Historic Fort Snelling Deaths (Hennepin County) Minneapolis, Minnesota

Doctor Quarters at Historic Fort Snelling

The actual first stone for Fort Snelling was not laid until 1820.  In 1819 troops began to move into the area for the construction of the new Fort.  Many of the officers did not anticipate the severity of Minnesota winters, and in their rush, they built inadequate shelters for the protection of the troops.  It was reported by the military men within the Fort of ceiling's caving in and their shelters so cold, people were getting ill everyday. 

The second hardship the military troops had to over come was the lack of food.  The first winter here in Minnesota was so difficult, rivers began to freeze early in the Fall, preventing supply boats from reaching the Fort.  The post commander tried to reach out to the local Indian's, but the Chief refused to help them.

By the end of the first winter the Officer's lost about forty men with a few going AWOL; never to be heard of again. 

Charles Matson

B. 1787 - D. 1819

Samuel Gable

B. 1789 - D. 1819

Elisha Witters

B. 1789 - D. 1819

John Keller

B. 1790 - D. 1819

Porter Francis

B. 1791 - D. 1819

John Rickey

B. 1798 - D. 1819

John Neville

B. 1790 - D. 1820

John Cox

B. 1791 - D. 1820

Danile Moore

B. 1799 - D. 1820

John Brown

B. 1801 - D. 1820

Jackson Ross

B. 1801 - D. 1820

Elizabeth Snelling

B. 1820 - D. 1822

Michael Murphy

B. 1805 - D. 1825

 Frozen to death at Rum River

Baptiste Parette

B. 1799 - D. 1826

Water on brain

David Richmond

B. 1799 - D. 1827

Intemperance

William Wallace

B. 1790 - D. 1827

Cancer of parotid gland

Andrew Smith

B. 1800 - D. 1827

Killed by fellow soldier

with carving knife

Hugh Harrison

B. 1807 - D. 1827

Chronic Hepatitis

John Foot

B. 1803 - D. 1828

Shot by sentinel

William Polard

B. 1798 - D. 1829

Frozen to death at Rum River

James Poe

B. 1801 - D. 1829

Suicide

Bernard McDonald

B. 1800 - D. 1831

Drowned in Mississippi

Patrick Finney

Death. 1834

Accidentally shot in chest

Michael Perry

B. 1815 - D. 1835

Killed by falling sandbank

David Clark

D. 1835

Meningitis

Daniel Gabriel

B. 1820 - D. 1838

Fell off sled

Click Here to View Historic Fort Snelling

Click Here to View Upper Fort Snelling