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Cache Valley Centennial Edition, The HeOne CenterFIGHT AT BATTLE CREEK*•«eww**wInterestDescribesFamousBattleBattle MarkerPRESTON—One of the historicBetweenWhites. Indians/spots in Idaho is located in Franklin county and Is fittingly marked to direct attention of all who passthis way.Erected five miles northwest of Preston on U. S. Highway 91, the Rattle Creek Monument stands as reminder of the bitter, cold day,of Jan, 29, 1883 when soldiers fought for supremacy over Indians in a battle that marked the end of Indian trouble in this partof Idaho and Utah,Dedicated In 1932Dedication of the monument acme Sept 5, 1932, under direction of Central camp of Franklin county Daughters of Utah Pioneers in conjunction with Utah Trails and Landmarks association and Cache Valley Council of Boy Stouts The event attracted thousands of persons from far and near. These were catalogued and a record placed with other important data in a glass container and sealed In the monument. This was the 18th such marker to be noted by the Utah Trails andLandmarks association.Dedicatory prayer was given by Taylor Nelson and the monument unveiled by a grandson of Chief Sagwieh who was killed in the battle. Boy Scouts of Cache Valley Council held an encampment on the site and conducted a court of honor the following day before disbanding. Day-long festivities included a pagent in which Indians from Fort Hall and Washakie reservations participated.First IdeaThe idea of such a monument was first conceived by Walkin L. Roe. local editor, his son Lonsdale. and Harrison R. Merrill, who collected $48 towards cost of a marker, before World ar I tame along and the projected was discontinued for a time. This was in 1917. W. K. Aitkin, countysurveyor, was an ardent supporter of the project. He died before it was erected.'The monument was designed by Myrtle R. Goff and plans drawn by her daughter, Ivanowna. The drawing was scaled by Christen Gundeson and architects were John Nuffer, Luther Fife and James McQueen. This was after interest had coma from Central Camp of Daughters of Utah Pioneers in Franklin county during the time when Lucinda F. Slater was president. Mrs. Goff was appointed chairman of the monument committee with other members being Lizzie P. Weaver,Maud B. Hansen, Nancy Beck-alead, Annie Merrill, and Mary B, Lowe; Mr. McQueen, Mr. Fife,Mrs. Sol Hale, Edwin Crockett, J. L. Roe, Dr. G. W. States. Cecil Woodward, David Sant. D. S. Evans, Harold Swift, Ralph Millar, Dr. S. S. Evans.Scores of others joined in making the celebration outstanding. Church and state officials also were among distinguished guests. John D. Giles, executive secretary of the Utah Trails and Landmarks Association, was master oi ceremonies. Address of the day was given by Dr. Howard R. Driggs, president of OregonTrails Association(Note—The following account ofthe battle of Battle Creek, fought between the white men and Indians on Jan. 29. 1863, ts given by Taylor Nelson for this centennial edition. Mr. Nelson described this battle, also (which is one of the most interesting incidents connected with the history of Idaho, as it marked the close of Indian troubles in southern Ids no)—at time of the dedication of a monument markingthe historical site.)Mr. Nelson relates the story as follows:My source of information wasfrom my father, William G. Nelson, who was on the battlefield the day following the fight, andwith him I visited the battlefieldon three different occasions; also from two uncles, Edmond and Joseph S. Nelson, who were on the scene the day following thefight, and from Samuel Merrill vvha war, also there the day following the battle and who was present at one of the aforementioned visits.IttiCPart Of ChiefsVillage WasOnce InCountiesCreekWhenFor many year* Mmk village was m two counties it was first settled the southern half was in Oneida County with Malad as the county seat. Tim necessitated long trips by team for jury duty, school examinations or any legal business involved Finally Preston was established as a county *eat and the southern half of Mink Creek was included in Franklin county, Hans Nelson of Preston tells of doing jury duty tn Malad along with Rasmus Rasmussen. Sr.. and Andrew Bjorn in 1901. In 1913, due to the efforts of U’rias Keller, Adam Keller, Leslie Keller, Lorenzo Baird. Amos Keller, Hans Nelson, Louis Keller and others the northern half of Mink creek which had for many years been in Bannock County vuth Pocatel-as the county seat, became of Franklin county. With half of the town in Franklin county and the other half in Bannock county, politics must have really been something in the early days.Village Board About 1916 a village board wasappointed for the purpose of building a water system for the town. Hans C, Nelson was the first chairman of the board, with members Lawrence Wilde, Elmer Larsen, William E Crane, anda —Ezra E. Larsen. A wafer system was built with good spring water being piped to the homes in the village from the spring at themouth of Birch Creek canyon. Many other men have served on the village board throughout the years. Among theme are Torval Keller, George L. Glade, Claude D Keller. Martinus Larsen. Oscar Nelson, Nephi Nelson, Torval Wilde. The present board is composed of Delbert Seam on s. Lynn B. Nelson. John G Olson, Norman Larsen and Keith Crane.A general store has nearly always done business in Mink Creek Early day merchants were Keller Bros, Sylvester Kel-, ier and Torval Keller operated it for them. Ephraim Peterson, Hans Nelson, Hans Rasmussen and Emil Peterson also operated a store at various times,The circumstances leading upto the .rouble were a pact which was entered into by four Indian chiefs, namely Bear Hunter, Sag-awich, Pocatello and I^ehi, to theeffect 'hat they would not allow white men to go north of Bear River. After a number of men had been killed in Cache Valley and a company of emigrants north of the valley had been annihilated. the government took the matter in hand and dispatched 300 soldiers under command of Colonel P Edward Connor from Camp Floyd In Utah. Their mission wa* lo drive the Indians outatThe soldiers came into Franklin in the evening. The snow was deep and the weather was very cold The villagers made the men as comfortable as was possible. Some of the men slept in the homes and others in the town's school house. The huge wagons carrying the infantry and supplies started to move in the early hours ot the morning and reached the hill top overlooking the In-Ban encampment at daylight. Edmond and Joseph S. Nelsonwere asked by Colonel Connor to lead the way, which they did and stayed on the hill and watched the battle.The descent down the hill to the river was made on the property now owned by Ernest Johnson. When the soldiers came into Franklin, the town marshall was holding an Indian, who had committed some misdemeanor, m an improvised shack and during the excitement of the soldiers making their camp, the Indian somehow, dipped away and was recognized among the dead the following Jay. This will account for the fact that the Indians were not taken by surpriseFroien FeetThe cavalry crossed the river and was engaged in battle and it was then the infantrymen were commanded to wade the stream and as a result of this a number ot them suffered from frozen feet. The cavalry approached the Indian camp on a slight elevation and 7 soldiers were cut down on the first blast from the Indians' guns, tney fell almost due east of Mrs. Ro/ella Winn’s home and north of the present Battle Creek monument, approximately one city block and east of the present highway 9i-i9i The cavalry men hurriedly fell back to slightly lower groundand went north to thethis time the infantry up to tnern. The indian encampment vas reached by the army going wi«t to Beaver Creek (now Battle Creek* and down through heavy growth of willows and finally reaching the river,“It should be noted here that the rive* at that time made a turn a *hort distance up stream from v here the highway bridge is now located, and ran northwest near ,he aformentioued home of Mrs. Winn. The Indians were entrenched on the river and creekbanks. Each Indian had his owu pocket in which he stood and of course looked over the bank asthe enemy approached It was at the junction of the river and the creek where the heavy fighting took placetgasnCu0 Lti1 BP 1 oaI eo Ceaoa.ar1;afitlCOMMEMORATING the great Battle Cieok fight between the white man and Indian is this monument near Preston.siaf«dead and wounded back to Carnp Floyd. The following teamsters responded from Franklin: William Head. James Packer. Samuel R Parkinson, Isaae Packer, and William G. Nelson The name of Fileman Merrill only, appears on the record as coming from Richmond but there were others.The teams reached the top of the hill above the camp at daybreak This would have been on the morning following the fight. The sleds were taken down to camp and back up the hill again by the mules from the baggage wagons While this was being done my father, William G. Nelson. and a companion, Samuel R. Parkinson, went over to the battleground. They counted 76 dead Indians on the bank of the river. Some women and children had been cut down with swords. There were a few women and children they supposed came out of hiding after the army left. Some of these were taken by the whites'* in Franklin and Richmond and given protection.The caravan reached Men-don the first day and the members were cared for by the villagers. The next day they went as far as Ogden where they were met by armv doctorskept there until the noon, reaching Camp midnight.As the sleds jolted along the icy roads the wounded men would beg the teamsters to drive slower Their cries were usuallyanswered by the mounted road-masters slashing the teams with a whip (these pioneer sleds were two-runner affairs and would have been about eight feel long. Being so short they gave a very hard and choppy ride. The bobsled was not known in thosedays).tl11Each teamster was paid $42 in money and was given provisions for his journey home. On their return they met the army with Its wagons and cavalry eoroute home from battle.siI SIhis,tleit.yai t(and wereday atFlovd atEducationConsideredImportanthill and by had caughtMany Ran Aw atWhen the Indian?, found that they were beaten, many of them escaped by running around the sage-covered hillside on the west. Others tried to wade the river and seek protection in a willow thicket Some were cut down in the attempt—their bodies floating under the ice, the river being frozen over a short distance below their crossingpoint.When the soldiers were leaving the battleground, a blastgun out of a thicket fei-of their number. Jnves-showed that a wounded hiding in the thicket, realizing his wound was fatal, took his last chance for revenge on hts enelny.Teamsters Gave Aid“The army crossed the river and made camp The dead were plated on blankets and covered with canvas. The wounded wereplaced in tents and given such aid as their fellow soldiers could give them. There was no physician in the company, A scouterwas dispatched to Franklin and Richmond to secure horse teamsfrom a led one ligation warriorEducation has always been important to Mink Creek people Schools have always been kept open in spite of shortage of funds at different periods. In early days, walking or riding horseback was the means of getting there In the early twenties horse drawn busses were provided and later the big modern busses of todayFor several years. Mink Creekhad a two-year high school butnow our high school students as wall as our 7th and 8th grade students are transported daily toPreston The first six grades aretaught in Mink Creek. Presentschool staff i* John Olson, principal. Elaine Westerberg and Ellen Swann, teachers.Many students from Mink Creek have gone on to college and received their Master’s degrees. Among those with donors degrees are Dr Peter Nelson, on the staff at Oklahoma AM for many years and his brother. Dr Daniel Nelson Park Keller. M.D and Paul Keller, M, D. are twin sons of the late Mr. and Mrs. Torval Keller. Dr. Park Keller practices medicine in Akron. Colo, anti Dr. Paul Keller practices in Salt Lake City Dr. Roy A Peterson, son of Alvin and Theresa Keller Peterson practices medicine in Yakima, Washington, Dr. Allen Dudley Keller of Etiba-bethtow n Ky. son of Mr. and Mrs. Torval Keller, became a noted person when his life sketch appeared In Who's Who for theyears of 1944-45. He was honored for hts work on the brain and related muni tion* J. Hyrum Bell is another of who we can he proud. He is in the Logan Temple presidency. Men from MinkCreek who have been Franklin . County Commissioners were Lorenzo Baird. Parley P Carver, Torval Wilde and William E. Crane.• Price includes two glass anpneumatic closer, latch amwarp or sag. Never needs \LIMITEDCALL FOR DETA41 West 1st South,PRESTON'S OLD!Since 190551 Yearsof ContinuousService ToSoutheasternIdahoOur year* in the electrical iCache Counties have been pseen progress. We have welcctoohopesmalllt;sorto serve youtoo large.irELECTRICAL COEXPERT MOTORin years gone by. Mink creek had an Ice Cream Parlor, it was located in one of the old abandoned store buildings and was not much to look at, but it provided a meeting place for the belles and oeaux of the village during theAIL TYPES OFPINSON ELECTRI5 East Oneida. Preston, Idand sleds in which to haul the »early 1900 s.' . ' ' . Ar • *
Newspaper Details
The Herald Journal
Logan, Utah, US
Sun, Mar 25, 1956
Page 56
Full Page
Clipped by
Darrin S.
USA 09 Jun 2022
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