Edward A. Henderson letter; Red Wing, Minnesota. November 3, 1869. From the Native American History Collection.

Private, Private, Red Wing, Nov, 23. 1869

I received your letter to day and was very glad to hear from you for you don’t know how much good it does me to receive a letter.  I Hope you will write again if it is not to much trouble, perhaps you have other Corespondents.  I had heard of the weddings think myself it is rather dangerous round there.  We have not any snow to speak of here but we have some splendid skating on the river and some splendid Ahem girls to skate with.  they have a skating park with

a building and stoves and chairs they sell season or single tickets.  I have splendid times and am not homesick in the least every thing is so much livleyer here than it is at S.H.  I attended church last Sabbath and Ahem Ahem we had a splendid sermon but realy I have forgotten the text nor can I tell you a single word as it was all in Sweed there are a great many people here from Sweeden and Norway and each have a church and it was to the Sweed church I went it was Just like hearing geese gabble.  Red Wing an Indian chief is buried on one of the bluffs here the city was named after him there is as much as a hundred of their graves up here on a bluff and I have been up there and found and ribs of Indiens and all sorts of bones last spring the red wing boys

Dug into a chiefs grave and found a silver medal given by Harrison to the chief and they sold it for $75 and then they dug them most all up for things and took their skulls and but them on bushes and played ball with them till the city Authorities ordered them to put the bones all back and cover them up they found beads and scalps and lots of trinkets buried with them but I could cover a dozen sheets with such stuff so I might as well stop first as last.  Father and Mother are home now, 13 years ago where this place now stands was an Indian village answer directly
please answer         from your Friend

Edward A. Henderson
Red Wing
Goodhue Co
Minn

P.S.

Excuse all blots and blunders for when it rains it often thunders and excuse all mistakes E.A.H.