured. On September 4, the wagon train found a defensive point and built a sod fort, six and one-half feet high and 300 feet in diameter. It was christened Fort Dilts by members of the wagon train in honor of Jefferson who died from his wounds and was buried in the entrenchments. The site is now a North Dakota State Historic Site, and Jefferson Dilts has a military marker.
(information from North Dakota State Parks Department)
More About JEFFERSON DILTS:
Burial: Fort Dilts, ND
Fact 1: corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry;
Fact 2: Fort Dilts, ND, named for Jefferson; escorting wagon train west;
Fact 3: 1864, died from wounds at Fort Dilts, ND;
Fact 4: 1850 census with family on Washington Twp., Wayne Co., IN;
Fact 5: 1860 Newton Twp., Jasper Co., IN;
Fact 6: May have had 2nd wife named America, aged 24 on 1860 census;
Children of JEFFERSON DILTS and SARAH are:
i. CONNARD9 DILTS, b. 1848.
ii. LINSEY DILTS, b. 1849.
iii. ORNEY DILTS, b. 1858.∼1st MINN. CAVALRY REGIMENT--KILLED IN BATTLE WITH SIOUX WARRIORS--BURIED ON SITE OF BATTLE LATER NAMED FORT DILTS IN HIS HONOR. MONUMENT WITH NAMES OF ALL SOLDIERS KILLED AS WELL AS HEADSTONES--NOTHING ELSE REMAINS OF THE FORT. RH DILTZ
See Robert Utley's biography of Sitting Bull The Lance and the Shield for an account of the fight in which Dilts was mortally wounded. He was remembered for his bravery by both his fellow travelers and by the Hunkpapa Lakotos who killed him-that is why the "Fort" was so-named.
36. JEFFERSON8 DILTS (PETER7, MARIA MARGARET6 VANARSDALLEN, CORNELIUS SIMON5, SIMON4, CORNELIUS SIMONSZEN3, SIJMON JANZEN2, JAN PAUWELSEN1 VAN AERSDAELE) was born 1824 in Ohio, and died 1864 in North Dakota. He married SARAH. She was born Abt. 1821.
Notes for JEFFERSON DILTS:
Jefferson Dilts was a corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry under Capt. James L. Fisk, US Quartermaster Corps. JD was helping escort ninety-seven wagons from Fort Ridgely, MN, through North Dakota to Montana gold fields in summer of 1864. On September 2, 1864, Sioux attacked the wagon train. Jefferson was among those injured. On September 4, the wagon train found a defensive point and built a sod fort, six and one-half feet high and 300 feet in diameter. It was christened Fort Dilts by members of the wagon train in honor of Jefferson who died from his wounds and was buried in the entrenchments. The site is now a North Dakota State Historic Site, and Jefferson Dilts has a military marker.
(information from North Dakota State Parks Department)
More About JEFFERSON DILTS:
Burial: Fort Dilts, ND
Fact 1: corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry;
Fact 2: Fort Dilts, ND, named for Jefferson; escorting wagon train west;
Fact 3: 1864, died from wounds at Fort Dilts, ND;
Fact 4: 1850 census with family on Washington Twp., Wayne Co., IN;
Fact 5: 1860 Newton Twp., Jasper Co., IN;
Fact 6: May have had 2nd wife named America, aged 24 on 1860 census;
Children of JEFFERSON DILTS and SARAH are:
i. CONNARD9 DILTS, b. 1848.
ii. LINSEY DILTS, b. 1849.
iii. ORNEY DILTS, b. 1858.∼1st MINN. CAVALRY REGIMENT--KILLED IN BATTLE WITH SIOUX WARRIORS--BURIED ON SITE OF BATTLE LATER NAMED FORT DILTS IN HIS HONOR. MONUMENT WITH NAMES OF ALL SOLDIERS KILLED AS WELL AS HEADSTONES--NOTHING ELSE REMAINS OF THE FORT. RH DILTZ
Jefferson Dilts, son of Sarah Renfroe and Peter Dilts (1788-1848) was a scout for a wagon train out of Minnesota heading for the gold mines in Montana. There is a booklet dedicated to Fort Dilts, which is located in western North Dakota. I found the fort quite by accident on a trip to Washington State. I recieved the booklet from JoAnn Erickson, Box 27, Rhame, ND 58651, in September 1991, so not sure if she is still involved with this. However, you might be able to obtain a copy from the Bowman, ND Chamber of Commerce. It is worth a try. Jefferson Dilts was killed in North Dakota when Indians attacked the train. The Fort site is in the middle of rough county off of a dirt road, but if you are adventurous, it can be reached in a car. It is two miles north and 2 miles west of U.S. 12, which runs south of Bowman. ND.
See Robert Utley's biography of Sitting Bull The Lance and the Shield for an account of the fight in which Dilts was mortally wounded. He was remembered for his bravery by both his fellow travelers and by the Hunkpapa Lakotos who killed him-that is why the "Fort" was so-named.
36. JEFFERSON8 DILTS (PETER7, MARIA MARGARET6 VANARSDALLEN, CORNELIUS SIMON5, SIMON4, CORNELIUS SIMONSZEN3, SIJMON JANZEN2, JAN PAUWELSEN1 VAN AERSDAELE) was born 1824 in Ohio, and died 1864 in North Dakota. He married SARAH. She was born Abt. 1821.
Notes for JEFFERSON DILTS:
Jefferson Dilts was a corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry under Capt. James L. Fisk, US Quartermaster Corps. JD was helping escort ninety-seven wagons from Fort Ridgely, MN, through North Dakota to Montana gold fields in summer of 1864. On September 2, 1864, Sioux attacked the wagon train. Jefferson was among those injured. On September 4, the wagon train found a defensive point and built a sod fort, six and one-half feet high and 300 feet in diameter. It was christened Fort Dilts by members of the wagon train in honor of Jefferson who died from his wounds and was buried in the entrenchments. The site is now a North Dakota State Historic Site, and Jefferson Dilts has a military marker.
(information from North Dakota State Parks Department)
More About JEFFERSON DILTS:
Burial: Fort Dilts, ND
Fact 1: corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry;
Fact 2: Fort Dilts, ND, named for Jefferson; escorting wagon train west;
Fact 3: 1864, died from wounds at Fort Dilts, ND;
Fact 4: 1850 census with family on Washington Twp., Wayne Co., IN;
Fact 5: 1860 Newton Twp., Jasper Co., IN;
Fact 6: May have had 2nd wife named America, aged 24 on 1860 census;
Children of JEFFERSON DILTS and SARAH are:
i. CONNARD9 DILTS, b. 1848.
ii. LINSEY DILTS, b. 1849.
iii. ORNEY DILTS, b. 1858.∼1st MINN. CAVALRY REGIMENT--KILLED IN BATTLE WITH SIOUX WARRIORS--BURIED ON SITE OF BATTLE LATER NAMED FORT DILTS IN HIS HONOR. MONUMENT WITH NAMES OF ALL SOLDIERS KILLED AS WELL AS HEADSTONES--NOTHING ELSE REMAINS OF THE FORT. RH DILTZ
See Robert Utley's biography of Sitting Bull The Lance and the Shield for an account of the fight in which Dilts was mortally wounded. He was remembered for his bravery by both his fellow travelers and by the Hunkpapa Lakotos who killed him-that is why the "Fort" was so-named.
36. JEFFERSON8 DILTS (PETER7, MARIA MARGARET6 VANARSDALLEN, CORNELIUS SIMON5, SIMON4, CORNELIUS SIMONSZEN3, SIJMON JANZEN2, JAN PAUWELSEN1 VAN AERSDAELE) was born 1824 in Ohio, and died 1864 in North Dakota. He married SARAH. She was born Abt. 1821.
Notes for JEFFERSON DILTS:
Jefferson Dilts was a corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry under Capt. James L. Fisk, US Quartermaster Corps. JD was helping escort ninety-seven wagons from Fort Ridgely, MN, through North Dakota to Montana gold fields in summer of 1864. On September 2, 1864, Sioux attacked the wagon train. Jefferson was among those injured. On September 4, the wagon train found a defensive point and built a sod fort, six and one-half feet high and 300 feet in diameter. It was christened Fort Dilts by members of the wagon train in honor of Jefferson who died from his wounds and was buried in the entrenchments. The site is now a North Dakota State Historic Site, and Jefferson Dilts has a military marker.
(information from North Dakota State Parks Department)
More About JEFFERSON DILTS:
Burial: Fort Dilts, ND
Fact 1: corporal, Co. C, 1st MN Cavalry;
Fact 2: Fort Dilts, ND, named for Jefferson; escorting wagon train west;
Fact 3: 1864, died from wounds at Fort Dilts, ND;
Fact 4: 1850 census with family on Washington Twp., Wayne Co., IN;
Fact 5: 1860 Newton Twp., Jasper Co., IN;
Fact 6: May have had 2nd wife named America, aged 24 on 1860 census;
Children of JEFFERSON DILTS and SARAH are:
i. CONNARD9 DILTS, b. 1848.
ii. LINSEY DILTS, b. 1849.
iii. ORNEY DILTS, b. 1858.∼1st MINN. CAVALRY REGIMENT--KILLED IN BATTLE WITH SIOUX WARRIORS--BURIED ON SITE OF BATTLE LATER NAMED FORT DILTS IN HIS HONOR. MONUMENT WITH NAMES OF ALL SOLDIERS KILLED AS WELL AS HEADSTONES--NOTHING ELSE REMAINS OF THE FORT. RH DILTZ
Inscription
CO.C 1 MINN CAV
