Post by Okwes on Apr 3, 2006 14:30:06 GMT -5
Delbert Beeson Has Large Collection Found On Farm
By: TERA SCHMIDT
tera.schmidt@yankton.net
Beeson, who said he has "very little schoolhouse education," has become
a self-taught historian and expert in the history of the Yankton Sioux.
"I have learned a lot from Mother Nature and the people I have
associated with," he said. "It's great to be here (at Majestic Bluffs)
talking to all of you. Just think of all the knowledge in this room,
when you put us all together."
Beeson's greatest find is something his neighbor stumbled over in a
field.
"In 1999, my neighbor found a skull," Beeson said. "He called me up
because he knew I was always looking for things. He said, ŒDelbert, I
found something real weird.' When he told me what it was, I said we
better call the county authorities. He said, ŒI did, the FBI is coming
already.'"
Once the FBI collected data and sent the skull to be analyzed, it was
discovered the skull was from a teenage female Woodland Indian, who died
approximately 900 years ago. State archaeologists were called down and
Beeson got to be a part of an authentic archaeological dig.
"I got to be a helper," he said. "At first I asked if I could watch.
Then I asked if I could help. They said I could as long as I did it
exactly as they said."
As Beeson got more familiar with the tools of the trade, he became a
proficient digger, spending hours scraping and brushing sections of
earth.
"It was really interesting. We didn't find any more human remains, just
some animal bones, rock and pottery," he said. "Whenever we found
something, we had to stop and take a picture and label everything. The
archaeologists were very knowledgeable people. I learned a lot."
Beeson said many of the artifacts found on his land were left by Yankton
Sioux who unloaded their supplies as they moved to reservations in
Charles Mix County in 1858.
"After the Treaty of 1858 was signed, they had to move from their land
along the Jim River. They received 43,000 acres in Charles Mix County,"
he said. "More than 7,000 people, horses and dogs moved to land between
Shoulder Creek and Lake Andes."
Some of the more interesting items Beeson owns are two rock maps
depicting the area.
"This one has the Missouri River and Shoulder Creek on it and it lists
the council men that were appointed by the government for the Yankton
Sioux Tribe," Beeson said.
Beeson also has a collection of Native American pipes, tanned animal
hides and beaded items. He also has a large collection of photographs.
"I have a little cabin, some call it a museum, but I call it a cabin. I
keep everything in there and it is full. One wall is nothing but
pictures and a few prize-deer antlers. The whole building is full of
treasure," he said.
In addition to being a Native American history buff, Beeson said he is
very interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition.
"I have a lot of Lewis and Clark things," he said. "Every infantry
officer at that time carried a wood spear; some (spears) had a metal
point for use in the field but most were completely wood for use in
parades and such. I did a lot of research and made replicas of the
spears."
Beeson said he has learned the best time to search for items is after a
good rain.
"After it rains, you can find things better, especially pipestone," he
said. "When they are wet, they are easier to spot."
Beeson said he is legally allowed to keep any item he finds on his own
property, but is not allowed to dig for artifacts.
"It has to be on the land's surface," he said. "It just happens that the
land my sons and I own has a lot of items because these people moved
through there and left a lot of things lay because they were tired or
carrying them. You get three or four rock hammers and tomahawks and it
gets real heavy."
By: TERA SCHMIDT
tera.schmidt@yankton.net
Beeson, who said he has "very little schoolhouse education," has become
a self-taught historian and expert in the history of the Yankton Sioux.
"I have learned a lot from Mother Nature and the people I have
associated with," he said. "It's great to be here (at Majestic Bluffs)
talking to all of you. Just think of all the knowledge in this room,
when you put us all together."
Beeson's greatest find is something his neighbor stumbled over in a
field.
"In 1999, my neighbor found a skull," Beeson said. "He called me up
because he knew I was always looking for things. He said, ŒDelbert, I
found something real weird.' When he told me what it was, I said we
better call the county authorities. He said, ŒI did, the FBI is coming
already.'"
Once the FBI collected data and sent the skull to be analyzed, it was
discovered the skull was from a teenage female Woodland Indian, who died
approximately 900 years ago. State archaeologists were called down and
Beeson got to be a part of an authentic archaeological dig.
"I got to be a helper," he said. "At first I asked if I could watch.
Then I asked if I could help. They said I could as long as I did it
exactly as they said."
As Beeson got more familiar with the tools of the trade, he became a
proficient digger, spending hours scraping and brushing sections of
earth.
"It was really interesting. We didn't find any more human remains, just
some animal bones, rock and pottery," he said. "Whenever we found
something, we had to stop and take a picture and label everything. The
archaeologists were very knowledgeable people. I learned a lot."
Beeson said many of the artifacts found on his land were left by Yankton
Sioux who unloaded their supplies as they moved to reservations in
Charles Mix County in 1858.
"After the Treaty of 1858 was signed, they had to move from their land
along the Jim River. They received 43,000 acres in Charles Mix County,"
he said. "More than 7,000 people, horses and dogs moved to land between
Shoulder Creek and Lake Andes."
Some of the more interesting items Beeson owns are two rock maps
depicting the area.
"This one has the Missouri River and Shoulder Creek on it and it lists
the council men that were appointed by the government for the Yankton
Sioux Tribe," Beeson said.
Beeson also has a collection of Native American pipes, tanned animal
hides and beaded items. He also has a large collection of photographs.
"I have a little cabin, some call it a museum, but I call it a cabin. I
keep everything in there and it is full. One wall is nothing but
pictures and a few prize-deer antlers. The whole building is full of
treasure," he said.
In addition to being a Native American history buff, Beeson said he is
very interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition.
"I have a lot of Lewis and Clark things," he said. "Every infantry
officer at that time carried a wood spear; some (spears) had a metal
point for use in the field but most were completely wood for use in
parades and such. I did a lot of research and made replicas of the
spears."
Beeson said he has learned the best time to search for items is after a
good rain.
"After it rains, you can find things better, especially pipestone," he
said. "When they are wet, they are easier to spot."
Beeson said he is legally allowed to keep any item he finds on his own
property, but is not allowed to dig for artifacts.
"It has to be on the land's surface," he said. "It just happens that the
land my sons and I own has a lot of items because these people moved
through there and left a lot of things lay because they were tired or
carrying them. You get three or four rock hammers and tomahawks and it
gets real heavy."