Old Spanish Trail

Horse Stealing in the American West: A Complex Saga of Survival, Conflict, and Lawlessness

In the mid-19th century, the American West was a land of vast open spaces, sparse settlements, and a constant struggle for survival. Among the various challenges faced by settlers, Native Americans, and other inhabitants of the region, horse stealing emerged as a significant and often dangerous activity. This essay explores the multifaceted nature of horse stealing, its impact on different communities, and the notable figures involved in these activities, focusing on the Mojave Desert and surrounding areas.

Historical Context and Importance of Horses

Horses were introduced to North America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and quickly became integral to the way of life for many Native American tribes. By the 19th century, horses were indispensable for transportation, labor, hunting, and warfare. For settlers and ranchers, horses were crucial assets, representing significant economic value and practical utility.

The California Gold Rush of the late 1840s brought settlers to the region, intensifying resource competition and escalating conflicts between different groups. Horses’ value made them prime targets for theft, and horse stealing became a widespread problem, contributing to the lawlessness and violence that characterized much of the frontier.

Techniques and Tactics of Horse Stealing

Horse stealing requires a combination of skill, knowledge, and audacity. Thieves often operated in bands, using well-planned tactics to carry out their raids. These tactics included:

Night Raids: Most horse thefts occurred at night when thieves took advantage of the darkness to avoid detection and increase their chances of a successful escape.
Remote Trails: Thieves used remote trails and difficult terrain to evade pursuers. Their knowledge of the landscape was a significant advantage, allowing them to move swiftly and remain hidden.
Speed and Surprise: The element of surprise was crucial. Thieves would strike quickly, gather as many horses as possible, and leave before the victims could organize a response.
Dispersal and Fencing: Stolen horses were often dispersed among various locations or quickly sold to fences, making it difficult for the rightful owners to recover them.

Notable Figures in Horse Stealing

Several prominent figures became infamous for their involvement in horse stealing. Their stories highlight the complexities and contradictions of frontier life.

Walkara: The Ute Leader

Walkara, also known as Chief Walker, was a Ute leader born around 1808. He became one of the most feared and respected figures in the Great Basin and Mojave Desert regions due to his prowess in horse stealing. Leading numerous raids from Utah into California, Walkara amassed thousands of horses. His knowledge of the terrain and guerrilla tactics made him a formidable opponent. Despite his reputation as a horse thief, Walkara was also a shrewd leader and negotiator, embodying the dual roles of protector and predator standard among Native American leaders of the time.

Jim Beckwourth: The Adventurous Frontiersman

James P. Beckwourth, a mixed-race mountain man, fur trader, and explorer, was born into slavery in 1798 and gained his freedom to become one of the most colorful figures of the American frontier. While primarily known for his role as a trader and guide, Beckwourth’s interactions with various Native American tribes, including the Crow, often placed him amid horse raiding activities. His involvement in horse stealing adds another layer to his multifaceted legacy, reflecting the blurred lines between legitimate trade and outlaw activities on the frontier.

Peg-leg Smith: The Notorious Thief

Thomas L. “Peg-leg” Smith, born in 1801, was notorious for horse-stealing raids across the Southwest. Known for his wooden leg, Smith conducted large-scale raids on Mexican ranchos, stealing hundreds of horses and driving them north to American markets. His daring exploits and cunning escapes made him a legendary figure in Western folklore, contributing to the mythos of the Wild West. Smith’s activities disrupted the economies of the regions he targeted and highlighted the challenges of maintaining law and order in the frontier.

The Case of Indian Joaquin

Indian Joaquin, also known as Joaquin Valenzuela, was another significant figure in horse stealing. His band of outlaws, including the Mojave Desert, was active in California and was known for their bold raids. In 1845, Governor Pio Pico sent Benjamin Davis Wilson to lead an expedition against these horse thieves. Wilson’s mission culminated in a confrontation where he shot and killed Indian Joaquin. This event marked a significant moment in the struggle between settlers and Native American bands, illustrating the harsh measures taken to protect property and assert dominance in the region.

Responses to Horse Stealing

The persistent threat of horse stealing led to various responses from both military and civilian authorities:

Military Patrols: Increased military presence and patrols aimed to protect settlements and ranchos from raids. Forts and outposts were established strategically to serve as bases for these operations.
Vigilance Committees: Settlers often formed vigilance committees to protect their property and pursue horse thieves. These groups operated outside formal legal structures, using extrajudicial methods to capture and punish suspected thieves.
Negotiations and Treaties: In some cases, attempts were made to negotiate with raiding groups to establish peace and trade agreements. However, these efforts were often temporary and depended on the shifting dynamics of power and resources.

Impact and Legacy

The impact of horse stealing in the American West was profound, influencing economic stability, social dynamics, and cultural interactions. The legacy of horse stealing includes:

Economic Disruption: The theft of horses had significant economic implications, disrupting transportation, labor, and trade. For many settlers, losing horses meant a critical setback in establishing livelihoods in the harsh frontier environment.
Cultural Tensions: Horse stealing exacerbated tensions between different cultural groups, including Native Americans, Mexican landowners, and American settlers. These tensions often led to violent confrontations and shaped the broader patterns of conflict in the region.
Folklore and Mythology: The exploits of horse thieves and the responses to their activities became part of the folklore of the American West. Stories of daring raids, cunning escapes, and brutal reprisals contributed to the mythos of the Wild West, reflecting the complexities of frontier life.
Law and Order: The persistent threat of horse stealing highlighted the challenges of maintaining law and order in the rapidly expanding frontier. Responses to this threat, including military actions and vigilance committees, underscored the often violent efforts to establish security and protect property.

Conclusion

Horse stealing in the American West, particularly in the Mojave Desert and surrounding regions, was a complex phenomenon that significantly shaped the frontier’s history and culture. The activities of Walkara, Jim Beckwourth, Peg-leg Smith, and Indian Joaquin illustrate the multifaceted nature of horse stealing, reflecting broader themes of survival, resistance, and adaptation in a rapidly changing landscape.

The responses to horse stealing, from military patrols to vigilance committees, highlight the ongoing struggle to establish order and protect property in a region marked by turmoil and conflict. The legacy of horse stealing, with its economic, social, and cultural impacts, continues to be a fascinating and integral part of the history of the American West. Through the stories of these notorious figures and the broader patterns of conflict and adaptation, we gain valuable insights into the dynamic and often chaotic nature of 19th-century frontier life.

Covered Wagon (prairie schooner)

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Covered wagons significantly impacted the United States’ westward expansion during the 18th and 19th centuries. These wagons, often called “prairie schooners,” were designed to transport goods and settlers across the North American continent.

Family & covered wagon (prairie schooner)

Key features and uses of covered wagons included:

Design: Covered wagons typically had a wooden frame with a canvas cover. This cover protected the contents from weather elements like rain and sun. The wagon bed was usually made of wood and was about four feet wide by ten feet long.
Cover: The cover was made of canvas or similar durable cloth, stretched over hooped frames, providing shelter and goods for the occupants.
Wheels: The wheels were often large and designed to handle rough terrain. The front wheels were usually smaller than the rear wheels, allowing easier turning.
Draft Animals: Oxen, mules, or horses were commonly used to pull these wagons. Oxen were preferred for their strength and endurance, especially over long distances.
Role in Expansion: Covered wagons were essential for westward migration in the U.S. They carried settlers’ belongings, including tools, food, and sometimes even passengers. These wagons were a vital part of the movement to settle the American West and were commonly seen on trails like the Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, and the California Trail.
Living Quarters: The covered wagon was a temporary home for many settlers traveling west. Families would cook, eat, sleep, and spend much of their time in or around the wagon during their journey.
Historical Significance: The image of a covered wagon crossing the plains has become an iconic symbol of American frontier life, representing the pioneer spirit, exploration, and the challenges of frontier life.

The use of covered wagons declined with the advent of railroads, which offered a faster and more efficient means of transporting goods and people across the country. However, their legacy remains an integral part of American history and folklore.

The Stoddard Boys

Of all the brother acts operating in and around San Bernardino County during the Mormon period, Few accomplished more for the ultimate benefit of the area than the Stoddard boys, Arvin and Sheldon.

Neither cut an imposing figure. Arvin, the quiet one, was only 5’5″ tall and weighed 135 pounds soaking wet, while Sheldon wasn’t much larger. But what they lacked in height, they more than made up in spirit.

Arvin, however, had an imposing ally in his wife Caroline. She was 6 feet tall and weighed well over 200 pounds — a formidable Amazon and an extremely vocal one too. One is tempted to ask if she carried him across the threshold on their wedding night.

She became Arvin’s mouthpiece and did not hesitate to make her opinions known, particularly when the chips were down. As their grandson, R. Jackson Stoddard wrote in the March 1970 issue of the LA Westerners Branding Iron, “For although she followed the will of her husband, in many cases the will of her husband was truly only a reflection of her own wants and desires.”

Today, a stretch of the Mojave Desert between Victorville and Daggett is blanketed with sites bearing the Stoddard’s names. They include the Stoddard Mountains, Stoddard Hills, Stoddard gulch, Stoddard Valley, Stoddard Well and Stoddard Wells Road — all directly attributable to Arvin’s work in the area during the 1850s and 60s.

Flag of the Mormon Battailion (note spelling)

There were four Stoddard Brothers at the beginning; Rufus, Albert, Arvin and Sheldon, who were all born in Canada. When their father died in 1838, mother Jane gathered them all up and crossed the United States border, first to Ohio in then to Warsaw, Illinois, where she became hooked on the Mormon religion. When the church made it’s great trek to Salt Lake City in 1847, she and her boys were in the initial contingent.

Rufus was the first of the boys to reach California, arriving in San Diego as a member of the Mormon Battalion. After his group was disbanded in Los Angeles, he remained in the area for almost a year before he rejoining his family at Salt Lake City in 1849.

Sheldon was the next to go. Leaving Salt Lake in 1848, along with 30 other men found for the placer diggings near hang town, they traveled as far as Mountain Meadows with a larger company who hired Capt. Jefferson Hunt to guide them to Los Angeles over the Old Spanish Trail.

At the Meadows they left Hunt’s party and turned west to take what they thought was a shortcut to the gold fields and for the next 17 days blindly followed a false trail without a guide, compass or map to go by.

On the 18th day, hopelessly lost in facing death without water their lives were spared when a sudden rain squall drenched the area. As Sheldon later wrote, “We caught the water by spreading out our rubber blankets on the ground and drank it with a spoon.”

They then turned east on the Muddy River, followed at South until they fortunately encountered Capt. Hunt’s company again and accompanied it up the Mojave River, through Cajon Pass and down to the Chino Ranch.

Tragically enough, on the same trip another group of would-be minors left Hunt’s command at Provo, Utah, insisting they also knew a shorter route to the gold fields, only to blunder into Death Valley, where five died before the survivors made it to Los Angeles.

From Chino the party went on to Mariposa, where they broke up to mine, while Stoddard ran a trading post in nearby Carson Valley for a few months before returning to Salt Lake with a herd of horses and mules.

in March 1851 Sheldon married Jane Hunt, daughter of Capt. Hunt, and the following month they accompanied the first group of Mormon colonizers to the San Bernardino Valley, making temporary camp at Sycamore Grove.

After the Mormons purchased the San Bernardino Rancho that September, and moved down into the valley, Sheldon built the first log cabin in the settlement on First Street,, west of I Street. His cabin was later moved to and made part of the Westside of this stockade constructed on the present courthouse site as protection against hostile Indians.

For the next 14 years Sheldon Stoddard was engaged in freighting and carrying mail between San Bernardino and Salt Lake City, crossing the Mojave 24 times in all. In 1865 he made one trip to Nevada in Montana with a mule team which covered over 1300 miles, and took six months to complete.

Arvin Stoddard and his wife also came to San Bernardino with the first Mormon train and lived in the stockade for three years before receiving an urgent message from Mormon leader Brigham Young, authorizing him to investigate a gold strike in the Calico Hills to see if he could ” obtain as much gold as possible to help finance the founding and furtherance of the faith,” keeping only enough to live on during the venture.

Arvin and Caroline, ardent church devotees, packed their wagon and with their poor young children in tow, headed for the hills without hesitation.

But before looking for gold, Arvin searched for water to raise crops to feed his family and stock and to flush through sluice boxes used to separate flakes of gold from the desert sand.

One of his more successful wells, known as Stoddard Well, is still flowing today and besides furnishing the family with ample water, also provided an impetus for others to break out a new road on almost a straight line from Lane’s Crossing, near today’s Oro Grande, to Fish Ponds Station between present-day Barstow and Daggett, thereby saving many miles compared with the old route, which followed the westward band of the Mojave River.

Although it took him almost 8 years of prospecting, Arvin finally struck a rich claim and extracted a sum that Caroline estimated at $60,000 before calling it quits and lighting out for Salt Lake City to hand to Brigham Young.

But before they reach the Mormon Temple, they were held up by Indians and robbed of all their hard-earned loot, except for a few thousand dollars hidden in Caroline’s underwear.

As her grandson related, “The Indians were neither red nor brown. they were more white than any Indian she (Caroline) had ever seen.” Caroline deduced they were renegade Mormons, acting on behalf of the church, and although her suspicions were never resolved, her once benevolent attitude toward the Mormon hierarchy changed overnight and led to her eventual break with the church.

In 1869 the Arvin Stoddards move to Milford, Utah, where they build a hotel called, naturally, “The Stoddard House,” where they lived until Caroline died in 1904.

Sheldon Stoddard remained in San Bernardino for the rest of his life, Rev. and honored by all who knew him for his contributions to the county and state.

After serving as president of the pioneer society, he spent his final years surrounded by old friends like John Brown and Billy Holcomb. They camped and fished together in their mountain retreats and dedicated monuments to the pioneers in Cajon Pass. he was active up to the day of his death in 1919 at the age of 89.

From:

Heritage Tales 1988
by Fred Holladay
published by the City of San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society