Original text from The Meeker REA Pioneer, October 1975. Peter J. Lund was among the men who walked to the site of the massacre and helped make “rough boxes” in which to bury the white people who had been killed. Following the massacre, there was much unrest among the early settlers in the area. Lund, together with his wife and four daughters, left all their belongings and also fled to Forest City to take refuge in the stockade. Franklin Silseth of Grove City told us one of the four Lund daughters was his mother. Johanna (his mother) was 2 years old at the time, and another daughter Sarah (Mrs. A.P. Nelson), then 4 years old, was the first white child born in Acton township. Franklin recalls his grandmother telling many things about their early life, encounters with the Indians and their stay at the Stockade in Forest City. Because of the fear of the Indians attacking again following the brutal attack on the early settlers in Acton township, the white people of the area were moving into Forest City, where there were a number of people living, to plan and prepare to defend themselves. Franklin remembers his grandmother telling that the north side had not been completed as yet, and it was from that side that the Indians (thought to be 200 in number) attacked. Franklin also remembers his grandmother telling they had a pony which they called the “Indian pony” that they had either traded or bought from the Indians. When the Lunds went to the stockade they had this pony with them. It had evidently been mistreated by the Indians as it always became uncontrollable when Indians were near. They had tied the Indian pony outside the fort, but when the Indians came near the Indian pony broke away and ran into the fort. The Indians had seized and driven off all the other horses, and the Indian pony was the only one left; it was with this pony that they were able to spread the word that help, food and gun powder were needed at the fort. Shortage of food became a problem as most all of the people had vacated their homes in a hurry and had taken very little with them. The Lunds had a sack of flour at their home which was many miles away. But Lund, together with two other young men from the fort, decided to walk back to their cabin and get the flour. They arrived at their cabin at night. They did not even dare to strike a match for fear that they would attract Indians that might be in the area. They found their cabin as they had left it. Lund opened the cover of a trunk which they had brought with them from Sweden (and was also doing double-duty as a bench at the table) and put [in it] everything that was on the table, which included the family Swedish Bible, into the trunk … and the sack of flour. The trunk was placed on the stone boat. They found their oxen, hitched them to the stone boat and went back to Forest City with the flour without incident. Reuben Lund and Franklin Silseth, grandsons of the Lunds, are the proud possessors of the trunk and the Swedish Bible. Their writings paint our only pictures of that most dramatic period in our history. Life on Maine Prairie through the eyes and pens of its earliest settlers, prior to the 1862 Indian uprising. The first 15 years of pioneer life will be the feature Oct. 28 by our historian Duane Stanley, fifth-generation descendent of pioneers Thomas B. Stanley, John Petty, Robert S. Linn and Joseph Eaton – all who arrived with their families during Maine Prairie’s first decade. Come and hear all about the four primary challenges the pioneers faced, followed by the changes that took place as this community established itself … education, worship, social events, community government and lyceum. Each family made considerable impact on the early community. You’re invited to join us at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in Kimball’s historic City Hall to help us celebrate the holiday season ahead, our last historical society meeting for the year 2003, focusing on our earliest pioneers, plus always-enjoyable fellowship and refreshments. Bring friends! For more information, membership or comments, contact the Kimball Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 100, Kimball MN 55353, tel. (320) 398-5250 or 398-5743, or (800) 252-2521 if out of the area.
