The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1924-04-18
MONO PIONEER
. LAID TO REST
BY GEO. A. MoNTRosE


churchyard at Coleyille. Mono coun-
ty, California all that was mortal Of
that sterling old pioneer, Henry Pitts,
was laid to rest with the solemn cere-
meny of the Odd FELLOWS of Gardner
Vile, of which the deceased had been
member for many years.
When the Angel of Death was how
ering at the bedside of the deceased,
and he knew that his hours upon
earth were few. he called his two
sons to his bedside and told them
his wishes. For fifty years he had
lived in Antelope Valley and his
hands had helped to clear the church
yard and to erect the little church
therein; In row after row slept the
friends of his earlier days and over
one of the silent mounds he had with
his own hands erected stone, mark
ing the resting place of the wife and
mother, who had been called some
years before. He asked that he be
placed beside the wife of his youth,
with the consigning words of his
loved organization.
For fifty years Henry Pitts was one
of the foremost men of Mono county,
and when the hour came to lay down
to sleep, he was still in the service
of the community as one of the
County Supervisors of Mono county.
A half a century ago he brought his
bride from an eastern state and in
the then wilds of Mono carved for
her a home where their children
were born and raised, and where the
good wife answered the summons
and went hence to prepare for the
coming of the man she loved.
Long were the years to this friend
of mine, and often he spoke of
them, since the good wife had gone.
The pains of age were coming fast
and day by day he whittier grew,
and more feeble were his steps, yet
he could banter and smile and bear
his yoke of age and pain with a
pleasing grace. In the last months
of his falling health his eyes were
clouded and for him the daylight
passed away; the friends he had
made he could see no more. and the
winding stream that twisted and
turned through the valley of his love,
was to him only a memory. but his
brain-ever active. grew more active
still, and his memories We're of the
long ago and of the days and the
men which he contrasted with those
of the present.
When a good man dies there is no
reason TO sing his praises for the
songs.are sung in the hearts of those
who know him and knew his virtues,
consequently there Is no need for me
TO tell of those deeds of his, when
Antelope was as Wild as when 1t
sprang from chaos or from God, and
he, one of the pioneers who were
hewing from the wilderness a home
for the many who followed in his
leading; not for me to speak of the
days when Bodie was the widest
camp of all the wild, wild West, and
Henry Pitts was one of the men of
men of the community who stood for
law and order and kept clean the
fair name of Mono; not for me to
speak of the days when in the sere
and yellow leaf, this old pioneer still
carried the grace of friendship upon
his bowing shoulders and gave with
a willing hand and o'er-flowing heart
TO those more needy than himself
Miner, farmer, cattleman, business
man, he was all in one. and as such
was honored and respected. He
carved no fortune from his toll but
made home of love and comfort for
those he lived; he lived the life of
the West, a clean, a wholesome life,
a life so lived that he could look
each man in the face and smile, and
thee hildren ran to grasp his hand
and walk with him a while.
For a man such as he what better
words could be said than those of
the poet-Weare- with Henry
Pitts was a pioneer of Mono county:
Now every day we hear of some.
whose earthly bonds are riven.
Whose hands their last deep shaft
have sunk, their last lone tunnel
driven,
Let us hope that in the Fatherland.
they are called on to explore,
Are treasures. richer. brighter far
than gold or silver ore.
For while this glorious West shall
live the pride of future years.
Thousands of happy homes will bless
those grand old pioneers"