EAGLEVILLE NOTES
Mr. and Mrs. M. Hotchkiss have rented their Hotel and will reside in their
home just south of the Hotel property.
Ray Strong is ill with tick fever at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
F. W. Pratt. He has just a light case and is getting along as well as can be
expected.
Mrs. Cecil Jackson and Miss Janis Miller of Westwood, arrived here Saturday
evening and will visit their parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Miller of Lake
City.
Miss Lavene Brown, who has been teaching in the Cedarville Grammar School
the past term, departed for Orland this morning, where she will spend the
summer with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Brown.
EARLY HISTORY
Dr. George M. Kober, Washington D. C., formerly of Fort Bidwell, tells an
interesting story of pioneer days in a recent issue of Washington paper. The
locale of the story is laid at the old Fort McDermitt, on the Nevada-Oregon
line, 120 miles east of Lakeview. Since his residence here, Dr. Kober has
become a physician of National note, with many scientific contributions to
the profession. There are many who will recall an intimate acquaintance with
the Doctor and will read with interest this bit of history of the early
days.
"She wanted to be Queen," said Dr. George M. Kober, dean emeritus of
Georgetown Medical School, looking back into the dim past.
"She was a beautiful young Indian girl and her admirer was an army
lieutenant at Fort McDermitt, Nevada in 1869. I knew him several years
before at the Carlile army post before I went west as a contract army
surgeon. He was handsome and dashing, but flighty.
"Otherwise, he probably would not have tried to join her Indian tribe in the
insurrection against the army post at Fort McDermitt. I wasn’t there when it
happened, but I came there a year later."
What a story!
"Sarah Winnemucca was the name of the pretty young Indian girl," Dr. Kober
continued. "The army was kind to her young lieutenant. Everyone knew his
name but none repeated it. His grandfather was a general they say.
Sarah’s father was chief of the Winnemucca tribe, which had its teepees set
a scant mile beyond the outposts of the little army post. The post was on a
stage line to Boise City, 80 miles from the Central Pacific Railroad then
the only transcontinental line near the mouth of the little ravine in the
very heart of Winnemucca hunting grounds.
"The Winnemuccas’ were peacefully and apparently satisfied. They made weekly
visits to the army post and the quartermaster dolled out to them rations,
they were allowed by Uncle Sam for Bread and Meat."
"But Sarah did not live in the teepee out in the brush. She was an educated
Indian. Her father had sent her to school in San Francisco and when she came
back, he got her a job as interpreter for the fort, where she had the
headquarters and was paid $40.00 per month in gold."
"There were only sixty men at this little army outpost – one troop of
cavalry with two officers, a Captain Wagner. The dashing young lieutenant
and a doctor officer."
"Sarah was beautiful and the lieutenant was lonely and susceptible. He fell
in love with her and they announced that they were to be married as soon as
a preacher came to perform the ceremony. Captain Wagner tried to argue him
out of the idea, but he refused to give up."
"One night at dusk, the Captain received a call at his quarters from the
wife of the settler, who kept a store on the edge of the camp. The settlers’
wife was frightened. She said she had discovered a plot among the
Winnemuccas to murder the garrison and sack the fort and make Sarah their
Queen and begin to exterminate the whites throughout the plain country. And
she said Sarah’s young lieutenant had agreed to help the Indians in the
insurrection."
"Nonsense! Said Captain Wagner. I don’t believe a word of it. ‘But I heard
them!’ the woman exclaimed. He was talking to some of the warriors just
under the store window last night."
‘Wagner finally allowed himself to be convinced. ‘When is this to happen, he
asked. Tonight at moonrise, said the woman.’ ‘The lieutenant will be on
duty. He will call the sentinel, house of guard and spike the howitzer and
then the Indians will come.’
"Moonrise will be at 11 o’clock. We’ll be ready for them, said Captain
Wagner." ‘Keep yourself and be sure and show no signs of fear. Keep inside
after dark and be ready to fly, if necessary.’
"He went out on the parade ground where some of the officers were longing
around and spoke to a trusted corporal. ‘Just before moonrise, he said, take
four men with their arms and go to the stables. Close the doors and stay
there until morning. Open to no one but me. And tell no one but the four men
you take with you.’"
"Then the Captain went to this quarters. The evening passed and the camp
quieted down. At 10:45, he looked out; the settlers’ wife had been right.
The sentinel had been called off duty and the guard was all within doors.
There wasn’t a sign of life about the little army post."
Wagner, wearing his full uniform and armed with a sword and pistol, passed
across the parade ground and stalked swiftly down the stage road leading to
the Winnemucca camp.
"Just as the moon rose, he reached the camp. There he saw the Winnemucca
braves gathered around a council fire, in war paint and fully armed. And
standing on a pile of blankets in their midst, waving his sword and
haranguing them, was the young lieutenant."
"Wagner moved past the squaws sitting outside the circle of warriors and
into the light. The lieutenant saw him and broke off his harangue. The chief
old Winnemucca, gaped at him in amazement."
"Wagner advanced until he stood directly in front of the lieutenant. ‘Sir’
he said, ‘I demand your sword.’"
"Slowly, as if he were in a trance, the lieutenant extended his weapon.
Wagner took it and broke it in pieces. ‘You are under arrest,’ he snapped.
‘March before me to camp.’"
"Then he turned to the Indians. ‘The man who moves dies,’ he said. ‘Beware
of the carbines in the sagebrush behind you.’ ‘ Winnemucca, treacherous
chief, I command you to appear before me tomorrow.’"
"He drove the lieutenant before him out of the circle of light and along the
road to the camp."
"The Indians, casting uneasy looks at the sagebrush, crept quietly into
their huts." The council fire was put out. The danger of insurrection was
over.
"I came to Fort McDermitt three years later," finished Dr. Kober. "The
story
was still army gossip but it gradually died away."
"The old chief and some of his warriors were sent to the Presidio in San
Francisco to serve a jail term. The young lieutenant was dismissed from the
army."
"And he married his beautiful Indian girl."
Pete Donnelly is back at his post in the Modoc County Bank after having a
severe case of blood poison in his right arm.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Benner left for Oakland last Friday. They have been
spending a few days visiting Mrs. Benners’ mother, Mrs. Frances Wilson, of
this place.
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Simson returned Sunday from Reno, where Bert underwent an
operation. He returned with a Hupmobile touring car, which he will use on
the ranch for a knock about car.
LAKE CITY COLUMN
F. M. Smith who is suffering from heart trouble is reported no better.
Mrs. Noel Heard of Ashland, Oregon, visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Horace
Hobbs, three days last week.
Mrs. Jane Jones, Reilous Jones and Leland Miller left for Los Angeles Monday
to visit Mrs. Jones’ daughter, Grace Adams.
We are sorry to state that Mr. and Mrs. James Donnelly are moving to
Cedarville, where they will soon occupy their new home now under
construction. Lake City’s loss will be Cedarville’s gain.
Dannie Franklin, ex-service war veteran, of this place, arrived home
Saturday from Lane Hospital in San Francisco, where he had his leg amputated
at the hip. It was brought on by a wound received while fighting at the
front in the world war. Dannie is well and happy, although he has been
confined in the hospital four months. "Three cheers for Dannie."
WEDNESDAY, MAY 29TH, 1929
Last week while loading his truck with brush to haul to the lake, John
Hoopes stepped to the rear of the truck, which is a dump affair and the
truck dumped throwing him to the ground and bruising and spraining his right
leg. He has been confined to bed for the past week owing to the injury and
is being cared for by friends.
A FISH YARN
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Hays and family returned home from an extended trip
through Oregon and the coast section. While away Clyde fished in the Rogue
River and do you know -–well, he caught a fish that weighed something like
36-pounds and it took him about an hour and half to land it. We don’t know
whether to believe him or not, but the way his wife passed him on the street
today and stretched her hands apart, indicating the length of a good fish
yarn and we took it to be such.
BORN – At Reno, Nevada, May 7th to Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Groves, a son, John
Henry.
Mr. and Mrs. Stiner of Oakland were visiting Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Sharp of
Long Valley this week. Mrs. Stiner was formerly Miss Margaret Sharp.
Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Walts and Miss Irma Cummins made a trip to Gerlach last
Sunday spending the day visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Claude Heard and Miss
Helen Taylor.
Ms. Cecil Jackson, who has been spending a few days visiting with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Miller of Lake City, returned to her home in
Westwood Saturday. Mrs. John Reynolds and Miss Janis Miller accompanied her
as far as Alturas.
Russell Taylor spent Sunday in Gerlach visiting his sister, Helen, who is
connected with the Taylor & Heard store at that place.
Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Cummins and Mrs. Lenora Caldwell were here visiting Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Cummins of this place. While here Mrs. Caldwell purchased
the McClintock home place from Mrs. Fannie McClintock of San Jose.
Mrs. Jennie Simpson is up from the B. H. Simpson ranch this week with an
infected finger.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ward and Will Jacobs left here Wednesday morning for
Sacramento, where they will visit Mr. and Mrs. Norman Jones and Mr. and Mrs.
Lester Jacobs before returning home.
Mrs. Horace Hobbs and Mrs. S. T. Garrett left Friday for a motor trip to
Ashland, Oregon: to visit Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hobbs.
Marion Stewart and Marion and Naomi are leaving for a trip to Sacramento.
Mr. Stewart is anxious to see his new grandchild, Deinzil Stewart Jr., Ella
will remain in Sacramento for the summer.
Mr. Melvin Jones, who has had his blacksmith shop closed since Tuesday, due
to a severe attack of flu. We are hoping he will be able to open the shop
soon.
Grover Hoarth, who has been suffering from an attack of rheumatism, is
improving under the careful nursing of Josie Strief.
The 4H Club girls were entertained by Dorothy Steele at the home of her
mother, Mrs. Lawrence Seyferth, Wednesday afternoon. After working at their
sewing, ice cream and cake was served. All present thoroughly enjoyed them
selves.
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Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds
Modoc County, California
"The Last Frontier"
www.rh2o.com/modoc
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