by Charles W. Bowman
Biographies
S.J. GRAHAM
Mr. Graham has resided in Bent County for many years, and has passed
through experiences common to early settlers in a territory occupied by
Indians. Mr. G. was born in Adair County, Ky., October, 1834. He
attended school but very little. In 1854, he went to Carroll County,
Mo., as an overseer for a large farmer, where he remained four years. In
1858, he went to Salt Lake as wagonmaster for the gentleman he had been
employed by in Missouri. He was seven months on the journey. After a
short stay in Missouri he returned to Denver, arriving there in March,
1860. During the following summer and fall he prospected in South Park.
He went to Central City for the winter. In the spring of 1861, he went
to the Tarryall Mines in the edge of the Park. They were rich gulch
mines; here he remained until fall and then went to Canon City. In the
spring of 1862, he removed to Booneville, Pueblo Co., Colo., and put in
a crop of corn and potatoes, but in July the river suddenly rose and
washed away everything he had planted. In the following September, Mr.
Graham went to Spring Bottom, on the Arkansas River, and built a mail
station for Sanderson & Co., and kept the same for ten years. August 13,
1864, the station was attacked by Indians. The inmates of the station
consisted of Mr. Graham, a hired man, a female cook and two children.
The cook's husband was away at the Indian Agency, which was in the
process of construction at Point of Rocks, but it was never completed,
as the Indians ran off the stock and stole everything they could find.
At the time of the attack, the savages appeared on the night of the
12th. A few hours previous, Mr. Graham had returned from Fort Lyon,
being obliged to travel mostly by night in order to escape danger from
the Indians. The attack was made early in the morning. Late in the
evening before, Mr. Graham discovered one Indian in the stock corral
attempting to run off the horses. Mr. G. drove him out and as he (Mr.
Graham) jumped over the fence, he landed in the midst of a dozen Indians
who were waiting an opportunity to attack the station. As the Indian
leaped the fence, Mr. G. fired at him with his pistol, but he escaped
unharmed. The whole band then fled, Mr. Graham discharging his pistol at
them. During the remainder of the night, he stood guard in company with
Mr. Monkers, his hired man. In the morning, Mr. G. went out to see if
the Indians had departed. He had proceeded only 250 yards, when suddenly
twenty mounted Indians appeared and gave him chase. He ran and succeeded
in reaching the station in safety, but when within fifteen steps of the
house he turned and fired his pistol at them, wounding one, which had
the effect of stopping the whole band. One time Mr. G. was telling this
experience to a Government officer. The officer inquired how he escaped,
when he was on foot and they mounted. Mr. G. replied that he had on a
pair of "Government shoes." Soon after this, the savages again appeared,
attempting to surround the station, but were prevented. He kept them at
bay for several hours. During the fight, the Indians killed four horses
belonging to the stage company, and four mules belonging to Mr. G. Mr.
Monkers killed one Indian. The savages then departed and did not appear
again. The same day, the Indians went up the river, and, meeting a train
of Government wagons, killed three men, took one woman prisoner, and ran
off the stock. That night the woman committed suicide by hanging. This
occurred at Antelope Springs, about fifteen miles from the river. The
Indians left Mr. G. one young horse, this he took into the house, and
after saddling him he sent his hired man to the fort to inform the
commander what had taken place, while he (Mr. G.), took his cook and her
two children in a boat down the river. Ten miles below the station, they
met the husband and a few soldiers. Mr. G. returned with them to the
station. During the fight the Indians had killed sixteen head of cattle
on their retreat. He took the remainder of his stock to Booneville,
where he remained a short period. At this time, the Indians were causing
a good deal of trouble in Southern Colorado, and there was a call for
100 day men. Mr. G enlisted and was elected First Lieutenant of Company
G of his regiment, and served his time. He had charge of a squad of men
at the Mail Station. The main portion of the company was encamped east
of Pueblo. At the time of the Sand Creek fight, the command was ordered
there, and Mr. G. joined them on their way. He did not participate in
the engagement, as he was placed in charge of twenty men to watch
prisoners at the mouth of Purgatoire Creek. When the regiment returned,
he joined them and proceeded to Denver, where he was mustered out of
service. Most of the time from 1865 to 1868, Mr. Graham was at the Mail
Station. In 1860, he removed to his present location on the south side
of the Arkansas River, near Catlin, where he is engaged in ranching and
stock-raising. He has a small bunch of good graded animals, and a few
head of pure blooded cattle. He is improving his stock by introducing
pure blood. Mr. Graham is a firm believer in alfalfa, and will engage in
the future in raising it, as well as all kinds of fruit, having taken
out a ditch for that purpose. In 1869, he was married to Mrs. Hattie
Tedling, and they have one child. He has 700 acres of land, 300 of which
is bottom and timbered land. Mr. Graham has the first wagon ever built
in Pueblo, which, in 1881, was in good repair.
