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Albert
LeClaire, a Mdewakanton Dakota Indian, was 1st of seven children.
He was born on May 12, 1885 in Mendota, Minnesota. His parents
were Frederick LeClaire and Celina Robinette LeClaire. Frederick's
parents were Jean-Baptiste Octave (Wakon) LeClerc (LeClaire) and
Marguerite Dupuis. Octave came to Mendota with his brother Phillip
in 1848. Octave and Marguerite had 12 children born between 1858
and 1884. All the children were baptized in Mendota. They resided
in Mendota until the 1862 Uprising. After the uprising, they camped
on land belonging to Alexander Faribault. They could not stay
in Mendota because all the Dakota Indians were forced out of the
state and sent to Crow Creek, South Dakota. They could not go
to Crow Creek, because they had helped the white settlers. " Only
Faribault's reputation in the city named for him enabled him to
so defy public opinion as to harbor members of the hated Indian
race on his property. As it was, he was threatened and had to
publish in the local newspaper, the Central Republican Newspaper
on June 10, 1863,a detailed statement identifying the Indians
who were living on his land." They lived in extreme poverty, preserved
from starvation only by the charity of their white friends. "They
had no money, and their attempts to raise crops were largely unsuccessful.
They dug and sold ginseng, until the land was so dug over that
several years would be required for the ginseng to recover. They
were not allowed to dig on other people's land." They lived there
for 4 years, along with the other "friendlies" who had helped
the white settlers during the uprising. Land records located by
Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community members put them back in
Mendota in 1883, and copies of land transactions between Octave
and others date from then until 1887.
Octave's
wife Marguerite was the daughter of Hypolite Dupuis and Angelique
Renville. Hypolite Dupuis was listed on the 1849 census of Mendota.
He was employed by Henry Sibley , who was a partner in the American
Fur Company. He served as the first County Treasurer. He built
a home in Mendota in
1856. The Dupuis House was purchased by the Minnesota Daughters
of the American Revolution in 1924 to preserve the rich history
of the beginning of Minnesota. It was remodeled and opened as
a Tea House in 1928 The Tea House has since closed. It is currently
being run by the Minnesota Historical Society. It is open for
tours, along with the Sibley and Faribault homes from May to September.
Angelique
Renville was the daughter of Joseph Renville and Mary, a sister
of Big Thunder, the father of Little Crow (Taoyataduta). Mary
was Little Crow's aunt. Angelique Renville Dupuis was a signer
of the Treaty with the Traverse Des Sioux Bands of 1841, as was
Joseph Renville.
Celina
Robinette's parents were Vanosse Robinette and Mathilde LaBatte.
Mathilde LaBatte's father, Francois LaBatte was one of the first
killed in the 1862 uprising. Celina and Frederick LeClaire were
married on June 23, 1880 in St. Peter's Church in Mendota. Lillian
Felix was born on September 6, 1881 in Mendota She was also baptized
there at St. Peter's church on Sept. 12, 1881. She was sixth of
seven children. Her parents were Peter Felix Jr. and Margaret
Bellecourt. Peter Felix Jr. was the son of Peter Felix Sr. and
Rosalie Frenier (Mazasnawin-Iron Woman). In 1838 a Power of Attorney
from Peter Felix Sr. was given to General Henry Sibley for Rosalie
and daughter Sophie, to be sure they received treaty money. Rosalie
Frenier signed the Treaty with the Traverse Des Sioux Bands of
1841.
Lillie
attended Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania from
1897 to 1904. She was enrolled at Santee, Nebraska, although she
never lived there. Lillie married Albert LeClaire on July 12,
1904 in Hastings, Minnesota. They resided in Mendota after their
marriage. In 1908, she wrote to the Department of Indian Affairs
asking for a patent for premises she owned in Nebraska, so she
could sell it and buy a home in Mendota. Albert and Lillie lived
in Mendota until about 1919, when they started farming at the
Prior Lake Indian Community.
Three
of their children, Oliver Albert LeClaire, Selisha Lillian LeClaire
and Raymond Sylvester LeClaire were born in Mendota. Margaret
Celina LeClaire and Russell Francis LaClaire were born in Shakopee.
Because of the treatment the older children received at school
in Shakopee (called half-breeds -dirty Indians-etc) , Lillie moved
back to Mendota, while Albert stayed and farmed at Prior Lake
with his son Russell. Albert and Lillie and their children can
be found
on the Pipestone Indian Census in 1937 and also 1940. Albert and
his parents and siblings are also listed on the 1899 Census of
Mdewakanton Sioux of Minnesota done by James McLaughlin.
Albert
applied for additional land at Prior Lake in 1937. J.W. Balmer,
Superintendent of the Pipestone Indian School requested this for
him. Two additonal plots of land were assigned to him on November
9, 1937. This land had been abandoned by George and Meredith Crooks.
He also applied for
and received a Planned Productive Loan in 1939. Lillian Felix
LeClaire died on August 30, 1940 at the age of 58 at West Side
General Hospital.
Her daughter
Margaret LeClaire Nordin was in attendance. Margaret tells a story
that when her mother died, a candle by her bed went out and the
glass broke, which scared the woman who was in the next bed. Albert
LeClaire was injured in a car accident by his farm in Prior Lake.
The hospital in Shakopee refused to treat him because he was an
Indian. They had to send to Pipestone, Minnesota for an ambulance
to come and get him and take him to the Indian Hospital there.
This happened in December of 1941, and because of the delay in
treatment, Albert passed away in Pipestone on January 28, 1942
at the age of 56. Albert's death was hastened by discrimination.
The five
children of Albert and Lillian lived in poverty both at Prior
Lake and Mendota. They were the object of discrimination and ridicule
from the whites and at school. It is little wonder that after
Albert's death, not one of them wanted to work and live on the
farm. The assignment was abandoned and was eventually reassigned.
It is
clear that Albert and Lillian and their family were some of the
original Mdewakanton Prior Lake Indian Community residents. At
one time Albert's farm was in excess of 50 acres; a substantial
part of the original reservation. The barn that was built by Albert
still stands on that land today, the only remnant of the early
years there. Albert and Lillie's children are cousins of Norman
Crooks (deceased) and Amos Crooks Jr.,enrolled members of the
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and have maintained contact
throughout the years to the present.
The majority
of the ancestors of Albert and Lillian LeClaire are buried in
St. Peter's Cemetary in Mendota. Many were baptized and married
there as well.
The following history was written by Lillian Rose Brown Anderson,
granddaughter of Albert and Lillian LeClaire and daughter of Selisha
LeClaire and Morris Brown:
I, Lillian Rose Anderson, nee: Brown, was born in Mendota on
September 8, 1934, at home.
My
grandmother, Lillian LeClaire was there for my mother. I was being
born breech. She had to assist the Doctor. I didn't breath for
a few minutes--yes-minutes (as told to me). My grandmother hit
my behind and then my back and something flew out of me and I
started to cry. My mom, dad, grandmother, grandfather, and Great
Aunt Jennie LaCroix all applauded, cried, laughed, hugged, said
prayers, rejoiced.
I
was born at 8:30 p.m. My father, grandfather and uncles wore a
path around the house waiting for me to appear--their first child
and grandchild.
The house I was born in was built by my father, Morris Brown and
grandfather, Albert LeClaire and uncle and cousins. Shortly after
my birth the house was put on skids and moved by a team of horses
to where it sits today. It has been added onto by the new owners.
My Aunt Margaret and her husband Reuben Nordin bought my grandparent's
house in Mendota. They tore it down and built a new house farther
back on the property. My cousin Clarice Gombold (nee Nordin) bought
the house from them. She sold it to her sister, Roxanne Hop, who
still lives there today.
Most all the people in Mendota are related and most all the houses
are still there that were there when I was a child. We all went
to St. Peter's church. the first Catholic church in the territory.
I attended all weddings, baptisms and most all funerals there.
All my ancestors are buried at Mendota. In fact, the grave yard
was just up the hill behind our home. There was a time when the
family was
responsible for keeping the grave yard clean. We all did it.
Our
grandparents also had a farm at Shakopee. The school we attended
in Mendota was the same school my mom went to. It still survives.
It was sold to a private company because the village of Mendota
couldn't pay the taxes. It was moved a block or so away. I feel
bad about this. I wish we could get it back and make a museum
for all to see. It is probably one of the last 2 room school houses
left that are original. When I went to the school it was so wonderful
because I knew everybody. We were like a big family of sisters
and brothers. Every mother in Mendota watched out for all the
children. I'd hear someone say "Dolly" (my nickname), your mom
wants you to go home." We had such respect for all the people.
It was Mrs. or Mr., Auntie, Uncle, Grandfather, Grandmother, Mother,
Father. I didn't know that people had first names.
We
moved from Mendota (Mom didn't want to move) in 1944. We had to
because Dad got a job in Minneapolis. He had to walk the Mendota
Bridge both ways (we didn't have a car). Then he had to take the
streetcar to 15th Ave. and 6th St. It was the only job he could
get. (a bartender) Dad only went to the 4th grade. My father was
Irish, English and German. So you see, with 4 children to feed,
we had to move out of Mendota because there wasn' t any employment
there, so we sold our family home and moved to Minneapolis. We
hated it!!! We went back to Mendota on the streetcar and walked
the Mendota Bridge ofter to see our relatives and friends. I always
walked past our old home and cried!
The Nordins, Robinettes, LeClaires, LaCroix's all lived there.
I always wished I could go into my family home and stay there,
but of course it wasn't ours anymore. I'd cry all the way back
to Minneapolis. Mom had tears, sister Beverly and brothers Morris
and Bob were pretty little so I don't know how they felt at the
time. I know now they felt the same way about Mendota.
About
my grandparents, Albert and Lillian LeClaire--they were the salt
of the earth, respected and loved by all. My grandmother Lillian
was at the birth of many Mendota babies. She raised 5 kids. She
was a wonderful person. I spent many many days and nights with
her and grandfather. She used to feed anyone who knocked at the
door, mostly transients. The railroad tracks were just across
the highway in Mendota. They would knock on the door and ask for
food. She'd give them a meal and they'd do work around the yard.
I think all the hobos on that railroad line knew about Lillian
LeClaire, the Angel of Mendota. You were pretty sure of a meal
at her door.
We
used to go to the farm when Grandmother was out there. She preferred
to stay in her home in Mendota. She had a pickle keg at the farm
outside the door and us kids always would dive into it. Most all
my cousins remember the pickle jar. My cousins, Uncle Albert's
children were living with Grandmother and Grandfather at Mendota.
We were always together--there and at the farm.
Mendota was a wonderful place to grow up. Everyone was either
related by blood or by marriage. We knew everybody and everybody
knew us. Our houses didn't have numbers on them. Everybody knew
where your house was. You had to go to the only grocery store
(Mr. Newhouses) for the mail. We all had mail boxes there.
We
walked all over (no cars). We'd meet to get the mail and before
you knew it, half the town was either in the store or outside
just visiting. I wish I could go back there and buy my ancestoral
home.
Our
mother and uncles were treated very badly as children. My mother
was the most beautiful curly haired little girl ever, and she
and my uncles were called "dirty Indians". That was at Shakopee
school, so Grandmother LeClaire took them back to Mendota, where
she grew up. Our family, the LeClaires go back to the early 1800's
in Mendota. We are Mdewakanton!
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