Arthur C. Van-Metre Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1408-1410 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
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	An engraving and the signature of A. C. Van Metre face page 1408.


	ARTHUR C. VAN METRE.—It is with feelings of respect and admiration 
that the writer essays the task of entering a brief memoir of one of the 
earliest pioneers of the great territory of Dakota, a man of distinct 
individuality, intrepid courage, exalted integrity and noble generosity, 
—Arthur C. Van Metre, who lived up to the full tension of the early life 
on the great western frontier, whose life was one of adventure and many 
vicissitudes and who left his impress on the history of the territory 
and state. We can not do better than to quote somewhat fully from an 
article concerning him which appeared in the Stock Journal of Fort 
Pierre at the time of his death: "Arthur C. Van Metre, familiarly known 
as 'Van,' is no more. Sunday morning (January 18, 1903), while walking 
along the road on Bad river, he fell into the arms of Carl Mathews, who 
was with him, and died almost instantly, aged sixty-four years, nine 
months and sixteen days. He was born at Winchester, Virginia, on the 2d 
of April, 1837, and there attended school until he had attained the age 
of eleven years, when he went to Missouri, where he remained with 
relatives until he was sixteen, when be joined the General Harney 
expedition as teamster and went to Fort Leavenworth, being with him on 
the Platte and coming to Dakota in 1855, when only seventeen years old. 
In the following year he assisted in building the old fort, which stood 
about four miles north of the present site of the city of Fort Pierre. 
He married Mary Aungie, a five-eighths Sioux Indian girl, in Sioux City, 
Iowa, on November 28, 1858, and located on the Vermillion river, Dakota, 
where the town of Vermillion now stands. It was then but an Indian 
village and it was there that his eldest daughter was born. She was the 
first white child born within the limits of the territory of Dakota, but 
history has not hitherto recorded the fact, because of the Indian blood 
in her veins. He built the first ferry on the Vermillion and transferred 
all the government troops as well as the Indians. He coveted for his 
children what circumstances had denied to him personally, and saw that 
they were all well educated. His son John T. was admitted to the bar in 
1890 and was the first man of Sioux extraction ever given that 
distinction. 

	"During his early years in Dakota he endured all kinds of 
hardships. He was thoroughly conversant with Indian life and customs and 
was present at the signing of the treaty opening the Sioux reservation, 
at the Cheyenne river agency, in 1889. It was through his influence that 
Chasing Crow, a full-blooded Sioux Indian, from Bad river, signed the 
bill when the hostile Indians threatened to kill the first man who put 
his name to the treaty. He acted as interpreter at that time, as he was 
well acquainted with the language of the Sioux. He was a very successful 
manager of his affairs and was at one time one of the wealthiest men in 
Clay county. He was one of the founders of Vermillion and was an active 
participant in many of the transactions which are recorded as a part of 
our state history. Arthur C. Van Metre was one of the noble characters 
who, leaving the advantages and benefits of civilization behind, plunged 
into the unknown regions of the new west. To all who knew him there is a 
feeling of sadness for the loss of a dear friend." 

	It may be said farther in connection with the subject's life here 
in the pioneer era that he was with General Harney in his various 
movements in the west until 1857, and during much of the time he was the 
driver of the General's private ambulance. He was appointed to carry the 
government express for the government from Sioux City, Iowa, to Fort 
Randall, Dakota, and in the connection met with many hazardous 
experiences and hardships, often holding out in the accomplishment of 
his purpose when old and more experienced men quailed from the ordeal. 
On one occasion he was compelled to kill his horse and lie by its side 
in order to keep from freezing, while he often found it necessary to 
hide in the brush to avoid the hostile Indians. His wife was a daughter 
of Henry Aungie, who was of three-fourths Indian blood, his ancestry 
being French on the paternal side. He was an interpreter for the 
American Fur Company, and his wife was a half-breed Indian, her ancestry 
being Scotch on the paternal side. Mr. and Mrs. Van Metre became the 
parents of five children, namely: Viola, who is the wife of Lewis D. 
Bentley, of Evarts, this state; Jane E., who is the wife of Charles W. 
Waldron, of Fort Pierre; Alvira K., who is the wife of William P. Oakes, 
of Fort Pierre; John Todd, who was named in honor of General Todd, and 
is a lawyer by profession, ritory and state. He served as one of the 
early being located at White Earth agency, in Minnesota, in the 
government employ, while he was sent by the government to attend the 
golden jubilee of the late lamented Queen Victoria; and Charles Luther, 
who is a successful farmer and stock grower on the Bad river, Fort 
Pierre being his postoffice address. Mr. Van Metre was devoted to his 
wife and children, who were ever the objects of his most solicitous care 
and unqualified affection, and while he was a typical frontiersman his 
noble characteristics were most gratefully shown in his home life. In 
1858 he located in Vermillion, being the first white settler in Clay 
county, and he there engaged in farming and trading, while at one time 
he was there engaged in the livery business. In 1876 he went to the 
Black Hills, upon the discovery of gold, and was one of the owners of 
the first mill established in this section for the handling of the ore. 
He established a freighting business to Deadwood and bought and sold 
supplies on his own account. He lost heavily in these ventures, by 
reason of the unsettled condition of affairs in the hills, one of the 
powerful companies causing him to be unable to continue his operations 
in opposition. After returning to Vermillion, in 1878, he disposed of a 
portion of his landed interests in Clay county and moved to Brule 
county, where he engaged in trading and stock growing, soon recouping 
his fortunes to a considerable extent. In 1882 he located in Pierre, and 
in the same year went to Montana with his sons and sons-in-law on a 
buffalo hunt, and on the expedition several hundred of the animals were 
killed, while the subject had his sight nearly destroyed by the 
premature discharge of his rifle. In 1883 he returned to Dakota and took 
up his abode in Fort Pierre, establishing a ranch on the Bad river and 
continuing to be engaged in stock raising and trading until his death, 
which resulted from heart disease, his wife having passed away on the 
15th of July, 1894, a true-hearted, noble woman and one who was ever his 
faithful and loyal companion and helpmeet. Mr. Van Metre was a Democrat 
of the old school and rendered much service to his party in the ter 
sheriffs of Clay county and in 1879 was elected to the same office in 
Brule county, while fraternally he was identified with the Masonic 
order, being affiliated with the lodge at Vermillion. In concluding this 
brief memoir we quote from an appreciative estimate written by his long-
time friend, John L. Jolley, at the time of the death of the subject 
"Good bye, Van! The memories of the many happy hours your old friends 
have passed in your genial company will live while life lasts. All is 
good that we can remember about you. The world at large may not sing 
your praises, but in the heart of hearts of all the old settlers of both 
Dakotas you have a place, and each old friend, in the quiet of his home, 
will shed many burning tears when he learns that our old happy, merry, 
brave, honest, gallant, kind, generous, chivalrous and unselfish 'Van' 
is no more."