Two Cemeteries

Two Cemeteries. . In 1859 Henry Masters, governor of the squatter government at Sioux Falls City, was the first resident of the village to die. He was buried in an open field near his home, close to this location., The next deaths were those of Judge Joseph B. Amidon and his son William. They were ambushed and killed by Santee Sioux warriors on August 25, 1862. The bodies of the two Amidons were buried next to Masters' grave. Mahala Amidon, widow of Joseph, and other settlers abandoned the village and fled to Yankton., In 1865 federal soldiers arrived to build Fort Dakota. The first military burial was held for Private Fred Pues who died August 26, 1866. Soon a national cemetery was established next to the city cemetery. Around it was built a 24- by 18-foot whitewashed single-rail fence. Twice each day soldiers hiked from the fort to the bluff top to raise the flag at dawn and to lower it at dusk., There were 4 military and 5 civilian burials in the two cemeteries. In 1881 remains were removed to Mt. Pleasant Cemetery for reburial.