Yuma County, Colorado
Photographs

Sacramento Union  October 17 1884

Killed for Thirty Dollars. ' Denver. October 16th. —

Yesterday morning Matt. Perkinson, a sheep-herder, rode up to the house of his former employer, Derby P. Payne, a small sheep-owner, living three miles from Deer Trail, a water station on the Kansas Pacific road, forty miles from Denver, and after refusing Payne's invitation to breakfast, called him outside and demanded payment of $30, the balance due him for work. Payne replied that he had no money then, but hoped to have some in a few days, when he would settle.   Perkinson upon this, drew a revolver and fired three shots, the first of which passed entirely through Payne's body, killing him instantly.  Perkinson gave himself into the custody of an officer at Deer Trail, and after waiving examination was taken to Denver and lodged in jail. He claims that Payne made a motion as if to draw a pistol, therefore he shot in self-defense. Payne was a highly respected citizen.

Matthew Perkinson was the subject of a mental incompetency case in Denver probate court in 1886.

Rocky Mountain News 5-28-1886 – A Mad Murderer – Perkinson, the Slayer of Payne at Deer Trail, Tried for Lunacy in the County Court Yesterday – About a year and a half or two years ago a farmer named Payne, living near Deer Trail, was called from his breakfast by a young man named Mathew Perkinson, who had been in his employ. Perkinson claimed that Payne owed him money, and after a short conversation drew a gun on Payne and shot him dead. There seemed to be an indication of premeditation and design on Perkinson's part, but very little sufficient provocation for the killing. Naturally public feeling ran pretty high against Perkinson for a time, as the cause for the homicide was trifling and as Payne was a man held in high esteem by his neighbors and by all who knew him, and there was a strong feeling at the time that Perkinson should hang. The plea of insanity was entered in the case and a change of venue from Arapahoe taken to another county. The plea of insanity was not generally believed at the time, but the case was for some reason postponed and continued from time to time, and public opinion regarding it had quieted down. In fact, the memory of the case had probably passed from the minds of many people. Yesterday Perkinson was on trial for lunacy in the County court and the evidences of insanity seemed to be much better than the public had expected. Indeed, there seemed to be very little reason to doubt the fact that Perkinson was crazy. Judged by the evidence, Perkinson's insanity is said to spring from epilepsy and his fits are said to have occurred within the last year or two with frightful frequency. He comes of a good family in the East and had borne quite a good reputation up to the time of the shooting, and his insanity is believed to have developed in a large degree before the homicide was committed. The trivial occasion for the homicide strengthens such a belief. It is thought that Perkinson's epilepsy is the result of an hereditary taint of disease in the blood. The jury had not given its decision in the case at a late hour yesterday afternoon, but it was considered morally certain that the verdict would be “insane.”

In 1870 Matthew Perkinson is 14, with his parents Matthew  - a railroad laborer born in Canada, and Julia Perkinson in St. Albans, Vermont.

Wonder if he's the Matthew Perkinson marrying Helen J. Smith July 24, 1879 in Vermont.. She was 32, her second marriage.

In 1880 M. Perkinson is 22, born in Vermont, works on a farm, a boarder with the E.C. Povler family

In 1885 M.B. Perkinson is in the Arapahoe County jail in Denver.
 

Henry Vogel

An Extensive Ranchman and an Enterprising Business Man

What the Energy and Industry of a German Born American Citizen Accomplished in Yuma

     Among the most prosperous farmers and cattle men in Yuma county are those of our citizens who were born in foreign lands and came here to seek a new home under brighter skies and more favorable conditions. While as a rule they all prospered here, perhaps none achieved a more generous measure of success than Henry Vogel of Idalia.

     Mr. Vogel is a native of Germany, where he was born in 1855. There he spent his boyhood days but when he grew to manhood the conditions and opportunities for success did not seem enticing to him. As a result, in 1876, when he was twenty-one years of age, he came to the United States to carve out for himself a new home in the Western Hemisphere. He located in Kansas first, where he worked on a farm for five years after which in 1881 he came to Colorado and found employment on a ranch in Arapahoe county fifty-five miles east of Denver. Subsequently he came to Yuma county and was foreman for the -11 (Bar Eleven) ranch for a number of years. In 189_ [last digit blurred] he went to Idalia and engaged in the stock industry near that town. The gentleman had a thorough knowledge of the cattle business which was surpassed by few, if any, and he prospered greatly. At present he owns 1,200 acres of land which is exceedingly valuable for ranch purposes. His land extends to the breaks of the Arickaree, or the Middle Fork of the Republican river, where cattle and horses find complete shelter from the storms of winter in the ravines and under the bluffs which abound among and near that stream. His ranch is composed of rich farming and grazing lands that will compare with any in the county and he controls an almost unlimited area of free range. The soil of which the most of the ranch is composed will grow any kind of farm produce, but he cultivates only about 160 acres on which he grows winter feed for his stock. He owns forty-five horses and 230 well breed cattle. Owing to the fine grazing lands he owns and controls, he winters hundreds of cattle for other stockmen who are less favorably situated in addition to giving his own herds ample care. The gentleman is a good manager, an excellent financier and he gives his stock interest the benefit of his close attention and rare good judgment, which have much to do with the marked success which is rewarding his laudable ambition. He has excellent buildings on his ranch, with and adequate supply of wells, windmills and watering tanks, as well as every convenience for carrying on the stock industry profitably.

     Mr. Vogel is one of the principal partners in the mercantile firm of Payne Bros. & Vogel at Idalia, and while he does not give the details of the business his active supervision, doubtless his ripe judgment and mature thoughts are prime factors in the prosperity which characterizes the firm.

     Personally Mr. Vogel is an affable gentleman and his qualities as a firm friend and kind neighbor are most pronounced. In public matters he is both enterprising and progressive, and in every measure calculated to benefit his community or the county he takes and active and generous part. His warm friends are numerous and they are as extensive as the bounds of his acquaintance.

Payne Bros. & Vogel

An Extensive Mercantile Establishment in the Village of Idalia

Keeps a General Stock and Does a Large and Growing Business

     Among the enterprising and progressive merchants of the county, the above firm merits generous mention.

     The firm, which is composed of N.J. Payne, W.B. Payne and Henry Vogel was established in January, 1902 and its place of business was established at Idalia in the southern part of the county. The active management of the business is in charge of N.J. and W.B. Payne as Mr. Vogel has other extensive business interests requiring his personal attention.

     N.J. Payne, who is twenty-four years of age, is a native of Kansas where he received a liberal education. He spent eight years in a railway office at Topeka where he acquired a thorough knowledge of correct business principles. His brother, W.B. Payne, who is twenty years of age, is a native of Colorado and he too is enjoying the benefits of a generous education and good business training. They are both affable young gentlemen who have won already a flattering reputation for integrity of purpose and honorable dealings. In conducting their business they are guided by the golden rule and they will accord a child just as honorable and generous treatment as could be obtained by one of mature years. They keep a large and well assorted stock of dry goods, groceries, clothing, shoes, notions gents' furnishings, provisions and, in fact, everything usually found in a general store. They own their own store building and pay cash for their goods, thereby obtaining the most favorable terms, with the usual discounts for cash, as a result of which they are able to sell goods at very low prices. This, in conjunction with their courtesy to customers, is one of the chief secrets of their marked success and explains how they secured such a large and profitable trade in such a comparatively short time.

     Mrs. Vogel, the bright and accomplished mother of these two young men, has charge of the Idalia post office, which is situated in the store and admirably managed. It receives daily mail from Wray and all outside points, and is the distributing point for Lansing and other country postoffices in the southern part of the county.

     Payne Bros. & Vogel buy butter, eggs and produce and as a business factor in the progress of that part of Yuma County they merit generous consideration. The indications are that there is a brilliant and most successful future before them.

Names - so search engines can find them - Dutch Vogel, Jim Donham, Emmett Fox, Tom Nevils, Bill Lucas, George Likes, Bud Fox, Barney Devlin, Tom Weaver, Wilford Upchurch.

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In 1904 Norton J. Payne was the Republican candidate for county clerk.

  1905 Wray   - Colorado Militia

  1905

Norton Payne as a baby

Norton and Anna Payne

The Roberts Ranch was not in Yuma County - but Elbert County, about eight miles south-southwest of Deer Trail.

THANKS TO NANCY MASIMER for the timeline and photos.

Payne-Cross Wedding Told

Miss Margaret Elizabeth Payne, daughter of Ben W. Payne of Denver, and James Keith Cross of Greeley were married on March 1, this year, at Kimball Nebr,, according to an announcement   made to Greeley friends. Rev. Oscar \V, ring vows at 2:30. The bride wore a frock of dusty rose, with a matching hat. Her corsage bouquet was of. orchids. Mrs. Cross is a graduate of Colorado State College of Education, where she was a member of PI Delta Thieta sorority. She has been teaching the past year at Wray and was a member or the Wray Woman's club. Mr. Cross, son of James W. Cross of Denver, is a graduate of CSCK. On the campus he was a member of Phi Delta PI. social fraternity, and Phi Delta Kappa, honorary fraternity. He holds the Legion of Honor in DeMolay and is a member of Wray lodge A.F. and A.M. No. 71. At present, he is manager of the women's department of the J. C. Penney store in Greeley. The couple has taken an apartment at the Boyum.

Margaret Elizabeth Cross born Jan 7, 1916 in Colorado, died in Orange County Jan 27, 1986, father Payne, mother Gerber.

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In 1910 Wray James W. Cross is 28, married to Etta, 22.  James has "own income"

  1919 

James W. is farming in 1920 Wray, widowed, with Violet 7, Keith 4, Stanley 2, and Lois three months.

Wray - 1930 census - James W. Cross, widowed, 48, Kentucky, with son James K. 15, born in Colorado.
 

James - 1881-1942 and Etta are buried in Wray.

California death records have James Keith Cross born Sept 25, 1914 in Colorado, dying Oct 6, 1988 in Orange County - mother's maiden name Fike.