Buck Conner1
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From time to time I see writers questioned about an article just read, is this fiction or non – fiction? When told they seem to get the meanings screwed up thinking one is the other, so let’s start this article with the meanings to keep things straight.
“Fiction” refers to literature created from the imagination. Mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick lit, crime thrillers are all fiction genres.
“Nonfiction” refers to literature based in fact, the broadest category of literature. Categories including biography to religion and history, plus.
Mariano Medina 1812 – 1878.
His first name was Mariano, his surname has seen different spellings; Medina, Modena and Medena are the more common found. Mariano Medina is what Mrs. Zethel Gates has found on court records, titles and legal documents.
Born in Taos, New Mexico in 1812, Mariano Medina was a friend of Kit Carson, Louis Vasquez, the Bent brothers along other legendary mountain men like Jim Bridger and close friend and cousin of Tom Toblin.
With his early experiences as a trapper, trader, hide trader, bounty hunter (captured 2 Utes for a reward), and known for his vast knowledge of the wilderness. Known as a half-breed, half-breed Frenchman, Jicarilla Apache, and a Spaniard according to frontier terminology. His ability became apparent when in the service as an aide to John C. Fremont in his exploration of the west. Along with providing his skills to Fremont, he also was employed as a guide for Captain Randolph B. Marcy's exciting trek across the Rockies in the winter during the Mormon War.
It is known through reports of these events and journals of several fur trade companies that one Mariano Medina was in their employ from time to time, he had spent time on the trail and in camps and on the trap line throughout the fur trade making lifelong friends with many famous mountaineers.
With the days of the fur trade coming to an end and growing older for providing a guide service for explorations, Mariano settled down and proclaimed he was the first settler on the Big Thompson Creek (River) in 1858 (the unorganized western district of the Territory of Nebraska) near present day Loveland, Colorado.
The years spent on the Sweetwater and Green River had taught him a thing or two about water, crossing it and building structures that would withstand its force. Starting business with a raft to ferry teams across and charging fifty dollars in gold for the service, after a season a toll bridge built high enough to avoid the high spring run-off with its construction and eventually building a fort and trading post "Marianne's Crossing", soon it became the favorite stopping place for the growing numbers of travelers involved in the western movement and of course his now famous mountain friends made frequent stops.
Many references in journals, newspapers of the time, mention of famous mountain men: "Kit Carson spent the past week with friend Jesus Garcia Mariano Medina at his post in the Big Thompson canyon". Loveland News June 1858 or "Mr. Ceran St.Vrain has been seen in the company of Mariano Medina near Estes Park, a family outing with several other famous people - William Gilpin (future governor of Colorado), Jos'e de Mirabal and William Bent (trader)". Rocky Mountain News 5th of Sept. 1858.
In March 1861 Tim Goodale and his wife, Jennie, joined old friend Mariano, on the Thompson. Noted in their journal that a group of Indians where living about a mile or so below (on the south side of the river) from Mariano's place, the leader was Nawat (Niwot, or Left Hand) [Arapahoe]. North were Cheyennes with their leader Big Mouth, they spent most of their time watching a thousand ponies pastured on the Cache la Poudre. Also noted was the viewing of a hunting party of Sioux working their way up the Thompson canyon near present day Estes Park Mariano had lots activity around his location, he was happy and business and times where good at this location according to friends and family.
"His post was a known location for the "pony trade", "Whites", "Mexicans" and "Indians" traded on a regular schedule here in the Big Thompson Valley........" reported the Denver Rocky Mountain News. This horse trade attracted many groups of Indians, they counted theirs and Mariano's wealth by the number of ponies one owned, this turns out to be trouble for "Marianne's Crossing".
On the morning of 17 April 1861 Mariano Medina experienced a raid on his post and the stealing of his ponies, that throw him into a rage. In the days to follow Medina, Goodale, and Mirabal tracked down the stolen ponies and the band of Indians that had taken them. "On the morning of 21 April 1861 they discovered the remains of a camp fire on the banks of a creek and spotted the culprits, at which time they discharged their rifles and charged forward, the Ute Indians fled in all directions with Mariano, Tim and Jos'e in hot pursuit". according to W.J. Menton, reporter for the Rocky Mountain News.
"Cowards !" yelled Mariano, "Come back and fight for horses !" Suddenly the Indians wheeled around and charged Mariano, taking his hat off and waving as though signaling for help, where upon the Indians scattered, thinking they where out numbered. Mariano shot several of the Indians, leaving the battleground bestrewn with blood, their arms [weapons] thrown in all directions, they escaped with only five ponies." the report reads. Three days later Mariano and his group return with fifty head of stolen horses, the Indians had shot five and had gotten away with five.
Twenty one shots were fired, in something less than three minutes according to some reports, with the highest praise given to Medina, Sueze Luis, Merival and 'Uncle' Tim Goodale for their skilled handling of the event. After burying several of these dead Utes in the Buckhorn Canyon above and to the north of the Big Thompson River, Mariano had his Mexican labors start building his fort to protect the people living at his settlement.
It has been noted that in the 1871 Medina loaned the new founded First National Bank of Ft. Collins, Colorado a sum of money to start business, money gotten from the toll bridge operation and trading post enterprise - $61,000.00. A large sum like this shows how successful his business had become, it's said that some would pay as little as 25 cents to make the crossing on a busy day and as much as $100.00 on a slow day, freighters loaded with gold would usually pay the most and Mexicans crossed free. With such extreme changes in "crossing" costs, some researchers claim Mariano was responsible for many of the small communities around the Loveland area. Settlers waiting for a busy business day to make their crossing in moving westward would decide that the area and available homestead ground was more attractive than first thought.
In his later years he was known as a fashionable gentleman of the area, stories of his parties with the new settlers, travelers and guests coming to his settlement, his wines, Santa Fe cooking, and great hospility was becoming legend, Mariano had come into his own. On occasion he would show his now famous Hawken muzzleloader "Old Lady Hawkens", parade around in his white Spanish style leather jacket, leather breeches, fancy knitted long socks and beaded moccasins. One visitor remarked "what a worldly gentleman Mr. Medina was and a credit to the country", while ladies were charmed by all the airs of this Spanish gentleman, the men from the States were impressed with his guns, and trophies of a wilder time.
Something about this Mexican and his flashing smile fascinated everyone, locals and newcomers alike, anyone that had ever heard of him, a legend in his own time, stories that had gotten better with each telling. One such story is about Mariano and his new gun. He was sitting outdoors examing the new rifle, lining up the sights, fingering the trigger, and testing its weight, like a child with a new toy. Suddenly without warning, Mariano raised the gun to his shoulder and fired, shooting a Mexican laborer off the roof of a building he was repairing.
When the sheriff asked Mariano why he shot the man, Mariano replied "AW, him make such a purty target, all dressed up in his white shirt." Another story was a tale that after the death of his Indian wife, Mariano bought a white wife from one of the early settlers, paying for her with whiskey.
Stories and tales of legends aside, it is clear that Mariano was not to be taken lightly.
The following appears in the court records of Larimer County, Colorado Territory:
Personally appeared before me, this 29th day of October,A.D. 1864 Richard Castillo who after being sworn entered the following complaint-to-wit-that on the 28th day of October,1864 Marrianna [sic] Medina did make an assault upon the person of the said Richard Castillo with a hatchet or tomahawk with intent to commit bodily injury, and did unlawfully beat and injure the said Richard Castillo.
At times "Medina's Crossing" was referred to as "Marianna's Town" and he was its "major domo"-the "Don Juan of the Thompson."
Mariano's daughters where famous for their expensive tastes, styles and clothing, appearing at fashionable engagements with the upper crust of Denver, its fashionable night spots and appearing in parades throughout the area. Stories, poems and articles of these ladies, their father and brother where common news in the weekly papers. To be an associate, friend or guest of the Medina family was to be the "in-thing" in Colorado at this time in history.
Lena Medina still lives on even in 1960, when the family graves where moved only one female body was identified, that of Mariano's Indian wife - "John". Then the story of the Indian burial on the ridge northwest of Loveland is brought to mind. Harold Dunning, Loveland's historian labels the burial that of an "Indian Princess" to be Lena's resting place, now the appearances of Medina's step son at this location several times a month starts to add up, he's visiting his step sister's grave, along with other family members. Not much has been written about some of the children, Lena and Louis seem to have been the most visible in the eyes of the researchers over the years.
Louis, the French trapper's son and Mariano's step son; raised by Medina he recalled going with him (Mariano) to Ft. Bridger, Ft. Vasquaz, Ft. Laramie, and the remains of Bent's Fort, getting his one and only spanking by his mother for racing his pony on the sand dunes of the Salmon River in Idaho.
Louis would have been in his early teens when coming to the Big Thompson Valley with his family, he worked most of his adult life with cattle and cattle ranches in the Estes Park, Colorado area.
Louis Papin (Papa) was well known in the Loveland area and very visible in public as the yearly town marshall for the Loveland Parade and other events in the early 1900's, he was often seen riding his white horse and wearing his father's fancy clothes (seen in several accounts wearing the white breeches and long knitted socks) at special occasions. He rode in the hills around Loveland and up the canyon of the Big Thompson from Loveland to Estes Park most of his life, he would travel northwest of Loveland several times a month to visit family member graves near Masonville, Colorado, now covered by years of quarry work.
Not much has been written about Medina when compared to other mountain men of this period. Zethyl Gates a local librarian living in Loveland, is considered the expert on Medina the legend, she wrote a book about him published in 1981. Probably the most complete work assembled of the man, his life and his time from February 20, 1812 to June 28, 1878, along with family relations into the 1920's. Gates has spent much of her life researching this interesting individual, his family and his ancestors, even going to Spain to search family records.
Mariano Medina established the first permanent settlement on the right (south) bank of the Big Thompson River in 1858. Mariano’s homestead consisted of a traditional Spanish-style plaza surrounded on three sides by his neatly whitewashed log home, trading store, saloon, corrals and a post office. The settlement was originally called Miraville, then Mariano’s Crossing, Big Thompson Crossing, and by today’s name Namaqua as I‘m sure you are aware of. Mariano is credited with establishing the firsts business, first school, first church, and first cemetery in the valley. Known an excellent horseman and horse trader swapping for worn out stock for his healthy animals he had fattened on river bottom grass. Overland Mail in 1862 selected Medina‘s settlement as a home station. The significance of this first community of “Indians and Mexicans” was discounted by later white settlers.
My ex-wife’s family had several hundred acres that were homesteaded in the late 1800’s of which only half was farmable, the rest was used for pasture and a working small sandstone quarry. The property was approximately 1/2 mile in width and 3/4 miles in length and followed the Buckhorn Canyon ridge down into the valley. Only a few miles from the Big Thompson River that Mariano Medina had his toll bridge on for years, charging according to the numbers wanting to cross the river. Namaqua: Mariano's (or Marianne's) Crossing later became known as Namaqua.
My father-in-law Don Chance told me as a young boy growing up in the valley he could remember when the Utes came down the canyon going to town and everyone would gather their tools and vegetables and store them inside until they passed, he said they were looked upon as gypsies and known to steal loose items laying around and sell those items in town for whiskey. This seemed to be the only problem as he recalls was ever present with these people that lived at the northern end of the canyon.
At this same period he remembered Louis Papa (Mariano Medina's step son) coming to visit and then riding up into the sandstone quarry. Papa would sit there for several hours then leave. Don said his father had told him the there was a grave site were Medina had buried his daughter Lena and a grandchild years earlier. All the locals were aware of this site knowing the history of the Medina family and the adventurers experienced in this canyon.
Around 1935 the local college - CSU in Fort Collins was called to look at a grave site that was uncovered by accident when working in this sandstone quarry on this property. It was decided to be possibly Native American, a women buried sitting up. The college told Dan and Cal Carter they would return in a week to remove the body and look for additional clues at this location. The local farmers heard about the burial, they feared that removing the remains could bring a curse on the valley and decided to cover the grave then refused permission for anyone to touch the site. Chance had the local pre-mix concrete company pour an 8" slab on top of the grave and then pushed 3 to 4 feet of dirt and riff-raff (broken rock from the quarry) on the slab. When the college showed up a week later, seeing what had been done they demanded the Larimer County Court to issue an order to remove the body (believed to be Medina's daughter, Lena). After several meetings with the valley farmers and Larimer County Commissioners, the subject was dropped.
If you study these pictures you'll see how fine the stitching is and the quality of these very expensive pants (breeches). Money seemed to not be a problem for Mariano in his later years. There are many newspaper articles about him and his family being high-society in Denver. He was truly a "fancy dan" for his time. Many stories about him and "Old Lady Hawkin" rifle.
After showing the breeches to the local museum in Loveland, I was sent to the library office to see one Mrs. Zethyl Gates - librarian and local historian. At the time she was still working on a book about local mountain man Marino Medina (she had written several museum papers and articles in local newspapers about this man). She has spent most of her working life researching Medina and others of the late fur trade in Colorado and Wyoming, even traveled to Spain to research Medina's family history. I decided to go visit Mrs. Gates at the library. When walking into the library I was sent to her office at once with my old beat-up leather trousers (breeches).
I found a very excited Mrs. Gates (she has spent most of her adult life researching Medina and his family). She had been made aware of these pants from a few of the locals that had seen these breeches.
She showed me a late picture of Marino wearing breeches in Denver like the ones we found. She had another picture of Louie Papa (Medina's step-son) wearing the same breeches, taken in a parade in Loveland in the early 1900's. Interesting, but questionable as to whether they were his or someone else's and how did the trousers get on this hill?
With Mrs. Gates help, local newspapers, and books we finally found enough proof as to the ownership. Yes they are Medina's breeches, see those that provide information for our search. In a newspaper article from the "Loveland Register" dated June 1921 it told of an accident in the Buckhorn Canyon with Louis Papa being taken to his home.
References
Jeff Gottfred , "The Well-Dressed Explorer" NWBC Journal, 1978.
Ball, Clara, ed. "Loveland-Big Thompson Valley 1877-1977 Centennial", 1975.
Camp, Charles L., ed. "James Clyman Frontiersman." Portland: Champoeg Press, 1960.
Gates, Zethyl, "Mariano Medina Colorado Mountain Man" Johnson Publishing Co., 1981
Magazine 12 (November 1935): 201-214.
Hengesbaugh, Jeff & Housler, Wes, "Dress and Equipage of the Mountain Man 1820-1840" Rocky Mountain College Productions, 1997.
Kephart, Bruce, "Hawken Rifle" Saturday Evening Post, 21 February 1920, p.65.
Newspaper articles
Berthoud, Colorado;
Berthoud Bulletin.
Denver, Colorado; Colorado Prospector, Colorado Tribune,
Denver Daily Times,
Denver Post,
Denver Republican.
Fort Collins, Colorado; Fort Collins Coloradoan,
Fort Collins Express,
Fort Collins Standard.
Pueblo, Colorado; Pueblo Chieftan.
Loveland, Colorado; Loveland Register, Loveland Reporter, Loveland Reporter Herald.
"Time marches on, we all feel like we're twenty years younger in our mind. Hard to except the fact that we can't do what we use too or find it takes longer to get things done than when in an earlier time".
"Buckskinner"
"Poke & Stroke" CSMLA
"On the Trail" COHT
"American Rendezvous"
"Tomahawk & Long Rifle" American Mountain Men Journal
"Front Stuffer Journal" PLRA
"Backwoodsman"
"Smoke & Fire News"
"Black Powder Report"
"The Colonial Society Journal"
"Colorado Collectors" journal.
"Smoke Signals" North American Frontiersmen Journal
"Amish Recipes" cookbooks
Articles for magazines like "Sports Afield", "American Hunter", "Outdoor Life" and a few others.
NOTE
After hanging in my basement for years the breeches were donated to a museum that dealt in this period. To see this piece of history you'll need to go to the "The Museum of the Mountainman" in Pinedale WY where they are on display.
“Fiction” refers to literature created from the imagination. Mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick lit, crime thrillers are all fiction genres.
“Nonfiction” refers to literature based in fact, the broadest category of literature. Categories including biography to religion and history, plus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On another post I shared with you this gentleman's Hawken, now a little history on this mountain man - Colorado's Mountain Man.Mariano Medina 1812 – 1878.
Born in Taos, New Mexico in 1812, Mariano Medina was a friend of Kit Carson, Louis Vasquez, the Bent brothers along other legendary mountain men like Jim Bridger and close friend and cousin of Tom Toblin.
With his early experiences as a trapper, trader, hide trader, bounty hunter (captured 2 Utes for a reward), and known for his vast knowledge of the wilderness. Known as a half-breed, half-breed Frenchman, Jicarilla Apache, and a Spaniard according to frontier terminology. His ability became apparent when in the service as an aide to John C. Fremont in his exploration of the west. Along with providing his skills to Fremont, he also was employed as a guide for Captain Randolph B. Marcy's exciting trek across the Rockies in the winter during the Mormon War.
It is known through reports of these events and journals of several fur trade companies that one Mariano Medina was in their employ from time to time, he had spent time on the trail and in camps and on the trap line throughout the fur trade making lifelong friends with many famous mountaineers.
With the days of the fur trade coming to an end and growing older for providing a guide service for explorations, Mariano settled down and proclaimed he was the first settler on the Big Thompson Creek (River) in 1858 (the unorganized western district of the Territory of Nebraska) near present day Loveland, Colorado.
The years spent on the Sweetwater and Green River had taught him a thing or two about water, crossing it and building structures that would withstand its force. Starting business with a raft to ferry teams across and charging fifty dollars in gold for the service, after a season a toll bridge built high enough to avoid the high spring run-off with its construction and eventually building a fort and trading post "Marianne's Crossing", soon it became the favorite stopping place for the growing numbers of travelers involved in the western movement and of course his now famous mountain friends made frequent stops.
In March 1861 Tim Goodale and his wife, Jennie, joined old friend Mariano, on the Thompson. Noted in their journal that a group of Indians where living about a mile or so below (on the south side of the river) from Mariano's place, the leader was Nawat (Niwot, or Left Hand) [Arapahoe]. North were Cheyennes with their leader Big Mouth, they spent most of their time watching a thousand ponies pastured on the Cache la Poudre. Also noted was the viewing of a hunting party of Sioux working their way up the Thompson canyon near present day Estes Park Mariano had lots activity around his location, he was happy and business and times where good at this location according to friends and family.
"His post was a known location for the "pony trade", "Whites", "Mexicans" and "Indians" traded on a regular schedule here in the Big Thompson Valley........" reported the Denver Rocky Mountain News. This horse trade attracted many groups of Indians, they counted theirs and Mariano's wealth by the number of ponies one owned, this turns out to be trouble for "Marianne's Crossing".
On the morning of 17 April 1861 Mariano Medina experienced a raid on his post and the stealing of his ponies, that throw him into a rage. In the days to follow Medina, Goodale, and Mirabal tracked down the stolen ponies and the band of Indians that had taken them. "On the morning of 21 April 1861 they discovered the remains of a camp fire on the banks of a creek and spotted the culprits, at which time they discharged their rifles and charged forward, the Ute Indians fled in all directions with Mariano, Tim and Jos'e in hot pursuit". according to W.J. Menton, reporter for the Rocky Mountain News.
"Cowards !" yelled Mariano, "Come back and fight for horses !" Suddenly the Indians wheeled around and charged Mariano, taking his hat off and waving as though signaling for help, where upon the Indians scattered, thinking they where out numbered. Mariano shot several of the Indians, leaving the battleground bestrewn with blood, their arms [weapons] thrown in all directions, they escaped with only five ponies." the report reads. Three days later Mariano and his group return with fifty head of stolen horses, the Indians had shot five and had gotten away with five.
Twenty one shots were fired, in something less than three minutes according to some reports, with the highest praise given to Medina, Sueze Luis, Merival and 'Uncle' Tim Goodale for their skilled handling of the event. After burying several of these dead Utes in the Buckhorn Canyon above and to the north of the Big Thompson River, Mariano had his Mexican labors start building his fort to protect the people living at his settlement.
It has been noted that in the 1871 Medina loaned the new founded First National Bank of Ft. Collins, Colorado a sum of money to start business, money gotten from the toll bridge operation and trading post enterprise - $61,000.00. A large sum like this shows how successful his business had become, it's said that some would pay as little as 25 cents to make the crossing on a busy day and as much as $100.00 on a slow day, freighters loaded with gold would usually pay the most and Mexicans crossed free. With such extreme changes in "crossing" costs, some researchers claim Mariano was responsible for many of the small communities around the Loveland area. Settlers waiting for a busy business day to make their crossing in moving westward would decide that the area and available homestead ground was more attractive than first thought.
In his later years he was known as a fashionable gentleman of the area, stories of his parties with the new settlers, travelers and guests coming to his settlement, his wines, Santa Fe cooking, and great hospility was becoming legend, Mariano had come into his own. On occasion he would show his now famous Hawken muzzleloader "Old Lady Hawkens", parade around in his white Spanish style leather jacket, leather breeches, fancy knitted long socks and beaded moccasins. One visitor remarked "what a worldly gentleman Mr. Medina was and a credit to the country", while ladies were charmed by all the airs of this Spanish gentleman, the men from the States were impressed with his guns, and trophies of a wilder time.
Something about this Mexican and his flashing smile fascinated everyone, locals and newcomers alike, anyone that had ever heard of him, a legend in his own time, stories that had gotten better with each telling. One such story is about Mariano and his new gun. He was sitting outdoors examing the new rifle, lining up the sights, fingering the trigger, and testing its weight, like a child with a new toy. Suddenly without warning, Mariano raised the gun to his shoulder and fired, shooting a Mexican laborer off the roof of a building he was repairing.
When the sheriff asked Mariano why he shot the man, Mariano replied "AW, him make such a purty target, all dressed up in his white shirt." Another story was a tale that after the death of his Indian wife, Mariano bought a white wife from one of the early settlers, paying for her with whiskey.
Stories and tales of legends aside, it is clear that Mariano was not to be taken lightly.
The following appears in the court records of Larimer County, Colorado Territory:
Personally appeared before me, this 29th day of October,A.D. 1864 Richard Castillo who after being sworn entered the following complaint-to-wit-that on the 28th day of October,1864 Marrianna [sic] Medina did make an assault upon the person of the said Richard Castillo with a hatchet or tomahawk with intent to commit bodily injury, and did unlawfully beat and injure the said Richard Castillo.
At times "Medina's Crossing" was referred to as "Marianna's Town" and he was its "major domo"-the "Don Juan of the Thompson."
Mariano's daughters where famous for their expensive tastes, styles and clothing, appearing at fashionable engagements with the upper crust of Denver, its fashionable night spots and appearing in parades throughout the area. Stories, poems and articles of these ladies, their father and brother where common news in the weekly papers. To be an associate, friend or guest of the Medina family was to be the "in-thing" in Colorado at this time in history.
Lena Medina still lives on even in 1960, when the family graves where moved only one female body was identified, that of Mariano's Indian wife - "John". Then the story of the Indian burial on the ridge northwest of Loveland is brought to mind. Harold Dunning, Loveland's historian labels the burial that of an "Indian Princess" to be Lena's resting place, now the appearances of Medina's step son at this location several times a month starts to add up, he's visiting his step sister's grave, along with other family members. Not much has been written about some of the children, Lena and Louis seem to have been the most visible in the eyes of the researchers over the years.
Louis, the French trapper's son and Mariano's step son; raised by Medina he recalled going with him (Mariano) to Ft. Bridger, Ft. Vasquaz, Ft. Laramie, and the remains of Bent's Fort, getting his one and only spanking by his mother for racing his pony on the sand dunes of the Salmon River in Idaho.
Louis would have been in his early teens when coming to the Big Thompson Valley with his family, he worked most of his adult life with cattle and cattle ranches in the Estes Park, Colorado area.
Louis Papin (Papa) was well known in the Loveland area and very visible in public as the yearly town marshall for the Loveland Parade and other events in the early 1900's, he was often seen riding his white horse and wearing his father's fancy clothes (seen in several accounts wearing the white breeches and long knitted socks) at special occasions. He rode in the hills around Loveland and up the canyon of the Big Thompson from Loveland to Estes Park most of his life, he would travel northwest of Loveland several times a month to visit family member graves near Masonville, Colorado, now covered by years of quarry work.
Not much has been written about Medina when compared to other mountain men of this period. Zethyl Gates a local librarian living in Loveland, is considered the expert on Medina the legend, she wrote a book about him published in 1981. Probably the most complete work assembled of the man, his life and his time from February 20, 1812 to June 28, 1878, along with family relations into the 1920's. Gates has spent much of her life researching this interesting individual, his family and his ancestors, even going to Spain to search family records.
Mariano Medina established the first permanent settlement on the right (south) bank of the Big Thompson River in 1858. Mariano’s homestead consisted of a traditional Spanish-style plaza surrounded on three sides by his neatly whitewashed log home, trading store, saloon, corrals and a post office. The settlement was originally called Miraville, then Mariano’s Crossing, Big Thompson Crossing, and by today’s name Namaqua as I‘m sure you are aware of. Mariano is credited with establishing the firsts business, first school, first church, and first cemetery in the valley. Known an excellent horseman and horse trader swapping for worn out stock for his healthy animals he had fattened on river bottom grass. Overland Mail in 1862 selected Medina‘s settlement as a home station. The significance of this first community of “Indians and Mexicans” was discounted by later white settlers.
My ex-wife’s family had several hundred acres that were homesteaded in the late 1800’s of which only half was farmable, the rest was used for pasture and a working small sandstone quarry. The property was approximately 1/2 mile in width and 3/4 miles in length and followed the Buckhorn Canyon ridge down into the valley. Only a few miles from the Big Thompson River that Mariano Medina had his toll bridge on for years, charging according to the numbers wanting to cross the river. Namaqua: Mariano's (or Marianne's) Crossing later became known as Namaqua.
My father-in-law Don Chance told me as a young boy growing up in the valley he could remember when the Utes came down the canyon going to town and everyone would gather their tools and vegetables and store them inside until they passed, he said they were looked upon as gypsies and known to steal loose items laying around and sell those items in town for whiskey. This seemed to be the only problem as he recalls was ever present with these people that lived at the northern end of the canyon.
At this same period he remembered Louis Papa (Mariano Medina's step son) coming to visit and then riding up into the sandstone quarry. Papa would sit there for several hours then leave. Don said his father had told him the there was a grave site were Medina had buried his daughter Lena and a grandchild years earlier. All the locals were aware of this site knowing the history of the Medina family and the adventurers experienced in this canyon.
Around 1935 the local college - CSU in Fort Collins was called to look at a grave site that was uncovered by accident when working in this sandstone quarry on this property. It was decided to be possibly Native American, a women buried sitting up. The college told Dan and Cal Carter they would return in a week to remove the body and look for additional clues at this location. The local farmers heard about the burial, they feared that removing the remains could bring a curse on the valley and decided to cover the grave then refused permission for anyone to touch the site. Chance had the local pre-mix concrete company pour an 8" slab on top of the grave and then pushed 3 to 4 feet of dirt and riff-raff (broken rock from the quarry) on the slab. When the college showed up a week later, seeing what had been done they demanded the Larimer County Court to issue an order to remove the body (believed to be Medina's daughter, Lena). After several meetings with the valley farmers and Larimer County Commissioners, the subject was dropped.
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Now that you have a little history of this area I'll share about finding these trousers. In 1975, forty years after finding the grave site I’m building a new fence on this property and find a small pocket, like a small cave. A friend claimed we were looking for rattlesnakes, not building fence, can't remember, spent a lot of time on this location year around working, hunting and just looking. The area was a large rolling ridge that runs for 6-7 miles; not too bad for walking, lots of game - rabbits, turkey, mule, and whitetail deer, along with a local herd of elk passing thorough from time to time. When working on this hole we could see something at the back of this opening, after an hour of probing with long sticks we were able removed some of the larger rocks to a point to see there were no snakes in the opening. Still not really comfortable I crawled inside up to my waist with a flashlight and a small folding shovel, scraping the ground looking for anything that could have been hidden or drug into this natural living quarters that appeared to have now housed some local coyotes. Most of the items were clean chewed bones, a few pieces of skulls of small animals, three old beads. We also found a hard ball of leather that looked like an old shirt, torn but it looked like it was all there. We figured the beads came from the activities of our mountain man club that ran monthly shoots on the property.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a few years later I remembered the hard leather ball laying in the corner of our tack room. I decided to soak the hard leather for several days in a 5 gallon bucket of water. Once soft the ball was stretched on a piece of plywood and tacked down, the leather shirt turns out to be leather breeches that were manufactured. Some of the construction was of a combination of hand and machine stitching, commercial type brass buttons with the name “Hammond & Co - Oxford St“, small drop front design with the adjustable waist band that tied in the back. The waist band is whip stitched in the finest manner, about 15-16 stitches to the inch with a canvas type material sandwiched between the leather for extra support. The brass buttons are of the dished style with raised lettering of the manufacturer, now white with mineral deposits, pearl buttons on legs suggest they were replacements. The legs are slightly tapered to just below the knee with the usual buttoned cuff below the knee and the bulky butt area like the military breeches of the mid - 1800's.
After showing the breeches to the local museum in Loveland, I was sent to the library office to see one Mrs. Zethyl Gates - librarian and local historian. At the time she was still working on a book about local mountain man Marino Medina (she had written several museum papers and articles in local newspapers about this man). She has spent most of her working life researching Medina and others of the late fur trade in Colorado and Wyoming, even traveled to Spain to research Medina's family history. I decided to go visit Mrs. Gates at the library. When walking into the library I was sent to her office at once with my old beat-up leather trousers (breeches).
I found a very excited Mrs. Gates (she has spent most of her adult life researching Medina and his family). She had been made aware of these pants from a few of the locals that had seen these breeches.
She showed me a late picture of Marino wearing breeches in Denver like the ones we found. She had another picture of Louie Papa (Medina's step-son) wearing the same breeches, taken in a parade in Loveland in the early 1900's. Interesting, but questionable as to whether they were his or someone else's and how did the trousers get on this hill?
With Mrs. Gates help, local newspapers, and books we finally found enough proof as to the ownership. Yes they are Medina's breeches, see those that provide information for our search. In a newspaper article from the "Loveland Register" dated June 1921 it told of an accident in the Buckhorn Canyon with Louis Papa being taken to his home.
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In the summer of '94 I went to visit old friends in Chadron, NE. Charles E. Hanson, Jr. and his wonderful wife Marie (boy could she bake). You may have heard of them if reading anything about North American History, I showed Charlie and Marie the old breeches and told them how they were found along with Mrs. Gates interest. Mr. Hanson said, "let's go to the study” (referred to the library as a study). The Hanson's owned “The Museum of the Fur Trade“. Moving to the study he points out a leather coat (short jacket) with the same brass buttons and of similar construction, it had been purchased from a family in northern Colorado at a gun show. Traded around for a period before finding its new home at the museum.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next thing out of Charlie’s mouth "how much for the breeches"? According to Mr. Hanson this type of coat and pants (trousers) were made commercially in Europe and shipped to New York or California dealers during the late fur trade all the way up to and after the Indian Wars. This style of garment sold in the gentlemen shops throughout the Rockies during the mid to late 1800‘s. Interesting how the article of David Thompson's leather breeches has brought about more research and this story.
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References
Jeff Gottfred , "The Well-Dressed Explorer" NWBC Journal, 1978.
Ball, Clara, ed. "Loveland-Big Thompson Valley 1877-1977 Centennial", 1975.
Camp, Charles L., ed. "James Clyman Frontiersman." Portland: Champoeg Press, 1960.
Gates, Zethyl, "Mariano Medina Colorado Mountain Man" Johnson Publishing Co., 1981
Magazine 12 (November 1935): 201-214.
Hengesbaugh, Jeff & Housler, Wes, "Dress and Equipage of the Mountain Man 1820-1840" Rocky Mountain College Productions, 1997.
Kephart, Bruce, "Hawken Rifle" Saturday Evening Post, 21 February 1920, p.65.
Newspaper articles
Berthoud, Colorado;
Berthoud Bulletin.
Denver, Colorado; Colorado Prospector, Colorado Tribune,
Denver Daily Times,
Denver Post,
Denver Republican.
Fort Collins, Colorado; Fort Collins Coloradoan,
Fort Collins Express,
Fort Collins Standard.
Pueblo, Colorado; Pueblo Chieftan.
Loveland, Colorado; Loveland Register, Loveland Reporter, Loveland Reporter Herald.
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Barry "Buck" Conner writes about his findings and research. Some of his articles have appeared in publications related to living history and historical survival."Time marches on, we all feel like we're twenty years younger in our mind. Hard to except the fact that we can't do what we use too or find it takes longer to get things done than when in an earlier time".
Buck Conner
AMM <a href='/tags/1641' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #1641'>#1641</a> Hiverano Degree
NAF <a href='/tags/3' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #3'>#3</a> Mountaineer Degree
"Muzzle Blasts" NMLRA
"Buckskin Report""Buckskinner"
"Poke & Stroke" CSMLA
"On the Trail" COHT
"American Rendezvous"
"Tomahawk & Long Rifle" American Mountain Men Journal
"Front Stuffer Journal" PLRA
"Backwoodsman"
"Smoke & Fire News"
"Black Powder Report"
"The Colonial Society Journal"
"Colorado Collectors" journal.
"Smoke Signals" North American Frontiersmen Journal
"Amish Recipes" cookbooks
Articles for magazines like "Sports Afield", "American Hunter", "Outdoor Life" and a few others.
American Mountain Men's Journal
Spring 1982
NOTE
After hanging in my basement for years the breeches were donated to a museum that dealt in this period. To see this piece of history you'll need to go to the "The Museum of the Mountainman" in Pinedale WY where they are on display.
