Helen was born in Wisconsin to parents Thomas and Laura Paddock, both natives of Vermont. She was named after heroine Lady Helen Mar from the historic novel 'The Scottish Chiefs' by Jane Porter, first published in 1810. Beginning with Helen Mar Paddock, the name carried through four generations of daughters: Helen Mar McNanney (1873-1912), Helen Mar Riddle (1898-1950), and Helen Mar Johnston (1929-2010). In Oct. 1856, when she was only 13 years old, Helen married James Carrothers, age 26. In 1857, following a move to Winona, MN, the couple moved to the southwest quarter of section 22 in Beaver Falls Township, Renville County MN, six miles from the Lower Sioux Indian Agency, where Mr. Carrothers was employed as a carpenter. They were some of the first white residents of the area, known as the Beaver Creek settlement, and here their children Althea and Thomas were born; Helen was only 15 years old when she gave birth to Althea. Mr. Carrothers could be away from home for several days at a time, so Helen became acquainted with the Dakota Indians and learned their language. The medicine man was fond of Helen and taught her how to gather herbs and use them to make medicine, and she would go with him to nurse the sick. By the summer of 1862, the number of white settlers in the area had grown, and many of the Dakota were angry with the results of treaties ,and with conditions at the reservation. It all boiled over on August 18, 1862, when Indians attacked the whites at Lower Sioux Agency and at the settlements in the region, killing hundreds, and taking over one hundred (mostly women and children) as prisoners. When word of the uprising reached the Beaver Creek settlement, several residents gathered at the Jonathan Earle claim where they made plans to go to Ft. Ridgely for protection. They traveled just a short distance when they were surrounded by Indians who began shooting at them. Some in the group were killed, some escaped, and the rest, women and children, including Helen and her two children (her husband was away at the time), were captured. All were first taken to Chief Little Crow's village. Helen and her children managed to escape from this camp, and, after a perilous journey lasting eight days, they reached Ft. Ridgely. In time, refugees at the fort were taken to St. Peter and then to St. Paul. In early September, Helen traveled to La Crosse, WI to visit her parents who were overjoyed to learn that she was still alive. She remained with them through the winter months to recover from exhaustion and other effects of her captivity and escape. In April, James rejoined Helen and they moved to St. Paul where he worked as a pattern maker in a foundry, and she boarded the men who worked with him. They were there for just two months before moving to St. Peter. By this time they were having problems with their marriage. Many years later Helen would write, "After my capture by the Indians, there was discord between me and my husband, and at St. Peter we agreed to disagree." Following their divorce, he joined the First Wisconsin Battery of Light Artillery and went to the South, and she went to work for Joseph and Valencia Reynolds, keepers of the Northwestern Hotel in St. Peter. She worked there for two years, then returned to the home of her parents who had moved from Wisconsin to Dodge County, MN. Here she met Dennis McNanney, a native of Ireland, and they were married in October 1869. They eventually had three children, Helen Mar, Arthur, and Moses. The couple moved to Brainerd, MN, were there for seven years, then moved to Bismarck, ND, and then to Montana. Mr. McNanney was involved in lumbering and railroad construction, and he died (1887) in Montana. After his death, Helen remained in the area and was hired to cook for employees of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Later, she left Montana and came to Minneapolis, working for a while as a dressmaker, and then operated a boarding house. After several years in Minneapolis, she moved west again, first to Portland, OR, and then to Tacoma, WA, where she kept another boarding house. During this time, she twice lost everything to fires. She finally returned to her old home in Dodge County, MN, and, in November 1896, married Lemon H. Tarble, a widower. They farmed land in sections 5, 6, and 8 in the northwest part of Ashland Township, near Dodge Center, MN, until 1905, when they moved into town. Helen was the author of a book, published in 1904, giving the story of her capture and escape from the Indians. During this time, she lectured on the subject of the uprising, and, for a number of years during the state fair, she had charge of the old settlers building. Mr. Tarble died in 1918. Helen died on July 2, 1921, and was survived by a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren. Her obituary mentions that, in her last few years, she was tenderly cared for by her son, Arthur J. McNanney, and "everything was done for her that a loving heart and hands could do." Her funeral was held at the Methodist Church in Dodge Center.
Helen was born in Wisconsin to parents Thomas and Laura Paddock, both natives of Vermont. She was named after heroine Lady Helen Mar from the historic novel 'The Scottish Chiefs' by Jane Porter, first published in 1810. Beginning with Helen Mar Paddock, the name carried through four generations of daughters: Helen Mar McNanney (1873-1912), Helen Mar Riddle (1898-1950), and Helen Mar Johnston (1929-2010). In Oct. 1856, when she was only 13 years old, Helen married James Carrothers, age 26. In 1857, following a move to Winona, MN, the couple moved to the southwest quarter of section 22 in Beaver Falls Township, Renville County MN, six miles from the Lower Sioux Indian Agency, where Mr. Carrothers was employed as a carpenter. They were some of the first white residents of the area, known as the Beaver Creek settlement, and here their children Althea and Thomas were born; Helen was only 15 years old when she gave birth to Althea. Mr. Carrothers could be away from home for several days at a time, so Helen became acquainted with the Dakota Indians and learned their language. The medicine man was fond of Helen and taught her how to gather herbs and use them to make medicine, and she would go with him to nurse the sick. By the summer of 1862, the number of white settlers in the area had grown, and many of the Dakota were angry with the results of treaties ,and with conditions at the reservation. It all boiled over on August 18, 1862, when Indians attacked the whites at Lower Sioux Agency and at the settlements in the region, killing hundreds, and taking over one hundred (mostly women and children) as prisoners. When word of the uprising reached the Beaver Creek settlement, several residents gathered at the Jonathan Earle claim where they made plans to go to Ft. Ridgely for protection. They traveled just a short distance when they were surrounded by Indians who began shooting at them. Some in the group were killed, some escaped, and the rest, women and children, including Helen and her two children (her husband was away at the time), were captured. All were first taken to Chief Little Crow's village. Helen and her children managed to escape from this camp, and, after a perilous journey lasting eight days, they reached Ft. Ridgely. In time, refugees at the fort were taken to St. Peter and then to St. Paul. In early September, Helen traveled to La Crosse, WI to visit her parents who were overjoyed to learn that she was still alive. She remained with them through the winter months to recover from exhaustion and other effects of her captivity and escape. In April, James rejoined Helen and they moved to St. Paul where he worked as a pattern maker in a foundry, and she boarded the men who worked with him. They were there for just two months before moving to St. Peter. By this time they were having problems with their marriage. Many years later Helen would write, "After my capture by the Indians, there was discord between me and my husband, and at St. Peter we agreed to disagree." Following their divorce, he joined the First Wisconsin Battery of Light Artillery and went to the South, and she went to work for Joseph and Valencia Reynolds, keepers of the Northwestern Hotel in St. Peter. She worked there for two years, then returned to the home of her parents who had moved from Wisconsin to Dodge County, MN. Here she met Dennis McNanney, a native of Ireland, and they were married in October 1869. They eventually had three children, Helen Mar, Arthur, and Moses. The couple moved to Brainerd, MN, were there for seven years, then moved to Bismarck, ND, and then to Montana. Mr. McNanney was involved in lumbering and railroad construction, and he died (1887) in Montana. After his death, Helen remained in the area and was hired to cook for employees of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Later, she left Montana and came to Minneapolis, working for a while as a dressmaker, and then operated a boarding house. After several years in Minneapolis, she moved west again, first to Portland, OR, and then to Tacoma, WA, where she kept another boarding house. During this time, she twice lost everything to fires. She finally returned to her old home in Dodge County, MN, and, in November 1896, married Lemon H. Tarble, a widower. They farmed land in sections 5, 6, and 8 in the northwest part of Ashland Township, near Dodge Center, MN, until 1905, when they moved into town. Helen was the author of a book, published in 1904, giving the story of her capture and escape from the Indians. During this time, she lectured on the subject of the uprising, and, for a number of years during the state fair, she had charge of the old settlers building. Mr. Tarble died in 1918. Helen died on July 2, 1921, and was survived by a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren. Her obituary mentions that, in her last few years, she was tenderly cared for by her son, Arthur J. McNanney, and "everything was done for her that a loving heart and hands could do." Her funeral was held at the Methodist Church in Dodge Center.
Family Members
See more Tarble or Carrothers memorials in:
- Riverside Cemetery Tarble or Carrothers
- Dodge Center Tarble or Carrothers
- Dodge County Tarble or Carrothers
- Minnesota Tarble or Carrothers
- USA Tarble or Carrothers
- Find a Grave Tarble or Carrothers
