Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Sibley, Henry Hastings 1811-1891

Pioneer; born in Detroit, Mich., Feb. 20, 1811; became a partner in the American Fur Company in 1834. On one of his trips he arrived at the mouth of the Minnesota River, and was so much pleased with the place that he settled there. On May 29, 1848, when Wisconsin became a State, St. Croix River was made the western boundary. This left about 23,000 square miles east of the Mississippi without a government. In November, 1848, Mr. Sibley was elected to represent this district in Congress where he was instrumental in having an act passed creating the Territory of Minnesota, which was made to include the rest of Wisconsin and a large area west of the Mississippi. He served in Congress till 1853. Minnesota was created a State on May 11, 1858, and he was chosen its first governor. He commanded the white volunteer forces of Iowa and Minnesota against the Sioux rising of 1862, and on Sept. 23 broke the power of the Indians in a decisive battle at Wood Lake; was [181] commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, and later received the brevet of major-general. He died in St. Paul, Minn., Feb. 18, 1891.