A series where we take a #lookback at the stories and history of our community, brought to you by Mick Pryor, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones.
Hugo Koch migrated from Germany with his parents in 1853, at age 15. The family settled in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. At age 20 Koch was looking for adventure and decided to search for his fortune in the West. He sailed down the Mississippi River and traveled to Leavenworth, Kansas where one of his brothers introduced him to the notorious Jack Slade. At that time, Slade was in charge of the Overland Trail. Slade looked at Koch’s callous-free hands and knew he was an inexperienced greenhorn, but Slade hired him as a bullwhacker.
At this time, freighters used oxen to pull the wagons along the Overland Trail, following the North Platte River and the Sweetwater River, a route also followed by the Emigrant Trails. Koch grew into the job. One evening when the freighters were finishing dinner, the talk turned to politics. Some of the men identified as Know Nothings, some as Whigs, the young Koch said he was an Abolitionist. The men grew silent; this was evidently an unpopular position as the country was hurling towards civil war. Slade told Koch not to ever mention it again as Slade struggled to control his temper. Hugo worked freighting from the fall of 1858 through the winter of 1859. After the company he worked for was sold to the Leavenworth and Pike’s Peak Express, he evidently continued to work on the mail route joining the Pony Express. His obituary states:
“On occasions when the Indians killed the pony express riders, Mr Koch made their rides, and many times narrowly escaped death. He worked for the company when Slade was in charge of the Pony Express through Wyoming.”
The late Tom Bell, a local Fremont County historian, noted that Koch’s name is not found among the Pony Express records. The records are sketchy but Koch was a reliable man. There was very high turnover among the Pony Express riders especially in the winter. Bell did not doubt Koch’s word that he participated as a Pony Express rider.
In 1860 because of ill health Koch left the trail and returned to Wisconsin. His health improved and on September 16, 1861, he enlisted as a volunteer in Company B of the Ninth Wisconsin Volunteers. He was first promoted to corporal and then second lieutenant and was mustered out in December of 1864 as a first lieutenant.
After serving honorably in the Civil War Koch married twice and went into business and banking in Iowa. His first wife, Henrietta and at least three children died in 1880. He remarried in 1886 to Elizabeth Keeler. He had eight or nine children total but only one, his son, Henry, grew to maturity. This must have been heartbreaking for him.
From 1886 to 1892 Koch lived in Kansas City, Missouri. After financial reversals Koch, his wife and his son moved back to Wyoming in 1892 and for a short time lived at Pacific Springs before moving to the Lander Valley. His only surviving son, Henry was killed in a blasting accident at South Pass in one of the mines at age 25.
While living in the Lander Valley, Koch ranched, farmed, taught school, mined and ran an orchard at the mouth of Sinks Canyon and rebuilt his wealth. He also had a successful twelve acre farm within the boundaries of what is today Lander where he grew prize winning potatoes and raspberries along with other produce. He also served as a justice of the peace and was known locally as Judge Koch. He was a Democrat, and he worked to make fruit-growing a viable occupation in Fremont county.
In his obituary in the Wind River Mountaineer he was eulogized this way:
“He was a man of unassuming demeanor, sterling integrity, unwavering patriotism, and had a standing in the community which attested well for his mode of life among his fellow man. The Judge never claimed to know what awaited him in the hereafter, but felt that life well spent here would recompense him in the hereafter, and we feel that he had not disappointed.”
According to his obituary Hugo Koch died January 7, 1914 at age 76 after a stroke. He is buried in Lander’s Mount Hope Cemetery beside his wife, Elizabeth. His grave is marked with a Union soldier’s headstone.
Author: Liz Farmer, Pioneer Museum
Next up for the Fremont County Museum
August 17, 8am at the Pioneer Museum, “Borner’s Garden Cemetery Trek” Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series
August 21 6pm at the Riverton Museum, “Bar Ten Trivia Night: Hosted by the Riverton Museum”
August 21, 7pm at the Pioneer Museum, “Eagle Spirit Dancers”
August 24, 10:30am at the Dubois Museum, “Kids Corner: WY Wildflowers” Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
August 28, 6pm, at the Riverton Museum, “David Miller: Gas Hills Uranium District” Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series
August 28, 7pm at the Pioneer Museum, “Eagle Spirit Dancers”
August 28, 6pm at the Riverton Museum, “Randy Tucker: History of Riverton” Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series
Call the Dubois Museum 1-307-455-2284, the Pioneer Museum 1-307-332-3339 or the Riverton Museum 1-307-856-2665 for detail regarding their programs.
The Dubois Museum, the Pioneer Museum in Lander and the Riverton Museum need your financial support. In the current economic environment, the museums are more reliant than ever on donations from the private sector to continue to provide the quality programs, collections management, exhibits and services that have become their hallmark over the last four years. Please make your tax deductible contribution to be used specifically for the benefit of the museum of your choosing by sending a check to Fremont County Museums 450 N 2nd Rm 320 or taking it directly to the museum you choose to support.