Henry Clay House

1842 - 1922

Our father, Henry Clay House, son of George Ash House and Mary Davis, was born in Pittsfield, Pike County, Ill.. February 1, 1842. Father was the youngest child in a family of seven children, his mother passed away when he was six years old. Later his father married again.

Soon after his fathers death, he and his brother, Adolphus tied their few belongings in a handkerchief and ran away. They went to their brother Hyrum's home in Missouri. They lived there and attended school until father was fourteen years old when he started out to make his own living. He worked at farming and on the Missouri River running a boat, hauling freight and passengers up and down the river working at this in Missouri and Illinois until 1859, when he went from Illinois to Kansas.

With the western greed for new adventure still within him, he joined the famous expedition to Pike's Peak and was in that vicinity when Colorado astounded the world with a disclosure of her hoards of precious metal. With the rush of fortune seekers into the new territory came a demand for mining machinery and father then entered the government service as a freighter, transporting with slow going ox teams the quartz mills to be used in the mines at Leadville Colorado.

In 1861 came the outbreak of the Civil War and with his experience as a handler of freighting expeditions, father was appointed a government wagon master with Blunts Army. At the close of the war In 1864 he was transferred to western fields of activity, appointed a Captain, and put in charge of a train of 400 freight wagons plying between the Rocky Mountains and the Missouri River.

In 1867 father was given the command of a wagon train transporting condemned army artillery, etc., from Fort Union, New Mexico to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, a distance of several hundred miles and through a region infested with hostile Sioux, Cheyennes, and Kioways Indians. These munitions, which had been condemned at the close of the war, had been stored at Fort Union until needed elsewhere, were crated and loaded upon 400 huge freight wagons each drawn by six mules. During the journey they had numerous skirmishes with roving bands of redskins among the chiefs was the noted Satanta, Chief of the Kioways. This Indian was one of the most adroit foes that the government ever had to contend with and a sight of his calico colored pony on the distant horizon was a sure indication of impending trouble.

Upon discovering the proximity of an Indian band, the favorite mode of defense for the wagon trains, sometimes miles in length, was to at once assemble in the form of an immense circle, one wagon over lapping the other. In this manner a huge corral was formed inside of which the animals, sometimes numbering two or three hundred, could be secured against a possible attack and the inevitable attempt of the indians to stampede them. An effort was always made to locate the fortified camp in the vicinity of a water supply and in the event of a formidable attack being imminent, sod was cut and built up between the wheels of the wagons for breastwork.

Upon the arrival of this particular train of condemned ordnance at Fort Harper, General Custer, who was at that post with a detachment of soldiers consisting of a company of Infantry and four companies of Cavalry, seized the wagon train and after unloading the wagons proceeded to reload with an assortment of merchandise that had been sent out by the government by train to Fort Harper, to be used in a prospective treaty with the Sioux and Cheyennes.

The point designated for the conference was at Medicine Lodge Creek Kansas now In Oklahoma. Father stated that on the morning when negotiations were commenced, the plains about them as far as the eye could see were dotted with the lodges and wigwams of the Indians. Fully 6000 Redskins were encamped in the vicinity, and had the treaty negotiations gone wrong, the comparative handful of soldiers and plainsmen could easily have been wiped out. The treaty however was brought to a satisfactory issue and father was detailed to other sections for duty.

He related incident after incident of his experiences among hostile Indians, always giving great credit to his associates and fellow fighters. In one experience when only seven miles from an army fort, he, with six companions, were surrounded in a ravine and stood the Indians off until nightfall. One of the party then crawled up the ravine, eluded the savages and reached the fort in time to bring help to his hard pressed companions at daybreak.

Father had a record as an Indian fighter, United States Government Scout, and frontiersman, was warm of heart and genial. His face was lined with those curious wrinkles that denote a character of iron-will and a nerve that knows no giving. About the eyes were thin straight wrinkles which the glare of the broad plains had wrought, and which the steady ceaseless lookout for the Redman had helped to maintain.

As a government scout, father led Col. Shivington and his regiment of blue-clad horsemen to the Sand-Creek fight, where every Indian was killed. Subsequently Col. Shivington was severely censored for his action in allowing the Redskins no quarter, and a court martial was ordered. To Washington and to court went Col. Shivington, leading by the hand a small white boy who had been scalped by the Indians. The scalp had been replaced by a plaster covering by Army Surgeons, after soldiers had rescued him in the nick of time, and was hardly healed. The boy proved a graphic illustration of the cruelty of the indians and the court martial proceedings against the Colonel were dropped.

The Sand Creek fight followed the Little Blue Nebraska Massacre. About 300 people lost their lives in the Little Blue Massacre, consisting of settlers and teamsters. The settlers had moved into the Valley one year before and were scattered over several miles. Men, women and children were massacred by the indians, and their bodies thrown into the river and into wells. Five wagon trains were burned and the drivers, about thirty to the train, were killed in the massacre. The Indians carried off the wife of Bill Eubanks a settler and a German girl, they held the prisoners seven or eight months and the government finally had to purchase them back with presents of beads blankets and other articles. This massacre was In 1864.

In 1865, Father had charge of a government wagon train from Denver into the heart of Nebraska. Enroute a heavy snow storm forced him to go into "dry quarters" for a few days. On the second day of the storm, an Indian chieftain, with a small son on a horse behind him, rode into camp and asked for a shelter. Father erected a tent for the chief and his son, and supplied them with provisions for two days, treating the old chief as a friend. When time came for the indian and his son to depart, the old warrior insisted that father take, as payment for his kindness, a very fine lariat. This father refused to accept, but the old Chief got the boy to hide the rope in a wagon where it was found later.

Not long after this, father and his wagoners suddenly ran into a tribe of Pawnee Indians who took possession of his outfit. The wagons were unloaded and made ready for burning. Father and his employees were about to be destroyed. While they were searching father, who had $800.00 on his person, he caught sight of the aged Indian Chief, who he had befriended during the snow storm, and suddenly breaking from his captors, rushed through the crowd and held out his hand. The chief grasped it and exclaimed "How", jumping up and down in his pleasure at meeting his friend again. Father explained to the chief that all the wagons were his and demanded protection. Mounting a log, the chief made his tribe a long speech, commanding his warriors to reload the wagons and do no harm to father or his men. The wagons were reloaded and while the process was going on the chieftain and his three sons smoked the pipe of peace with father. The chiefs squaw gave him some dried buffalo meat and the chief sent an escort with the House party through the dangerous country and in every way expressed his appreciation of the kindness father had shown him during the snow storm.

In charge of 600 wagons drawn by six mules to the wagon and loaded with condemned government ordinance, father and his mule teams were surrounded by a large band of Indians on the Arkansas River, which then belonged to Colorado, but is now a part of Nebraska. Placing his wagons and mules in a complete circle and forming an effective barrier to the redskins attack, father and his companions held their ground and drove the Indians from the field, without the loss of a man or mule.

While father was in charge of a ³Bull Train², in which is equivalent to a wagon train drawn by oxen - the Sioux and Cheyennes went into the war path and burned every mail station between the Rocky Mountains and Blue River. The stations were burned on the same day and almost the same hour, the Redskins making a clean sweep.

One time father became alkalied when the Indians cut off the fresh water supply and had to travel from the Blue River to the Missouri for relief, a distance of many miles.

In charge of government scouts at Fort Wallace, Nebraska, father went through one of the most thrilling experiences of his career. He and his scouts were returning from a scouting expedition when surrounded by 1000 Indians, 25 miles north of the Fort. With the first volley every scout lost his mount and was left afoot far from succor. In the tall grass father and his men burrowed like rabbits digging themselves protecting pits in the sand. They returned the fire of the circling redskins with interest but, had to husband their ammunition. Night came on and brought no relief. They were beset by 1000 Indians and were beginning to experience the gnawing pangs of hunger and thirst. Something had to be done.

It remained for father to plan a solution of the life and death problem. He suggested to Joe Lane, his partner in many thrilling events, that one or the other escape and take word to the Fort, 25 miles away. He left Lane his choice, and Lane chose the task of making his way to the Fort. He affected his way by crawling snake-like down the long ravine until out of earsot of the Indians, passing within a few feet of some of the band. Lane ran almost the entire distance of 25 miles and staggered into the arms of the sentry at the Fort's main gate. Stimulants were given him and he finally succeeded in telling the commander of the situation. Out from the Fort, streamed a long line of soldiers riding like the wind and by daybreak they reached the spot where father and his scouts were surrounded. The soldiers surprised the Indians and in the fight that ensued, put them to routs. By shooting their horses from under them and running them down, the soldiers succeeded in killing a large number.

For more than six years, Father was closely associated with Wm. F. Cody, known to fame as "Buffalo Bill". As scout and hunter, they fought side by side, also rode pony express together out of Atchison Kansas, for Dave Holliday. Father could relate many passages in the life of "Buffalo Bill" which have never been written.

When Father was head teamster of wagon trains for the government he met and became friends with another wagon master named Isaac Haight, he later went with Issac to his parents home on a vacation visit, he met Isaac's sister Martha. They at once became very friendly and later were married April 21, 1865. To this union eleven children were born. They resided in western Missouri, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, until father was released from government service.

Fathers trips took him from Fort Leavenworth to Texas, New Mexico into Colorado, Nebraska and Oklahoma. It took from nine months to one year to make a round trip. On these trains they would always have a doctor and medicinal supplies which were constantly in demand. On one trip black small-pox broke out among the teamsters and panic reigned. Father, being immune, helped nurse the afflicted teamsters. Many lives were lost another time, when epidemic of Cholera broke out. Father succumbed to this, he took from his trunk a bottle of Perry Davis pain killer and drank it, he at once received relief from his terrible suffering and was able to soon be around. He always said he owed his life to this medicine.

His thrilling experiences as a scout were not confined alone to Indians attacks. There were Buffalo stampedes, the prairie country being covered with great herds of Buffalo. Father and Buffalo Bill had many exciting times as pony express riders. One of them was hunting the Buffalo.

After father was released from the government service, he moved with his wife and two little children on a farm near Winchester, Kansas. After farming a few years he sold his farm and bought a Hotel and Livery stable in Winchester, Kansas. He named the hotel "The Henry House." Father, with the help of mother, made a real success of this venture.

He was also interested in horse racing, having a racer of his own. He and mother would always take their children to the County Fair on the day that Father would enter his horse in the races. We were thrilled to see Father go dashing by, driving his beautiful horse. They used sulky's and called them sulky races. He always won at least one race, and we were very proud of the ribbons his horses won.

The livery business took nearly all of fathers time, making the work at the Hotel so heavy for mother that her health began to break. So they sold all their interest here, and in 1881 moved to Garrison, Kansas, where father ran another livery business, also doing contract work, building canals, railroad grades, etc. Meeting financial reverses here, father moved his family to Clay Center, Kansas, continuing contracting for a living.

Fathers brother Hyrum lived in Utah and for several years he had wanted the family to come west, so hoping the change would benefit mother's health, and also help him financially, he sold all his belongings and moved his family to Corinne, Utah, arriving there in May, 1883. After visiting at the home of his brother, Hyrum, for a short time, father decided to remain in Corinne.

After getting his family settled, and getting the necessary equipment, father and the boys took contracts for building canals, fences and grading, etc., this work taking him as far south as American Fork. They also graded and filled in the corner of 25th Street and Washington Ave. Ogden, Utah, so a carnival could be held there. After three years at this work father was made foreman of the Promontory Livestock Co. This company owned land from Connor Springs, on the old Southern Pacific line, south along the Uintah range of mountains, almost to the point where the railroad now crosses the Great Salt Lake.

In the summer months, father employed from 18 to 20 men, moving from farm to farm harvesting hay and grain. The winter months were spent in feeding cattle, hogs, and repairing fences, harness and machinery. When this company sold out, Father filed on 160 acres of land six miles from Corinne. While homesteading this land, mother leased the Hotel at Promontory Station. When father proved up on this land and built a house mother moved there with four children.

After mothers death in December 27, 1910, father and the two boys remained on the farm. His son David married, and Roy drowned November 22, 1913.

The following month father left for Texas where he spent the Christmas holidays with his sister Delilah Highland, who he had not seen for 30 years. From there he visited friends and relatives in Kansas and Missouri, Fort Leavenworth and St. Louis. Along the rivers of Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma, where he used to chase the Buffalo, great farms, cities, and industry had grown up as if by magic.

June 16, 1917 father married Kate Manly. Father leased the farm, residing in his home in Corinne.

Politically, Father was a Republican, always voting a straight Republican ticket. The first time he voted a national ticket, he cast his vote for Abraham Lincoln, as President of the United States. Father joined the Masonic Lodge in his youth, and always maintained his membership in that organization. He was honored at different times in the lodge, being their principal speaker, on many occasions, also spoke in the public schools on his scouting experiences.

Father also drove his own automobile. He drove a carload of old people to the Hermitage in Ogden Canyon for a celebration. He won a prize as the oldest man driving his car, being then about 78 years old.

Father's health began at this time to fail, and after a lingering illness passed away December 20, 1922, lacking two months of being 81 years old. His funeral services were held in the Masonic Hall, Dec 24, 1922, and was buried in the Corinne Cemetery. Father was closely associated with "Buffalo Bill" Cody, "Wild Bill" Hickok, Major Inman, soldier and poet who wrote the book entitled "The Great Salt Lake Trail," and many others whose names, like his own, will go down to posterity as heroes of the west.