Sam Brown (frontiersman) facts for kids

Samuel Jerome Brown (born March 7, 1845 – died August 29, 1925) was an American pioneer. He lived in the wild areas of Minnesota and Dakota Territory. People knew him as "Sam Brown." He became famous for a brave ride, earning the nickname "Paul Revere of the West." He rode about 150 miles (240 km) in one night. He warned people about a possible Native American attack. When he found out it was a false alarm, he rode back through a snowstorm. He needed to stop his request for army help. Even though this ride left him using a wheelchair, he became a teacher, a community leader, and a helper for Native Americans. He also studied history.

Sam Brown's Early Years

Sam Brown was born on March 7, 1845. This was in Iowa Territory, near Lake Traverse. Today, this spot is in South Dakota. His father was Joseph R. Brown. Joseph was a well-known government official who worked with Native Americans and a politician. Sam's mother was Susan Freniere Brown. She was part Dakota through her ancestor, Chief Tatanka Mani. Because of this, Sam Brown was one-eighth Dakota. He was accepted as a member of the Sisseton band of the Dakota people.

Sam was 17 years old when the Dakota War of 1862 began. He was one of many mixed-blood and non-fighting Dakota people. They were captured by their warring relatives during the conflict. Most of them were freed at Camp Release, including Sam. After being freed, he joined the Minnesota militia as a scout. This happened while some Western Dakota groups still fought against the U.S. moving into their lands. Sam served under his own father's command. He was sent to Fort Wadsworth, which was in Dakota Territory. This fort, later called Fort Sisseton, was built in 1864. Its job was to protect friendly Eastern Dakota people. It also guarded against attacks on white settlers.

Sam joined a special scouting group. It had white frontiersmen, mixed-blood people, and allied Eastern Dakotas. He helped find hostile camps. He also rode patrols, guided people, and worked as an interpreter and messenger. He did his duties very well. In March 1866, when he turned 21, he was promoted. He became a scout inspector. Soon, he was in charge of all the scouts in the area.

The Famous Ride of 1866

On April 19, 1866, a Dakota chief named Oüiduze told Sam Brown something important. He said that five days earlier, he had seen moccasin tracks. He thought they were from a war party. They seemed to be heading from the James River toward white settlements. These settlements were at the start of the Minnesota River.

Sam Brown quickly sent a warning. He sent it to Lieutenant Colonel C. P. Adams. Adams was in charge of the main U.S. Army group at nearby Fort Abercrombie. Then, Sam himself set off. He wanted to warn a scout camp deep in unfriendly territory. This camp was on the Elm River.

Sam left Fort Wadsworth as night fell. He rode 55 miles (89 km) across the dark, flat prairie. He did this in just five hours. He used the North Star to find his way. But when Sam reached the Elm River station at midnight, he got new information. The chief scout, Joseph Rouilliard, told him the tracks were not from a war party. They were from messengers sent by Sam's own father. These messengers were calling Dakota people in western Minnesota to a peace meeting. Sam immediately understood his mistake. The false alarm he sent to Fort Abercrombie could cause U.S. soldiers to start a real war by accident.

Even though he was very tired, Sam knew he had to fix his mistake. He could not wait until daylight. A lone rider on the prairie would be in danger from any truly hostile Native Americans. Rouilliard gave him a fresh horse. Sam then set off to ride back the way he came. But the sky had clouded over, hiding the North Star. He could also see a storm coming from the west.

He had just passed the halfway point. He thought he would outrun the storm. Then, a strong wind almost blew him off his horse. After that came freezing rain, which turned to hail, then snow. Soon, Sam was caught in a strange spring blizzard. With no landmarks or stars, he just kept the wind at his back to stay on course. Twice, his horse broke through ice. This threw Sam into freezing rivers.

At daybreak, Sam found himself on the western side of the Coteau des Prairies. But from the top of the ridge, he saw something upsetting. The wind must have changed during the night. This had led him 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Fort Wadsworth. The blizzard was still raging. Now, Sam had to ride directly into the wind to correct his path. Soon, his legs, fingers, and face were numb from the cold. He could have found shelter in a wooded valley. But Sam was determined to finish his mission.

He reached Fort Wadsworth's scout headquarters around 8:00 in the morning. He got off his horse and immediately fell down. His legs could not hold him up. He managed to take care of his horse. Then, he crawled into the scout cabin and passed out. He woke up in the middle of the afternoon. He stumbled a quarter mile to the next scout's cabin. There, he was able to send a message to his commanding officer, Lieutenant James F. Cochrane. Cochrane then sent a messenger to Fort Abercrombie to cancel the alert.

Sam Brown was only 21 when he made his amazing ride. He covered 150 miles (240 km) in 15 hours in terrible weather. He was never able to walk again. He spent the rest of his life using a wheelchair. Sam also wrote that the ride "damaged my eyes, made my eyesight dim, paralyzed my muscles, took away the use of my legs, and all natural power of movement, and permanently harmed my general health."

Sam Brown's Later Life and Work

Sam Brown's father, Joseph, received ownership of 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land. He started a town in Minnesota. After his death in 1870, this town became known as Browns Valley. Joseph Brown had the scout headquarters building moved there. Father and son used it as their home, a trading post, and a place for stagecoaches to stop. Sam Brown opened a post office in the building. He became the town's first postmaster. Two years later, in 1867, he became the first notary public in Traverse County.

Since he was one-eighth Dakota, Sam Brown became very involved in relations between Native Americans and white settlers. He spoke up for the local Dakota groups. For example, he worked to get payments for Native American scouts who had helped the U.S. Army. He also worked to provide education and religious services to Native Americans. He was a teacher and a lay preacher at an Episcopal mission. He was also the superintendent of a trade school. He edited a publication called Daylight. Sam was also involved in different businesses, mostly buying and selling land.

He married Phebe, and they had four children. Later in his life, he became interested in history. He wrote several articles and exchanged letters with other historians. These writings were about life on the frontier and the Dakota War of 1862. About his famous ride, he would simply say, "it is nothing to talk about. I did my duty as I saw it. That is all." He died in Browns Valley on August 29, 1925, when he was 80 years old.

Sam Brown's Legacy

Sam Brown became famous in his region for his 1866 ride. His fame grew because of his community achievements. Also, he was related to an important person in Minnesota history. Soon after he died, people in Browns Valley asked the state to create a memorial. This place is now known as Sam Brown Memorial State Wayside. It has signs that explain his story. It also includes the 1864 scout headquarters building. The Browns Valley Historical Society runs this building as a museum.