Taken in part from the History of Fort Totten by Harold Schunk, Superintendent
Mission Township was formed from Wood Lake School Township in the mid-1910s. The township is named in honor of the mission school established here in 1874 by the Grey Nuns, a Roman Catholic order from Montreal, Canada. The school was established through the efforts of Major William H Forbes, the first Indian agent on the Fort Totten Reservation, as the Spirit Lake Reservation was then known. He tried to secure two of his cousins who were members of the Community of Nuns of Montreal, for teachers. They started for Fort Totten but heard so many stories that they turned back. Again in 1874, Major Forbes attempted to secure teachers. He had already communicated with the Catholic Bureau, thus arranging for the necessary funds. The Indians had, under Major Forbes' direction, built bricks from clay taken near Devils Lake, and with these bricks, had erected a small school house 14 feet by 30 feet. It was located seven miles east of the Fort and was known as St. Michaels Mission. On October 27, 1874, the four sisters; Miss Rose Labelle of Montreal, who later became a sister, and Father Bennin, Major Forbes, his wife and daughter and two nieces, Mr. Maloney and the paymaster for the soldiers left St. Paul enroute to Devils Lake and Fort Totten. They left Jamestown in four wagons and came to the Fort. On February 1883 the mission school burned and was reestablished in 1885 and located only one-half mile northwest of Fort Totten, this time. About 100 children attended there. In 1888 an addition was built. In 1890 when the garrison abandoned Fort Totten, the buildings of the post were turned over to the Interior Department to be used as an Industrial School for Indians. This Mission School was then consolidated with the Industrial School for Indians and both were places under the supervision of William F. Canfield. In 1904 the Indian School at Turtle Mountain was also placed under charge of the Superintendent at Fort Totten. In 1915 the Turtle Mountain Schools were again separated from Fort Totten and placed under the charge of the Superintendent of the Turtle Mountain Agency.
The first attempt at education at Fort Totten, North Dakota, was made by Major Forbes in 1872. He tried to secure two of his cousins who were members of the Community of Nuns of Montreal, for teachers. They started for Fort Totten but heard so many stories that they turned back. Again in 1874, Major Forbes attempted to secure teachers. He had already communicated with the Catholic Bureau, thus arranging for the necessary funds. The Indians had, under Major Forbes' direction, built bricks from clay taken near Devils Lake, and with these bricks, had erected a small school house 14 feet by 30 feet. It was located seven miles east of the Fort and was known as St. Michaels Mission. On October 27, 1874, the four sisters; Miss Rose Labelle of Montreal, who later became a sister, and Father Bennin, Major Forbes, his wife and daughter and two nieces, Mr. Maloney and the paymaster for the soldiers left St. Paul enroute to Devils Lake and Fort Totten. They left Jamestown in four wagons and came to the Fort. On February 1883 the mission school burned and was reestablished in 1885 and located only one-half mile northwest of Fort Totten, this time. About 100 children attended there. In 1888 an addition was built. When the soldiers left Fort Totten, the whole Fort was turned over to the Department of the Interior, December 31, 1890. At this time the Indian School and the Mission School was combined and known as the Indian Industrial school. The Fort Totten School of today is the same school building as built in the beginning of the establishment of the Indian School. It is located 14 miles southwest of Devils Lake. This school was taken over when the Fort was no longer needed as an Army Post. A great deal of remodeling was done to the building and it was made into a school for the Devils Lake Sioux and Turtle Mountain Chippewas who had the privilege of rooming and boarding at the school.
The Indian Industrial School at Fort Totten is the outgrowth of the old Mission School established by the Catholics in 1874, upon the request of Major Forbes, the Indian Agent. The original school was located about seven miles east of the fort on the south shore of Devils Lake. On February l6th, 1883, the main buildings of the old Mission burned down. At this time the school was filled to its capacity, having an enrollment of ninety-six. As it was late in the winter some of the children were sent to their homes for want of accommodations at the school. The greater number, however were crowded into the smaller buildings, and the school continued in this fashion until 1885, when the new mission was completed, about half a mile northeast of Fort Totten. This school was large enough to accommodate over one hundred children, and in 1888 a large east wing was added to the building. The entire main building of the new mission was destroyed by fire on the night of December 19th, 1926. The pupils were transferred to the Fort Totten Indian School (Proper) and the Mission school abandoned.
In 1890 when the garrison abandoned Fort Totten, the buildings of the post were turned over to the Interior Department to be used as an Industrial School for Indians. This Mission School was then consolidated with the Industrial School for Indians and both were places under the supervision of William F. Canfield. In 1904 the Indian School at Turtle Mountain was also placed under charge of the Superintendent at Fort Totten. In 1915 the Turtle Mountain Schools were again separated from Fort Totten and placed under the charge of the Superintendent of the Turtle Mountain Agency.
St. Michael is located in Mission Township. Saint Michael was named after the archangel Michael by a group of Catholic nuns who founded a mission in the area. An American Indian community, it lies within the boundaries of the Spirit Lake Reservation. However, white people were reported to have settled in the area as early as 1874. A post office was opened in 1932. There are no cemeteries in Mission Township.
St. Michael Catholic Cemetery is located in the NE¼ Sec.17 of
Mission Township.
Unnamed Cemetery, SW¼ Sec.21 Mission Township.
Unnamed Cemetery, NW¼ Sec.26 Mission Township.
If you wish to submit or correct data for this county, please contact
Colleen Goltz
Benson County Coordinator
If you have problems with this site, contact the State Coordinator or Assistant State Coordinator for the
NDGenWeb Project