I wondered what took place as the 1800s turned into the 1900s.
The Mancos Times, Dec. 28, 1899
Col. J.G. Price ate his Christmas dinner with The Times families. (The Times families were largely member of the publisher's family - the W. H. Kelleys.
The death of Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist, will bring sorrow to many thousands of hearts all over the country.
On Tuesday night, one of Stubb's large horses was ridden into town and tied to a rail before Taylor's store. The horse died within a few hours. This was one of his four-horse team and a valuable animal.
In the Mancos primary school, Margaret Guillet was the teacher with an enrollment of 41. The names of pupils who were neither tardy or absent: Mabel Riggs, Harry Dean. Rebecca Hallford, Marcus Willden, Claud Sprague, Clint Scharff, Carl Thompson, and Jesie Ford. (Harry Dean was a brother of Henry Dean who operated the Mancos Hotel for 20 years. Rebecca Hallford was a daughter of the barber Frank Hallford. Marcus Willden was a son John and Margaret Willden who came to Mancos in 1887. Claud Sprague was a son of Henry Norton Sprague who was the station agent and telegrapher at the Mancos train depot for a number of years. Clint Scharff was a son of Jessie and Allen Scharff who came to Mancos in 1894 and died within a day of each other from influenza in 1922.)
We understand that the Sheek brothers, George and Andy, will fit up the basement of the Bopp building into a nice clubroom and billiard hall. (George and Andy were sons of John and Mary Sheek, who married in 1887.)
Last Tuesday evening, a number of young people gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Rush for an evening of games and general merriment. E. A. was a son of James and Minnie Rush.
Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Williams went to Cortez on Sunday a week ago to spend Christmas and, incidentally, see the horse races.
More snow is needed right now. The sledding is worn out, and the mills will have to cease operations unless the roads are greased pretty soon.
James A. Frink, wife and Jack came up from their Montezuma house on Wednesday and will visit with friends in this valley.(James Alonzo Frink married Mary Wilson in 1896. She died in 1913 and James passed away in 1949.)
The Mancos Times, Jan. 8, 1990
On Wednesday evening, at the home of the bride's parents in Hutchison Kan., Mr. Alfred Wetherill and Miss Mary Tarrant were married. (Alfred was the youngest son of Benjamin Kite Wetherill, who came to Mancos in 1879 and homesteaded the Alamo ranch.)
Frank Hallford and his great wife are rejoicing over the arrival of a new baby girl at their house.
When hungry call at the "Horse Shoe" restaurant. (Doesn't sound very appetizing.)
Darrel Ellis is a longtime historian of the Mancos Valley. Email him at dnrls@q.com.