Robert McAuley and his wife came to Atlantic City in 1869. These pioneers settled in Colorado in 1866, removed to Cheyenne in 1868 and from there went to Atlantic City. Mr. McAuley entered actively into business and has remained in the same town until the present writing (1898). He was the first postmaster, the office being established in 1870, when Atlantic had a population of 1,200. He continued in this position up to May 3, 1893, nearly a quarter of a century. He tells me that he has lived in three counties, Carter, Sweetwater and Fremont; two territories, Dakota and Wyoming, and one state, Wyoming, and during all these changes moved neither his residence nor his place of business from Atlantic. All these mutations came to Atlantic and through all he remained a fixture, carrying on the mercantile business for a period of more than twentynine years, and at the same time interesting himself in all movements which were for the benefit of the town, county or state. He was born in East Troy, New York, November 22, 1837. In the forties his family moved to Illinois and in 1854 young McAuley went to Kansas, where he remained five years, during the Free State troubles. In 1865 Mr. and Mrs. McAuley were married and since that time have walked the journey of life together, seeing many changes come to their chosen home.

Michael Heenan and his family located in Atlantic in August, 1869, and the following year, in December, moved to Miners Delight. Two years later, Mr. Heenan was killed by Indians. A detailed account of this affair will be found in its proper place in the second volume of this work. Three years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Heenan married P. P. Dickinson, one of the pioneer business men of Fremont County. They have for many years lived in Lander. Mrs. Dickinson is one of the pioneer mothers of the mines and of Fremont County. She was born in Ireland and came to America with her parents when a child. In 1867 she and Mr. Heenan took up their residence in Cheyenne, being among the pioneers who settled that place.

In the early days of South Pass, either the latter part of 1868 or early in 1869, James Smith located there and through all the changes of the town, and the coming and going of others, he remained a permanent resident. Running a store and a hotel and engaging actively in mining, he necessarily became prominent. He did a thriving business for many years and accumulated a considerable fortune. He died in 1896 full of years and will ever be remembered for his courtesy to strangers and kind acts to his neighbors. He was born in Mississippi about the year 1826, was a volunteer in the Mexican War, serving in the navy and distinguishing himself as a brave and unselfish hero. I will relate one instance which will

illustrate his kindness of heart and at the same time his desire to do his part on public occasions. In the summer of 1894 the business men of Rock Springs made up an excursion to visit the mines and Lander and took with them a band of nineteen pieces. The excursion was a large one and filled to the utmost the public places of entertainment of both South Pass and Atlantic. The band was assigned to Smith's Hotel and was there for supper, lodging and breakfast. When they were ready to go away, the leader hunted up Mr. Smith to settle the bill and asked how much it would be. Smith looked at him a moment and replied: "Not a cent, sir. I haven't seen or heard a band since General Scott entered the City of Mexico. I couldn't charge you a cent, sir. Come and see me again."

R. M. Ricketts, another old timer, worked his way to Atlantic as a freighter, arriving on June 17, 1869, and has remained there ever since that time. He helped to build Camp Stambaugh, also old Camp Brown on the present site of Lander, but most of the time up to 1883, followed the freighting business. Since that time he has been actively engaged in mining and with considerable success, having operated some of the best properties in the camp. Like other men in that section, he has fought Indians, experienced good as well as hard times but through it all has remained loyal to the country. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, February 3, 1851.

The men who deserve honorable mention in the history of the mining camps of South Pass, Atlantic, Miner's Delight and Lewiston are those who came early and worked hard in developing the mineral wealth of the country. These men have seen many changes, successes and failures and at no time have they lost faith in the country. As an illustration of this class Samuel L. Spangler stands prominent. In the early spring of 1874 he came to Wyoming and stopped for a time at Cheyenne and from there went with a party of surveyors into the country near Fort Bridger. While on this trip he drove a freight team into South Pass, and, liking the country, remained there. He had abundant opportunities to assist in the public defense against Indian attacks, to witness the bright side as well as the dark side in the mines, to labor unceasingly to develop properties, and often realizing but slight returns for his hard work. He was part owner in the Red Canon placers, in which he worked for four years. He did work on many of the leading quartz mines of that country, and has at times been the owner of a number of properties. He developed the Ground Hog, a quartz mine of promise, of which he is still the owner. Through all the years he has gone on with a quiet determination to do his part in proving that the millions of dollars in gold which have been taken from the surface did not come from the clouds but was the outcroppings of great mother

lodes which are still intact in the hills. Spangler was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, November 16, 1849, emigrated with his parents to Illinois in 1863 and later went to Iowa, from which state he came to Wyoming. In 1892 he was elected County Commissioner and served as chairman of the board.

The name of Captain Herman G. Nickerson has been mentioned in the history of the mines. He was born in Litchfield, Modena County, Ohio, May 4, 1841. He entered the army early in 1861, Company D, Twenty-third Ohio Infantry. He was afterward transferred to the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Infantry and made Captain of Company I. He saw hard service during the war and passed through the four years and was mustered out when hostilities ceased. Returning home he commenced the study of law, but his health giving away, he started west in 1866, going to Montana. As has been stated he arrived at the mines in 1868. From the day of his arrival down to the present time he has been one of the busiest men in that country. He will appear prominently in the History of Fremont County, having held numerous positions of trust and great responsibility.

Among the pioneers who came in 1868 and remained in the country, should be mentioned John Curry. He mined for a year and then started a store, remaining at the mines until 1874, when he moved to Lander. In 1872 he was elected County Assessor. He will be mentioned in the history of Sweetwater County and also in that of Fremont County. In the latter he held prominent positions. He still resides in Lander.

I have already mentioned the arrival of Ervin F. Cheney in 1869. His wagon and blacksmith shop became famous. For a number of years, in addition to his regular business, he made the coffins used in the community and during the time of the Indian troubles he had plenty of work. Cheney came from Fort Sanders, to which place he had been transferred from Camp Carlin. He was born in the state of New York, served in the Civil War in the Twenty-first New York Cavalry and was in the campaigns in Virginia. At the battle of Malvern Hill he was wounded and taken prisoner and held for seven months when he was paroled and soon afterward regularly exchanged. After serving his enlistment, he re-enlisted as a veteran and continued in the army until the end of the war. He crossed the plains in 1865 and located temporarily in Colorado, from which place he came to Wyoming. He has held various political offices and his services will receive further notice in the history of Sweetwater County and also in that of Fremont County.

Another old timer and one who has become prominent in the history of that section is Benjamin Sheldon, who was a soldier in the