We have special interests in this story. Our great-great grandfather, Charles Clasen (Clausen), and his son, Frederick, were killed near Birch Coulee on August 18, 1862. His wife, Caroline, and son John escaped to Fort Ridgely. Frederick's wife, Martha McConnell Clasen, was taken hostage along with her two young daughters, Ellen and Mary, and were released at Camp Release six weeks later. Charles' half brother, Carl Heuer (Heuyers, Heyers, Haer), and his wife Johanna (Caroline's sister), and their three sons were also killed at Milford on that same day.

    The official civilian death toll issued by President Lincoln in the conflict numbered 800.

    What is your story? We invite you to comment and participate on this site by sharing your family's stories. Email me and your story will be added to the Descendant Stories page.

Janet Clasen Klein and Joyce Clasen Kloncz

By clicking on the heading at the top of the page, Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Victims,  you will be taken to the companion Facebook page.

Causes of the Dakota Uprising

There were a number of factors which contributed to the Dakota Uprising in 1862. Life was changing for the Dakota as both fur-bearing and game animals, upon which they depended, were getting scarce. It is likely that the Dakota had expected that they would be able to live off the proceeds from selling their land to the U.S. government, via the treaties of 1851 and 1858, but it was not working out that way. 

The crops had been poor in 1861 and the winter of 1861-1862 had been difficult, so in 1862, some of the Dakota were hungry. Indian Agent Thomas Galbraith initially refused to distribute food to the Dakota, as he wanted to do that at the same time as he distributed the annual annuity, which had not yet arrived.  The late annuity was also a point of contention. 

Also, there was tension between the Dakota and the traders, so the situation was volatile. So when four Dakota killed five whites at Acton in Meeker County on August 17, 1862, the decision was made to go to war against the whites, which they did early in the morning of August 18. 

And the most tragic and significant event in Minnesota’s history was on.

   What's New?

We have added new tabs and alphabetized lists are shown here for Victims Tombstones, Tombstones of Those Who Served, and Family Photographs: Victims' Tombstones.pdf, Tombstones of Those Who Served.pdf and Family Photographs.pdf. Check the lists to see if your ancestors are shown. There is also a new tab called Soldiers Killed During the Sioux Uprising, prepared by Curtis Dahlin. The 38 Indians who were hanged are listed under the tab Dakota Indians Punishments by Lincoln's Orders. The tab Family and Friends Descendants and Their Relationships shows those descendants who have connected 150 years after their ancestors were neighbors. Also, the tab Escapees, Refugees, Captives and Victims has lists of those people who were noted in Marion Satterlee's book, Outbreak and Massacre by the Dakota Indians in 1862. Don Heinrich Tolzmann submitted the information under the Renville Rangers, the Mankato Company, and the Scandinavian Guards of Nicollet County tabs, which shows those who fought in the important Battles of Fort Ridgley, Wood Lake and the two battles in New Ulm.  A new tab has been set up on the Renville County Pioneers Association by Don Heinrich Tolzmann.

New events, books, and links have been added. We add new data daily so keep watching! 

Looking for More Descendants!

We are searching for descendants of the following families who lived in the Birch Coolee and Beaver Falls Township in 1862: Kaertner, Juni, Hayden, Hunter, Earle, Carrothers, Henderson, Schmidt, Wichmann, Ahrens and White.  If you relate to any of these families or know of someone who does, please contact me via the email button below.  Plans are being made for a commemoration in Renville County, MN to honor these ancestors and their neighbors.