Stagecoach History Tidbits

A relay station on the Rifle to Meeker stage line. Called the Long House by the Harp family.
Located between Rifle and the Dinner Station at Piceance Creek. It is located at mile 10.5 on Hwy 13 to Meeker.
It is 1.5 miles past Dead Man curve on the left when you head north. The property is owned by Aaron Woodward.

 

William Gilbert, the stage coach driver. And dissappeared dad.
William met his wife Etta Mabel Langstaff at the Rifle relay station, also known as a swing station. And sometimes called the Magpie Station.
She was working there, maybe cooking, was 20 years old in 1912 when they married. William was 23 according to marriage license. Subsequent records vary. It appears he was actually 33 and had been married before.
He served in WWI, and lived in Colorado until about 1931. At that point he walked away, moved to Wyoming, and left Etta and the family in Colorado. He passed away in 1961. He had no contact with his family for 30 years.
Etta was an active member of the Rifle Creek Home Demonstration Club that had a big impact on Rifle. She passed away in 1966. Etta is burried at Rose Hill. William is buried at Sheridan, Wyoming.
Here are some references I have found-
From 102+ years ago, here is the July 9, 1920 doing's on Rifle Creek.
Many relatives of those named are members here.
William Gilbert is mentioned, his wife was Etta Mable Langstaff. Besides Hilda, and Etta Mable, the rest of Bart Langstaff's children were Lile, Leon, Ethel, Albert and Ira.
Bart's wife Etta had passed away in 1909. His oldest daughter Etta Mable was 17 then, so she looked after the younger children.

 

 

 

Map of the Rifle Meeker Stagecoach stops

Freight Hauler on the stageline - Team of 12 horses tells you how heavy this load was.

 

Perry and Mary Spurlock.  Two youngest children were Ella and Teddy.  The two oldest children were Robert and Mary.

In the fall of 1909, Perry and Mary Spurlock acquired the Meeker Rifle Stage Line.
He ordered two new Concord coaches special built in Concord, New Hampshire. They were large coaches each weighing 2100 pounds and finally arrived July of 1910.
Perry named them Ella and Teddy after his youngest daughter and son. His two older children were Mary and Robert.
The coaches had a more or less rigid under frame. Posts on all four corners extended up and supported the carriage body on heavy leather straps. This cushioned the ride and gave a slight swaying motion to the passengers.
The driver had to hang on to all the reins while negotiating all the motion. Braking was difficult, and it was probably best to have another person up there with a rifle.

 

 

 

 

That is the coach Hiram Perry Spurlock named after his daughter, (Ella Spurlock, Williamson, Linderman) and his other coach was named after his son, Theodore, (Teddy, Ted). Ella and Teddy are in the picture on top.

 

This is at the Relay Station on the Meeker side. Coach pulled in between rails, teams were switched out, and off they would go

Taken from Dinner Station looking east

Meeker to the left - Rifle to the right  2 stages meeting at the Dinner Station

The Dinner Station at Piceance Creek Notice on both sides rails to drive the coach between. Makes changing the team simple

A Coach named Teddy

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