The History and Culture of the Spirit Lake Dakota
Francois Jetty: He traveled as member of Sibley’s army when they engaged the Dakota in several battles across what is now North Dakota in 1863. He again served with the Minnesota Brigade in the 1864 expedition, to further punish the Dakota with General Sibley. In 1865 when he returned to Minnesota, he and an unnamed fellow scout were attacked by some Dakota warriors. He was shot in the right shoulder as he jumped into the lake. Grasping a hollow marsh reed, he submerged himself beneath the lake water. Using the hollow reed, he was able to breathe underwater. The Dakota warriors searched all around the lake – later named Stay Lake for this incident. Today this lake has been renamed Lake Arco, in Lincoln County, Minnesota. Francois was given an Eight Dollar a month pension later increased to Twenty dollars a month for his wound and elevated to Private; he carried the bullet in him for the rest of his life. The fate of the other scout is unknown.
Francois was a well-known pioneer, after the war he married Cecila Campbell, Cecelia was born October 10, 1848, in St. Paul, Minnesota and died August 9, 1935, at Montevideo, Minnesota. Cecilia was daughter of Antoine J. Campbell and Mary Ann Dalton. Francois became a farmer, homesteading in Camp Release Township, Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota, and raised five children to help with the farm. Cecelia had previously been married to Joseph Charron, She had five children with Joseph who died in 1879. The Jetty name is in every history book in the region. Many of the items from the family farm were donated to the Chippewa County Museum, Madison, MN.
Francois Jette had two children with Anna Hunka, before he was forced to flee. These events ended their marriage. Francois was in the army and Anna fled to Canada. The Dakota were promised for their help in the “War of 1812”, they could count on the British for future help. The first child born was a girl, Winuna (first born female) Josephine, Born 1855.The second child was a boy named Frank Stay (#303-1194) Born in1858 and died September 23, 1951. He was buried in the St. Michael Church Cemetery, Benson County, North Dakota on the Spirit Lake (Devils Lake) Dakota Reservation. In 1868 the Grey Nuns of St. Boniface. Manitoba, Canada helped establish the St. Michael Church and a school, they named Little Flower. The French nuns interviewed Frank Stay, the son of Francois, producing a narrative of Frank Junior’s adventurous life. This interview with Frank fills in many of the details missing from the above family narrative.
The husband, Francois, was with the army, and Anna, his wife, and children were with the Dakota. They were on opposite sides of the many battles that are publicized in history books. The story of Frank Stay and his older sister Josephine continue with the next “Message from Garcia”, coming soon.
Bibliography
Litke, Barbara Frank Stay Documents. Posted on http://oyate1.proboards 58.com Accessed May 8, and 17, 2007. Barbara is from Dawson, MN. Anna Siyaka Hunka Documents. Accessed December 7, 2005.
Matlow, Elaine Papers, Privately owned, Livingston, Montana. Elaine is a member of the Jetty Family.
Peters, Akisa Dakota language instructor at the Sisseton – Wahpeton College, Old Agency, Sisseton, South Dakota. He correctly translated Anna Hunkas’ Dakota name.
Rose, Arthur P. History of Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. Northern History Publishing Company. Marshall, Minnesota 1914.
Redfox Archie Sr. Interviews with Archie Sr. I970’s to 1980’s He is a great -great – grandson of Ptewakannajin and a member of the Five Family band. He is also related to the Jetty family through his great grandparents.
Woolworth, Alan R. Papers, Minnesota Historical Society Archives. Biographies of Francois and Cecelia Jette.
