Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-24
SHADE OF HANK MONK.
MARK Twain Wants to Ride mt the
Worlds Fair with a Relic of the
Famous Northern New York
Stage Driver.

That the stage driver of the pioneer
days played an important part in the
development of the great west, and
fairly won a place in the national history,
is evidenced by the deep interest that
has been aroused by the inducement that
the flank Monk relics will be exhibited
10y Nevada at the worlds fair st. Louis
1t has been announced that J. a. Yer
rington, NeVada's executive commission
or. has secured the old coach that Hank
Monk drove-the one In which he took
Horace Greeley into Placerville ION
time and will use it at the worlds fair
as the coach Of state for Nevada.
In "Roughing It," Mark Twain's first
famous book. Hank Monk was immorta-
lized by the famous humorist, when he
described the celebrated drive by which
Hank Monk got the great editor into
Ilacerville IN time to keep a lecture en-
gagement.
DR.. Clemens. at his picturesque Quarry
farm. in Elmlra, N. Y. remembers well
the thrilling early days. and when infor-
nation reached him of Mr.. Yerrington' s
intention to exhibit the Hank Monk re-
lice he said:
This announcement brings weight
of years down upon my head. Those
two names carry me back thirty-two
years-Hank Monk and Warrington. |
think | was present when the watch was
given TO Monk but one cannot be very
sure of things that happened in such an
Gent times. | am only am sure that
knew Monk little, and that l knew
Mr.. Yerrington's father well. l made
| one trip with Monk in that old stage;
wish | could be in St. Louis on my day
next June and make one with his
| ghost"
Hank Monk was a New Yorker. having
been born in Warrington, st. Lawrence
county. He was a stage driver all his
| life. He spent his early years driving
between Washington and Massena
George A. Monk a brother of the famous
stage driver now lives in Gouvernor. n
Y, and a sister, Mrs. X. n. Kellogg
| lives in Hartford, Conn. George A
Monk has a number of relics that he
will loan Mr.. Yerington and they will be
added to the worlds fair collection
Hank always had desire to drive
stage" said Mr. Monk in speaking OF
the proposed exhibit, from the day.
when he was mere boy at Waddngton
and could scarcely trudge around ant
was only strong enough to snap a whiI
| with great eXertion Of his little arms
When he was only twelve years old h,
drove stage from Washington to Mas
sena, and | am told of the older resi-
dents of the town that he was gooC
driver, even at that early age.
Hank was born in Washington in 1925
He was the eldest of family of fou
children. our family was of the sam,
origin as the good Vermont stock ii
"I1ben Holden" Grandfather and grand
mother came from Vermont in 1909. max
ing the journey to Waddington through
the woods. When Hank first took tn
Waddington- Massena route many shool
their heads and said he was too young
but he showed the doubters that he wa
n natural driver.
when gold ws discovered In 1S49 HAM
wanted to make n trip to the coast
Mother objected strongly and he deferre
the trip for time, holding TO the stag
route while he remained in this part o
the country. But when he was "a year
of age, in 1852 the fever was too muc
for him and he went west The mex
time the people at home heard from hr
he was driving "A six-horse stage coac
In the Slerras For many years he drov
the Wells Fargo stage from Sacrament
to Placerville. 1t was here that he frs
became acquainted with Joaquin Miller
CALIFORNIA; poet, who later won sue
fame in verse.
Hank was running out of Vrgni
city when Horace Greeley made the tri
to Placerville, which Is described by d,
Clemens In "Roughing It," The distanc
was 40 miles and the trip was made |
p four hours.
Nearly everyone on the coast an
directly east OF the mountains came {
know my brother, either personally c
by reputation, as early as the sixteen,
and gradually his reputation crossed tn
divide and came through the east. II
was an adventurous fellow but took n
chances whom his coach was loade,
! | lie died in 1883
A WORLDS FAIR BOOK.
Cls"AA IL. wetmore. author OF severe