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Conservative *
THE ALLIS JOURNAL.
The editor of THE CONSERVATIVE hns
been made custodian of a very valuable
manuscript ; the original memoirs of
Samuel Allis , first missionary to the
Pawnees. Mr. Allis often called
reverend , but not claiming that title
himself , being a harness-maker by trade
came to Nebraska in 1834 as assistant
to Rev. John Dunbar. Rev. Samuel
Parker , whose book , published in 1842 ,
is one of the best books of that period ,
started with them , but was obliged to
return ; but came west again the next
year and crossed the mountains to
Oregon.
Mr. Allis' narrative seems to have
been re-written by the old gentleman a
number of times. A revised version of
one of these copies , made in 1876 , is
printed in the Nebraska State Historical
Society's records , volume II. The
original of this copy , if we can judge , is
among the papers entrusted to THE
CONSERVATIVE by Mr. Allis' surviving
son , Mr. Otis Eddy Allis. Besides this ,
there are fragments of at least three
other revisions , made at different times.
Since no two of these agree wholly , a
careful examination of them all promises
to furnish some.valuable material beyond
tliat already given to the world by the
Historical Society. There are also some
drawings by the author , which must by
all means be preserved in permanent
form.
We give below a detached section ,
which looks as if it might have been
prepared for a magazine article or a
paper to be read on some special occasion.
The pages bear the numbers from 41 to
48 , though it does not fit in with any of
the other manuscripts. Following the
modern idea , which is that posterity is
interested in a man as he was , and not
as some fleeting adventitious later editor
would have liked him to be , we follow
copy exactly.
"I have thought that it myght be
interesting to some of the frontier set
tlers to give a brief history of some
persons with whoom we met on our way
to the Indian country , and especially
those who were then residing on the
frontiers , and among the Indians , some
of which I have already noticed.
"On our way from Ithaca N. Y. in
the spring of 34 , at Cincinnati we spent
the Sabbath , hearedDootLimanBeacher
preach , he was then President of Lane
Seminary at "Walnut Hills , his soninlaw
( Professor Stow ) was proffessor , we
viseted the Seminary and took supper
with the students , Messrs Truman and
Smith ( book merchants ) kindly pre
sented us with a selection of small books
for children , at Luisville wo met with a
Mr Nock formally from Ithaca , at St
Louis we were Idndly treated by the
brethren , Doct Potts and Rev. Mr Hat-
field were their Presbyterian Ministers ,
Doot Potts has been dead several years ,
Doct Hatfield I believe is still alive. At
Liberty we met with kind friends , with
whoom we became acquainted and
slmired bountifully of their hospitality ,
namely Col Donophan , Rev Mr Yantis
( Zantis ? ) ( Presbyterian Minister ) Messrs
More and Samuels ( Merchants ) a Mr
Elliott and others.
1 'The Missionary Brethren at Doleware ,
Shawues , audKickapoo I have previously
mentioned , also the Officers at Fort
Leavenworth , whoose land hospitality
wo so bountifully shaired , for which I
trust they have or will be rewarded.
The next in our rout was the Old vetiran
Indian trader Joseph Rheaubidon , who
traded with the lowas and a baud of the
Sox and Foxes , from whoom St. Josephs
took its name , he has been dead several
years was blind sometime previous to
his death , but he had handled so much
money he could count it from instinct
or some supernatural cause , he had a
large family of French and also Indian
children , his wife and some of his family
lived in St Louis , while he , his brothers ,
and some two or three sous lived at the
St. Jos. trading post and all had Squaws.
In mentioning these facts I donot wish
to burlesque or reproach these men , or
intrud upon the modisty of some of my
readers , but speak of it as a matter of
fact history , which was almost a
universal practis the traders said it gave
them more influence , which I took the
liberty to differ with them , for by so
doing they brought themselves down tea
a level with the Indians , even in the
Indian estimation , but I forbear making
any further comments , but will let the
readqr pass his or her approval or con
demnation.
"As I am ameing to get at facts I give
these as such , not desireing to injure the
feelings of any one or affend The next
we find at Bellevrie Revd Moses Merril
& wife Baptist Missionaries to the Otoes
of which I have already made mention.
The Agency was kept here for the Otoes ,
Omohas and Pawnees Major John
Dougherty was then their Agent of
whoom I have made mention.
"The American fur company had a
trading post some eighteen Ms. above
Bellevue , some eight Ms. above where
Omohanow is. Major Joshua Pilcher
was in command of the fort , I found the
Major one of the most prompt , candid ,
reliable gentlemen I have met with in
the Indian country ho was well informed
on olniost any subgect , especially , the
Indian and Indian caracter , and was free
to give any information that was inter
esting and reliable , dureing the Black-
hawk war the Sox & Foxes killed their
Agt. , and Majr. Pilcher was appointed
Special Agent , for that tribe , he was
afterwards appointed Supt. Indn. Affairs
whose head quarters was then at St.
Louis , and I believe died while in that
capasity , he wonce had controle of most
of the Indian trade from St Louis to the
Pacific Ocean , he one winter performed
a journey in the Rocky Mountains
sevorall hundred Ms. some of the way
on snow shoes , his provisions and bed
ding being drawn by dogs , he traveled
by land almost as far as one could
toward the Arctic regions , and related
some startling adventures which I regret
I didnot make note of , but such are our
failings , I sometimes think that if I had
my life to live over , I should make some
amends but perhaps not , but I can look
back in my old age and see where I
could have done better , and as I am soon
to pass from the stage of action I would
advise all of my young readers who
paruse these disultra sketches , to set
your mark high , and persavear in use
fulness , whatever your sphere of action
may be , and never cease till you are
called to lay down your lives , and above
all see that you have secured that one
thing needful , ( when tune is no more
with you , ) that can never be taken from
you Mr Cabbanne , ( one of the members
of the fur coinpauv ) succeeded Majr
Piloher at this fort , he was a verry land
and polite gentleman and quite an
epicure , there was aplenty of wild game
in those days , and he employed too good
hunters , his store room was filled with
venison , swan , geese , brants , ducks ,
turkeys , smaller game , he kept a good
Negro cook , and would visit the cook
room several times a day to see that the
cookery was progressing in the right
direction , and when served on tne table
was always in the best of stile and he
was always verry attentive to his guestes
at the table , and else where , but he made
one sad mystake , soon after Peter A.
Sarpy made his advent into the Indian
country he was clerk for Mr Cabbanue ,
and there was a Mr La Clare who traded
with the Puncas above , and after ho ( La
Clare ) had passed Cabbannes Fort , Mr
Cabbanne hired several Omaha volun
teers , hedded by P. A. Sarpy , who
persued La Clare and took from him his
outfit of goods , which cost Mr Oabbanue
some thousands of dollars to make resti
tution , but this I believe was Col P. A.
Sarpys first act of bravery perhaps his
promotion from Lieutenant to Capt. but
at Mr Cabbannes sorrowful expence , by
the buye , Col. Sarpy inherited the title
of Col. by some distinction of Honour ,
and not as Military chieftian , and now
as I am speaking of him I should not do
him justice without giveing him a
prominant place among the distinguished
Indian traders and frontier men of early
days , he possessed some eccelant trates
of caraoter , although sometimes ruff
and nncooth , wasahightoned gentleman ,
who exerted a great influence both
amonge the white men , and Indians , he
was peculiarly generous to whie men of
distinction and wealth , also to Indians
where it payed well , but exacted evry
penny of his hired men , and others who
earned their liveing by work still he was
generous to the needy , he was active and
persevereing , in the transaction of
various kinds of business , employed
considerable capital , in Indian and other
trade , but was often wronged by his
imployese , which vexed him , for he was
excitable and for a business man with a
large capital , was rather a poor financier ,
towards the latter part of his life gave
way to intemperance , which was a habbit
of seven tenths of Indian traders , as well
as many of our best professional men ,
dureing my acquaintance with him of
nearly thirty years he was alway knd to
me , and would accomodate me in any
way he could , he was all that could be
wished for , as a man or the world except
the habit of intemperance , which
destroys both sole and body. The Col.
was extremely fond of good fastgoing
horses , and always kept aplenty he was
also fond of good dogs which he always
kept a supply he had a large black grey
hound , that was his peculiar favrite , and
well he should be , for Cuff ( for that was
his name ) was very fond of his master ,
and watchful for his welfare , he kept
him some twelve or fourteen years , til
at length some thevish Omoha Indians
had committed some theft which
exasperated the Col. and he became so
enraged he set Cuff on the thievish
Indians who persued them so close , that
they considered themselves in danger
and one of them wheeled and shot Cuff ,
dead , which so greatly inraged Col
Sarpy that he swore vengence on the
whole Omoha tribe he called a Council
of the chiefs in which he made a tutch-
ing speach appealing to them , his former
fidelity and friendship , refering to the
desperate conduct of then : young men in
killing his favourit dog , and history says
he proposed to the Chiefs that the young