Government Records
Funds for the claims were taken from $25,000 approved by a Special Session of the State Legislature on September 25, 1862 for the relief of refugees driven from their homes during the U.S.-Dakota War. St. Paul banker Peter Berkey was named State Commissioner for the Distribution of the Refugee Fund, with assistance from H. A. Swift (later replaced by M. B. Stone), Jared Benson, and Daniel Basset. The legislated funds were also supplemented from collections taken in Ohio, New York, and other eastern areas.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the
Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics
should
May only be used at the Special Use table. Consult the reference staff for more information.
Accession numbers: 244; 216; 226
Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project
grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Catalog ID number: 007489813
Mainly to Berkey from refugees or their benefactors requesting aid, Also from suppliers requesting payment; from Provost Marshal M. B. Stone concerning purchase of supplies in St. Peter, particularly for the hospital; and from William W. Wales while in Ohio raising funds to aid the refugees.
Correspondents include Alexander Ramsey, Bishop H. B. Whipple, Richard Strout, Charles E. Flandrau, Henry A. Swift, A. K. Skaro, and William R. Marshall.
Both official claim forms and handwritten claims; many signed by Berkey and/or Governor Ramsey, allowing State Treasurer Charles Scheffer to make payments directly to the refugees.
These forms are arranged in numerical order, regardless of the form used.
Claims, many on official forms, filed by companies and individuals providing services or supplies to the refugees, including transportation, food, work at the local hospitals or soup houses, and coffin/burial service.
Numbered and approved by local managers, Berkey, or Governor Ramsey.
All are from St. Peter.
Daily orders given for coffins; some include the name of the deceased.
Signed by A. H. Mills, Quartermaster, and/or A. Knight, Assistant Quartermaster, St. Peter Home Guard.
Incomplete; from various suppliers. Most are signed by M. B. Stone, Provost Marshal.
For cattle purchased by order of the Provost Marshal.
Detailed authorizations for payments for services and supplies; majority signed by D. Birdsall.
Includes steamboat, railroad, and stagecoach claims.
Includes daily receipts from St. Peter and Traverse.
Includes scattered orders for other suppliers.
Numbered but very incomplete.
An act passed by the state legislature in January 1863 allowed counties to provide aid to refugees with the approval of the county commissioners. These claims were filed by Brown, Dakota, Goodhue, Blue Earth, Nicollet, Houston, and Le Sueur counties for repayment by the state.
Listing of St. Paul Bills, certified by Berkey and approved by Governor Ramsey, December 1862-February 1863, which appear to cover claims in St. Paul, Mankato, Ft. Snelling, St. Peter, Minneapolis, Forest City, Kasota, Belle Plaine, Anoka, Dayton, St. Cloud, Traverse des Sioux, Roberts Ferry, and Kingston. Also undated lists for Mankato, St. Peters [St. Peter], bills presented from various localities, and claims against the United States.
Appear to be documents created by Scheffer.
Includes numbers of refugees receiving aid in months of September, October, November, and January 1862; financial information on the use of the Refugee Fund; data on the Commission members; and financial listings for St. Paul, Minneapolis, Anoka, Mankato, St. Peters [St. Peter], Forest City, Belle Plaine, Kasota, and Dayton.
List of St. Paul, Mankato, St. Peters [St. Peter], South Bend, St. Cloud, Hennepin County, and Monticello refugees and St. Paul widows.