Where in the World... is Colorado?

In the west, many of the states went through several migrations before taking on their current shape, size, border position, etc. The history of these events, and the impact made by these changes, can still be felt today.


This post is not about Colorado's timeline... its about identifying records.


Take a look at this particular document. This is from the Territorial Case Files of the U.S. District Courts of Utah 1870-1896; NARA (Publication number M1401; digitized and available on www.Fold3.com).

U.S. Marshall's Office Affidavit of Subpoena, Arapahoe County, Colorado.

The document is dated April 30th, 1891. It's a mess, isn't it? 

Let's take a closer look at the details in the top half.

Excerpt

This is a statement from the U.S. Marshall's Office in Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado, stating that subpoena's had been issued to four men:

1. C.B. Wilson
2. Charles M Waters
3. E.N. Fussell
4. W.W. Patterson

But.. wait. This is from the Territorial Case Files of the U.S. District Courts of Utah collection. Huh?


It goes on to indicate, in the handwriting in the lower left corner, the Marshal's Fee's for this service, a total of $2.24. Of course, you see immediately that every indication of the record being made in Utah is crossed out, and Colorado information is hand written over the top.


It's a great document, and an even better clue for anyone researching these families. There are a few different ways you could continue to research this... why were they subpoenaed? Do court records exist? Where else does this paper trail go?


I actually found this piece while conducting a search to identify what collections Fold3.com has that relate to Colorado in general. I was not searching for any of the names listed on the document, nor was I even digging for specific information made available on this record. I was searching Fold3.com for all available records for Colorado. These came up because they were every word indexed.


Let's back up for a second, and give a short history. Nearly half of what we know now as Colorado was once part of Utah Territory, essentially everything from the Continental Divide west. Utah Territory was formed in 1850, and this portion of it was formed into six counties in 1852. For those of us researching the western part of the state in the very early days of the gold rush, this becomes important, as some of the gold camps were established while the area was still part of Utah Territory. Breckenridge in current day Summit County is just one example of this. Colorado Territory was not established until 28 Feb 1861.

All of this leads to the question: why are the folks in Denver in 1891 using a form from Utah? 

This record was produced thirty years after Colorado became its own designated dot on the map. Arapahoe County was one of the original seventeen created in the state, also. Certainly they would have had their own forms printed by then?  We can make guesses as to why they were using this particular form (and by the way, this isn't the only record like this in the collection, there are a handful more that use the same form from Utah), but I think it's more important just to realize that they did in fact use these forms.

You can tell where I'm going with this, right? 

It is vitally important to search in a variety of ways to find the information you are looking for. You never know what you might find when using a different key word, wild card search, or something beyond a surname.

Overwhelming Need to Change my Plans

Cornerstone in the Museum of Western Colorado
Image: Jen Baldwin, 2013

I spent this past weekend visiting my parents to celebrate my Mom's birthday. (Happy birthday, Momma!) We had an enjoyable weekend with them, and my sister and her family. We decided to take a family expedition to the Western Museum of Colorado to check out their new display, "Distant Treasures in the Mist."

My parents had seen it advertised, it just opened, and we thought it looked interesting. Keep in mind, we have a group of six adults, two twelve year old's, a nine year old, and one four year old. Isn't it wonderful that all of the kiddos were excited to go to the museum?

I digress. 

Having a completely different blog post scheduled to be published this week already in my drafts, I was not expecting to be quite as captivated as I was. However, plans soon change, don't they? I found myself overwhelmed by the need to change my plans. And here's why:

Nearly through the fascinating display of early Spanish influence on western Colorado and the surrounding area, I came across a photo of this item. The museum labeled this piece as a "Decorative sword cover fragment" from a "Masonic Knight's Templar." Found by the Clark family near a stone structure in the Kannah Creek valley. All this particular display had was images of the piece, but I was still captivated. If it ever indicated that the museum had possession of this remarkable piece of history, I missed it. I studied this for some time, finally turning the corner and moving on through the remainder of the exhibit.

As per usual while in a museum, I got separated from the group and wound my way through the rest of the facility on my own. Everyone else had been there at least once, except me, so they graciously allowed me the time and freedom to soak it all in. I was excited to see the pistol belonging to Alfred Packer (convicted of cannibalism in the 1800s in Colorado, but eventually given a full pardon), a replica school house and mining display. What hit me next, though, hit me full in the face.

The actual scabbard portion was there! Right there! 

Forgive me, these are not the best photographs. I could have spent the rest of the day right there in that spot, examining this piece of fraternal history, and all its lovely detail. Made entirely of brass, the engravings were exceptionally well preserved, and such intricate detail! It truly is a piece of art.

The research of the Western Investigations Team (WIT) found that it dates from the 1850s, and may have been from a military unit from that period. The scabbard piece was found with a 19th century muffin-style military button. The site, Kannah Creek, was a common source of fresh water, and certainly a camp site for early survey and military expeditions.

Distinguishable on the scabbard are the traditional image of Emperor Constantine, staring at the cross in the sun, the inverted triangle in the sun, a coat of arms, and a cross with a crown. The last represents the Knight's Templar degree in York Rite masonry. It was originally found in 1961, and had gone missing for forty-five years! It was recovered in 2006 and returned to the museum. The stone structure mentioned above may also be Masonic remnants, but that is yet to be determined.

For me, this was a very exciting find. I was thrilled to discover such a unique and interesting piece of fraternal history right in my own backyard, and on permanent display at a museum down the street from my parents house. (Which means, I can go see it often!)  It may not have been the direction I had planned to go this week, but it certainly has captured my attention and has opened yet another door to walk through. What was fraternal life like for those early explorers, missionaries, and military units? Did they remain engaged in their society or simply walk away from it all?