Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1912 — HELD HILL FIVE WEEKS [ARTICLE]

HELD HILL FIVE WEEKS

MEMORIAL COMMEMORATES BRAVE ACT OF PIONEER* v ‘ y, •V , — i — Early Colorado Bettler, With His Fam- . Wy, Held lyir Party of Indians at Bay on Spot Now Known as “Simpson’* Rest.” Prominent among, the rocky, mesalike hills that surround Denver, is a* rugged, gray point, within the outskirts ofthe town, known as “Simpson’s Rest.” Recently there was erected on this hill a monument commemorating the brave fight put up at-this spot by John Simpson, one of the earliest settler's of Colorado, against A war party of TJtes aid Cheyenne's in 1855. The Indian fighter and his wife are hurled on top of . the hill. The Utes and Cheyennes made the foothills and the plains adjoining the Rockies their hunting ground, but they rarely gave trouble to settlers. Consequently, one May- morning In 1855, when Simpson’s children, Bob and Nora, aged 15 and 13, were making their way to a small stream neartheir home, they were surprised to see a large party of Indians riding toward them at a terrific pace, shaking their lances and uttering blood-thirsty cries. At the same time they heard a cry from the direction of the cabin, and saw' their father running toward them with his rifle In his hand. Simpson had just returned from ah" expedition.. He had heard that theCheyennes an<f Utes had gone oh the warpath, and he had hastened home just in time to rescue his family. Seelog, the trapper, the Indians hesitated, for Simpson’s fame as a shot had : spread throughout the frontier, and-the-redskins knew that several among: them would meet death if they persisted in their attempt to capture the children. j Two burros were packed with provisions, a keg of water and all the ammunition the trapper possessed. Driving the burros ahead of them the members of the little family set out from the, house. Simpson covered the Indians with his rifle when they approached too near, and the family was unmolested. The hill which appealed! to the trapper as a good place for defense was accessible only by a single narrow, rocky path, up which ope must climb today- in reaching the sum-* mlt of “Simpson’s Rest.” The summit of the hill Is fiat, about half an acre in extent and surrounded by & high rocky wall. It would he Impos--, sible to storm such a natural fortress except by over-powering the defenders at the narrow defile.which served as an entrance. The Indians saw that It was hopeless to attempt to storm the natural fortress, so they surrounded the hill and began a siege In the endeavor to "starve out” the defenders. The siege has no parallel In the history of the west. For five weeks the plucky pioneer and his family held their fortress. They killed their burrors when provisions ran low. Fortunately, there had been heavy rains, and depressions in the rocks at the top of the hill were filled with water, giving an ample supply. At the end of the fifth week, when hope was nearly abandoned, the Indians suddenly brought in their ponies and rode away with shrill cries. A troop of cavalry from Fort Lyon, 150 miles distant, .which had been sent out to render aid to any settlers who might have escaped the marauding Indians, soon came in view, and Simpson and his family were rescued. . ” 1 ■'