USA > Colorado > Larimer County > History of Larimer County, Colorado > Part 21
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Uncle Tom Quillan gave up mining in 1872 and came to Larimer county, locating a homestead claim in Rattlesnake Park in the gulch known as Quillan gulch. In 1885 he purchased a ranch on Meadow creek, right at the foot of Cherokee hill, and lived there a good many years, finally disposing of the property and moving to Fort Collins which is still his home.
A Plucky Young Man's Success
The late William C. Stover of Fort Collins, former member of the Territorial legislature, who in 1876, as a member of the Constitutional con- vention helped to draft the present Constitution of Colorado, a successful merchant and president of the Poudre Valley bank for nearly a score of years, an institution that he and Charles H. Sheldon estab- lished in 1878, and which has since become the Poudre Valley National Bank, one of the soundest and best known financial institutions in the west, had his trials and tribulations in the pioneer days, when men's souls were at times severely tried and when more than one of them succumbed to the storms of adversity and gave up the fight. But he was made of sterner stuff. Though often hungry and poorly clad, he persevered and at last reached the top of the ladder which led up to success in life in all that term implies. He came to Colorado in 1860, a mere boy scarcely nineteen years of age. When he left home in the spring of that year, his father fitted him out with a span of good horses, wagon, clothing, blankets and supply of provisions. He came direct to the Big Thompson valley and traded his horses and wagon for a squatter's claim, situated about a mile south of the present City of
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Loveland. In the spring of 1861, he planted a por- tion of his claim to potatoes, paying an enormous price for the seed, for potatoes were potatoes in those days. This exhausted his fund of ready money. His provisions also gave out and he was reduced to the extremity of having to dig up his seed potatoes before they had begun to grow for food. Of course he had no crop, but he managed in some way to ex- ist until the following winter when his resources gave out entirely. He was almost destitute of clothing, his raiment consisting mainly of a pair of blue denim overalls that had been patched until there was hardly a scrap left of the original garment, and his feet were clad in moccasins made of old gunny sacks. In this condition he appeared one day at the cabin of J. N. Hollowell, a former school- mate in Indiana, and told him that he had no boots and no money to buy them with, asking his friend if he could not help him to get a pair. Mr. Hollowell told him that he had no money, but that his uncle, W. B. Osborn, at Boulder had some money and he could get enough of him to buy a pair of boots. Mr. Hollowell went to Boulder, borrowed the money, bought a pair of stogy boots, paying $8 for them, and brought them back to Stover. When he re- turned, Mr. Stover said he had no trousers. Mr. Hollowell looked up some grain sacks that Mr. Osborn had brought from the East, filled with dried fruit, and from these Mr. Stover made himself a pair of trousers, using his old overalls for a pattern. He wore those trousers and boots all winter. Dur- ing the season of 1862 he managed, by working around at odd jobs, to make a living and that fall he put up a lot of hay which brought him a good snug sum of money, out of which he paid Mr. Hollowell the money borrowed for the boots. The writer has heard both Mr. Stover and Mr. Hollo- well tell this story, so that it is practically correct.
In 1863 Mr. Stover sold his claim to the late John J. Ryan, and in 1864 went to Virginia City, Montana, which was then the center of a big gold excitement, returning in the fall of the year to his old home at South Bend, Indiana. In the spring of 1865 he borrowed money enough of his father which, with what he had of his own, enabled him to buy a freighting outfit of several wagons. These he loaded with provisions and merchandise and started back for Montana, arriving at Virginia City, at a time when flour was selling at $100 a sack, with bacon and other eatables correspondingly high. He closed out his load in short order, clearing $5,000 in the transaction, and started right back for St. Joseph, Missouri, for another load. He made
several trips across the plains to Montana between 1865 and 1867, clearing a nice sum of money. After paying back all the money he had borrowed and selling his outfit, he returned to the Big Thomp- son in 1868 and bought an interest in the late A. K. Yount's store, continuing in trade there until 1870 when he moved to Fort Collins and in company with the late John C. Matthews bought the Mason & Allen stock of goods, which was then kept in the Old Grout building. In 1873 the firm erected a two story brick building at the corner of Jefferson and Linden streets, recently torn down to make room for the Union Pacific railroad, into which they moved their stock. Soon after this Mr. Stover purchased Mr. Matthews' interest in the business and carried it on alone until 1880 when the late Albert B. Tomlin became associated with him. Until 1873, when the late Jacob Welch came to Fort Collins and started a store, this was the only general store in Fort Collins and it did an immense business annually.
David Hershman's Pioneer Stories
David Hershman came from Illinois to the Big Thompson valley in 1865, a young man, poor in purse, but full of hard work and rich in ambition and courage. He brought a harvester and mowing machine with him, and in August of that year, ob- tained employment cutting hay and harvesting the few patches of from two to five acres of wheat grown by the settlers. That fall he bought of H. B. Chubbuck the improvements on a claim lying south of the present city of Loveland, on which he filed a preemption. Here he lived for nearly forty- five years, adding to his land holdings until he had 600 acres, all within two miles of Loveland. Dur- ing recent years he disposed of his land holdings with the exception of 150 acres which he still owns. Like all of the pioneers of the county, he endured many hardships and privations in the early days, but he had an unfaltering faith in the future of the county and labored on, combating discouragements and adversity until success crowned his efforts. He is now in the enjoyment of a handsome competence and is spending his declining years in comfort and contentment.
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Mr. Hershman retains vivid recollections of in- teresting incidents and events of the days that tried men's souls, and has kindly favored me by relating some of them for this work. He says:
"I have been a taxpayer in Larimer county since 1866. I first began paying taxes when the county
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treasurer held his office in the court house at La- porte, and Uncle Ben Whedbee was treasurer. The court house was built of round logs-cotton- wood, if my memory serves me right. The next county treasurer was Dr. T. M. Smith, who held the office until the county seat was changed from Laporte to Fort Collins. There were only two stores in the county then. One of them was kept by Mason & Allen at Fort Collins, and the other by Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Yount in my old log house on the Big Thompson. These stores did a thriving business selling supplies to settlers and emi- grants. The Younts came to the Big Thompson valley in 1866 or 1867.
John E. Washburn was appointed county judge by Governor Evans when the county was organized in 1864, and held his office for two years. I dis- tinctly recall the first case tried before him. His office was held in his log house, which is still stand- ing on the bank of the Big Thompson river, a short distance south of Loveland. The case referred to originated in this way: There had been a horse race and a good deal of betting on which horse should come out ahead. One man bet a span of horses against a sum of money and lost his team. When the stakes were to change hands, the owner of the horses refused to give them up. The winner of the team began proceedings in Judge Washburn's court to get possession. The judge summoned the usual number of jurors and the case went to trial. The names of some of the jurors were: J. Parrish, Joseph Denning, A. Wiseman, myself being among the number. I cannot recall the names of the other two. The jury heard all the evidence introduced by both sides, the pleas of counsel, who were Judge W. B. Osborn for the plaintiff and A. K. Yount for the defendant, and the instructions of the court. The way the counsel wrangled over the technical- ities of the law, was a caution. One of them affirmed that custom made law and the other that the statutes ruled, claiming that under the law title to property could not be acquired through gambling and that betting on a horse race was gambling, pure and simple. When they were through with their pleas, the judge ordered the acting sheriff, Sherman Smith, to take charge of the jury and keep them in close confinment until they had agreed upon a verdict. We were locked in the front room of the judge's house late in the evening. The judge and his fam- ily went to bed upstairs. We deliberated for several hours but could not agree. At last, as it drew near midnight and we were becoming anxious to get out
and go home, we fixed up a verdict something after this manner :
"We, the jury, find for the plaintiff and assess him with all the costs."
We called the judge down stairs and presented him with our verdict. After reading it the judge said: Gentlemen of the jury, I cannot accept your verdict. Then addressing the sheriff, he said, "You will conduct the jury to their room and keep them there on bread and water until they agree." He then returned to his bed and we were again locked up in the front room. The hours passed slowly, but we had a friend outside who supplied us with whittling material from a dry goods box brought over from the store. It is remembered that the court had kindling wood enough to last him some time as a result of our whittling. Our friend on the outside furnished us with cigars also, and they served a good purpose. They kept us awake and made the judge feel willing to let us go. The smoke was dense and the upper floor of the house was quite open, so that he and his wife were practically smoked out. He came rushing down stairs, saying his room was full of smoke and he could not sleep. We then told the judge we could not agree upon anything different from the verdict we had already rendered and he might as well let us go home. The judge conferred with the contesting parties and they agreed to accept our verdict, so we were discharged and went home rejoicing early in the morning.
In 1867, I think it was, Mr. and Mrs. Yount wanted to go to Denver after more goods, and they asked me to tend the store while they were gone. I consented, but told them there was one article in the store that I did not want to sell, and that was whiskey. They said, all right, you need not sell it. While they were gone some customers came to the store about 9 o'clock at night and demanded some liquor. They said there was to be a wedding down the creek and that such events could not be properly celebrated without a quantity of the ardent. I think the man who was to be groom was Old Mus- grove. We all knew he ought to marry or leave the country. The boys wanted four gallons of whiskey, but I remonstrated, saying I had no right to sell it. But Jim Eaglin told me there was no use remonstrating; that they wanted the liquor and must have it; that he could draw it from the barrel and I could report to Yount that he had helped himself. He said the whiskey was absolutely neces- sary, for there couldn't be a wedding without it, and that Yount could charge it up to the boys.
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When Mr. and Mrs. Yount came home about four days later, I told them the circumstances of the whiskey deal. They both laughed heartily and said it was all right. A few years later Mr. Yount was killed by the cars at Boulder. He undertook to board the train while it was in motion and fell under the cars and was run over and instantly killed. Mr. and Mrs. Yount sold their store on the Big Thompson and moved to Fort Collins in 1873, where they started the first bank established in Lar- imer county. Mr. Yount was killed in 1876. Be- fore that he had represented the county in the Ter- ritorial Legislature and was well thought of by all the pioneers.
When my brother John and I came to the Thompson valley in the latter part of August, 1865, we found a few patches of wheat ranging from two to five acres in a field. Some of the settlers had a few potatoes, but the grasshoppers were thick and had destroyed nearly all the crops. Things looked pretty blue to us and for a while we thought we would have to go back to Illinois, but courage was our motto and we soon got some work to do cutting hay and grain. We had been advised to come to the Thompson by Judge W. B. Osborn, whom we met on the road near the present city of Longmont.
Hay that year brought $100 per ton at Black Hawk and Central City, and almost everything else commanded a proportionate price. That fall I bought a ton of potatoes, paying 7c a pound for them. I hauled them to Central City and sold them for 12 cents a pound. George L. Luce, who lived then on what is known as the John Ryan farm, had some eggs he wanted me to take to market. I sold the eggs for $2 per dozen and I have paid 25 cents each for eggs when they were served to me at hotels. Notwithstanding numerous drawbacks and discouragements, I have lived and prospered. I have raised a family of ten children, all boys except nine."
A Grateful Redskin
Several years ago the late Abner Loomis, pioneer freighter, stockman and banker, told the following story to a reporter for the Denver Times. Mr. Loomis was standing in front of the Albany hotel, Denver, exchanging reminiscences with other old- timers, when a young Indian passed by. "That Indian reminds me of one I once knew," said he. "Did I ever tell you the story of Zeb?" On being answered in the negative he proceeded. I will pre- face the story by locating Huleatt gulch. The
gulch comes down from the northwest and opens out on the north side of the Cache la Poudre river about twenty miles west of Fort Collins. The Indians had a trail down this gulch, which they fol- lowed in coming from North Park to raid the set- tlements on the Plains or to attack their hereditary enemies, the Arapahoes and Cheyennes. They came from the Park through Ute pass, from which cir- cumstance the pass derives its name, and practically followed the line of the present State road leading from Capt. Davy's ranch on the Laramie river, to North Park. They forded the Laramie river near Capt. Davy's ranch, thence taking a course that led them to the head of the Huleatt gulch. After ford- ing the river at the mouth of the gulch they fol- lowed up Hill's gulch to the head of Rist canon, down which they proceeded to a point near the present town of Bellvue and then traveled south through the glade west of the hogbacks until they came to the Big Thompson valley. Their trail from North Park to the Big Thompson was well marked and was distinguishable for many years afterwards.
Mr. Loomis' story follows :
"During the early 60's the Indians infested the valley of Big Thompson as well as other parts of the state. They were forever prowling around, plundering the cabins of the settlers, running off stock and making themselves nuisances on general principles.
"Early in the year 1860, I think it was, one of the settlers, a Frenchman by the name of De Vost, captured from a band of wandering Utes a little Indian boy about 12 years old. De Vost gave the boy the name of Zeb to take the place of his unpro- nounceable patronym.
"Zeb was a bright youngster, and seemed to be blessed with virtues usually undeveloped in the red- skin character. It must not be forgotten, however, that Zeb had his vices, for he was a natural born thief if ever there was one. He regarded De Vost's property as exempted from his pilfering, and he guarded the home and effects of his captor with the most jealous care.
"Zeb seemed contented with his new life, and at the age of 17 was a large, strong, good looking fellow. About this time a band of roving Utes happened to pass near Huleatt gulch. The recol- lections of roaming over the plains during his boyish days thronged Zeb's mind, and the desire for the free and unfettered life of the savage proved strong enough to lure him from the home of his captor, and he rejoined his tribe. Perhaps, during all these
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years, memory had not been sleeping, but had re- called to Zeb the events of former days, and when opportunity offered, he was powerless to resist the desire to rejoin the companions of his childhood. De Vost, who had become attached to the boy, mourned his departure, but was forced to the con- clusion that after all Zeb was a redskin of the most ungrateful type. This was the opinion we all held, and as the majority of us never had a very exalted opinion of Zeb, we were not very much astonished at the young savage's taking French leave.
"Several months passed after Zeb's departure, and the Indians continued to make life a burden to the settlers on the Big Thompson. It became evi- dent that something must be done to put a stop to the depredations of the redmen. The stealing of stock was a daily or nightly occurrence, and it wasn't safe to leave the horses in the corrals with- out a strong guard stationed there.
"A band of prowlers appeared in Huleatt gulch and made camp there. The settlers were not long in coming to the conclusion that the pilgrims had come to this Mecca for a purpose, and their purpose was to run off our horses. We made up our minds to resist any encroachments upon our property, and we kept a sharp lookout. In spite of our careful watching, one day the rascals succeeded in getting away with eighteen head of horses, and before we could intercept their progress, they were well on their way to North Park. Six of us armed our- selves, and soon we were in hot pursuit. We over- took them near the head of Huleatt gulch. The Indians prepared for a skirmish. One young brave stood on a rock at the entrance to the gulch and sent his arrows flying over in our direction. Ben Clay- more emptied a six-shooter and that Indian's career was ended. The Indians now appeared in numbers unpleasantly large, and we saw that they were pre- pared for immediate and decisive battle. They out- numbered us, and no doubt our earthly existence would have terminated at that time had not a timely circumstance intervened.
"Just as the arrows from forty-seven redmen were about to be sent into our midst, there sprang from amongst the warriors a young fellow who talked to them rapidly and excitedly, and then ran, by leaps, in our direction. It was Zeb, who recognized De Vost among our party, and stayed the arrows of his fellows. The Indians sullenly withdrew from the field.
"Zeb was delighted to see De Vost, and requested the Indians to return De Vost's horses, which was done. The rest of us were not so well treated, as
our property went to make up the collection of the redmen's souvenirs.
"De Vost tried to persuade Zeb to remain with him, but Zeb preferred to follow his copper-colored brethren. At parting with De Vost, Zeb showed signs of sincere grief, but instinct is stronger than education, and Zeb followed the promptings of Nature in his choice of a life.
"Zeb promised De Vost that his band should trouble the settlers 'not any more,' and he was true to his promise, for the depredations in the Big Thompson valley ended.
"Zeb died in 1871, and his last request was that his blanket and pipe should be given to De Vost. The Indians fulfilled his dying wish, and De Vost had the articles in his possession until his death, which occurred a few years ago.
"Zeb was buried, Indian fashion, in Huleatt gulch. He was an example of a grateful redskin, and the only example, perhaps, on record."
The "Happy Jack" Episode
Along in the summer of 1873, a man known only by the name of "Happy Jack" made his appearance in the Cache la Poudre valley. He came here from the Hay & Thomas sheep ranch, situated near the Wyoming line, where he claimed to have been at work in the hay field. He sought and obtained per- mission to ride to Laporte with William P. Bos- worth who was returning to his home in Pleasant valley after selling a load of vegetables in Cheyenne. He said he wanted work and Mr. Bosworth told him that he might be able to get a job at the Obenchain saw mill, which stood on the bank of the river near where William Falloon and family now live, in Pleas- ant valley. "Happy Jack" did get a job at the mill, but did not stay long as he was found to be not of much account as a mill hand. From there he drifted to Boulder where he hired out to Clint Farrar to haul railroad ties from the mountains with an ox team. During his stay at the Obenchain mill, seve- ral horses belonging to ranchmen mysteriously dis- appeared and it was suspected that he belonged to a gang engaged in stealing and running off horses. This suspicion became so strong shortly after "Happy Jack" went to Boulder, that a warrant for his arrest was sworn out and placed in Sheriff Joseph Mason's hand to serve. Mr. Mason went to Boulder and being told by Mr. Farrar where to find the man he was looking for, the sheriff soon had him in custody. "Happy Jack" was brought back to
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Fort Collins and given a preliminary hearing but the evidence brought out was not thought sufficient to justify the court in binding him over for trial in the district court, and he was discharged. This, how, ever, did not allay the suspicion that he was impli- cated in the horse theft. This feeling became so strong that "Happy Jack" made up his mind that the best thing he could do would be to leave the country which he attempted to do. He started for the mountains and on reaching the Lone Pine stopped at the Day cabin which stood on what is now known as the Harry Gilpin-Brown ranch, and asked for something to eat. Mrs. Day, who was alone, got dinner for him and after he had finished eating he inquired the way to Rabbit creek. Before leaving the cabin he brutally attacked and criminally assaulted Mrs. Day, leaving her in a semi-conscious state in which condition her husband found her a few minutes later. On recovering consciousness she told her husband, in broken sentences, what had oc- curred and also described the man. She also told him that her assailant had inquired the way to Rab- bit creek. News of the assault upon Mrs. Day was sent post haste to Fort Collins and Sheriff Mason and Deputy Sheriff O. P. Yelton, lost no time in instituting a search for the guilty man. They knew from the description given of him by Mrs. Day that it was "Happy Jack" and supposed he was hiding in the hills somewhere on Rabbit creek, from the fact that he had inquired the way to that local- ity. "Happy Jack", however, kept on up the road going westward. Just about sundown he stopped at the McNey ranch, where Clerin T. Woods was then living, and asked for a bowl of milk which he drank and went on his way. Later in the evening word came to Mr. Woods that Mrs. Day had been mistreated and that Sheriff Mason was going to look for her assailant on Rabbit creek. The de- scription of the man given Mr. Woods fitted the person to whom he had given the bowl of milk and he knew that Sheriff Mason was on the wrong track, so he saddled up a horse and rode over to Rabbit creek to head the sheriff off and set him on the right road. Shortly after he reached Rabbit creek the sheriff and his deputy drove up and were told by Mr. Woods that the man they were looking for had gone west past his home. The sheriff and his dep- uty turned back to the main Livermore road and drove west, having lost much time in the trip up Rabbit creek. They kept up the pursuit to Fred Smith's mill on the North Lone Pine where they found "Happy Jack" fast asleep. The next morn- ing they started for Fort Collins with "Happy
Jack" in custody. When they arrived at the Day cabin, Mrs. Day was asked if their prisoner was the man who assaulted her and she promptly replied that it was. Sheriff Mason then roped "Happy Jack" to a corral post and giving Mrs. Day his Remington rifle, told her to shoot him, but her nerve failed her and she refused to take his life. "Happy Jack" was brought to Fort Collins and con- fined in a room on the second floor of the Grout building which then answered for church, court house and jail. That night he was taken out by about a dozen determined men and strung up twice by a rope thrown over a cottonwood limb on the river bottom, in an effort to scare him into a confes- sion of horse stealing and to tell who his confed- erates were. This he persistently refused to do, saying they might hang him and be damned, but he would never give anything away. Failing to wring a confession out of him, they brought him back to the quarters in the old Grout building. The next evening while being given his supper "Happy Jack" complained that one of the manacles was too tight about his leg and that it hurt him, and he asked his guard to loosen it a little which was done. The prisoner wore high top boots and the manacles were fastened outside the boot-leg, just above the ankle. Later in the evening, while the guard was at supper in one of the lower rooms, "Happy Jack" succeeded in working one foot out of the boot, leaving the manacle around the bare leg and loose enough to permit of his slipping the foot through the hopple, thus liberating it. He then drew on his boot again and taking the loose manacle in his hand, he jumped from the window to the ground below and dis- appeared in the darkness. In lighting he fell upon and broke through some boards that covered an out- side cellarway, creating a racket that startled the guards, but before they could get out of the house and run around to the back side of it to see what caused the racket, "Happy Jack" had scrambled out and made off as fast as his legs could carry him. When the guards turned the corner of the building they heard footsteps fleeing in the direction of the mill race where it crosses North College avenue, and they concluded that their prisoner had given them the slip, which, upon examination, proved true. An alarm was sounded and very soon a posse of men went in pursuit of the fugitive, but owing to the darkness and the number of hiding places in the bushes along the river bank, they failed to find him and he made good his escape. "Happy Jack" was never seen in this vicinity after that, and many peo- ple believe to this day that he was removed from the
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