What was dakota territory

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Latest Newscasts. Have you ever wondered: Why was Dakota Territory split into two states? By Vanessa Gomez. Published: Aug. Share on Facebook. Email This Link. Share on Twitter. Share on Pinterest. Share on LinkedIn. Most Read. Roll-Over Crash in Sioux Falls. This grew tenfold in one decade to 17, farms by , the average size growing modestly to acres. The number continued to grow until , by which time there were 74, farms in North Dakota, averaging acres each. The number of farms in North Dakota has never grown substantially above this figure and has been declining since The growth in population naturally followed the growth in farms.

In before the railroad crossed in Dakota Territory, the population of what is now North Dakota was 2, Over half of this tiny population was in Pembina and was involved with the fur trade in Canada. The legislature granted charters to operators of ferry boats on the rivers and set the price of transportation. Indians: Though Indians and tribal lands were under federal jurisdiction, the legislature tried to confine Indians and restrict their movements by law. Section 3.

These Indians possess a belt of land extending from the Missouri to the Niobrara rivers, and lying next beyond the country ceded in by the Ponca Indians, including a portion of the valleys of the Niobrara and Missouri Rivers, and all the valley of the White river, together with the country in the neighborhood of and embracing the Black Hills. This region is believed to abound in mineral wealth, and portions of it are well timbered with pine and other valuable forest trees, rendering it — in consequence of the scarcity of timber and fuel in the territory already ceded — of almost vital importance to the future of Dakota.

At present, these Indians are a formidable barrier to any further advance into this interesting part of the public domain. It will also open the shortest and most practicable thoroughfare leading from all the North-Western states to the western slope of the Rocky mountains.

The legislature also wanted to remove the Chippewa from the region of the Red River in the northern portion of the Territory. Your memorialists. Paul and other cities on the Mississippi river, to the British settlements on Red river, and also that protection ought to be afforded to our own citizens engaged in conveying goods to the northern part of the territory.

Laws, Indian Treaties. These 12 men had been long-time residents of Dakota and had made important contributions to its economy and status as a territory. Fraud was also a factor in the election for Delegate to Congress. Todd, who ran for the seat against Governor William Jayne, claimed that many votes had been counted improperly.

He took his case to Congress where Senators frowned on the quarrels in the Territory. Nevertheless, Congress declared Todd the winner in Once Governor Jayne resigned, President Lincoln had to decide whom to appoint to be the territorial governor.

William Jayne suggested Newton Edmunds. See Image 5 Edmunds, a Republican, had been a surveyor in Dakota for several years. He knew the people and the place very well. He accepted the appointment on October 17, His first act was to issue the Thanksgiving Proclamation on October 26, Governor Edmunds knew that there were still serious issues for the territory to solve.

Roads had to be built to connect the towns and the military posts. The territorial legislature passed a law that allowed for surveyors to lay out roads. See Image 6. Crime was a problem for the territory, too. There were not many criminals in the s, but when there was a murder or a robbery, the suspect had to be arrested and tried.

Few counties had elected a sheriff. There were no jails for several years. Convicted criminals had to be sent to the Iowa penitentiary. When there was a murder on Indian land, the federal marshal should have made an arrest, but as Edmunds pointed out. Marshal or his Deputy, U. District Attorney, or a U. District Judge within our territorial limits and,. The absence of important federal officials continued into The continued absence of U.

District Attorney who has not been in the Territory for more than eighteen months and our U. District Judges who, with the exception of Judge Bartlett, have been gone for months render entirely negative every effort to enforce the laws or bring criminals to justice.

Edmunds worried about how to make a good life for the residents of the territory. In December , when he first addressed the legislature, he said that the laws of the territory should support public schools. He also suggested that laws could encourage immigrants from eastern states or Europe to come to Dakota. The election laws had to be more carefully written and enforced.

Finally, he asked the legislature to consider the need for local defense. The U. The Dakotas in the northern part of the territory had made it clear that they would defend their treaty lands against railroads and white settlers. Dakota Territory needed a militia. Taxes were necessary to pay the expenses of government. Edmunds continued to serve as governor until August After he left office, he continued to work toward peace with the Dakotas of Dakota Territory.

He stayed in Yankton where he started a bank, a church, and contributed to the first school. Governor Jayne established the legislature and other requirements of the federal law. The second governor, Newton Edmunds, had the difficult job of making this huge and sparsely populated territory work.

He asked federal officials to do their jobs. He made it possible for the children of the territory to attend public schools. He asked the legislature to face up to the unwelcome, but necessary, task of taxation.

Together, Governor Jayne and Governor Edmunds took a small group of scattered settlers in a huge land, and created an organized territory that prepared to become a state. The next governors made more changes, but the framework was created for them by Governors Jayne and Edmunds.

One of the important tasks of the territorial governor was to promote immigration sometimes written as emigration to the Territory. In those days, people wrote many letters because there were no telephones or computers. See Document 3 Individuals wrote to find out what kind of opportunity they might have for farming or other work. See Document 4 The following letters show us that people all across the United States had an intense interest in Dakota Territory.

Washington St. Chicago, July 26, Dear Sir Will you favor us with such information as you may have at hand in reference to emigration to Dakota. We wish to locate on the Northern Pacific RR where good Agricultural land is to be had, where timber is near on some River or Creek, we are not particular in going on the N. If you have a Territory map showing the rivers etc you will much oblige by favoring us with one, if your reply is favorable we will send out a locating Committee soon,.

Arthur J. Parshall b. Governor Pennington made the appointment and Parshall soon relocated to Dakota Territory with his wife Mary and their children. I take advantage of my knowledge of your name although I have not the honor of a personal acquaintance to write you for information in regard to your country and not knowing of any better plan You will pardon me I hope for troubling you in looking at the past few years in the settling up of the states west of the Missouri River I am led to believe that Dakotah Territory will next be the point to which thousands in the East will turn their attention as a place to Emigrate to and although I know absolutely nothing in regard to the probably resources of your Territory except as I can judge from the maps I am inclined to think it will compare favorably with either Kansas or Nebraska.

I desire to know what the chances are in Yankton for gaining a subsistence in the law, or is there any other point beside Yankton where one could locate in the practice of the law to good advantage to himself with a fair prospect of success. I am thoroughly disgusted with Nebraska and her political public men who seem to me to be only on the grab and care not for the public good in any way.

See the proceedings of the legislature this winter I have been one of the board of Immigration for this State and I believe if an effort were made by your Territory to induce people East to come and make their homes there it would meet with unbounded success and as an investment you would find that it would pay.

Please let me know also when your legislature meets and what is the population of Yankton and what price can residence lots be purchased. Will you please send me some paper or publication that gives the most information to one contemplating emigrating to Dakota to farm it - - showing the advantages of the different localities where Government lands are for sale.