I have been working on finding additional information on George and Louise Ingman. Here are some of my recent findings:
After 52 years of continuous service as stage driver, George Ingman, known to practically every pioneer of the West between the Missouri River and the Cascade Mountains, is quietly spending the evening of his life at Sweet. He is one of the few survivors of the drivers of the Overland Stage Line that operated from Atchison, Kan., to the coast. In fact, so far as he knows, he is the only one still living. He is still hale and hearty and his 80 years sit lightly upon his broad shoulders and stock frame and he frequently relieves the drivers on John Hall’s Stage Line between this city and Van Wyck. Two years ago he was in continuous service all summer, making the journey every day between Ola and Smith’s Ferry.
George Ingman’s experiences during his more than half a century’s service as stage driver would fill a large volume with as thrilling tales as were ever recounted and his escape from death many times was miraculous.
In 1867, he was the agent of the Wells Fargo Express Company and his trip was from North Platte, Wyo., to Sulphur Springs. The stage ran in two sections, one carrying passengers and the express and the other freight. When out 14 miles, at Sage Creek, the passenger stage was attacked by 40 Indians. At first fusilade, the driver, Jim Nichols by name, was shot through neck and killed. Ingman took the lines and drove for a knoll, where it was decided to make a stand. With the passengers, the Indians were kept off for seven hours, when an emigrant train coming in the distance attracted the Indians and the stage reached Sulphur Springs, with the loss of two mules. Ingman was shot through the arm with an arrow but the wound was not a serious one.
At another time on the same route, he was held up by four men and a woman and the express company and the passengers were robbed of $45,000. The woman now lives in Portland.
Mr. Ingman’s first experience as a driver was in 1852 between Davenport and Blue Grass, Iowa. The Rock Island railroad at that time was within 15 miles of Rock Island, Ill. He saw the first bridge built across the Mississippi River, in 1855.
In 1861, he drove for the Overland Stage from St. Joseph, Mo., to Kennekuk, Kan., a distance of 24 miles and five years later went to Atchison, Kan. and was given the finest six horse outfit on the Overland. These horses were sorrels and cost Ben Holliday, the owner of the Overland State Line $1,400.
A few years later, he came west and has been driving continuously ever since until this year.
He came to Idaho in 1870 and operated between Boise and La-Grande, Ore., for many years. He hauled Frank Coffin of Boise and his bride on their bridal trip from Huntington to Buttermilk Slough, near Weiser, 39 years ago. Of the eight drivers on that route, he is the only survivor.
© 2014 Emmett Messenger-Index. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.George Ingman, survivor of Overland Stage Line
Originally published in The Emmett Index in the Garden Valley of IdahoAfter 52 years of continuous service as stage driver, George Ingman, known to practically every pioneer of the West between the Missouri River and the Cascade Mountains, is quietly spending the evening of his life at Sweet. He is one of the few survivors of the drivers of the Overland Stage Line that operated from Atchison, Kan., to the coast. In fact, so far as he knows, he is the only one still living. He is still hale and hearty and his 80 years sit lightly upon his broad shoulders and stock frame and he frequently relieves the drivers on John Hall’s Stage Line between this city and Van Wyck. Two years ago he was in continuous service all summer, making the journey every day between Ola and Smith’s Ferry.
George Ingman’s experiences during his more than half a century’s service as stage driver would fill a large volume with as thrilling tales as were ever recounted and his escape from death many times was miraculous.
In 1867, he was the agent of the Wells Fargo Express Company and his trip was from North Platte, Wyo., to Sulphur Springs. The stage ran in two sections, one carrying passengers and the express and the other freight. When out 14 miles, at Sage Creek, the passenger stage was attacked by 40 Indians. At first fusilade, the driver, Jim Nichols by name, was shot through neck and killed. Ingman took the lines and drove for a knoll, where it was decided to make a stand. With the passengers, the Indians were kept off for seven hours, when an emigrant train coming in the distance attracted the Indians and the stage reached Sulphur Springs, with the loss of two mules. Ingman was shot through the arm with an arrow but the wound was not a serious one.
At another time on the same route, he was held up by four men and a woman and the express company and the passengers were robbed of $45,000. The woman now lives in Portland.
Mr. Ingman’s first experience as a driver was in 1852 between Davenport and Blue Grass, Iowa. The Rock Island railroad at that time was within 15 miles of Rock Island, Ill. He saw the first bridge built across the Mississippi River, in 1855.
In 1861, he drove for the Overland Stage from St. Joseph, Mo., to Kennekuk, Kan., a distance of 24 miles and five years later went to Atchison, Kan. and was given the finest six horse outfit on the Overland. These horses were sorrels and cost Ben Holliday, the owner of the Overland State Line $1,400.
A few years later, he came west and has been driving continuously ever since until this year.
He came to Idaho in 1870 and operated between Boise and La-Grande, Ore., for many years. He hauled Frank Coffin of Boise and his bride on their bridal trip from Huntington to Buttermilk Slough, near Weiser, 39 years ago. Of the eight drivers on that route, he is the only survivor.
Article
 |
| 1800s: The old stagecoach — In operation between Emmett and Van Wyck (near Cascade) — was the only means of communication between the lower valley and Long Valley and the Thunder Mountain district. The stage, operated by John F. Hall, left Emmett every morning on arrival of the mail from Nampa and with frequent relays of horses made the trip to Van Wyck in 18 hours. Pictured is the Thunder Mountain stagecoach in front of the Emmett Depot. The driver is Ed Ingman with J.R. Hughes on the seat beside him. George Flake is on the top of the coach. |
Reminiscences Of A Missionary Bishop
BY
THE RIGHT REV. D. S. TUTTLE, D.D., LL.D.
Bishop of Missouri
THIRD IMPRESSION
NEW YORK
THOMAS WHITTAKER
Copyright, 1906,
by
Thomas Whittaker
With a wide-spread yawn I awoke. The gray dawn was stealing down over the Weiser hills and a light veil of fog overhung Snake River, the boundary between Or- egon and Idaho. And then for the first time I caught a sight of my traveling companion as he sat dozing in the opposite corner of the stage. He looked like a well-to- do cattle man, and was dressed in a suit of brown cotton duck, such as we use for shooting and fishing suits, with heavy boots and a slouched felt hat. It was warm weather, and he had not even as much as the professional white choker, but wore his shirt collar turned down in a decidedly ?iegligee style. After the change of horses had been made at Miller's station (now called Huntington), I got outside to take the seat vacated by a man and his wife who had come from the North Powder. The new driver, George Ingman, was an old California acquaintance, and we soon got into conversation, which turned upon the bishop who was inside. Article
1880 Non-population Census Schedules for Idaho
Ingman George Washington Agricultural Schedule Of Lower Weiser
 |
| US IRS Tax Assessment List, 1862-1918 |
No comments:
Post a Comment