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.
Richard Morse was born in Maine, either in 1851 or 1849 (personal accounts and census data vary) on February 15, and grew up in Minnesota. He learned the blacksmith trade from his father, while working in Minnesota. He made his way out west around 1880, first employed at Fort Steele in Carbon county and working there for two years, before moving to Fort Washakie to continue his trade.
He had moved to Wyoming with his first wife, Amanda Fanning, whom he married in 1872. He spent about five years working at Fort Washakie, and then settled in North Fork to try his hand at raising cattle. However, the aggressive winters of 1890 seem to have affected him as it did so many other cattlemen, and he returned to working at the Fort, while doing other work such as running a stage and main line from Fort Washakie, WY to Meeteetse, WY for a few years, and then running the Fort Washakie Hotel until selling in 1896 to Sherman Major.
Richard and his wife moved to Lander, where he had his family home built on the corner of Sixth and Garfield (which is still standing today). He continued his work as a blacksmith, working at the Agency and also setting up a blacksmith shop in Lander, the City Blacksmith and Wagon Shop.
In 1896, he was nominated for the position of Sheriff, and won this election against Orson Grimmett. Seemingly, Orson contested the election and the case went to trial, though eventually Orson consented and vacated the office. Richard served two terms as sheriff, while still doing his blacksmith trade. He sold his shop in 1897 to Frank Kerwin.
He continued his work with the law in other capacities, as policeman and deputy sheriff in the early 1900’s and about 1909 returning to the Reservation to become chief of Indian police as well as a U.S. Deputy Marshal.
Richard was also involved in the electricity business, helping a Mr. R. B. Fanning from Minnesota with his interest in a hydro-electric dam at the Big Popo Agie falls in Sinks Canyon starting in 1905. He was also a trustee for the Wyoming Power and Light Company for a time.
In his personal life, he was a lifelong Mason and member of the Rawlins Shriners, and served on the Lander city council. His brother Ed, also a blacksmith, worked alongside him for a time at Fort Washakie but passed away by 1898. With his first wife, Amanda, they adopted a daughter, Virginia Rolla Daugherty, in the early 1900’s (her sister, Viola Beatrice Daugherty, remained with her father and fellow blacksmith Theodore Daugherty, though notes in newspapers seem to convey that the Morses’ considered Viola as a daughter). Amanda passed away in 1906, and Rolla passed away in childbirth in 1913. In 1911 he married his second wife, Edith Olsen. He returned to living at the Post in 1913, and continued working as a lawman until his health began to decline in 1915. Family and friends were often visiting him and hoping for an improvement in his health, but he passed away on October 12, 1915 from cancer. A respected man, many mourned his death and his obituaries pay him homage, recalling an important figure around the community.
Author: Hailey Redden
Next up for the Fremont County Museum
December 13, 2pm at the Riverton Museum, “Santa’s Workshop” Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
December 13, 10-4pm at the Riverton Museum, “Christmas Open House”
December 13, 6-8pm at the Pioneer Museum, “Old Fashioned Christmas in the Pioneer Village’ Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
December 13, 11-3pm at the Dubois Museum, “Holiday Open House”
Thru December, 9-5 at the Riverton Museum, “History Day Exhibits” Shoshone Schools
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 through the Wind River Cultural Centers Foundation www.windriverccf.com or by sending a check to Fremont County Museums 450 N 2nd Rm 320 or taking it directly to the museum you choose to support.
Photo is Richard Morse, circa early 1900’s, wearing his Masonic Knights Templar uniform.