08/13/2026
🕰️✨ ✨🕰️
Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit some cherished moments from our community's history! Each week, on Thursday, we are going to "throw it back" and share a piece of our community history with you.
In a recent Throwback Thursday article, we explored the relationship between the Native American tribes living around our lake when James Dickirson and Joseph Hewitt first came to the lake in 1851. Both the Winnebago and Dakota Sioux were the dominant tribal communities around the lake. When Dickirson and Hewitt decided to call the area their home, Hewitt settled in an area very near State Park on South Shore and Dickirson and his family built a cabin near the Outlet. The Winnebago were willing to live alongside the new settlers who were arriving; however, the Dakota Sioux were not at willing to cooperate with the new white settlers in the area. Settlers knew to be very cautious.
By 1854, it appears from diaries and journals that 5 families had cabins in the area near the Outlet. The patriarch of one of those families is the focus of our story today. The story of "Brave Amos Garrett" was passed on through the community for years. As we recall, a group of Dakota Sioux visited the Dickirson family cabin in 1854 and an argument took place. The Dakota Sioux were accused of breaking Dickirson's grindstone during the argument and even killing one of his roosters. This bloodless event led to what was called the "Grindstone War". It appears that this was not the only confrontation between the new settlers and the Dakota Sioux.
In 1855, a group of hunters had camped within earshot of the 5 families in the cabins near the Outlet. These hunters built a roaring fire for the evening, raised a bit of a ruckus and began emptying their riles into the air. The noise could be heard near the Outlet and Amos Garrett jumped into action. Fearing that the Sioux were on their way, Amos, in a panic, ordered his family to flee for their lives. Leading the way, he led his family toward the new settlement located where Shell Rock is today, quite a distance away. Interestingly, Amos arrived before the rest of his family and told the folks in Shell Rock about the terrible massacre that he and his family had escaped. Pioneers from Shell Rock raced to Clear Lake to investigate and found complete peace in the settlement. Amos's wife was less than happy with her husband.
So, what happened to Amos and his family. Amos liked to boast about his confrontations with Native Americans and the art of warfare. He had proudly shared that he had killed "Indians" by the score and that he would not hesitate to confront any Sioux who might attack the settlement. He and his family returned to their cabin in Clear Lake, packed up all of the family belongings and Amos led his family, including his still angry wife to points unknown. Sadly, we have not photos of Amos or his family. There is no record in Clear Lake's history concerning what ever became of "Brave Amos Garrett".
