, 1886-10-24
To the Voter. of Cheyenne.

left to Others my gencology would not b
correctly written, | will therefore write
o myself-and try to give you a correct his
tory of my has beens:
e | was born at home in Bethlehem-no
Judea, but New IIampshire-Oct. %
I 1888. 1t was under the administration
Of Martin Van Buren,. | therefore am {
natural born Democrat and lack but a few
inches OF being As years Of age. | was
the youngest Of five sons, which wer, all
| boys. hen quite young | was remark
able for my proficiency in making mud
pies and always took a prominent
part in the meals Of my family.
When the war broke out between
Mexico and the United States | went to
school over the hill with 4 cousin of the
la;e Daniel Webster until July 4. 1913,
when peace with Mexico was proclaimed.
Then my father, who was my mothers
husband, moved to Vermont, where we
were engaged in raising corn and pump
kins, and ] went 10 school with the grand.
som Of the late patriot Ethan Allen until
becoming OF age. was just u years old.
it being the yea, John Brown seized Har-
pers Ferry, at which time | WAS not a
student at West Point. but went into the
grocery business under the administration
Of James Buchanan; but when the civil
war broke out between the North and
South, | left the grocery business and
opened a meat market next door to a re.
cruitlng Office, where | remained until
Abraham called for 300, 0eO more.
then threw down the %cleaver, enlisted in
the 3D. Vermont gun chewers, shouldered
a musket and went forth to battle for the
preservation of the Union and a bounty.
was in nearly every hard fought battle
of the Potomac. where | kept out of all
danger and did as little service as possible.
thinking life was short, good men scarce.
and self preservation the better part OF
valor. During McCellan's advance on
the James river | was in the foremost
ranks for seven days, for which gallartry
and bravery, and by the recommendation
OF my Supporters, | was promoted to
eighth corporal, which commission | still
hold, 1t not being revoked in lSGi, when
| re enlisted aud staid to help Grant fight
1t out in the summer, during which time |
did a great many brave and daring things
while drawn up in line of battle ready to
make a deadly charge on the enemy. |
saw the match that lighted the fuse that
exploded the mine at Pittsburg, which
caused a great destruction-of powder.
l ser,el with rallAntry and patriotism
until the close OF the war. | was woun-
ded three times; first by a saber, second
bv a Minnie ball, and the third time was
kicked by a NIUE, After which, Gen.
Grant, nat needing my services longer, /
went to Omaha and volunteered to drive
a six mule team to Denver for S35 per
month. which | done with great bravery
and dexterity. Upon arriving in Denver
| was promoted from a six to a ten mule
team, and presented with a new black
snake whip by my friends and
fellow mule SINNERS. After this
period in my e%ventful career, | mined
two seasons in California eulch, and
would have been immensely rich by this
time if had found gold enough, but |
did not. | came to Cheyenne the year
of the big wind. 1t was in the days of
Pat Melalcy, at which time | commenced
the Cheyenne water system, which con-
81 ted in hauling it around with a team
and filling whisky barrels. 1t has been
improved since. | followed that irriga-
ting business several years, and hen COM
menced hauling freight and passengers up
to the Black Hills and hauling them down
again, going through many hard fought
battles with the Indians-in my dreams
as they came in their war paint with
stripes up one side and down on the other,
The year 1873 | was on the city police
force, and done excellent service imround-
ing dogs and q W | never allowed my
self to be found when wanted, and was
always ont Of sight when asleep on duty.
In the fall Of said year was elected Justice
Of the peace, which position | held down
with grace and great dignity. Was re
elected in 1850 AMI filed the judicial
chair, it being small. until lSS2. at which
time | was not selected, but | rendered
valuable service to the government
by buying up condemned mu'es and
starting a freighting outfit, which business
| followed until two years ago. | then
disposed of my little dairy and entered the
service Of the Union Pacific Railway com
plny as depot police, where | still hold
forth, and am polite, obliging and courte-
Gus to the mule skinner and faro bank
president alike, and no one who ever
comes to the depot can 90 away and say
that | didn't exhibit Apple Auntie to
them as Il Wyoming curiosity, she being a
living petriiaction.
My duties have been varied and numcr-
Gus. | have roped coal thieves, rounded
up tramps hcrled crazy passengers. held
Judge Peek hat while he delivered The
address at the laying Of the corner stone
of the new depot, and have been a kind
mother to all babies left on the trains or
at the depot, regardless of breed or color.
| was married at Cheyenne in lS72. at
which time | became a husband. Two
years after, at the birth Of my eldest child.
it was rumored | had also become a father.