Week 49: December
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12/3 of…1864
Gold is discovered in Confederate Gulch near Townsend, MT Territory. {001}
1872
Twenty-two militiamen led by the ever aggressive Jump Off Joe, are scouting Captain Jack’s Stronghold in the Lava beds south of Tule Lake, CA. They are ambushed by the Modoc and all are killed. {001}
1875
The Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux having refused the government’s offer of $6,000,000 for the Black Hills the previous September; the U.S. Secretary of Interior directs the Commissioner of Indian affairs to inform the Sioux that any Indian not on the reservation by 01/31/1876 will be deemed “hostile”. {001}
1879
Canoncito, NM bartender Frank Page kills outlaw Samuel” Rattlesnake Sam” Johnson when he refuses to pay for his drink ($.25) but then discovers he will not be able to collect the offered reward. {001}
1896
Died, Scarfaced Charley, Modoc warrior; perhaps an instigator of the Battle of Lost River during The Modoc War (see: Wk. 48, 11/29/1872). Col. Frank Wheaton appointed him Chief of the prisoners of war for the forced re-location to a reservation in Oklahoma after the execution of Captain Jack (see: Wk 40, 10/03), CA. {001}
1928
Oregon Trail Pioneer and promoter Ezra Manning Meeker died in Seattle, WA at age 97. This man’s story is way to big for The Reader, so here, is but a tiny taste: He traveled the Oregon Trail in 1852 with Oxen for motive power, became a successful hops farmer (then there were aphids…). He was a would-be: gold miner; Klondike grocer (in the 1901 Alaska gold rush) an unsuccessful politician; a Wild West Show performer and an Author: Ox Team; or, The Old Oregon Trail, 1852–1906 (1906); Uncle Ezra’s Pioneer Short Stories for Children (c. 1915) and others. As a Historian he created “The Old Oregon Trail Monument Expedition” to help the nation remember the Oregon Trail and in 1906, at the age of 76,he retraced his 1852 trip in reverse [with oxen again!] promoting the placing of monuments along the trail. His efforts continued until his death in 1928 with some 150 monuments eventually installed. On the way to the Dayton Air Races in 1924, flying with the U.S. Army Air Corps, he flew over some of the trails he had traveled. (see: The Originals – Trails – bottom of page; Quotes – Commentators – Ezra Meeker and others…; & Photo Gallery – Pushin’ Up Daisies) Photo: U.S. PD 1921 This old timer was a piece of work! TYH! {001}
Oliver Loving; born in Hopkins County, KY; Cattle Baron. {001}
1876
Yankton, Dakota Territory; finally apprehended for the murder of “Wild Bill” Hickok in Deadwood (see: Wk. 31, 08/02/1876), “Broken Nose Jack” McCall is brought to trial. {001}
1881
Robert Ford [killer of Jesse James] and Dick Liddell kill Woodson “Wood” Hite at Martha Bolton’s [Ford's sister] home in Ray County, MO {001}
1887
George Witherill, lynched by “persons or person to the jury unknown” in Canon City, CO, for the murders of S.K. Wall, Marinus Jansen and Charles R. McCain. {001}
12/5 of… 1839
George Armstrong Custer; born in New Rumley, OH; soldier, war hero, Indian fighter. {001}
1870
Bill Pickett born in Jenks Branch, Travis County, TX: Rodeo Cowboy, Wild West Performer, Movie Actor. {001}
1883
Texas Charley (Charles Wilson), J.V. Thompson and
