The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1913-08-14
MCCLURE PARTY CAME
TO CANON 49 YEARS AGO


1t will be forty-nine years tomorrow,
August thirteenth. since Mr.. and Mrs.
Jas. E. Mcclure. Mr.. and Mrs. W. H..
Mcclure and the party that crossed
the plains with them in 1864 arrived
in Canon City from Centerville, Ap-
panoose county. Iowa. The anniver-
sary of their coming here is always
celebrated by family dinner and will
be tomorrow at the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. W. II. Mcclure at 519 Macon ave-
nue..
There were about twenty families
in the party that came to Colorado
with the McClures. but the only sur
vivor aside from those already men,
toned now resident in Fremont coun-
ty is John B. Callen of Beaver creek.
formerly a member Of the board
OF county commissioners. Mr.. Callen
is more than eighty years old. He
purchased a ranch on Beaver creek
shortly after his arrival here and has
made his home there ever since.
The. party left Iowa for Pixies Peak.
which fifty years ago was the Mecca
for the adventurous men and women
Of the middle states. They left Cen
terville May 9Th. 1864, and reached
Canon City on Saturday. August 18th
of that year; having been three
months and eight days in making the
trip. They crossed the Missouri river
at Nebraska City and came to Colora-
do by what was known as the Platte
route.
On the way out Jas. E. Mcclure
drove a four-horse team. which he
purchased at Corydon. Iowa. an dhis
brother drove three yoke of oxen. The
journey across the plains at that time
was fraught with danger OF various
kinds, but was made without mishap;
no serious trouble being experienced
from the Indians. who were the sole
occupants OF the country between the
Missouri river and the mountains.
A. Mr.. McColium. who was one of
the party purchased one hundred and
sixty acres of land. most all OF which
is now within the corporate limits of
Canon City. The boundaries of the
tract were from about what is now
Seventh street to Fifteenth street and
from the Arkansas river TO Main street
He paid for IT the sum of five hundred
dollars. a pair of mules, wagon and
harness.
In the fall of 1854 Mr.. cailen
brought ]. E. Mcclure a load OF corn
grown on his Beaver creek ranch for
which the latter paid him one hundred
and twenty-eight dollars and fifty
cents. There were very few people
in Canon City at the time. as many OF
the men that had previously resided
here had gone east to volunteer in the
military service and take part in the
Civil war. which was then raging.
Most of those who came out with the
MccIures left Canon City in 1867 and
went to Johnson county. Missouri,
where a few Of them still live.
W. II. callen. a son OF John B. CAL
len. who now makes his home at PEN
rose. wrote the following tribute 20
Tom and BILL" two steers that he
used to drive as a boy and which his
father brought to Colorado from Iowa.
which was read CT one of the reun-
ions of the "Resurrectionists." as the
Mcclure party was called.
Old Tom and Bill.
This morning when / awoke
My thoughts went back to "sixty-hve'
When Old Tom and Bill used to drive
Worked in a yoke. not with gears
Bill was white, Tom was red
Went gee and haw. never was led.
Tom had horns. Bill was ''muly."
Bill could ride. Tom was unruly.