The West Lake Attack

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A state monument for the 13 victims stands at Lebanon Lutheran Cemetery located in New London, part of present day Peace Lutheran Church. Photo courtesy of Joan Paulson Wilcox.Written by Joan Paulson Wilcox, a descendant of the Lundborg family.

On the morning of Wednesday, August 20,1862, a group of Dakota warriors arrived at the cabin of Daniel Broberg, located in Swift County at the present day site of Monson Lake State Park. Young children were being cared for by an uncle while other family and friends were attending weekly religious services at the cabin of Andreas and Lena Lundborg (in present day Kandiyohi County). 
 
A frightened Peter Broberg (age seven) ran the two miles to the Lundborg cabin to alert the adults that Indians had arrived and were acting strange.  News of the Acton murders two days earlier had not reached West Lake settlers. Pastor Jackson reportedly knew of the murders, but chose not to tell the parishioners, rather he told the Lundborg men to leave their guns at home to avoid a conflict. Andreas Broberg, and four Lundborg sons left immediately on foot.  Lundborg, who had clashed with Pastor Jackson about bringing his gun, arrived too late to help, but witnessed the killing of his son Lars. Andreas Broberg, his young sons Johannes and Andreas, Uncle John, 4 year old Alfred, and Andreas, Gustaf and Lars Lundborg in their early twenties were all killed.  Sam Lundborg, age 9  survived;  he was shot and left for dead, but was not mortally wounded. 
 
Daniel Broberg, wife Anna, baby John, Christina (Mrs. Andreas Broberg) and  daughter age 7 were killed on their way to the Broberg cabins, when their oxen-pulled wagon was overtaken by the Indians. Peter ran to nearby Sven Oman's house and survived in the cellar with the Oman family. Anna Stina caught up with Andreas Lundborg who was running for home.
 
Johannes Lundborg, took his pregnant wife Christina, and sister Johanna to a nearby slough to hide, before he proceeded to the Norway Lake settlement to warn neighbors of the attack. Lena Lundborg had fled alone and after several days made her way safely to Paynesville, but her whereabouts were not known for several days. Thirteen of the 21 Swedish immigrant Broberg/Lundborg families were killed. Survivors from West Lake and Norway Lake settlements sought refuge on an island in Norway Lake, now known as the Isle of Refuge before proceeding to St. Cloud.
 
 
Theme: 
1862
Topics: 
Family in War
Settlers in War
Family in 1862
Bibliography: 

Anna Stina Broberg's Account. Monson Lake State Park Management Plan. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, 2008

Lawson, Victor E. "The First Settlements in the Kandiyohi Region and Their Fate in the Indian Outbreak." Year-Book of the Swedish Historical Society of America. Vol. 10, pp. 19-44, 1924-1925. 

Lawson, Victor E. "The Indian Outbreak." Eighty Fifth Anniversary of Lebanon Lutheran Church. N.p.: Published by Victor E. Lawson, 1944.

Lawson, Victor E., Martin E. Tew, and J. Emil Nelson. Illustrated History and Descriptive and Biographical Review of Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. [Willmar, Minn.]: Published by Victor E. Lawson and J. Emil Nelson, 1905.
 
Oman, A.P. "Childhood Memories." Willmar Daily Tribune. August 29, 1935.
 
 
 
 
 
Resources for Further Research: 

Primary

Anna Stina Broberg's Account. Monson Lake State Park Management Plan. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, 2008

Oman, A.P. "Childhood Memories." Willmar Daily Tribune. August 29, 1935.

Secondary

Dahlin, Curtis A. The Dakota Uprising. Edina, MN: Beaver’s Pond Press, 2009.

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