Notes from Bonnies childhood in Bonanza and Old photos
The first photo is of the mill site where my father worked….he was also a miner….does the Raleigh mine, ring a bell with you? I'm not sure because we also liven in Summitville, CO so may have the mines mix up.
One time, I took my mother back to see Wagon Wheel Gap, where I was born, and we went to a mine where my dad had worked. My mother began walking up and down between the ore cart tracks. She said the day I was born, on November 13th 1934, another miners wife had a still born child. The ground was frozen so, they made a coffin out of a, "power box", this was a wooden box that dynamite sticks came in. They buried the baby between the ore tracks because the ground was not frozen there. Now on to Bonanza…got side tracked there.
The second photo is of a milk can that mother use to get water from the town pump and haul to the cabin. As I recall hers was much bigger...
The third photos is the cabin my mother lived in until she became to old to cut down a dead tree to drag it home, cut it up for fire wood, and could no longer handle the heavy milk can to bring the water to the cabin. I don't know directions of north or south but it was the last cabin in Bonanza on the left. The mill was at one end of Bonanza and this cabin is on the other end. She lived there until her 80's then I moved her to my home. She passed at 95 yrs. old in Greeley, CO
The last photo is the cabin, my dad had a 30-30 rifle and a 22 rifle, loaded, and was standing in the corner by the door. When we ran out of meat he went out and got a deer hung it in that smaller shed, gutted and skinned it. Then left the meat hang and, "season" until there was a black coating on it. Then he would cut the meat as we needed it and mother would cut the black "Rhine", as she called it, off and cook the most delicious meals.
I had two older brothers and, as I recall, no one ever told us not to touch those guns….it seemed we just knew not to mess with the loaded rifles. My parents probably did tell us, I was to little to remember it.
I believe either mom or dad was elected Mayor of Bonanza at one time, but don't know how to research this to make sure I know what I'm talking about. Their names were, Herbert L. Jackman and Lenora R. Jackman…
Thanks so much for your email….I enjoy making trips back in time….I am 82 yrs. old now.
Bonnie Jackman New.
Open questions
I think, but not sure just who this is, but do you have the name of Eli Weddington. I think that is how you spell it.
He is buried in the cemetery on the hill, that is on up the road on the right side. I don't know why his name sticks in my memory.
Bonnie
Rocky Responds -- Bonnie,
Some details on Eli. - From censes data -- Eli Weddington lived in Saguache County, Colorado in 1920. He was the head of the household, 64 years old, and identified as white. Eli was born in Indiana around 1856, and both of his parents were born in North Carolina. In 1920, Eli was not married. He could read and write, and owned his residence. He died in 1939 in Bonanza.
In October of 1901 I found this article mentioning Eli. -- A. D. Freeman of Salida was surveying on Spring creek a few days this week for Eli Weddington on his Little Kerber group.
And in June of 1924 this article -- Eli Weddington is preparing to look after his several mines. His health has not been the best this past winter.
Maybe this helps you remember.