The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-06-06
HELD HILL FIVE WEEKS
M z M ORIAL COMMEMORATE
BRAVE ACT OF PIONEER.
Early Colorado Settler, With His Fam
lily, Held War Party Of Indians at
Bay on Spot Now Known as
"Simpson'a Rest"

Prominent among the rocky, mesa
like hills that surround Denver, is
rugged, gray point, within the out
skirts of the town, known as "Simp-
sons Rest" Recently there was erect
ed on this hill a monument commemo-
rating the brave fight put up at this
spot by John Simpson, one Of the ear
iest settlers of Colorado, against a
war party of Utes and Cheyennes in
1855. The Indian fighter and his wife
are buried on top of the hill.
The Utes and Cheyennes made the
foothills and the plains adjoining the
Rockies their hunting ground, but
they rarely gave trouble to settlers.
Consequently, one May morning in
1855, when Simpsons children, Bob
and Nora, aged Is and 10. were max
ing their way to small stream near
their home, they were surprised to see
a large party of Indians riding toward
them at a terrific pace, shaking their
lances and uttering blood-thirsty cries.
At the same time they heard q cry
from the direction of the cabin, and
saw their father running toward them
with his rife In his hand.
Simpson had just returned from an
expedition He had heard that the
Cheyennes and Utes had gone on the
warpath, and he had fastened home
just in time to rescue his family. See
ing the trapper, the Indians hesitated,
for Simpsons fame as a shot had
spread throughout the frontier, and
the redskins knew that several among
them would meet death IL they per-
sisted in their attempt to capture the
children.
Two burros were packed with provi-
sions, a keg of water and all the am
munition the trapper possessed. Driv-
Ing the burros ahead of them the
members of the little family set out
rom the house. Simpson covered the
Indians with his rife when they APP
preached too near and the family was
unmolested The hill which appealed
10 the trapper as a good place for de-
tense was accessible only by single
narrow, rocky path, up which one
must climb today in reaching the sum-
nit of Simpsons Rest" The sum-
nit of the hill Is fiat, about half an
lcre in extent and surrounded by a
nigh rocky wall. It would be impos-
iible to storm such natural fortress
except by oyer-powering the defenders
It the narrow defile which served as
IN entrance.
The Indians saw that it was hope
ess to attempt to storm the natural
'ortress, so they surrounded the hill
md began a siege in the endeavor to
starve out" the defenders. The siege
nas no parallel in the history of the
west For five weeks the plucky pio-
leer and his family held their fortress.
they killed their burrors when pro-
visions ran low. Fortunately, there
1ad been heavy rains, and depressions
n the rocks at the top of the hill
we're filled with water, giving an am
pie supply. At the end of the fifth
week. when hope was nearly aban-
Toned, the Indians suddenly brought in
heir ponies and rode away with shrill
cries. A troop of cavalry from Fort
Lyon, $50 miles distant, which had
oeen sent out to render aid to any set
lers who might have escaped the ma
.auding Indians, soon came In view,
md Simpson and his family were res
med