Voices from the Past

When I sat on my deck the very first morning I was here, I realized that my future is going to happen on these ten acres. It was a thrilling thought! I wondered how much this place would influence my future, too. It can't help but shape it to some extent.

Our history also influences who we are. Crossed Sabers Ranch has a history of its own. Echoes of it are all around me. There's an old cabin and a few barns/outbuildings here. There's even a root cellar.

This is the old cabin. Unfortunately, it's collapsed.

 

In the photo below, on the right side is what's left of another log cabin or barn, behind that is an old chicken coop and on the left is a long, low barn.

 

 

 

This is a better view of the low barn.

 

 

The root cellar...

 

 

 

Who were the people that lived here and built a home in what was, at the time, the edge of civilization?  I don't believe in ghosts, but it's hard not to feel as if I might see one of those homesteaders walking across the field.  That feeling is especially strong very early in the morning, just before dawn.

 

This morning, I visited the historical research section at the county library to see if I could find out anything about who lived here and built the cabin and barns.  I was thrilled to find out quite a bit of interesting information and it seems that I've only scratched the surface.

 

My place is the site of the original homestead in this valley. On November 15, 1871, Sarah Lain, the widow of Revolutionary War Sergeant Charles Lain was granted Bounty Land under the ScripWarrant Act of 1855. This Act granted land to certain officers and soldiers who served in the United States military.  Mrs. Lain was granted 160 acres.

 

The actual grant is on file with the Bureau of Land Management. I've been told I can get a certified copy of it for a small fee! How cool would that be to have a copy of the original land grant?!

 

As was common at the time, Mrs. Lain almost immediately sold that grant for cash. The purchaser was Edmund J. Miller. Edmund was born in Ohio in 1849. I've not found out much of anything about Edmund Miller....yet. Although I do think it's interesting that my own family name is Miller and we hale from Western Pennsylvania. I would be astonished if there was any real family connection to Edmund, since in that part of the country, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Miller!

 

Before the record of this sale, the land was owned by the government. I have a copy of notes from a field survey done in 1867. There are no records of any settlers or dwellings at that time. So Edmund is the first person to own land and live here.

 

I don't know yet who got the land after Edmund, but somewhere around 1900, it was bought by Theodore Campbell Ware. Theodore was born in 1859. He seems to have partnered in this land/ranch venture with his brother John Elmer Ware, since that is the relationship noted in the 1910 census. Theodore and Elmer were also born in Ohio. I have a copy of Theodore's obituary. He died on June 8, 1918 from Bright's disease. I haven't found any evidence that he married or had children.

 

Thomas J. Starr was the next owner. I don't know yet when he bought the place but it must have been before 1928. The obituary of his second wife Nancy Ellen states that she married Thomas on February 24, 1928 and went to live with him on the ranch.

 

Thomas was born on September 12, 1886 in Denver, Colorado. As a young man, he bought quite a bit of land in the county here, some of which is the place where I live now.  Thomas married Mrs. Ida M. Layman on June 22, 1922. She had three children from a previous marriage.  This union apparently only lasted a few years and Thomas went back to being a bachelor. According to a book that details the oral histories of the people in the county, Thomas' house "....was always clean as a whistle and he was a real good cook."

 

A few years later, (on February 24, 1928), Thomas married Nancy Ellen Morrison Finnity, who was a clerk at a local store. They first raised dairy cattle but when the cost of complying with government regulations became prohibitive, they switched to stock cattle.

 

Again, according to the book, "Our Heritage. People of Douglas County", Thomas "...was very proud of his cattle and he pampered them a lot. They were a very beautiful herd."  I'm hoping to find out who gave this oral history to the author of the book.

 

Nancy Ellen died on July 23, 1961 at Mercy Hospital in Denver. She never bore children. Thomas died on February 10, 1971 at his home. Thomas and Nancy are buried in a local cemetery. I am going out there to see their grave.

 

While it's clear that all of these people owned this property, it's not yet clear who built the cabin and barns.  It's possible some of the structures date all the way back to the 1870's when Edmund first came here. I'm not going to get excited over that prospect until I know for certain.

 

I have a photocopy of an arial survey of this valley from 1937. I can see the cabin and barns in that photo. It's so exciting to see them in a photo from 75 years ago! I can order a copy of the photo from the library. I'm going to frame it and hang it on my wall!

 

I'm going back to the library on Thursday to continue digging around for information. While I was there today, I met a lady from the local historic society. She was very excited to learn which property we just bought. I've invited her and some other members of the historic society to come out and see the buildings.  I'm hoping they will have more information and maybe even photos.

 

It's amazing to me that this much information was readily available. My hat is off to the men and women who have worked to preserve all of these records.

 

When I came home, I walked around the place thinking about Edmund, Theodore, Thomas and Nancy. Did Nancy have a garden here? Was it Edmund who built the root cellar? Each of them left their mark on this place. And now here I am, too. 

 

I've always felt as if I was born 100 years too late. I feel that now more strongly than ever!