Traveling Over Forgotten Trails

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Traveling Over Forgotten Trails

BY HON. ANTHONY W. IVINS

77/ Indian Revenge, and a Brother's Devotion

One of the great problems presented to the early settlers of Utah's Dixie was how to obtain merchandise to provide for their necessities, after the meager supply which they were able to take with them from the north had been exhausted. They were far from any base where goods could be obtained, with roads which were well-nigh impassable intervening, and very little money with which to buy. It was about three hundred fifty miles to Salt Lake City, and when that point was reached, the price of mer- chandise, all of which was brought from either the Missouri river or from California, by freight teams, was well nigh prohibi- tive. During the sum- mer, the trip to St. Joseph, or to Kan- sas City, Mo., could be made but when ;

winter came, this route was no long- er practicable, so that in the fall and winter months it was not unusual EDWIN D. WOOLLEY, who brought the remains for the mule trains, of his brother, who had been killed by Indians, across which had made the desert from California to Utah, as he appeared .

thirty years after the incident here related. the JOUmey tO the Missouri during the summer, to occupy the time with a trip to California.

602 IMPROVEMENT ERA The road led along the chain of early settlements from Salt Lake City to Nephi, at that time called Salt Creek. From the latter point to Fillmore, Beaver and Cedar, where it forked, going either by way of Pinto, Mountain Meadows, Magotsa and Camp Spring to Beaver Dams, or to Kanarra, Black Ridge, Grape Vine Sand, and St. George, from which latter point it either led up the Santa Clara to Camp Spring, or across Miller's Cut-off to the Beaver Dams. The overland freight train usually consisted of a sufficient number of teams to assure safety from attack by Indians, each team consisting of from eight to twelve mules hitched to one heavy wagon. The mules were driven with a single line, attached to the bit of the near leader, the driver riding on the near wheeler. Months were consumed by these trains in making the trip from Utah to California and return, a distance now covered by the fast freight in a few days. Merchandise obtained in California was brought via Cape Horn from New York, or other eastern ports, and by the time it reached Utah was sold at extravagant prices. For example, flour sold at St. George for $25 per cwt., sugar $1 per pound, tea $6 per pound, coal oil $8 per gallon, common domestic $1 per yard, calico 75 cents per yard, nails $1.50 per pound, glass $1 per 10x12 light, lumber $110 per thousand feet. In November, 1868, the Southern Utah Co-operative Mercan- tile Association was formed, under the direction of Erastus Snow, the purpose of the organization being to purchase merchandise in California, and bring it to southern Utah, to supply the neces- sities of the people. A train was fitted out and started for San Bernardino about February 1, 1869. Franklin B. Woolley was appointed purchasing agent for this company, and after the train had left St. George, he went to Salt Lake, and from there to San Francisco, where he made his purchases and ordered the merchandise shipped to Wilmington, a sea port near San Diego, where it was to be loaded on the wagons and freighted to St. George. Among those who were to freight the goods to their destina- tion was Edwin D. Woolley, a younger brother of Frank, who at the time was but twenty-three years of age. The train reached Wilmington about March 1, where it was met by the agent. The merchandise was loaded, and the return trip commenced. In addition to the teams which had come from Utah, Franklin B. Woolley had purchased another at San Bernar- dino, and employed a man to drive it through to St. George. The journey was made without incident to San Bernardino, through the Cajon Pass, and over the divide to the Mojave River, where the train camped for the night. When you go to California over the Salt Lake Route, if you

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will look out to the east, after passing the El Oro station, and be- fore reaching the summit, near Victorville, you will see the Mo- jave river bottom, and know that you are passing the spot where the train camped on that memorable night, probably March 16, and where the combination of circumstances which culminated in the death of one of the foremost citizens of southern Utah had their beginning. The following morning, when the teams were brought in, three of the horses, which had been purchased at San Bernardino, were missing. The greater part of the day was spent in hunting for them, but they could not be found, and the conclusion was reached that they had gone back on the road toward their old home. The freight- ers were anxious to move on, and finally did so, while Frank Wool- ley, mounted on one of his brother's mules, started back toward San Bernardino, the extra wagon being trailed down the Mojave to a point where road the to Camp Cady, i n Arizona, branched off to the east. There was a station the forks of at these roads kept by a half-breed and his wife. At this station E. D. Woolley was left with his wagon load of mer- FRANKLIN B. WOOLLEY, who was killed by chandise, and the train Mojave Indians in California, in March, 1869. went on. Here he remained several days, and as his brother did not return, he became exceedingly anxious for his welfare. It had rained heavily, the river was swollen, and the mail carrier who passed reported that he had seen a hat floating down the stream, which greatly added to the anxiety, as it was feared that in at- tempting to cross the river, Frank had been drowned. At this time a train passed, going from Camp Cady to San Bernardino, and the young man, unable to bear the suspense longer, and certain that his brother had met with disaster, went back with them, leaving his wagon and merchandise with the station keeper.

60^ IMPROVEMENT ERA When he reached the place where the horses had been lost, he found them grazing on the river bottom, caught one of them, borrowed a saddle, and, leaving the freighters, hurried on to the upper station on the Mojave river, which at that time was kept by Charles Burton, a brother of the late Robert T. Burton, of Salt Lake City. As he neared the station, he observed that there was a large freight train there, headed north, the teamsters, with Mr. Burton and his wife standing in groups watching his ap- proach. He rode up to the man who appeared to be the owner of the train and, addressing him, said: "I am looking for my brother who, several days ago, came back on the road in search of some horses which we had lost, and feel certain you can give me information regarding him." Mrs. Burton burst into tears and went into the house, and the man, whose name was Aiken, told him the following story: His brother, after leaving the camp on the Mojave, where the horses were lost, had ridden back to Martin's Station, in the Cajon Pass, where he spent the night, and the following day went on to San Bernardino and interviewed the party from whom the horses had been purchased, but could get no trace .

of them. The man, however, told him that the previous summer they had been pastured at a hay ranch, at the head of the Mojave river, and he thought they had probably gone there. With this information, Frank returned to Martin's Station, where he passed the second night. Mr. Martin directed him to the hay ranch, which was about twenty miles off the main road, and the follow- ing morning he started for that point. Several days later the mail carrier from the north passed the station and told Mr. Martin there was a man up at the forks of the road, with a load of merchandise, and no team, waiting for the return of his brother who had gone to look for their horses, which had strayed away. Just at this time Mr. Aiken arrived at Martin's Station with his train, consisting of ten ten- mule teams. Mr. Martin recounted to him the facts set forth above, and said that he felt certain the man who was looking for the lost horses had met with an accident, or foul play, at the hay ranch, and asked Mr. Aiken to take his teamsters and go with him to investigate. To this the owner of the train at first demurred he had one hundred mules and ten drivers, expenses ;

were heavy, his supply of grain limited, and he could not re- plenish it until he reached his destination at Camp Cady. The station keeper replied that he would feed the teams both hay and grain while the investigation was being made, provided his request were granted, and with this understanding the party hurried to the hay ranch, where their worst fears were realized, for there they found the remains of Franklin B. Woolley. It was evident that he reached his objective point the day

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he left Martin's Station, and, as it was raining, had taken a door from the cabin, and, standing it against the stack for a shelter, had pulled out some hay, which served as a bed, and slept there. The following morning fifteen or twenty Indians came to the ranch, and, surrounding him, engaged in a war dance, but either permitted him to go out from the circle, or he had broken through it, as his tracks passed over the moccasin tracks, and he was killed with arrows some distance away. After stripping the clothing from the body, the Indians cut the throat of his mule which was tied to the fence, tore the leather from the saddle, and, killing nine head of horses which were at the ranch, fled to the mountains. The year before a party of men who were employed to put up hay at the ranch killed three Indians and, decapitating them, placed their heads on the fence posts. Because of this barbarous act the tribe had declared that white men should never again occupy the place, and had made Franklin B. Woolley the innocent victim of their revenge. The remains had been taken to Martin's Station and in- terred. Without hesitation, the young man resolved to recover the remains of his brother, take them to San Bernardino and, after having them properly prepared, carry them across the desert to the waiting wife, children, relatives and friends ;

but how was this to be accom- plished? He was entirely without EDWIN D.WOOLLEY, as funds, and among strangers. Call- he appeared at the time of the incident here related. ing Mr. Aiken aside, he explained the unfortunate situation, the neces- sity for immediate action, and asked for assistance. The latter replied that he, too, was without money, that there was no place to use it on the road, but there were at that time three teams at Martin's Station which were going through on the Utah road, and that a Mr. Durkee, who was traveling with them, had $1,500 with him, although he had published that the money had been sent via San Francisco by express, as he feared robbery. "But," he added, "I know he has it with him." With this information, the boy pressed on to Martin's Station, where he found sympathetic friends, prominent among them an old Italian, who was the owner of the horses which had been killed at the hay ranch. Asking the bystanders to disinter the remains of his brother, the young man looked at the different groups of

606 IMPROVEMENT ERA men who had collected as he approached, and observing two who were sitting apart from the others, on a wagon tongue, ap- proached them and said, "I understand there is a man in this party who has $1,500 with him." He watched the faces of the men, and one of them turned ashy white. In a lower tone of voice he said, "Your name is Durkee you know my circumstances, I must have ;

some money will you lend it to me ?" ;

"I did have some money," the other replied, "but sent it by exepress, via San Francisco." "Perhaps you kept back a little for expenses," was the re- joinder. They walked into the house, where Mr. Durkee said, "My sympathies are with you," and the money was handed to the boy, who gave his I. O. U. for it. In the meantime, the remains had been disinterred, the Italian had hitched his team to a light wagon, and they hurried on to San Bernardino, where a hermetically sealed casket was provided, and the return trip to Martin's Station made. When the station was reached it was found that the people who were trav- eling north had gone. Mr. Martin pleaded with them to wait, of- fering to feed their teams if they would do so, but there were women in the party who insisted that they would not cross the desert in company with a wagon which carried a corpse, and they had hurried on. Again the Christian spirit of the old Italian as- serted itself, he would go on, he said, as far as necessary. A fresh team was provided, the party ahead overtaken and passed, and by the time they reached the forks of the road the boy was ready to go on with them. Only those who have traveled from Utah to San Bernardino ever the southern route to California can appreciate the diffi- culties of the journey. From the Mojave river to the Muddy val- ley, a distance of 265 miles, the road led over a treeless desert of rocks and burning sand, with only the stunted desert vegeta- tion, and but few places where water could be obtained, and that frequently brackish and unpalatable. There were but six of these watering places, Bitter Springs, Kingston Springs, Stump Spring, Mountain Spring, Cottonwood and Las Vegas. The longest stretch without water was fifty miles. This was the condition which confronted E. D. Woolley when he reached the forks of the road, where he had left his wagon. He was alone, without money, the total amount loaned him by Mr. Durkee having been spent in preparing the remains of his brother for shipment, with a heavy load and a balky team, the desert between him and his destination. But he did not hesitate. He put his trust in a Power higher than that of man, and was not left without succor. An old prospector, a "forty-niner," came up the road, on his way to White Pine, Nevada, where the latest

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mining rush was on. lie was riding a small mule and leading another which was packed. A harness was improvised, the mules hitched on the lead of the horses, the pack put in the wagon, and thus the long journey over the desert to the Muddy Valley was made. Here the prospector, whose company and assistance had been of such great value, left his companion and went to seek his fortune in the hills of Nevada, while the young man continued his lonely journey. In the meantime, the freight train had reached St. George. The teamsters knew nothing of the whereabouts of the Woolley brothers. They only knew that Frank had gone back from the Mojave to look for his lost horses, and that his brother had been left atthe last camping place on the river, alone, with his wagon- load of merchandise and no team, to await his return. They had gone on, supposing that the horses would soon be found and the brothers overtake them. Telegrams were sent to Salt Lake and from there to San Francisco, asking for information regarding the missing men, but none was obtainable. As time passed, the feeling of apprehension increased to such an extent that it was decided to send out a relief expedition, with instructions to follow back on the road, as far as California, if necessary, but at all hazards to find the missing men. The expe- dition started, and fifteen miles out from St. George met E. D. Woolley. True to his pledge, he had brought the remains of his brother home, where they were interred with impressive services, by his sorrowing family and friends. The load of precious freight he had also brought safely through. Xo man had ever before crossed the desert under similar con- ditions, none has since done so, no other one ever will. The devo- tion, faith and courage of the younger brother, furnish an ex- ample of duty performed under adverse conditions which has few parallels.

A SLEIGHRIDE After a special M. I. A. Officers' Convention, in Morgan, Utah, Feb., 1916,