Wolfchild v. Redwood County

91 F. Supp. 3d 1093, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26776, 2015 WL 1000057
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedMarch 5, 2015
DocketCivil No. 14-1597 (MJD/FLN)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 91 F. Supp. 3d 1093 (Wolfchild v. Redwood County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wolfchild v. Redwood County, 91 F. Supp. 3d 1093, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26776, 2015 WL 1000057 (mnd 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF LAW & ORDER

MICHAEL J. DAVIS, Chief Judge.

This matter is before the Court on Defendants’ motions to dismiss. For the reasons set forth below, this matter will be dismissed with prejudice.

I. Introduction

A. Background

In the early 1800’s, the Minnesota Sioux consisted of four bands that lived along the [1096]*1096Mississippi River from the Territory of Dakota to the Big Sioux River. (Id. ¶ 10.) The Mdewakanton and' Wahpakoota bands were referred to as the “lower bands” and the Wahpeton and Sisseton bands were referred to as the “upper bands.” (Id. ¶ 11.)

On September 29, 1837, the Minnesota Sioux entered into a treaty with the United States by which they ceded all then-land east of the Mississippi River and the islands in said rivep in consideration of $300,000. (Id. ¶ 12, citing Treaty of Sept. 29, 1837, arts. I-II, 7 Stat. 538 (“1837 Treaty”).) Under the 1837 Treaty, the United States was required to pay an annuity to the Minnesota Sioux at a rate of not less than five percent interest, to be paid forever. (Id. ¶ 13.)

Ip 1851, the lower bands ceded all of the lands in the Territory of Minnesota and the State of Iowa. (Id. ¶ 14, citing Treaty of August 5, 1851, 10 Stat. 954, art. 1 (the “1851 Treaty”).) The 1851 Treaty further provided that the United States would provide the lower bands a trust fund of $1,160,000, with interest set at five percent, to be paid annually for fifty years. (Id. ¶ 15, citing 1851 Treaty, art. IV, ¶ 2.) The upper bands signed a similar treaty on July 23, 1851, by which they ceded all lands in the Territory of Minnesota and the State of Iowa and all lands owned in common by the four bands by natural boundaries. (Id. ¶ 16, citing Treaty of July 23, 1851, art. II, 10 Stat. 949.) In exchange, the upper bands were to receive a trust of $1,360,000 and interest at 5% to paid out annually for fifty years. (Id. ¶ 17.) Both of these treaties provided for the creation of a reservation to run along the Minnesota River. (Id. ¶ 18.) The United States Senate, however, amended the compensation provided under the treaties, instead providing that the Minnesota Sioux would be paid 10 cents per acre of the reservation land, which sum was added to the trust funds created by the treaties. (Id. ¶ 20.) The Senate also authorized the President to set aside another reservation outside the limits of the ceded land. (Id. ¶ 21.) The President did not set aside another reservation, and the Minnesota Sioux continued to live on their reservation along the Minnesota River, which reservation was confirmed by the Act of July 31, 1854, 10 Stats. 326. (Id. citing Medawakanton and Wahpakoota Bands of Sioux Indians v. United States, 57 Ct.Cl. 357 (Ct.Cl.1922)).

In 1858, the United States entered into another treaty pursuant to which the lower bands agreed to cede part of their reservation lying on the north side of the Minnesota River in exchange for money and goods. (Id. ¶ 24 citing Treaty of June 19, 1858, arts. I-III, 12 Stat. 1031 (“1858 Treaty”).) The 1858 Treaty created a new reservation on land then occupied by the bands along the Minnesota River in south-central Minnesota. (Id. ¶ 25.) In addition, the lower bands agreed to preserve friendly relations with the citizens of the United States and to commit no injuries or depredations on their persons or property. (Id. ¶ 26, citing to 1858 Treaty, art. VI, 12 Stat. at 1031.)

In August 1862, the four bands engaged in an outbreak during which a large number of white settlers were massacred and a significant amount of property was destroyed. (Id. ¶¶27, 28.) The outbreak was in response to the failure of the United States to furnish the money and supplies promised to the bands in the above referenced treaties. (Id. ¶ 27.) The United States determined that the Sioux had breached the treaties by their actions during the uprising, and as a result, Congress abrogated and annulled all treaties between them, and declared all lands and rights of occupancy within the State of [1097]*1097Minnesota and annuities and claims to the United States forfeited. (Id. ¶ 29.) A portion of the annuities remaining were paid out to those settlers who had suffered damages as a result of the uprising. (Id. ¶ 30.) Congress also passed legislation to move the Minnesota Sioux out of Minnesota and to redistribute their land. (Id. ¶ 31.)

During the uprising, however, some of the Minnesota Sioux remained loyal to the United States by not participating in the uprising or by affirmatively acting to save the settlers. (Id. ¶ 32.) Despite their assistance, these loyal Sioux1 were rendered poverty-stricken and homeless. (Id. ¶ 34.) Notwithstanding the broad termination of the Sioux treaties, Congress did take steps to provide for those loyal Sioux that assisted the white settlers.

[T]he Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to set apart of the public ■ lands, not otherwise appropriated, eighty acres in severalty to each individual of the before-named bands who exerted himself in rescuing the whites from the late massacre [by] said Indians. The land so set apart ... shall not be aliened or devised, except by the consent of the President of the United States, but shall be an inheritance to said Indians and their heirs forever.

(Id. ¶¶ 36 and 37, quoting Section 9 of the Act of February 16, 1863, 12 Stat. at 654 (“1863 Act”).) .

It is Plaintiffs position that in 1865, the Secretary of the Interior used his authority under the 1863 Act to set apart a 12 square mile reservation for the loyal Sioux. (Am. Comp. ¶ 39.) In a letter dated March 17, 1865, the Secretary delegated this authority to Reverend. S.D. Hinman, Missionary, to designate 12 square miles to the loyal Sioux. (Id. ¶¶ 40, 41, Ex. 1.) In response, Rev. Hinman identified 12 sections of land and wrote them down on the same letter from the Secretary of Interior. (Id. ¶ 42; Ex. 1.) Later, the Secretary initialed the Reverend’s selections, which Plaintiffs assert set apart and conveyed such sections to the loyal Sioux. (Id. ¶ 43.)

On March 23, 1865, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs wrote to Rev. Hinman, confirming the decision of the Secretary and that it was sufficient to authorize the Reverend “to proceed to collect and establish the friendly Sioux upon the lands designated by you in your letter of the 17th instant.” (Id. ¶ 44; Ex. 2.) In this letter, the Commissioner further noted that $800 had been authorized for plowing the land and for purchasing tools and seeds for the Indians in question. (Id.)

In another letter dated March 23, 1865, Rev. Hinman wrote to Bishop Whipple informing him that he “succeeded in getting upwards of 10,000 acres of land set apart for Taopi & friendly Sioux located at Redwood & including our dear little church. The Indians are to have 80 acres each — i.e. heads of families — in fee simple & unalienable.” (Id. ¶ 45; Ex. 3.) In an undated letter, Rev. Hinman informed the Bishop of white resistance to the Mdewakanton:

The Sec. of the Interior, at our request, withdrew from sale, by Ex. Order, 10,-000 acres for this purpose & located it at & near the old Lower Sioux Agency. Gen.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
91 F. Supp. 3d 1093, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26776, 2015 WL 1000057, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wolfchild-v-redwood-county-mnd-2015.