History of the Spirit Lake Massacre and Captivity of Miss Abbie Gardner

Accompanied by four original cabinet photographs, ca. 1885, 4¼ by 7 inches. One with a portrait of the author wearing a black dress of the period, but the photographer is unidentified. Another shows the author standing in the doorway of the Gardner log cabin built by her father, and still another showing her looking at the Gardner gravesite. These were both likely taken in 1883 when she returned to the area. They are identified as taken first by Evans of Spirit Lake and the other by Evans of Lakefield, Minn. The final photograph is of a painting showing the moment of her captivity, the original of which is now in Arnolds Park. This was taken by O. C. Burdick of Minneapolis. The cabinet photographs are in generally fine condition.

In 1857 Sioux chief Inkpaduta led led 14 Sioux against settlements near Okoboji and Spirit lakes in the northwestern territory of Iowa near the Minnesota border, in revenge for the murder of Inkpaduta's brother, Sidominadotah, and Sidominadotah's family by Henry Lott. The Sioux killed 35-40 settlers in their scattered holdings, and took four young women captive, including Abbie Gardner, who was ransomed several months later. An earlier abridged account of the massacre was soon published, but in 1885 Gardner published the first complete history of the massacre and captivity. She returned to her childhood home in 1883, as recounted in the book, and later purchased it.