This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Rollins, Mitchell, Pottawatomie Indian (Pe-shesh-won), Elliott, Cooper Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/1895.3 Message Board Post: STATE OF MISSOURI. County of Holt.--"This affiant, James Rollins, makes oath anays (?) that on or about the first of June last he this affiant started from his residence in Holt County for the Mormon Camp with a waggon and two yoke of oxen. The waggon was loaded with corn and bacon and some thirty or forty lbs. of flour in it. The load cost me some twenty five dollars in Holt County and this affiant took the Load with the intention of selling the same to his brother Mormons who were in much kneed (sic) of provisions. "This affiant further states that he had with him in a jug about one gallen of whiskey which was all the spirituous liquor that was in his possession at that time. "And this affiant expressly states that he took the Liquor along for his own use and not for the purpose of selling or giving any of it to the Indians, believing that it would be beneficial to his health when camping out in the wet weather, to have a dram. "This affiant further states that when he had arrived near the Potawatomie Country on what is called the Musketoe Creek and within about three miles of the Potawatomie agency, he this affiant camped over night. And in the morning went out to get up his team which he had to do on foot and traveling through the grass and weeds had made him very wet up to his waste and when he had got back to the waggon he got his jug to get a dram and at that moment an Indian came up and requested me to give him a dram which he this affiant refused to do. But after long pursuading upon the part of the Indian he this affiant consented and gave the Indian about a half a quart of whiskey for which the Indian gave to this affiant's boy a cotton handkerchief and afterwards took away from the boy. "This affiant expressly stated that he did not give the whiskey to the Indian with any intention of violating any law or doing any wrong but out of charity to the Indian, believing that all he gave the Indian could not hurt any person and if this affiant erred at all it was an error of the head and not of the heart. "This affiant further states that a short time after the Indian got the liquor of this affiant, that Major R.B. Mitchell, Indian Sub agent at Council Bluffs came and seized this affiant and took him and his waggon, team, loading. The waggon team and loading Mr. Mitchell took as property for confiscation and still does retain the same as such from the possession of this affiant. "This affiant further states that he never did any trading with the Indians not even one cent worth except the aforesaid transaction. "And this affiant further states that he has a wife and five small children to support and that the aforesaid waggon and team and Load was about all the property that he possessed and that he is in every respect very poor.--(Signed) James Rollins. "Sworn to and subscribed before me this 15th day of September A.D. 1847.--John Collins, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Holt County, Missouri." N.B.: Richard Elliott, the sub-agent after Stephen Cooper, established the agency cabins in the hollow where Kanesville was later built. Cooper's had built his agency cabin just south of what used to be Knox, Iowa, but retained the use of this building after quitting (or being relieved) as sub-agent. Elliott complained that this location was much too far south to be of good use to the Pottawatomie.-- W.F.