The Northfield Historical Society will host The Venerable Canon Benjamin Scott on February 21 at 6:00 p.m. Scott will speak on the role Bishop Henry Whipple played in the 1862 US Dakota War.
Whipple was Minnesota’s first Episcopal Bishop. He came to this state in 1859 with his wife Cornelia and six children. When the fighting broke out in August of 1862 Whipple returned home from Northern Minnesota as fast as possible. He had seen the conflict coming since the signing of the Treaty Traverse des Sioux when many promises were broken. He went to St. Peter were many injured were taken and he served as nurse and chaplain.
After the fighting Whipple would play an important role in negotiating terms for the over 300 Dakota that were sentence to death, he would get that number down to 39. He would also play an important role for finding a home for the Dakota after the conflict.
The program is the final event in NHS’s 7 month observation of the 1862 US-Dakota War. After the program the exhibit 1862 Through Rice County’s Eyes will be taken down. This will be your last chance to see the exhibit.
For more information please call NHS at 507-645-9268 or email us at northifeldhistory.org.
The Northfield Historical Society is located at 408 Division Street in downtown Northfield.