Back In Time - Colorado 1861 & 1873

 Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Image (C) Doris McCraw

This post is taking a trip back to the 1860s-70s in El Paso County, Colorado, with a look at its first sheriff and an unsolved death.

When Colorado became a territory in 1861, formed from parts of the Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, and New Mexico Territories, El Paso County was among the original 17 counties. 

Rankin Scott Kelly, born in 1826, was the first Sheriff of El Paso County. Appointed in 1861 when the county was formed. He, along with his deputy, was the law in an area that covered over 2,200 square miles. But Kelly had a secret. He had struck a man at about the age of thirteen who had left his sister to fend for herself when their boat capsized in the lake they were on. Thinking he’d killed the man, Kelly ran, hid nearby, then left Maine for areas west. It was not until shortly before he died in 1913 that he learned the man had not died. (Side note, Kelly’s story was written by a former El Paso County Sheriff, John Wesley Anderson. PBS also did a piece on Kelly) *See the link at the bottom of this post.

Near Pioneer Section of Evergreen Cemetery
Image (C) Doris McCraw

And now to the unsolved death. There is a mystery around the 1873 death of William H. ‘Judge’ Baldwin. Baldwin arrived in the area around 1868. Known as the town drunk, Baldwin, who received the name judge for judging various sheep contests at territorial fairs. He was a sheep farmer whose ranch was located north and east of Colorado Springs. (The city was founded in 1871, and a dry town)  His body was discovered on November 3, 1873, at the bottom of Green and Stilzer's slaughterhouse well around 2pm. His pockets were turned out, and his wallet was missing. His horse was tied outside the fence, and his hat and shoes were found on the floor about five feet from the well. His face had a bruise near one eye. It was believed he was around 38-40 years of age at his demise. He had been scalped once while in South America, and according to legend, barely missed being scalped a second time during an altercation with the Indians here. It is believed he is buried somewhere in the pioneer section of Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs. 

Documentary on Kelley

Until next time

Stay safe and keep reading and writing.

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon