Author’s Notes: Stagecoach Lines on the Smoky Hill Trail in 1866 by Zina Abbott

Two months ago, due to time constraints, I shared part of my Author's Notes from my novel, Mail Order Roslyn. You may read them by clicking HERE. Today I am sharing part of my author's notes from my next book in the series,  

Mail Order Lorena.

1866 was a very busy year when it came to ownership of the stagecoach and freight line that ran along the Smoky Hill Trail. David Butterfield built the Butterfield Overland Despatch stagecoach and freight line in 1865. It soon ran into financial trouble due to the losses of livestock, stagecoaches, stations, and employees as a result of conflict with the Native Americans, primarily the Cheyenne, who struggled to prevent any white men from crossing their lands and disrupting the migration of the buffalo herds.

The Overland Stage Line Way-Bill 1865

Another large stagecoach and freight company that served the western United States at that time was Ben Holladay’s U.S. Overland Mail and Express Company along the Overland Trail. He held the cross-country mail contract awarded by the Post Office Department from Omaha, Nebraska to Salt Lake City, Utah. 

 

Overland, Republican River, and Smoky Hill Routes

Wells, Fargo and Company held the mail contract between Salt Lake City and San Francisco, California. Fearing encroachment by Wells, Fargo and Company in the form of them attempting to acquire the Butterfield line—thus putting them in position to capture the mail contract for the entire distance between the Missouri River and Pacific Coast—he moved to protect his mail contract and guard his hold over the stagecoach and wagon freighting ventures as long as there was money to be made in them.

Ben Holladay

Holladay sent out two inspectors (corporate espionage) to discover the financial condition of the Butterfield Overland Despatch. He knew the company had obtained a thirty year charter from the Kansas legislature for building and operating lines. Upon learning that the company was nearing bankruptcy, he pressured the then-president of the company, Edward P. Bray, to sell the line to him. In all, Holladay bought eight small stagecoach lines around that time. 

In March, 1866, the Butterfield Overland Despatch became the U.S. Overland Mail and Express, Smoky Hill Division. Who knows when the changes were implemented, but the company’s records showed several stations with name changes, and there were changes made to which stations served as home stations and which were stock, or relay, stations. For the purposes of my book, I put that change effective the end of June, 1866.

Holladay Overland Mail & Express Company building.

Holladay had effectively blocked Wells, Fargo and Company from building a competing mail and wagon freight market between Denver and to the Missouri River using the B.O.D. line, but he knew the future was in railroads. He intended to hold onto his stage and freight lines only as long as he deemed them profitable. 

During 1866, he realized the railroad construction across the plains was progressing faster than he originally anticipated. On July 3, 1866, Congress authorized the Union Pacific, eastern division, to extend their route across Kansas to Denver, which would ultimately make the Smoky Hill Division line obsolete. On July 30, the postmaster-general ordered Holladay to cut back mail service on his Overland line to thrice weekly. Shortly after, he was ready to sell. 

 

Greybull, Wyoming office

Fortunately for him, Wells, Fargo and Company believed they had at least six more years in which to make significant profits in this market. On November 1, 1866, Holladay sold out to them. By December 10, 1866, the name of the vast former Holladay holdings was officially changed to Wells, Fargo and Company. 

Mail Order Lorena is the second of three of my books in the Widows, Brides & Secret Babies multi-author series. It is available on preorder and will be released on July 3, 2020.

The first book in this trio, Mail Order Roslyn, is currently available for sale and at no additional cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

The third book in this trio, Mail Order Penelope, is also on preorder and scheduled for release on August 14, 2020.

THE JEHU, THE WHIP, THE STAGECOACH DRIVER by Cheri Kay Clifton

 As an historical western author, I am constantly researching factual information to weave into my fictional stories. As I’m sure other historical authors will agree, it can be both interesting and time-consuming, even becoming an obsession to the detriment of getting the book written!

In Destiny’s Journey, Book 2 of my Wheels of Destiny Trilogy, a secondary character works for the Wells, Fargo and Company Stagecoach Line as a stagecoach driver. Of course, I found a wealth of information about the history of stagecoaches and in particular, Wells, Fargo and Company. However, I had to delve deeper to better understand the extremely difficult job of driving a stagecoach as well as appreciate the man holding the reins.

Drivers were often called nicknames such as, “whip,” “jehu,” and reinsman. The name, “jehu” came from the biblical King Jehu in the Old Testament who was known for driving his chariot fast and furiously. The jehu’s profession required excellent horsemanship, driving skills and often demanded great courage traveling through hostile Indian country and the possibility of being threatened by highway robbers.

Many of the stage routes traveled over rugged roads, wheels sinking into deep sand or thick mud; other routes wound through mountains, the trails hugging the sides of steep and narrow cliffs. Stagecoaches averaged about 5 miles per hour, depending on the terrain. On some routes, the driver would have his own section, driven over and over, usually covering about 50 miles. A driver could make a good salary, sometimes as much as $125 a month, plus room and board. Average age for most drivers were under the age of 40.

The nickname, “whip,” is self-explanatory. Many stagecoach drivers considered their whips as badges of honor. They took pride in them, some handcrafted with silver layered over handles made of hickory.  The whips had buckskin lashes, usually 11 to 12 feet long. Unlike the way they were depicted in the movies, stagecoach drivers seldom used cracking of the whip. They were concerned the sharp sounds could not only startle their passengers but worse yet, spook their horses.

Obviously, most important were the two or three pairs of reins the driver held in his hands, depending on a four or six-horse team. Sensitive to the driver’s lead, the horses responded to the slightest movement of the reins and depended on the driver for continual guidance. Often shouting commands, the reinsman just as often soothed his horses with soft spoken words to encourage them along precarious mountain trails.

Among the most daring and legendary who rode the “box,” were Clark Foss, George Monroe, Henry “Hank” Monk, and Charlie Webster. Although they were mostly men drivers, there were also women, namely Charley Parkhurst, Mary Fields and Delia Haskett Rawson.  Tobacco-chewin’ Charley Parkhurst, who was well-known throughout California for being one of the best jehus in the stage business, to everyone’s shock, was discovered to be a biological woman when her body was prepared for burial.

Noted whip of the Gold Rush days. 
Drove a stage over Mt. Madonna in 
early days of valley. Last run
San Juan to Santa Cruz. Death in
cabin near the 7-mile house,
revealed "One Eyed Charlie",
a woman. The first woman to vote
in the U.S. Nov. 3, 1868

Erected 1955

Pajaro Valley Historical Ass'n.

Stagecoaches were not just for passengers. They often carried legal documents, large bank deposits, company payrolls as well as the U.S. Mail. When carrying valuable freight, for added protection, “shotgun messengers” rode beside the driver, armed with their trusty double-barreled shotguns.

Even though trains were being used more and more for transporting both passengers and cargo, they were still confined to their tracks.  It wasn’t until the early 1900’s when the introduction of the automobile actually led to the end of the stagecoach. 

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