Page 9 - 2008 DT 12 issues

In This Issue !

Featured Article
Helen J. Stewart...............................1
Special
Orchids in the Desert ......................3
Hike to Lombard Crash Site...........7
Departments
News & Notes.................................2
February 2008 Programs & Hikes...........................4
Desk Schedule...............................6
Bulletin Board................................8

other businesses. With his new wife, bad weather ruined his crop. Stewart
HELEN J. STEWART Helen, he moved to a ranch in the truly foreclosed in 1882, and decided to
. . . Las Vegas’ “First Lady” remote area of Pony Springs, north of move there. For Helen, still the full-
Pioche. Paiutes were among the few time wife and mother, it meant life on
by Chuck Kleber people around. Helen made friends an isolated ranch . . . again. Although
with them and her first child, William they were few, there were more people
elen J. Stewart was far more James, was born there. This was the around, including interesting travelers
than a “First Lady” for Las
HVegans; she was a bright, stuff of pioneers, and she was up to who stopped for the cool creek and cot-
it. Archibald soon moved to Pioche tonwoods on the ranch. Helen liked the
dedicated and resilient pioneer who where he combined cattle ranching new social life, even if it was limited.
strode with the best in the early days and raising vegetables with extensive Stewart continued his successful hand
. . . man or woman. She could have freighting operations, even as far as in business at the new ranch, selling
been a Californian. Born in 1854 in
Springfield, Ill. as Helen Jane Wis- Eureka through the harshest of wilder- beef, wine, fruit and vegetables to
ness. Helen gave birth to two more Nevada’s miners. Helen had another
er, she was only nine child, Evaline La Vega. Life on the
and one of five chil- frontier was good, but it was a prelude
dren when her father to tragedy. One of the ranch hands,
decided to move the
family to the area of Schyler Henry, told Helen he was quit-
ting and demanded back wages. When
Stockton, Calif. Helen Helen said he would have to wait until
attended public school, her husband came back, Henry became
followed by some time abusive and threatening. Helen told
at Woodward College
in nearby Yolo. Still Archibald about the incident on his re-
turn. He felt it was serious, picked up a
in California and in rifle and rode out to the notorious Kiel
her teens, she met Ranch in present-day North Las Vegas,
38-year-old Archibald where he understood Henry had gone.
Stewart, fell in love, Stewart Ranch
and married him on Conrad Kiel and his son, Edwin, were
April 6, 1873. childen here, Hiram Richard and Flora known to harbor all sorts of unsavory
Enter, Nevada. Archibald, a Eliza Jane. By 1879, with extra money characters, including outlaws. No one
shrewd and entrepreneurial Scot, had in his pocket, Archibald was able to knows exactly what happened, but at
a good sense for business. Prior to invest. He loaned $5,000 in gold to the end, Archibald was shot and killed.
the marriage, he had been hauling ore Octavius D. Gass, taking his Las Vegas Henry “Hank” Parish, a ranch hand
from the area around Pioche, Nev. Rancho in Las Vegas as collateral. It from a nearby spread, may have done
as well as supplying wood to locals was an event that changed his life, and the shooting, but he fled. Conrad then
from a ranch. Then he opted for cattle Helen’s, forever. sent a cursory and crude note by rider
ranching in Nevada and sold some Gass defaulted on the loan when
Helen Stewart, continued on page 6