Name/Title
Army Wife Comes West: Letters of Catharine Wever Collins (1863-1864)Entry/Object ID
2009.3.8Description
Army Wife Comes West: Letters of Catharine Wever Collins, Army Wife Comes West: Letters of Catharine Wever Collins concerns the wife of Col. William O. Collins, commander of the 11th Ohio Volunteer Calvary at Fort Laramie, for whom Ft. Collins, CO is now named, She is also the mother of Casper Collins, the army officer for whom Fort Casper on the Oregon-California Trail in today's Wyoming is named. Casper lost his life in an Indian fight at the Platte Bridge trying to rescue a wagon train. near Red Buttes.
Catharine joined her husband in Colorado Territory in 1863 and these are the letters she wrote to relatives back East. They tell of meeting outstanding pioneers, life at Fort Laramie, and the danger of Indian attack.
Catharine left the Julesburg in August 1864 coincidentally the same week as the Indian depredations of that month. She arrived safely in St. Joseph, Missouri, August 20, 1964. The August 21, 1864, letter on page 31 was written from St. Joseph, Missouri. She arrived on the steamboat "Denver" from Omaha. There is a photograph of this steamboat on page 22.
Of St. Joseph, Catharine says "St. Joseph is situated on more hills than ancient Rome...where we had a warm reception....I will stay here several days and must make a visit to Aunt and Uncle Clarkson...Cousin Helen is delightfully situated living in a very pleasant house, prettily situated well finished and furnished, with a kind sensible handsome husband, four fine children, a carriage, horses, and servants."
Photographs included are of:
Collins, Catharine Wever as older woman
Bullock, W.G., post sutler at Fort Laramie
Mitchell, Robert B, Brig. General, who escorted Catharine homeward
Hitz, Rudolph, Dr., a traveling companion
Sketch of Fort Casper drawing by Casper Collins, 1863
31/Softbound/Illustration/PhotographsCollection
Don and Maudie Reynolds CollectionLexicon
Search Terms
Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Calvary, Steamboats, Denver Steamboat, Colorado History, Plum Creek Massacre, Fort Collins, Fort Laramie, Fort Casper, Indian Interaction, St. Joseph HistoryPublication Details
Author
Agnes Wright Spring, editorPlace Published
City
DenverState/Province
ColoradoDate Published
1954Call No.
Western SPNotes
Copy No.: 1Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
William Col. CollinsPerson or Organization
Casper Lt. CollinsPerson or Organization
Catharine Wever CollinsPerson or Organization
Dr. Rudolph HitzPerson or Organization
Brig. General Robert B. MitchellPerson or Organization
W. G. Bullock