USA > Wyoming > The history of Wyoming from the earliest known discoveries > Part 59
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On September 5, 1854, Major Baldwin was married at San Francisco to Miss Josephine Wright, only daughter of Joseph Wright of New York, who was a direct descendent of Silas Wright of Rev- olutionary fame. Mrs. Baldwin went to San Francisco with her fam- ily in June, 1854, and crossed the Isthmus on a mule. This was be- fore the Panama Railroad was built. By this marriage there were nine children who grew to manhood and womanhood. These are settled in Wyoming and some have become prominent in the lo- calities in which they live. In a later volume I shall have occasion to mention these sons and daughters.
Major Noyes Baldwin was born September 8, 1826, at Wood- bridge, Connecticut, being the only son of Lyman Baldwin of New Haver. He died at his home in Lander January 12th, 1893.
The arrival of James A. McAvoy at the mines has already been mentioned. He had helped to build the Union Pacific Railroad, that
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is, served as clerk to a contractor, and after the section upon which they were engaged was finished, he resolved to take his chances in the much talked of South Pass Gold Country. He first worked in the mines, then becanie a contractor, cutting hay for the government. In this position he often encountered hostiles but seemed to success- fully escape the many dangers. He was in partnership with John M. Reid and opened a farm in the Wind River Valley upon which they raised potatoes to supply the mines. Ou that farm McAvoy went about his work accompanied by his rifle in order that he might de- fend himself against Indians. He has remained with the country and has seen it grow up from a wilderness to one of the most pros- perous sections in the Rocky Mountains. His education and natural ability won for him a place among a people who needed his services. The story of his life is a part of the history of the mining camps of Fremont County. (See second volume of this history.)
Jules Lamoreaux reached Atlantic City May 1, 1868, and brought with him a stock of groceries and provisions, opened a store in a tent on the banks of Rock Creek. Later he obtained a building and secured a good trade but found out in a couple of years that a credit business could not be depended upon. Men whom he trusted either could not or would not pay. In 1870 he became discouraged with the mercantile business and so closed out. His next move was to pur- chase a freighting outfit and haul goods from Point of Rocks to the camp. This was continued until 1875, when he took up a home- stead on the south side of the Popo Agie adjoining Lander where he still resides. He has followed the stock business for many years and grown wealthy. He was elected the second mayor of Lander.
F. G. Burnett is one of the oldest living settlers in Wyoming. He went to South Pass and located in April, 1869, but came to Wyo- ming in May, 1865, having crossed the plains from Omaha with A. C. Leighton, an army sutler. He followed General Connor on the Powder River Campaign and helped to build the old fort which was afterward known as Fort Reno. He remained at various posts on the Bozeman Road until that country was abandoned by United States troops in 1868. In 1867 he had a wood contract at Fort C. F. Smith and conceived the idea of cutting wood on the Big Horn above the canon and float it down to the fort. The contract was for two thousand seven hundred cords of wood. A boom was built below the fort and a party consisting of Burnett, John Harwood, John Tewksbery, Zeke Colvin and several others went sixty miles up the river to the head of the canon where they cut and threw into the stream between seven hundred and a thousand cords of wood and then feeling some curiosity to know whether it had floated down through the canon, Burnett, Colvin and two others with a sixteen
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foot boat, undertook to explore the canon. They took with them a Hawkins rifle and ammunition, with one loaf of bread, and start- ed on the perilous journey. The walls of this canon are for the most part perpendicular and in places many hundreds of feet high and up to that time it had never been explored. They started at nine o'clock in the morning, down the swift current, discussing on the way the probabilities of encountering dangerous rapids and perpen- dicular falls. Down rushed the little boat, while the party held them- selves in readiness to meet and overcome any obstacle in the way. After a time they could hear the roar of mighty waters and knew from the sound that it was a fall but it was too late to turn back and so they dashed onward and finally reached the dangerous place. The fall was only about four feet high but it capsized their boat and gave them a thorough drenching. The party, all being good swimmers, succeeded in righting the boat and preserving the rifle. When it was nearly night they landed on a little sandy beach where they resolved to camp until morning. Their supply of bread was ex- hausted and they could only look forward to a night and a day of fasting. The canon was filled with gloom but high up the sunlight was yet to be seen. While the party gazed at the last rays of the departing sun they observed a mountain sheep on a high point nearly over their heads. Colvin grasped the rifle and lying down on his back fired at the animal. The crack of the riffe was followed by the sheep falling down from one point of rocks to another until it finally landed on the sand at the feet of the party. This appeared almost like something supernatural, like manna from the wilderness. They gathered up some drift wood, built a fire and cooked the mountain mutton, enjoying a feast. They slept that night but it proved to be very cold and disagreeable. It was midsummer, but, notwithstanding this, ice formed along the shore of the little beach on which they were camping. The next morning, putting their trust in Divine Providence and their own strong arms, they again embarked in the little boat and floated down the rapid current. Before noon they dashed over another fall and again the boat capsized, but as before they righted the little vessel and swept onward down the stream and late in the afternoon they floated out of the mouth of the canon in sight of the fort. Strange to say there was not a stick of wood lodged against the boom nor had they encountered any as they came down the canon. What became of the wood has always been a question hard to answer by the members of that little exploring party,
Burnett became a permanent resident of Fremont County, where he has raised a large family. He has been in the stock business, mer- cantile business and many years ago held the position of head farmer
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on the Shonshone Reservation. After giving up this employment, he again gave his attention to business in Lander, but a few years ago he was appointed to his old position of teaching the Indians to farm and is still so employed.
Among the first to investigate the reported gold fields at South Pass in 1867, was J. D. Woodruff. He was at that time engaged as hunter at Fort Laramie and being invited to go with some parties to the new gold camp, accepted the invitation. He did not remain long nor did he have an opportuntiy of investigating critically, yet he saw enough to induce him to return to the camp a year or two later, when he became a permanent resident of what is now Fremont County. Since that time he has been prominent in business and public af- fairs and the promoter of many of the most important enterprises in that part of the state. His life work has been closely connected with the development of the Territory of Wyoming, the State, the County of Fremont and the City of Lander where he has resided for many years. He is by nature a pioneer and a builder and what he has accomplished will be told in the history of Fremont County and in the record of State Legislation.
With the crowd of 1869 came John M. Hornecker, who reached Miner's Delight August 10, being accompanied by his brother Ernest, and also another well known character in Fremont County, Jake Frey. These pioneers came to stay and they have made good their purpose. John M. Hornecker remained at the mines until 1874, when he commenced farming and stock-raising in the Lander Val- ley, of which business he made a success, developing one of the best farms in the country. In the early days he did carpenter work at the Shoshone Agency. In 1886 he was elected County Commissioner and served as chairman of the board for two years. In 1894 he was again elected to the same position and re-elected in 1896. He served his county with great fidelity and won the respect of all parties. He was born in Baden, Germany, 1847, came with his parents to America in 1856, settled in Missouri, from which state he came direct to Wyoming.
James Kime arrived in Atlantic in the fall of 1869 and later mov- ed to Hamilton or Miner's Delight where he became a permanent resident. This sturdy pioneer was one of the first to locate the City of Denver, and in 1867 was among the pioneers who founded the city of Cheyenne. He has been a prominent figure in Wyoming, having assisted in organizing the territory and also the state. He has held numerous public offices and has been postmaster of Miner's Delight since April, 1872. A more complete biography of this prom- inent citizen will appear in the annals of his county, second volume of this History.
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Robert McAuley and his wife came to Atlantic City in 1869. These pioneers settled in Colorado in 1866, removed to Cheyenne in 1868 and from there went to Atlantic City. Mr. McAuley entered actively into business and has remained in the same town until the present writing (1898). He was the first postmaster, the office be- ing established in 1870, when Atlantic had a population of 1,200. He continued in this position up to May 3, 1893, nearly a quarter of a century. He tells me that he has lived in three counties, Carter, Sweetwater and Fremont; two territories, Dakota and Wyoming, and one state, Wyoming, and during all these changes moved neither his residence nor his place of business from Atlantic. All these mu- tations came to Atlantic and through all he remained a fixture, carry- ing on the mercantile business for a period of more than twenty- nine years, and at the same time interesting himself in all move- ments which were for the benefit of the town, county or state. He was born in East Troy, New York, November 22, 1837. In the forties his family moved to Illinois and in 1854 young McAuley went to Kansas, where he remained five years, during the Free State troubles. In 1865 Mr. and Mrs. McAuley were married and since that time have walked the journey of life together, seeing many changes come to their chosen home.
Michael Heenan and his family located in Atlantic in August, 1869, and the following year, in December, moved to Miners Delight. Two years later, Mr. Heenan was killed by Indians. A detailed ac- count of this affair will be found in its proper place in the second vol- ume of this work. Three years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Heenan married P. P. Dickinson, one of the pioneer business men of Fremont County. They have for many years lived in Lander. Mrs. Dickinson is one of the pioneer mothers of the mines and of Fre- mont County. She was born in Ireland and came to America with her parents when a child. In 1867 she and Mr. Heenan took up their residence in Cheyenne, being among the pioneers who settled that place.
In the early days of South Pass, either the latter part of 1868 or early in 1869, James Smith located there and through all the changes of the town, and the coming and going of others, he re- mained a permanent resident. Running a store and a hotel and en- gaging actively in mining, he necessarily became prominent. He did a thriving business for many years and accumulated a consider- able fortune. He died in 1896 full of years and will ever be remem- bered for his courtesy to strangers and kind acts to his neighbors. He was born in Mississippi about the year 1826, was a volunteer in the Mexican War, serving in the navy and distinguishing himself as a brave and unselfish hero. I will relate one instance which will
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illustrate his kindness of heart and at the same time his desire to do his part on public occasions. In the summer of 1894 the business men of Rock Springs made up an excursion to visit the mines and Lander and took with them a band of nineteen pieces. The excur- sion was a large one and filled to the utmost the public places of entertainment of both South Pass and Atlantic. The band was as- signed to Smith's Hotel and was there for supper, lodging and breakfast. When they were ready to go away, the leader hunted up Mr. Smith to settle the bill and asked how much it would be. Smith looked at him a moment and replied: "Not a cent, sir. I haven't seen or heard a band since General Scott entered the City of Mexico. I couldn't charge you a cent, sir. Come and see me again."
R. M. Ricketts, another old timer, worked his way to Atlantic as a freighter, arriving on June 17, 1869, and has remained there ever since that time. He helped to build Camp Stambaugh, also old Camp Brown on the present site of Lander, but most of the time up to 1883, followed the freighting business. Since that time he has been actively engaged in mining and with considerable success, having operated some of the best properties in the camp. Like other men in that section, he has fought Indians, experienced good as well as hard times but through it all has remained loyal to the country. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, February 3, 1851.
The men who deserve honorable mention in the history of the mining camps of South Pass, Atlantic, Miner's Delight and Lewiston are those who came early and worked hard in developing the min- eral wealth of the country. These men have seen many changes, successes and failures and at no time have they lost faith in the country. As an illustration of this class Samuel L. Spangler stands prominent. In the early spring of 1874 he came to Wyoming and stopped for a time at Cheyenne and from there went with a party of surveyors into the country near Fort Bridger. While on this trip he drove a freight team into South Pass, and, liking the country, re- mained there. He had abundant opportunities to assist in the public defense against Indian attacks, to witness the bright side as well as the dark side in the mines, to labor unceasingly to develop proper- ties, and often realizing but slight returns for his hard work. He was part owner in the Red Canon placers, in which he worked for four years. He did work on many of the leading quartz mines of that country, and has at times been the owner of a number of prop- erties. He developed the Ground Hog, a quartz mine of promise, of which he is still the owner. Through all the years he has gone on with a quiet determination to do his part in proving that the mil- lions of dollars in gold which have been taken from the surface did not come from the clouds but was the outcroppings of great mother
MRS . NOYES BALDWIN
MAJOR NOYES BALDWIN
SAMUET L. SPANGLER
ERVIN F. CHENEY.
JAMES KIME.
R M RICKETTS
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lodes which are still intact in the hills. Spangler was born in Musk- ingum County, Ohio, November 16, 1849, emigrated with his parents to Illinois in 1863 and later went to Iowa, from which state he came to Wyoming. In 1892 he was elected County Commissioner and serv- ed as chairman of the board.
The name of Captain Herman G. Nickerson has been mentioned in the history of the mines. He was born in Litchfield, Modena County, Ohio, May 4, 1841. He entered the army early in 1861, Com- pany D, Twenty-third Ohio Infantry. He was afterward transferred to the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Infantry and made Captain of Company I. He saw hard service during the war and passed through the four years and was mustered out when hostilities ceased. Re- turning home he commenced the study of law, but his health giving away, he started west in 1866, going to Montana. As has been stated he arrived at the mines in 1868. From the day of his arrival down to the present time he has been one of the busiest men in that country. He will appear prominently in the History of Fremont County, having held numerous positions of trust and great responsi- bility.
Among the pioneers who came in 1868 and remained in the country, should be mentioned John Curry. He mined for a year and then started a store, remaining at the mines until 1874, when he moved to Lander. In 1872 he was elected County Assessor. He will be mentioned in the history of Sweetwater County and also in that of Fremont County. In the latter he held prominent positions. He still resides in Lander.
I have already mentioned the arrival of Ervin F. Cheney in 1869. His wagon and blacksmith shop became famous. For a number of years, in addition to his regular business, he made the coffins used in the community and during the time of the Indian troubles he had plenty of work. Cheney came from Fort Sanders, to which place he had been transferred from Camp Carlin. He was born in the state of New York, served in the Civil War in the Twenty-first New York Cavalry and was in the campaigns in Virginia. At the battle of Mal- vern Hill he was wounded and taken prisoner and held for seven months when he was paroled and soon afterward regularly exchang- ed. After serving his enlistment, he re-enlisted as a veteran and con- tinued in the army until the end of the war. He crossed the plains in 1865 and located temporarily in Colorado, from which place he came to Wyoming. He has held various political offices and his services will receive further notice in the history of Sweetwater County and also in that of Fremont County.
Another old timer and one who has become prominent in the history of that section is Benjamin Sheldon, who was a soldier in the
-(43)
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Civil War and remained in the service, going to South Pass in 1869 with his regiment. That fall he went to Utah, but returned in the spring, going to Camp Brown where he was Commissary Sergeant. He continued in service until 1879 when he retired from the army and with his family took up a permanent residence in Lander Val- ley. From the first he was active in the Civil Government and has held many important positions in Fremont County. His biography is part of the history of the county in which he has lived. He will come more prominent in public matters in the second volume of this History.
On August 1, 1869, Edward T. St. John reached South Pass, com- ing direct from Laramie City, where he had been located for some- thing over a year. Soon after his arrival he commenced prospecting and afterwards worked in a mine for a couple of years and later lo- cated a ranch in the Wind River Valley and finally made his home in Lander. During the Indian troubles, St. John shared with his neigh- bors in the anxieties, defense and pursuit of the savages. He was born in Marshall County, Indiana, January 12, 1844. He served in the Civil War, enlisting in the Tenth Illinois Cavalry in October, 1861, and served three years and three months.
Samuel Iiams is another old pioneer who came to the mines at an early day. He worked on the Miner's Delight and other mines in the different camps. After the Indian trouble was over he took up his residence near Lander and followed stock growing and farming. He has one of the most productive farms in that section of the country and connected with this he has a cheese factory from which he sends to market a large amount of cheese annually.
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Building the Union Pacific.
CHAPTER XLIV.
BUILDING THE UNION PACIFIC.
NATIONAL SURVEYS-CHARTERED BY CONGRESS-SUBSIDY IN LANDS-GOV- ERNMENT BONDS LOANED-THE ROAD A NATIONAL NECESSITY-PA- TRIOTIC PRIVATE CITIZENS FURNISH MONEY AND CONSTRUCT THE ROAD-THE GOVERNMENT SECURES GREAT BENEFITS, FOR WHICH IT PAYS PRACTICALLY NOTHING-INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF CON- STRUCTION-MARVELOUS SPEED OF THE TRACKLAYERS-A WELL OR- GANIZED ARMY OF BUILDERS-BUILDING ACROSS WYOMING-BEAR RIVER RIOT-CLOSE OF 1868.
The building of the Union Pacific Railroad was the crowning colossal event in the history of railway construc- tion in the United States. It was long talked of by individu- als and Congress, but it was many years before there was an earnest attempt at construction. From first to last there were ten routes surveyed, and these extended all the way from the 32nd to the 49th parallel of latitude. The first Pacific railroad company organized was the Central, in California, early in 1861. The Union Pacific Company was granted a charter by Congress in July, 1862. In October of 1863 the preliminary organization of this company was com- pleted, with a capital authorized of one hundred million dollars. The first contract for construction was entered into in 1864, but it was not until November 5th, 1865, that the work actually commenced at Omaha. The war, which had continued for a period of four years, had demonstrated to the country the necessity of connecting the Pacific coast with the Atlantic slope. The American people had felt dur- ing the progress of the war that our western possessions were constantly in danger from any foreign power which might feel disposed to take possession of our territory be- yond the mountains. It had required the ablest diplomacy
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to prevent England finding a pretext for war, and it was well understood by our leading statesmen that if hostilities were declared by England that California would be the ob- jective point of English hostility. After the war was over, all men agreed that a railroad to the Pacific was a national necessity, and every patriotic American was anxious to see the road an accomplished fact. With this laudable purpose in view, many of the leading financiers of the country fur- nished capital for the enterprise. The government, anxious to promote the construction of the road, voted a subsidy in ยท land of each alternate section for twenty miles on each side of the road and in addition issued its bonds to the com- pany to the amount of $16,000 per mile across the plains, and $45,000 per mile across the mountains. At that time it was not believed either in or out of Congress that the road would ever be able to repay the government the amount advanced. United States Senator Henry Wilson, who was afterwards Vice President, said in the Senate while the bill was under discussion: "I give no grudging vote in giving away either money or land. I would sink $100,000,000 to build the road and do it most cheerfully, and think I had done a great thing for my country. What are $75,000,000 or $100,000,000 in opening a railroad across the central regions of the continent that shall connect the peo- ple of the Atlantic and the Pacific and bind us together? Nothing. As to the lands, I do not grudge them." The only wonder today is, that private individuals were found who were willing to invest capital in the construction of this road, and it was asking much on the part of the govern- ment to even expect that financiers would invest their money in an enterprise which promised so little in the way of returns, over and above the cost of constructing and operating.
It was generally understood in business circles that the road was a necessity on the part of the government and leading public men did not hesitate to say that if pri- vate capital could not be secured, the general government
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must of necessity build the road. There are some interest- ing figures given in this connection as to the cost to the government for Overland service from the time of the ac- quisition of our western possessions down to the completion of the Pacific road. These figures show that there was paid out annually more than $8,000,000. This was a large sum, and as it was constantly on the increase the necessity for a railroad was plainly apparent, even aside from the public policy of binding together the east and the west. In the public mind there was a possibility of the far west becom- ing dissatisfied with a union of states when they were en- tirely cut off from all advantages of such union by high. mountain barriers and broad plains. Not a few argued that the Pacific states were liable to secede from the Union and erect a government of their own. This was the condition of the public mind when Congress voted a subsidy in aid of the construction of this railway. It so happened that the author of this work took a deep interest at the time in all matters pertaining to the building of this road, and he is now willing to admit the surprise he felt when it was at last announced that sufficient capital had been secured for the construction. People at this day are inclined to believe that the government did a generous thing toward this en- terprise, but it was not so regarded at the time. The dona- tion of land and the promise of bonds seemed to have little effect. Capitalists doubted and held back. From the time of the granting of the national charter in July, 1862, up to nearly the close of 1865, practically nothing was accom- plished, and had it not been for a few bold, determined and patriotic men the project would have fallen through and Congress would have been left to provide the entire means of construction. As it was, the enterprise was only carried through by the citizens I have mentioned pledging their private fortunes in aid of the great work. All things con- sidered, the government secured the road not by its gen- erosity but by the patriotism of its citizens. The lands it donated enabled it to sell other lands at $2.50 an acre to
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