Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:
Hugh McLaren , 6 South 50 West
POSSIBLE - but not likely, since he mentions an "ould lady".
1882 Philadelphia "A phantom fisherman and a shadowy boat, a ghostly shad net,
with flickering lights, like a dancing will-o-the-wisp, and all the other accompaniments
of a well regulated ghost, are troubling the inhabitants of South Camden
and the waters of the Delaware in that vicinity. The specter has been seen three times,
but not always at that witching hour when graveyards yawn and shales troop forth.
but as early in the evening as ?? o'clock, when the ghosts of tradition are said
to be laying on their oars, figuratively speaking, and waiting for the midnight hour
to toll. The specter of the Delaware was first discovered on last Tuesday night
about ?? yards below Kaighn's Point Ferry bv Hugh McLarin,
a newly arrived emigrant who took to shad fishing shortly after the season opened,
as a means of livelihood. McLarin has been living alternately in the "Neck,"
and at the lower end of Gloucester during the last six weeks, and has managed to
eke out a fair living by his new occupation. Although somewhat superstitious,
he told his story with such earnestness as to give it some shade of probability
and declared that no money could ever tempt him to make another "drift" within
a mile of the haunted spot. "Ay ve d been with me that night. said he,
between the puffs of black smoke, coming from a short stemmed pipe, "it wud hav made
yez pray til be safe back home, fur the sight I saw wuz enough til shake the heart
uv ould Nick himself. I had me net out an' the lights fixed, an was layin' back,
aisy loike, when I see a boat comin' forrerd. wuth a mon in it rowin' loike mad.
'Hist!' says I til him, 'an' where are yez goin', do yez want til run me down?'
says I. But niver a wurrud did he spake, but kipt on rowin', as if the divil was
afther 'um. " 'Hould on, mon!" says I agin, 'can't yez see then light?
Yez wull foul me net,' says I, at the same time picking up a small bit of stick
I had with me, and standing up in the boat. But, divil a bit did he heed.
'Bad luck til yer mane sowl,' says I, 'I'm a poor mon, an' an honest one, praise God,' says I, 'bud be me sowl, I'll guv yez a rap wid this stick av yez don't stop,' says I. Wull, sor, it wuz loike talking til the wind. The mon kept on rowin' harder an' harder, an' thin for the first time I saw that he kem no closer. "'Sure that's a bit queer,' thinks I, watchin' him pullin' away, and wonderin' why he didn't move a peg; 'maybe, it's only funnin, he is,' an' I picks up the oars to row over an' see. Before I had gone the length uv me 'arrum, sor, the mon was gone. Not a eight or sign uv him. 'Well thinks I, 'that bates Banniger.' "I don't belave it waz the space of ten seconds before up pops the boat right fornmst me. God bless yez. bud it tuk the breath uv me. There sot the mon rowin' as uf fur life. I cud put out me hands an' touch him. Bud, sor, it wuz no livin' mon. He wuz white as the snow, an' his fate wuz the face uv the dead. Such a chill kem over me heart, sor. The boat itself wuz a shadow, an' the mon at the oars a spirit. 'God forgive me,' says I, 'uf I disturbed yez an' wuth that the whole thing went away like smoke. I tuk up the oars to row away, after gettin' in the net, an' as I pulled down the river, the mon in the boat appeared again. 'Hivins,' says I til meself, 'its a Banshee, I afeared, come til warn me, and wuth me heart sink in, like lead I rowed to Gloucester, an' the spook forninBt me all the while. Whin I got home I told the ould woman, an' she says til me, 'Uughy, its a punishment fur yer sins,' an' I belave it is, sor. A thousand pounds wudn't tempt me til go over that spot again, an' its God's blessed truth I'm tellin' yez." McLarin's incomplete story was partly corroborated by two fishermen, who say that they saw the spirit boat and its ghostly occupanAon iast Thursday night, when buoy lights were seen which dttne-ed away when they were approached, and on Saturday night one of the boats of Fish Warden Orr saw a boat apparently engaged in fishing contrary to law. It was pursued for nearly a quarter of a mile and then suddenly disappeared, and the bewildered oarsmen, knowing that there were no retreats in the vicinity, wire consideraoiy mysttued. Several venturesome youths, with no fear of ghosts, are to keep watch this evening near the spirit's watery haunt, and propose either to capture him or estabish his character as a specter or a human trickster."
Hugh McLaren delared an intent to naturalize in Lincoln County, Colorado in 1895.
In 1900 Elbert County, Colorado, Hugh "McLarin" is a farm hand,
born 1858 in Scotland, working for the William and Jessie Griff farm.
He's one of four workers.
Hugh claimed a quarter in 24, 6S 50W in 1908.
THIS ONE IS TOO YOUNG
Hugh McLaren married Mary "Davis" in Larimer County on August 9, 1923.
He was born about 1893.
1926 Steamboat Springs "Mrs. Hugh McLaren of East Portal is here for a week's
visit with her mother, Mrs. Mary J. Daves."
In 1930 Mrs. H. J. McLaren thanked her friends for voting for her in a merchant's contest.
November 1930 "Mrs. Mary J. Daves and her daughter. Mrs. H. J. McLaren,
arrived on the train Monday evening. Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Smith and Betty Lou
remained with the car in eastern Colorado where they encountered snow-drifted
roads on their return frcm Missouri. Mrs. Daves and Mrs. McLaren took the
train at Stratton, Colo., for Denver. They said that the train was preceded
by a snow plow and had great difficulty in reaching Denver.
In parts of Kansas there were snow drifts 18 feet deep, telephone poles were
lying across the roads, cars were turned upside down. There were about 20
cars in the group with them and all helped to break trails thru wheat fields.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Pitman were also stranded at Stratton. Mrs. Daves party met
the Pitmans at Burlington, Colorado. The part of the trip thru Missouri was
in deep mud. They left Joplin. Mo., on Monday, November 19.
The Moffat train had no drifts to combat and the journey from Denver to Steamboat was the most pleasant part of the trip."
1935 "Mary McLaren, former resident of Steamboat Springs, was sentenced to a term of
15 months to 2 years in the state penitentiary on conviction in the district court
at Craig on a charge of operating a confidence game thru the passing of a
short check September 1."
July 19, 1935 "Mrs. Mary Jane Daves died at the home of her daughter,
Mrs. Pat Smith, in Craig Thursday of last week. Funeral services were held Sunday.
She was a former resident of Steamboat Springs and managed a restaurant here for
several years. For several years she had been at Elk Springs in Moffat county.
She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Pat Smith and Mrs. H. J. McLaren of Baker,
Oregon, both former resident of Steamboat Springs. Mrs. Daves was born in Illinois,
October 15, 1867. She came to Colorado 15 years ago, settling in Steamboat Springs."
Hugh is married to another woman in 1940 Idaho....
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