Bicentennial Story #1-Somer's Speech 1861

Bicentennial Story #1-Somer's Speech 1861

Account of Jim Somer's speech to the Dakota territory legislature in 1861 about legalizing marriages between white men and Native Americans.

5/1/1975

12/19/1975

Father Louis Pfaller
Jack Hjort

This recording cannot be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the Dickinson Museum Center. This recording may be freely used for education uses, so long as it is not altered in any way. No commercial reproduction or distribution of this recording file is permitted without written permission of the Dickinson Museum Center.

mp3

audio reel, analog, 1/4 inch polyester tape

English

BS-001

Dakota Territory

Copyright Stark County Historical Society and Dickinson Museum Center

Dakota Territory in 1861 had less than one settler for every 100 square miles! At the first legislature tough Jim Somers had a solution. Another legislator recalled the only speech Somers made: "It was short, but full of of fire and threats of vengeance against all who would dare to vote against his bill legalizing marriages between white men and squaws. Jim and his cannon were both loaded that morning, when he arose with blood in his eye, and swore that he would blow out all the brains of the assembled law-makers if they killed his bill. He declared that what Dakota needed was less brains and more children, and he struck his fist on the desk and moved that the legislature adjourn and take Indian wives and go out populating the country."

This is Bicentennial Story No. 1, prepared by Father Louis Pfaller, for the Stark County Historical Society.

Nelson, Land of the Dakota's 118

Sound recordings

1:11

128kbps

1970 1979

Bicentennial tape #1, Bicentennial stories 1-22