Born in Andover, Ohio. Died in an accident resulting from an overturned stagecoach near Leadville, Colorado. On November 14, 1879, Reverend Joseph Pickett was travelling on a stage from Weston to Leadville. It was reported that 14 people were on the coach and that Rev. Pickett was sitting next to the driver, Tim Cooper. The boot apron was across their lap. Nine passengers sat inside the coach and the rest sat outside. It was noon when they left. The coach reached Weston Pass while it was still daylight. They were just short of the summit when they encountered a traffic jam. The wind was blowing hard and the snow was heavy. Freighters were blocked from moving and the stage waited about 30 minutes before being able to proceed. They ran over the top of the pass and encountered another jam. The road from the pass was known to be very dangerous and the freighters warned that the stage should not go further but Mr. Cooper was considered to be a very experienced and capable driver. An hour past nightfall and 11 miles from Leadville the driver realizes that the rear wheels are dangerously close to a cliff edge. The road is thin and dark and conditions are dangerous. The brake was clogged with snow and not working. Mr. Cooper struggled to slow the horses but before they could be stopped, the stage wheels slid off the left edge and over a cliff. The coach turned over and all landed upside down. The heavy mailbags were credited for keeping the coach in its place instead of sliding further down.
The inside passengers were piled on each other. Rev. Pickett was still tied in by the apron and was crushed under the coach. Mr. Cooper held on to the reins and was pulled from the wreck as the horses' rigs broke free of the coach. Six horses were pulling the coach. Passengers inside the coach bore a hole through the back and got themselves out. Upon exiting the coach they heard groans from Isaac Kamak, who was riding at the top of the coach. The coach had to be lifted to free him. Perry Palmer, a passenger, volunteered to walk to Leadville for help. He left on foot with 9 miles to walk. He reached Leadville and help around midnight. The coach was two miles from Nine Mile House. Passengers from the accident that could travel walked to the Nine Mile House and reached it by 9pm. The owners, upon getting word of the accident, sent people to help make passengers comfortable until doctors from Leadville could arrive. It wasn't until the commotion ebbed that Mr. Pickett was missed.
Another stage with surgeons immediately left Leadville after Mr. Palmer notified them of the accident. They arrived at daylight and recovered all except one. Mr. Pickett was the only fatality. He left a wife and three sons, George, John, and a stepson named Eddie Ryder.
As Rev. Pickett was well known from Leadville and Colorado Springs, he was afforded 2 funerals- one in each city. He was a graduate of Yale College and a member of the Congressional church.
In July 1878, Rev. Pickett survived a stage robbery near Hot Creek, Wyoming. Six armed and masked men stopped the stage 2 miles north of Lightning Creek. Rev. Pickett was the only passenger and they chose to not steal from him. They did take the mail bags and the treasure box, which was empty.
The inside passengers were piled on each other. Rev. Pickett was still tied in by the apron and was crushed under the coach. Mr. Cooper held on to the reins and was pulled from the wreck as the horses' rigs broke free of the coach. Six horses were pulling the coach. Passengers inside the coach bore a hole through the back and got themselves out. Upon exiting the coach they heard groans from Isaac Kamak, who was riding at the top of the coach. The coach had to be lifted to free him. Perry Palmer, a passenger, volunteered to walk to Leadville for help. He left on foot with 9 miles to walk. He reached Leadville and help around midnight. The coach was two miles from Nine Mile House. Passengers from the accident that could travel walked to the Nine Mile House and reached it by 9pm. The owners, upon getting word of the accident, sent people to help make passengers comfortable until doctors from Leadville could arrive. It wasn't until the commotion ebbed that Mr. Pickett was missed.
Another stage with surgeons immediately left Leadville after Mr. Palmer notified them of the accident. They arrived at daylight and recovered all except one. Mr. Pickett was the only fatality. He left a wife and three sons, George, John, and a stepson named Eddie Ryder.
As Rev. Pickett was well known from Leadville and Colorado Springs, he was afforded 2 funerals- one in each city. He was a graduate of Yale College and a member of the Congressional church.
In July 1878, Rev. Pickett survived a stage robbery near Hot Creek, Wyoming. Six armed and masked men stopped the stage 2 miles north of Lightning Creek. Rev. Pickett was the only passenger and they chose to not steal from him. They did take the mail bags and the treasure box, which was empty.
Born in Andover, Ohio. Died in an accident resulting from an overturned stagecoach near Leadville, Colorado. On November 14, 1879, Reverend Joseph Pickett was travelling on a stage from Weston to Leadville. It was reported that 14 people were on the coach and that Rev. Pickett was sitting next to the driver, Tim Cooper. The boot apron was across their lap. Nine passengers sat inside the coach and the rest sat outside. It was noon when they left. The coach reached Weston Pass while it was still daylight. They were just short of the summit when they encountered a traffic jam. The wind was blowing hard and the snow was heavy. Freighters were blocked from moving and the stage waited about 30 minutes before being able to proceed. They ran over the top of the pass and encountered another jam. The road from the pass was known to be very dangerous and the freighters warned that the stage should not go further but Mr. Cooper was considered to be a very experienced and capable driver. An hour past nightfall and 11 miles from Leadville the driver realizes that the rear wheels are dangerously close to a cliff edge. The road is thin and dark and conditions are dangerous. The brake was clogged with snow and not working. Mr. Cooper struggled to slow the horses but before they could be stopped, the stage wheels slid off the left edge and over a cliff. The coach turned over and all landed upside down. The heavy mailbags were credited for keeping the coach in its place instead of sliding further down.
The inside passengers were piled on each other. Rev. Pickett was still tied in by the apron and was crushed under the coach. Mr. Cooper held on to the reins and was pulled from the wreck as the horses' rigs broke free of the coach. Six horses were pulling the coach. Passengers inside the coach bore a hole through the back and got themselves out. Upon exiting the coach they heard groans from Isaac Kamak, who was riding at the top of the coach. The coach had to be lifted to free him. Perry Palmer, a passenger, volunteered to walk to Leadville for help. He left on foot with 9 miles to walk. He reached Leadville and help around midnight. The coach was two miles from Nine Mile House. Passengers from the accident that could travel walked to the Nine Mile House and reached it by 9pm. The owners, upon getting word of the accident, sent people to help make passengers comfortable until doctors from Leadville could arrive. It wasn't until the commotion ebbed that Mr. Pickett was missed.
Another stage with surgeons immediately left Leadville after Mr. Palmer notified them of the accident. They arrived at daylight and recovered all except one. Mr. Pickett was the only fatality. He left a wife and three sons, George, John, and a stepson named Eddie Ryder.
As Rev. Pickett was well known from Leadville and Colorado Springs, he was afforded 2 funerals- one in each city. He was a graduate of Yale College and a member of the Congressional church.
In July 1878, Rev. Pickett survived a stage robbery near Hot Creek, Wyoming. Six armed and masked men stopped the stage 2 miles north of Lightning Creek. Rev. Pickett was the only passenger and they chose to not steal from him. They did take the mail bags and the treasure box, which was empty.
The inside passengers were piled on each other. Rev. Pickett was still tied in by the apron and was crushed under the coach. Mr. Cooper held on to the reins and was pulled from the wreck as the horses' rigs broke free of the coach. Six horses were pulling the coach. Passengers inside the coach bore a hole through the back and got themselves out. Upon exiting the coach they heard groans from Isaac Kamak, who was riding at the top of the coach. The coach had to be lifted to free him. Perry Palmer, a passenger, volunteered to walk to Leadville for help. He left on foot with 9 miles to walk. He reached Leadville and help around midnight. The coach was two miles from Nine Mile House. Passengers from the accident that could travel walked to the Nine Mile House and reached it by 9pm. The owners, upon getting word of the accident, sent people to help make passengers comfortable until doctors from Leadville could arrive. It wasn't until the commotion ebbed that Mr. Pickett was missed.
Another stage with surgeons immediately left Leadville after Mr. Palmer notified them of the accident. They arrived at daylight and recovered all except one. Mr. Pickett was the only fatality. He left a wife and three sons, George, John, and a stepson named Eddie Ryder.
As Rev. Pickett was well known from Leadville and Colorado Springs, he was afforded 2 funerals- one in each city. He was a graduate of Yale College and a member of the Congressional church.
In July 1878, Rev. Pickett survived a stage robbery near Hot Creek, Wyoming. Six armed and masked men stopped the stage 2 miles north of Lightning Creek. Rev. Pickett was the only passenger and they chose to not steal from him. They did take the mail bags and the treasure box, which was empty.
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