Union County, SD Biographies.....Wixson, Eli B. May 6, 1833 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 3, 2022, 9:02 pm

Source: MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OIF Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, South Dakota. (1897)
Author: Geo. Ogle & Co.

HON. ELI B. WIXSON, a portrait of whom will be seen on another page, was born May 6,
1833, at Wayne, Steuben Co., N. Y. He came to Dakota in 1859, and settled at the
present site of Elk Point. He was the first white man to settle in this portion of
Dakota. His first house was built of logs. It was 12x16 feet, with ground floor and
sod roof. In this rude structure Mr. Wixson kept hotel and grocery store at the same
time.

During the following winter Mr. Wixson’s only neighbors were some seventy-five
Santee Sioux Indians, who had encamped here for the purpose of hunting. He dealt
quite extensively with them and report says he lost nothing in his bargains.

An incident or two occurred at this time which serves to illustrate the quality of
stuff necessary to constitute a successful pioneer. The heart of the savage, like
that of civilized man, is deceitful above all things. Mr. Wixson says they disposed
of their chief in the following manner:

“One bitter cold night I was called to go to the Indian’s camp. The messenger said
the chief was dead. On my arrival I found the body of the chief wrapped in the
American flag. Unfurling a portion of the Stars and Stripes, I found to my surprise,
that the body was warm and lifelike. This recalled to memory what one of the tribe
had told me a few days before; that a pertain grayish powder, which he showed me,
when smoked together with ‘Kinnikinick,’ would cause the smoker to take a ‘long
sleep.’ And I thought that in the case of the chief the powder was being put to the
test, and was working to a charm. But I discreetly kept my own counsel. About noon
of the following day, there was a commotion in the camp of the reds. The bucks
divested themselves of by far the greater portion of their clothing and bedaubed
their persons with mud or clay. Then with their dead chieftain strapped to poles
attached to a pony, they began their parade. They very soon brought up in front of
my cabin and began to horribly mutilate their bodies. Each one would take hold of
the skin and pull it out from his body and thrust a knife entirely through it, thus
inflicting great gashes from which the blood flowed profusely. The squaws were less
ostentatious, removing their leggins only and using shells to scratch the skin. One
big brave pulled up the skin upon his breast and then handed me the knife to see if
I had the pluck to draw blood. I took the knife and made a feint as though I would
strike right down into his body. He dodged and displayed much astonishment at my
threatening attitude. Another came into the cabin and got his musket in shape to
blow off his head. I took the gun from him and removed the cap, but he immediately
recapped it and got once more into the same position. But by this time, others were
present to witness the tragedy and I offered no more protests. But he decided to
defer the act to a future date. For two or three hours they kept up these hideous
performances and then began their march to Minnesota, carrying their chief with
them.

“At another time before this I was awakened from my slumbers late at night by the
loud cracking of the fire in the chimney corner. Looking about I saw a score or more
of the reds. Indignant at the liberties thus taken by them, I sprang from my bunk
and gave orders to evacuate. I used strong arguments, and they all adjourned except
one surly fellow, whose tardy motion provoked me. I caught him by the hair and led
him to the door, where I administered a good swift kick that sent him into the outer
darkness. They afterward called me by a peculiar name, which I have forgotten, but
which meant the ‘little brave white man. ‘”

The next year several families settled near Elk Point, and Mr. Wixson plowed and
planted sixty acres, which yielded good sod corn and potatoes.

The town of Elk Point was platted in 1861; in 1862 it was incorporated, and Mr.
Wixson was president of the first council.

In i860 Mr. Wixson was appointed postmaster of Elk Point. It was a small affair
then, but he has held the office since the town has grown to larger proportions.

Mr. Wixson at one time represented the county of Union in the house of
representatives of Dakota. He presented the county with the block of land now used
as a courtyard, and the city of Elk Point with the ground where the high school
building now stands.

Eli B. Wixson was one of a family of ten boys and one girl born to Daniel Wixson -
born August 18, 1786, died December 2, 1852, of English descent; and Deabrah
(Conkling) Wixson, born July 7, 1793, died in March, 1864, of Dutch ancestry. Of the
eleven children there are now living four sons, three in the state of New York, and
the subject of this sketch, in Union county, S. Dak.

Born on the frontier of Christian parents (close communion Baptists), Mr. Wixson
never lost, entirely, the desire for a frontier life, nor lost sight of or belief in
the faith in which he was reared.

Mr. Wixson was married on November 30, 1865, in Elk Point, Dakota Ter., to Mrs.
Clara E. Christie {nee Cook), and there have been born to them six children - three
boys, William M., now in business in Hawarden, Iowa; Frank B. and Eli B., both at
home with their parents; and three girls, Mary D., now Mrs. George Walker, residing
at Elk Point, S. Dak.; Clara, deceased; and Alice May, now Mrs. Rev. Wheeler, of
Aberdeen, S. Dak.

Mr. Wixson, after speculating a great deal in real estate and town lots, still
retains an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, well improved and
valuable, lying about five miles northwest of Elk Point, where he with his good wife
and two unmarried sons live in much enjoyment and comfort.

In politics, he has always been a Democrat until the organization of the Populist
party in South Dakota; has always been a prominent figure in his party councils, and
has filled many positions of honor and trust. In 1866, as before noted, he was
elected to and served with honor in the territorial legislature as a representative
from Union county. He served one term as register of deeds of his county and one
term as county commissioner. He has acted as notary public, is a past master Mason,
and was a charter member of the first Masonic lodge of Sioux City, Iowa, and Elk
Point, S. Dak. Since coming to Elk Point he has been engaged in farming,
hotel-keeping, merchandising, and now boasts that he has settled down to the
conscientious occupation of an honest granger.

Mrs. Wixson, a daughter of Capt. Cook, was born August 7, 1840, in Onondago county,
N. Y. She is of English descent, and when married to Mr. Wixson had one daughter of
a former marriage, Lottie Christy, now the esteemed wife of J. W. Steckman, who is
successfully engaged in business in Elk Point, S. Dak. Mr. and Mrs. Wixson, along
with their two sons, are members of the First Church of Christian Science of Elk
Point, and all firm believers in its tenets and earnest workers in the advancement
of its principles. Mr. Wixson, being the first settler of the present location of
the city of Elk Point, and being a man of a peculiarly observant nature and
possessed of rare judgment and acumen, is looked upon by his neighbors as a sort of
oracle and as an authority on the early history of the Dakotas.

In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in company B, First Dakota cavalry, in the
organization of which he materially assisted. This battalion, along with the Sixth
Iowa cavalry, rendered excellent service until the close of the war in successfully
keeping back the Indians from the frontier settlements. Mr. Wixson served during the
whole time and was commissary sergeant of the battalion.


Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/union/photos/bios/wixson312gbs.jpg

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/union/bios/wixson312gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/sdfiles/

File size: 8.2 Kb