The Reverend D. Renville (Zitkadantawa = His Bird) was born 1838 at Lac Qui Parle, Minnesota. His father was Joseph Renville III (Hrana ???) 1809 – 1856. His mother was Therese Ermatinger 1820 -1855 They were married in 1838 and had at least five children: Daniel 1838, Angelique 1845, Agnes 1847, Thomas 1850 and Willian 1855. Daniel was the grandson of Joseph Renville Senior (Psincinca = Pond Lily (1803 – 1856) a well-known Fur Trader. Joseph Sr. was the man who helped translate the Bible into the Dakota language. The name of Daniel’s first wife was Josette Aungie (1849 – 1878.) He had two children, Harvey Renville (1877 – 1894), and Cora (? – 1879). Daniel is recorded as 7/8 Bdewakantun and Sissituwan Dakota. Daniel was educated by the Presbyterian missionary Stephen R. Riggs, being fluent in English and his native tongue, Dakota. His education was with Rev. Riggs at Hazelwood, Mission School.
During the 1862 Minnesota Dakota war, the Renville family surrendered themselves to General Sibley at Camp Release, (Montevideo, Minnesota). The individual family members were tried for their participation in the war and sent to the prison camp at Fort Snelling. A group of Christian Dakota were released if they helped scout for the army. Daniel volunteered and was present at the many battles as General Sibley chased the Dakota across North Dakota. In 1867 the Dakota signed a peace treaty with the Government, and agreed to live on two reservations. Devils Lake (Miniwakan) and Lake Traverse.
He then asked for land and a home on the Lake Traverse Reservation. He was called to be an Elder for the Brown Earth Church located near Stockholm, SD in June of 1866. The following year he was licensed to preach at Ascension Church, Big Coolie District, Lake Traverse, SD. Then in 1868 to Dry Wood Lake – Tawacinwaste (Good Will) as Pastor, his flock
consisted of 42 members. This church is about one mile from the Sisseton Wahpeton Agency. After the Sisseton – Wahpeton Reservation was established by a treaty signed in Washington in 1867. This treaty established the Devils Lake and Lake Traverse Reservations. Unfortunately the treaty eventually paid only seven cents an acre for the eastern half of North Dakota. He was involved in tribal politics signing a petition against Indian Agent Adams. He was also against Joseph R. Brown who wanted to be a representative for the tribe. Daniel was ordained in 1870. In June 1871 he goes to the First General Council meeting, Presbyterian Church. Daniel signed for the Sisseton-Wahpetun as a headman for the 1873 Amended Agreement to the 1872 Agreement to relinquish the remaining tribal lands to the United States Government. In the year 1884 Charles Crawford (Wakaninape = Comes Out Holy), Daniel, John B., Isaac, and Michel Renville attended the Theological Institute at Santee, Nebraska.
His record of being a pastor is as follows: 1871 at Good Will until 1876. In 1877 to 1888 he was at Brown Earth with 44 members, 1879 he established the Bdecan (Woodlake) Presbyterian Church, at Devils Lake. From 1889 to 1895 He served Crow Creek in South Dakota. 1896 he was back at Bdecan. 1897 – 1900 Crow Creek. 1901 -1903 he was pastor to two churches Bdecan and Raven Hill, Kangi Paha (Raven Hill) at Devils Lake. 1904 -1905 Crow Creek, 1906 no church assigned. 1907 Crow Creek, He was without a church 1908 – 1909. Rev. Daniel Renville died age 68 – 69, October 19, 1909, and is buried in St. John Baptist Cemetery, Buffalo County, SD.
The reason Rev. Daniel Renville is an interesting person to the Spirit Lake Dakota, comes from the fact that Daniel was the founding pastor to the Bdecan Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Renville started the church as a mission in the hills behind Wood Lake 1879. He also established a school at that location. There is no marker, just a cellar hole where Renville’s house and school once stood.
Bdecan (Wood Lake) pronounced Bday-chan) is the only Dakota Presbyterian Church in North Dakota. The church stands today a mile south of Tokio, ND. Bdecan in the fall 2026 will be 146 years old. The members of this church sing their hymns in the Dakota Language, the only church to do so at Spirit Lake. Presently Bdecan has Chandra Mendieta as a Pastor. A Food Bank and Clothes Closet round out their mission to Spirit Lake. Formerly there was another Presbyterian Church named Kangi Paha (Raven Hill) on the western side of Spirit Lake Reservation, but they closed due to inactivity. Both the Bdecan and Kangi Paha Cemetery are still in use. The Presbyterian Church has given permission for the St. Thomas Episcopal Church to use the Kangi Paha Cemetery as the St. Thomas Cemetery was full.
Bibliography
Anderson, Gary Clayton; Gabriel Renville: From the Dakota War to the Creation of the Sisseton – Wahpeton Reservation 1825 – 1892. South Dakota Historical Society Press. Pierre 2018.
Clemmons, Linda M.; Unrepentant Dakota Woman: Angelique Renville and the Struggle for Indigenous Identity, 1845 – 1876. South Dakota Historical Society Press, Pierre 2023. (Angelique Renville was a sister of Daniel Renville).
Dakota in Exile: The Untold Stories of Captives in the Aftermath of the United States – Dakota War. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City 2019.
Lewis, Bonnie Sue; Creating Christian Indians: Native Clergy in the Presbyterian Church. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman 2003.
Ancestry Search for Daniel Renville.
Garcia Louis Papers; Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. Bdecan Presbyterian Church, Tokio, North Dakota.
Riggs, Stephen R.; Mary and I: Forty years with Sioux. Ross and Haines, Inc. Minneapolis 1969. With introduction and notes by John Willand.