July 2

1850  

The grave of Alvah H. Unthank

Alvah H. Unthank was a 19-year-old pioneer travelling the Oregon who died of Cholera at a spot near the Dave Johnson Power Plant outside Glendrock in July, 1850.  

One of many such tragic deaths on the trails.

 

1861  Grace Raymond Hebard born in Clinton Iowa.

1861  Ellen Liddy Watson, remembered by history as "Cattle Kate", born in Arran Lake, Ontario Canada.

1862   Following up on a theme first touched upon in yesterday's entry, President Lincoln signed an act granting land for state agricultural colleges.  In its own way, this act would be as significant as the Homestead Acts in its impact upon American society.  Many state colleges and universities today owe their existence to this act, although the practical origins of these schools is often forgotten today.

1863  Chief Waskakie singed the Ft. Bridger Treaty of 1863, which provided:

Articles of Agreement made at Fort Bridger, in Utah Territory, this second day of July, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, by and between the United States of America, represented by its Commissioners, and the Shoshone nation of Indians, represented by its Chiefs and Principal Men And Warriors of the Eastern Bands, as follows:

ARTICLE 1.

Friendly and amically relations are hereby re-established between the bands of the Shoshonee nation, parties hereto, and the United States; and it is declared that a firm and perpetual peace shall be henceforth maintained between the Shoshonee nation and the United States.

ARTICLE 2.

The several routes of travel through the Shoshonee country, now or hereafter used by white men, shall be and remain forever free and safe for the use of the government of the United States, and of all emigrants and travellers under its authority and Protection, without molestation or injury from any of the people of the said nation. And if depredations should at any time be committed by bad men of their nation, the offenders shall be immediately seized and delivered up to the proper officers of the United States, to be punished as their offences shall deserve; and the safety of all travellers passing peaceably over said routes is hereby guaranteed by said nation. Military agricultural settlements and military posts may be established by the President of the United States along said routes; ferries may be maintained over the rivers wherever they may be required; and houses erected and settlements formed at such points as may be necessary for the comfort and convenience of travellers.

ARTICLE 3.

The telegraph and overland stage lines having been established and operated through a part of the Shoshonee country, it is expressly agreed that the same may be continued without hindrance, molestation, or injury from the people of said nation; and that their property, and the lives of passengers in the stages, and of the employes of the respective companies, shall be protected by them.
And further, it being understood that provision has been made by the Government of the United States for the construction of a railway from the plains west to the Pacific ocean, it is stipulated by said nation that said railway, or its branches, may be located, constructed, and operated, without molestation from them, through any portion of the country claimed by them.

ARTICLE 4.

It is understood the boundaries of the Shoshonee country, as defined and described by said nation, is as follows: On the north, by the mountains on the north side of the valley of Shoshonee or Snake River; on the east, by the Wind River mountains, Peenahpah river, the north fork of Platte or Koo-chin-agah, and the north Park or Buffalo House; and on the south, by Yampah river and the Uintah mountains. The western boundary is left undefined, there being no Shoshonees from that district of country present; but the bands now present claim that their own country is bounded on the west by Salt Lake.

ARTICLE 5.

The United States being aware of the inconvenience resulting to the Indians in consequence of the driving away and destruction of game along the routes travelled by whites, and by the formation of agricultural and mining settlements, are willing to fairly compensate them for the same; therefore, and in consideration of the preceding stipulations, the United States promise and agree to pay to the bands of the Shoshonee nation, parties hereto, annually for the term of twenty years, the sum of ten thousand dollars, in such articles as the President of the United States may deem suitable to their wants and condition, either as hunters or herdsmen. And the said bands of the Shoshonee nation hereby acknowledge the reception of the said stipulated annuities, as a full compensation and equivalent for the loss of game, and the rights and privileges hereby conceded.

ARTICLE 6.

The said bands hereby acknowledge that they have received from said Commissioners provisions and clothing amounting to six thousand dollars, as presents, at the conclusion of this treaty.

ARTICLE 7.

Nothing herein contained shall be construed or taken to admit any other or greater title or interest in the lands embraced within the territories described in said Treaty with said tribes or bands of Indians than existed in them upon the acquisition of said territories from Mexico by the laws thereof.

Done at Fort Bridger the day and year above written.

James Duane Doty,

Luther Mann, jr.,

   Commissioners.

Washakee, his x mark.

Wanapitz, his x mark.

Toopsa+owet, his x mark.

Pantoshiga, his x mark.

Ninabitzee, his x mark.

Narkawk, his x mark.

Taboonshea, his x mark.

Weerango, his x mark.

Tootsahp, his x mark.

Weeahyukee, his x mark.

Bazile, his x mark.

In the presence of—

Jack Robertson, interpreter.

Samuel Dean.

1865  Sioux and/or Cheyenne raid the telegraph line near Platte Bridge Station, wounding Sgt. Holding of the 11th Kansas.  Sgt. Holding's attacker was killed by Pvt. Hammond, and the body was thought to be that of a European American, not an Indian.

1867  The first law partnership in what would become Cheyenne (two days later) formed. Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1874  7th Cavalry left Ft. Abraham Lincoln to scout the Black Hills.

1885    Big Bear surrenders to General Strange at Fort Carlton Saskatchewan after his men run out of food and ammunition.  He was sentenced with Poundmaker to three years in Stony Mountain Penitentiary.

1890     Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act.

1916:   Sheridan Enterprise, July 2, 1916. Mexico and the Somme
 

Border tensions shared front space with the British offensive on the Somme on July 2, one day after the British offensive had commenced.
1932     Democrats nominated New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt for president at their convention in Chicago.

1936  It was reported that Crook County was enduring a grasshopper infestation, one of those plagues of the 30s which were so common in the West and Mid West at the time.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1937   Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight at the equator.  The CGC Itasca, while conducting re-supply operations in the Central Pacific, made the last-known radio contact with the plane.

Earhart had a Wyoming connection as she was having a cabin built for her in the Meeteesee area, where she vacationed.

July 1

Today is Canada Day

It may seem odd to note this, but Wyoming has a strong connection with Canada.  Some of the state's early significant figures were Canadians, such as Tom Beau Soleil (Tom Sun).  The city of Casper was placed by merchants, one of whom was a Canadian.  Prior to statehood, Canadian metis travelled as far south as Wyoming's Powder River Basin, and during the early ranching days Wyoming cowboys ranged into Alberta for work.

1861  The first stagecoaches to use the Northern (Central) Route via Forts Kearny, Laramie and Bridger began to use that route, which was no doubt rather dangerous at the time.  Attribution:  On This Day.

1862  The US outlawed polygamy by way of the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act which also granted large tracts of public land to the states with the directive to sell for the support of institutions teaching the mechanical and agricultural arts. It also obligated state male university students to military training. The education initiative resulted in 68 land-grant colleges.  This act lead directly to the University of Wyoming (the land grant part, obviously).

The polygamy part of this was fairly obviously aimed at Mormon communities, principally in Utah but also in neighboring states.

1898  The pivitol battle of the Spanish American War, the Battle of El Canay and San Juan Heights, sees the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry,lead at that time by its former second in command, Theodore Roosevelt, the 17th U.S. Infantry, 10th U.S. Infantry, 21st U.S. Infantry, 13th U.S. Infantry, and the 10th U.S. Cavalry,  prevail.  While Wyoming's 2nd Volunteer Cavalry remained in the United States, this epic event does have some association with Wyoming, as some of the participants did.  It also saw the completion of Theodore Roosevelt's rise to hero status, something that was particularly the case in the West.  Also, there were a number of Wyoming citizens in the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, and one Wyoming native in the 10th U.S. Cavalry and another in the 17th U.S. Infantry whose performance in action that day was quite notable.  The 10th U.S. Cavalry, it should be noted, was a segregated (ie., black) unit, whose officers were white, but whose enlisted men were black.

1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry

Medal of Honor Citations from this event associated with Wyoming:

BAKER, EDWARD L., JR.  Sergeant Major, 10th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Santiago, Cuba, 1 July 1898. Birth: Laramie County, Wyo. Date of issue: 3 July 1902. Citation: Left cover and, under fire, rescued a wounded comrade from drowning.

Baker is a very unusual example of a black soldier in the segregated Army as he was promoted to the rank of Captain following the Spanish American War and retired at that rank in 1902.  He was in a command position, at that rank, in the 49th Infantry.

ROBERTS, CHARLES D.Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 17th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At El Caney, Cuba, 1 July 1898. Entered service at: Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo. Birth: Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo. Date of issue: 21 June 1899. Citation: Gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from in front of the lines under heavy fire of the enemy.

1916   Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, married on this date in 1916 in Denver.
 

The Eisenhower's at his duty station in San Antonio, 1916.

On this date, in 1916, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower wed in Denver Colorado, her hometown.  She was 19 years old, and he was 25. The wedding took place at her parents home and was presided over by a Presbyterian minister.  The couple met in San Antonio where she was attending finishing school, and where the family also wintered.  Her father was a meat packing executive for Doud & Montgomery and had retired at age 36.  Dwight Eisenhower was, of course, a serving office in the U.S. Army.  An excellent training officer, Eisenhower was not assigned a role that lead in his entering Mexico during the Punitive Expedition, and indeed he remained in the United States in a training role during World War One.

1919.  Wyoming's state prohibition act went into effect. I can't help but note that Prohibition went into effect immediately prior to the big 4th of July Holiday.

And of course, Wartime Prohibition ironically went into effect on the same day, although exactly what it prohibited remained unclear.

The Wyoming State Tribune took the occasion to have a really unusual front page, framed by a cartoon, the only example of that I've ever seen.

Casper noted John Barleycorn's passing for all time (the papers had persistently been, we'd note, on the "right side of history" on this one, i.e., for Prohibition and its inevitable triumph, but also noted the big July 4th celebration it was planning, which would stretch over three days.

The Cheyenne State Tribune was still featuring the Dempsey fight and advertising its upcoming Frontier Days.

The always sober Laramie Boomerang didn't even note the arrival of state prohibition.

1920  A parachutist died due to a parachute failure, above the Casper airport.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1931   The USS Wyoming BM-10 was redesignated as AG-17. Attribution:  On This Day.

1955 The LST-1077 renamed the USS Park County.

1963   The 90th Missile Wing was activated at Warren Air Force Base.Attribution:  On This Day.

2014   A special legislative committee of the Wyoming of the Wyoming Legislature has released its draft report finding that Education Secretary Hill is culpable of misconduct in her office which rise to the level of making her liable to impeachment. She will have fifteen days to comment on the draft, after which the final report will be issued.

As Hill is leaving off and has only six months left on her term, it would seem unlikely that the Legislature will convene in a special session to consider a bill of impeachment.  Hill is presently a Republican candidate for the governor's office where she is running against incumbent Republican governor Matt Mead.