The feature page about interesting people, places and things to do Section B OH! Wednesday, September 17, 2008 H

FIVE HEADSTONES (above) mark the graves at Oberlin Cemetery of some Little Wolf (below) led the Indians from to , of the men killed during the Last Indian Raid. Chief Dull Knife and Chief then up into . Indian Raid claimed 18 lives, 130 years ago in Decatur County The Last Indian Raid Museum in into Oberlin for safety. Oberlin will celebrate 50 years at the One of the survivors was Henry end of the month, but the celebration Anthony, who spotted the Indians also will commemorate the 130th from the front yard of his family’s anniversary of the Last Indian Raid sod house. He went to warn others. on Kansas soil, which claimed the Some reports say he was 6, while lives of 18 men in Decatur County. Judge Nellans said he was 13. The raid on Sept. 30, 1878, gave From the field, the Indians went rise to the name of the museum, at up the creek, arriving at J.J. Keefer’s the south end of Oberlin’s Main home, but the occupants had been Street. There’s information about warned by young Anthony. the raid from both the settlers’ and The Indians moved farther up the Indian’s points of view, plus a short creek, where two young women video to watch and many photos. were taken, but they later were At the Oberlin Cemetery on U.S. released alive. 36 east side of town, people can see The band ran into William Laing a limestone monument commemo- Sr. and his son 4 1/2 miles south rating the raid and the grave stones and four miles west of Oberlin, of the victims. killing both. A band of Cheyenne Indians, By the end of the raid, 18 men led by Chiefs Little Wolf and Dull had died: Mr. Hudson, Mr. Smith, Knife, escaped an Oklahoma reser- Mr. Laing and son, John, Moses vation, where many were starving, Abernathy, Marcellus Felt, Fer- and made for the tribe’s hunting dinand and Thomas Westphalen, grounds in the Dakotas. George Walters, L.T. Lull, John The Indians had been sent to the Irwin, E.P. Humphrey, John Young, reservation in the spring of 1877, John Wright, Edward Miskelly, G.F. according to the book, “Massacre Hamper and two others. of Indians and Cheyenne Indian Men from the area joined and Raid,” written from government tracked the Indians. On Oct. 1, they reports and Kansas Historical So- found three near the Decatur/Raw- ciety documents. The reservation lins County line. headquarters, called the Darlington Troops also pursued the Indians, Agency, was in , who were tracked into the Sand Hill now Oklahoma. country north of the two branches of The group of Cheyenne, 89 men the Platte River in Nebraska. North and 146 women and children, left of the Niobrara River, the Indians the agency Sept. 9 after the govern- divided into two bands, one under ment turned down their request to each chief. return home. AT THE CEMETERY, a The group following Chief Dull Troops were sent after the band large limestone monument Knife was surrounded by troops and they caught up in Oklahoma, from Fort Robinson and Camp but the Indians pushed on after a was erected in memory of Sheridan. On Jan. 9, 1879, that band conflict just over the Kansas line those killed. fled from Fort Robinson. Troopers along Bear Creek. caught up and killed them about 40 Approaching Decatur County, supplies. miles northwest of the fort. the band moved northeasterly to a From Sheridan, the Indians head- Those following Chief Little settlement at the Sheridan Post Of- ed northwest and were held off by Wolf escaped. fice, about 2 1/2 miles east and 2 1/2 Mr. and Mrs. H.D. Colvin. who The monument in the cemetery miles south of the present town of lived five miles southwest of Ober- was erected in 1911. Selden, where they looted the post lin between the James E. Smith and The museum will be open dur- office and store. John C. Hudson’s places. The Indi- ing the Mini Sapa Celebration on In September 1958, 80 years af- ans killed Mr. Hudson and fatally Saturday, Oct. 4, if anyone wants ter the raid, Probate Judge George wounded James E. Smith in a field to learn more about the raid. The Nellans, in a book about the events, about a mile north of Colvin’s home. museum also is open from 10 a.m. wrote that people didn’t know why Wat Smith, who was in a field work- to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday the Indians went through the settle- ing with the men, was wounded but through Saturday, except in the ment, because it was out of their made his way to warn other settlers. winter months. way. Some thought the band needed Many left their homes and headed

OUTSIDE HIS HOME is Henry Anthony (middle boy in suit), who warned others in Decatur County of the approaching Indians the day of the raid. — Story by Kimberly Davis

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