The Fairplay Jail

If you know about the song I wrote, "Freedom in January," then you know the story of Ernest Christison breaking out of the Buena Vista jail with eleven other prisoners. But the Fairplay jail also plays a prominent part in the cattle rustling story.

Ernest Christison was arrested by a group of South Park cattlemen at St. Elmo on the 6th of July in 1883. The cattlemen also arrested four others: Charlie Christison (Ernest's 14-year-old brother), Billy Taylor (Ernest's 21-year-old brother-in-law), John Taylor (Ernest's father-in-law) and John Meyer (who rode along with John Taylor when he delivered supplies). The cattlemen took their prisoners on a 3-day ride across South Park to Rocky, where a justice of peace bound the men over for trial. Then they were incarcerated in the Fairplay Jail. 

To make things even more interesting, Ernest and Charlie's father, Wilburn Christison, was the Park County Judge from 1872 until he died in 1882, the year before Ernest and the others were arrested. Ernest and Charlie spent time in their father's jail.

Gayle Gresham, Laura Van Dusen, and Christie Wright

I visited the Fairplay Jail behind the old Fairplay Courthouse today with two Park County authors, Christie Wright (South Park Perils) and Laura Van Dusen (Parked in the Past). Christie arranged for us to go into the jail, which isn't open to the public, with Jennie Andrusin, the Park County Project and Grants Manager. 

There are two tiny cells in the jail, with places for 4 bunks in each. There would hardly be room to walk between the bunks if there were two on the other side.

Apparently, Buena Vista wasn't Christison's first attempt at a jail break. On March 18, 1884, a Fairplay prisoner broke out of jail using a small saw that Ernest Christison had used to saw away at one of the bars. While Christison was unsuccessful, Byard cut away a 10" x 16" hole to crawl through and escape. Byard also sawed under the cover of a fiddler who played every night after supper. (This story is told on page 55 of Christie Wright's book, South Park Perils.)

Ed Watkins and The Cattle Thieves Presentation

Join me on Sunday September 19 at 2:00 p.m. at the Salida Regional Library for an afternoon of storytelling about "Ed Watkins and the Cattle Thieves." The story of Ed Watkins and his cattle rustling gang (which included Ernest Christison) has been told for over 125 years in central Colorado. Watkins was hanged by a masked mob in Canon City on August 11, 1883, but the story didn't end there. Over the next year there were more arrests connected with the cattle thieving, a muder or two, a jail break, and court cases with surprising outcomes.

I will be telling the story my research has revealed at 2:00 p.m., and after a short break at 2:45, more details and a time for questions and discussion will continue at 3:00 for those interested in staying.

For more information about the story, click on the tab Cattle Thieves above this post.

Trip To Salida and Buena Vista

Arkansas River between Canon City and Salida

Last week I drove to Salida and Buena Vista for three days of research. And, it was a productive three days! This week I will put up several postings with pictures and tell you about my newfound treasures. So, check in frequently! The Arkansas River is running high from the incredible snow run-off. It is amazing to talk to the people in Buena Vista to hear how much snow they had this winter. They spoke of plowing their driveways with the snow already piled up 14 feet high on each side. And Fairplay had it much worse.

Fairplay Trip

I drove up to Fairplay Wednesday. The wildflowers on Wilkerson pass were gorgeous! First stop, the Park County Library, which is in the old courthouse. The Park County Local History Archives is in a tiny room in the basement. I met Jane, the archivist, who pulled out folders and books for me to look at. From Jane, I learned that many of the Park County court records are in the State Archives. I also met Linda, the historic preservation coordinator. Jane and Linda suggested I call Jerry, a Fairplay history buff.

Yesterday I called Jerry, who was a wealth of information. Jerry even knew about Wilburn Christison! We had a great conversation. And now I have an expert I can call and verify facts about Fairplay.

After I visited the archives, I went to the County Clerk's office. Although I've done quite a bit of research into mining records and land records, Wilburn's paper trail in Fairplay is rather confusing to me. Partly because I'm not sure what are Wilburn's personal transactions and what are transactions where he is representing someone as their attorney. After spending an hour looking at deeds and not really understanding what they meant, I gave up and went home completely drained and wiped out.

That night I called Joy, a friend who works in the Elbert County courthouse, and asked a few questions. Joy patiently answered my questions and I finally blurted out, "Joy, I need you to go to Fairplay with me so I know what I'm looking at." And she agreed! What a trooper! She spends her working days looking at deeds and is willling to spend her day off in another courthouse investigating deeds. This will be a tremendous help.

This trip to Fairplay is a reminder that I'm not in this alone. So many times I ferret out information on my own, the independent westerner. But I'm not alone. Each piece of information I find is the result of someone else's work. And I discern the best understanding of the information when I'm able to talk to someone who has expert knowlege on the subject. I so appreciate the people who have told me I can call them or write them with questions. Thank you!

Fairplay Courthouse

Wilburn and Elizabeth Jane Christison moved to Fairplay in 1873. He was elected Park County probate judge in the October elections. He also practiced law. This courthouse was built in 1874, with the courtroom in the second story.

Fairplay Research

This past week I read Silver Lies by Ann Parker. This fictional book is set in Leadville during the winter of 1879-1880; the height of the Leadville silver boom. Great murder-mystery! While reading this book, I was also reading through the 1879 and 1880 Fairplay Flume newspapers on Colorado Historic Newspapers. I realized the search function wasn't picking up all of the references to Wilburn Christison, so I started reading each paper. I am so glad I did!

I have a much more complete picture of Wilburn now. He had an impressive law practice and involved in many civic matters-- president of the school board, town clerk, Park County's attorney, chairman of the Park County democratic party, etc. It was interesting to think about Wilburn living in Fairplay while reading Silver Lies. While Fairplay never boomed like Leadville did, the silver mining made Fairplay a bustling town in 1880-1881.