Agnes Carson Johnson Pond is a native of Ohio— born at Greenfield in 1825. She was the daughter of William Johnson, a physician and surgeon of Chilli-cothe, Ohio. By the death of her father she was left an orphan at five years of age. Her mother married a Avorthy minister of the Associate Reformed Presby-ian church, Rev. John McDill. She had superior educational and social advantages and made good use of all her opportunities. She was educated at a seminary at South Hanover, Indiana. There she met her future husband. Robert Hopkins. He, as well as she, v/as in training for service on mission fields. They were married in 1843. He had already been appointed as a missionary teacher for the Sioux Indians. The young wafe was compelled to make her bridal tour in the company of strangers, by boat and stage and private conveyance from Ohio to the then unknown land of the upper Mississippi. It required thirty days then, instead of thirty hours, as now, to pass from Ohio to the Falls of St. Anthony. The bride-groom drove his own team from Galena, Illinois, to Fort Snelling.
(iRA.NDMOTLTKR POM>,
The Last Living A/fember of the Heroic liand of Pioneer Missionaries to the Dakotas, in the 8ist Year of Her Age.
HER HtJSBAND DROWNED.
Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins were first stationed at Lac-qui-Parle. After one year they were transferred to Traverse des Sioux, near the present site of Sf. Peter, Minnesota. Here they gave seven years of the most faithful, devoted, self-sacrificing toil for the lost and degraded savages around them. They built a humble home and established and maintained a mission school. Five children were born to them there. Two of these were early called to the celestial home on high. Their life at Traverse des Sioux was a strenuous, isolated, but a fruitful and happy one. It was destined, however, to a speedy and tragic end.
Early in the morning of July 4, 1851, Mr. Hopkins entered the river for a bath. He was never seen alive again. A treacherous swirl in the water at that point suddenly carried him to his death. His wife waited long the carefully prepared morning meal, but her beloved came not again. He went up through the great flood of waters from arduous service on the banks of the beautiful Minnesota to his glorious rev/ards on the banks of the still more beautiful River of Life.
Broken-hearted, the young wife, only twenty-six years of age, laid him to rest on the banks of the river whose treacherous waves had robbed her of her life companion. Sadly she closed her home in Minnesota and, with her three little fatherless children, returned to her old home in far-distant Ohio.
Rev. Robert Hopkins enjoyed the full confidence of his colleagues and was greatly beloved by the Indians. His untimely death was an irreparable loss to the mission work amonof the Sioux.
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SFCOND r.RTDAL TOUR TO THE WEST.
Shortly after the tragedy at Traverse des Sioux, Mrs. Sarah Poage Pond, wife of Rev. Gideon H. Pond, died at Oak Grove Mission of consumption. In 1854 ]\Jr. Pond visited Ohio, where he and ]\Irs. Hopkins were united in marriage. She made a second bridal tcur from Ohio to Minnesota, and toiled by his side till his death in 1S78.
In every relation in life in which she has been placed, Mrs. Pond has excelled. While she long- ago ceased from active service in mission fields, she ever has been, and still is untiring in her efforts to do good to all as she has opportunity. She is strong- and vigorous at the age of eighty. She still resides at the Oak Cirove ]\Iission house, her home since 1857, universally beloved and regarded as the best woman in the world 1)v about one hundred descendants.
John P. Williamson, D. D., Superintendent of Presb\terian Sioux Missions. For-tv-five years a missionary to the Sioux.
OAK GROVE MISSION HOUSE.
This old land mark is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota, twelve miles southwest of Minneapolis. Here in 1843, Gilbert H. Pond established his headquarters as a missionary to the Sioux Indians. He erected a large log building in which he resided, taught school and preached the gospel. Here, in 1848; the Presbytery of Dakota convened, and ordained Mr. Pond and Robert Hopkins to the Presbyterian ministry. For many years it was the sole source of social, moral, and spiritual light for a wide region for both races. It was also the favorite gathering place of the Indians for sport. In 1852, a great game of ball was played here. Good Road and Grey Iron joined their followers with Cloudman's band of Lake Calhoun in opposition to Little Six and his band from Shakopay. Tw^o hundred and fifty men and boys participated in the game, while two hundred and fift^• others were deeply interested spectators. The game lasted for three days and was won by Cloudman and his allies. Forty-six hundred dollars in ponies, blankets and other such property changed hands on the results.
In 1856, the present commodious residence was e-rected of brick manufactured on the premises. For twenty-one years it was the residence of Rev. Gideon Hollister Pond. He was for twenty .vears, also, pastor of the white Presbyterian church of Oak Grove He was a member of the first territorial legislature: the editor of the "The Dakota Friend" the first re-
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Hgious journal pnb.lished in the state, and he was also the first preacher of the gospel in the city of Minneapolis.
In whatever position he was placed in life, he ever proved himself to be a wise, conscientious, consecrated Christian gentleman. "None knew him, but to love him; none knew him, but to praise. He was boni in Connecticut, June thirtieth, 1810, and on the twentieth of January, 1878, he passed from his Oak Grove Mission Home through the gates of the celestial city, to go no more out. They laid him to rest in the midst of the people, whom he had loved and served so well for four and forty years and by whom he was universally beloved and admired. None were more sincere in their demonstrations of sorrow than the little company of Dakotas to whom he had been a more than father.
ANPETUSAPAWIN
A Legend of St. Anthotiy Falls
Long ere the white man's bark had seen These flower-decked prairies^ fair and wide, Long ere the white man's bark had been Borne on the Mississippi's tick, So long ago, Dakotas say, Anpetiisapawin was born, Her eyes behekl these scenes so gay First opening on life's rosv morn.
—S. W. Pond.
In the long ago, a young Indian brave espoused as his wife this Indian maiden of whom the poet sing-s. AVith her he lived happily for a few A-ears, in the enjoyment of ever}' comfort of which a savage life is capable. To crown their happiness, they were blessed with two lovely cliildren on whom they doted. During this time, by a dint of activi(ty and perseverance in the chase, he became signalized in an eminent degree as a hunter, having met with unrivaled success in the pursuit and capture of the wild denizens of the forest. This circumstance contributed to raise him high in the estimation of his fellow savages and drew a crowd of admiring friends around. This operated as a spur to his ambitions.
At length some of his newl\' acquired friends suggested to him the propriety of taking another wife, as it would be impossible for one woman to manage the afl^airs of his household and properly wait upon the
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many guests his rising importance would call to visit him. They intimated to him that in all probability he would soon be elevated to the chieftainship. His vanity was fired by the suggestion. He yielded readily and accepted a wife they had already selected for him.
After his second marriage, he sought to take his new wife home and reconcile his first wife to the match in the most delicate manner possible. To this end he returned to his first wife, as yet ignorant of what had occurred, and endeavored, by dissimulation, to secure her approval..
"You know," said he, "1 can love no one" as I love you; yet I see your labors are too great for your powers of endurance. Your duties are daily becom.ing more and more numerous and burdensome. This grieves me sorely. But I know of only one remedy by which you can be relieved. These considerations constrain me to take another wife. This wife shall be under your control in every respect and ever second to you in my afll-ections." She listened to his narrative in painful anxiety and endeavored to reclaim him from his wicked purpose, refuting all his sophistry bv expressions of her unaffected conjugal affection. He left her to meditate. She became more industrious and treated him more tenderly than before. She tried ever}^ means in her power to disuade him from the execution of his vile purpose. She pleaded all the endearments of their former happy life, the regard he had for her happiness and that of the offspring of their mutual love to prevail on him to relinquish the idea of marrying another wife. He then informed her