HORACE W. TABOR BUCKSKIN JOE, COLORADO TERRITORY by TABOR, AUGUSTA and HORACE - 1862 - 1864: Handwritten album from Laurette, Park County, Colorado Territory, 1862 - 1864

AUGUSTA and HORACE A. W. TABOR

Handwritten album dedicated to

Lillian Pierce (sister of Augusta Tabor)

1862 – 1864

Laurette (Buckskin Joe),

Park County,

COLORADO TERRITORY

Tabor, Augusta and Horace. LOVE'S OFFERING. Original 1860s artifact inscribed by Augusta and Horace Tabor (Colorado's most renowned silver baron). Artifact first written in and present to Augusta's sister, Lillian Pierce, on April 22, 1862 at Laurette (later known as Buckskin Joe), Colorado Territory.

Album published by Moss & Brother, Philadelphia, circa 1860. This is a standardized hardbound album with blank pages for writing and decorative interleaved steel-engravings of emotional-pleasing scenes. The blank pages were meant for handwritten sentiments and that is exactly what this album contains, generally all from the early 1860s. The significance of this album is that it was presented to Lillie (Lil, Lillian, etc.) Pierce, sister of Augusta Tabor, who, at the time, was living in Laurette (Buckskin Joe), Park County, Colorado Territory with then husband Horace A. W. Tabor. Augusta, from Maine, and Horace, from Vermont, lived on a farm near Zeandale, Kansas in the late 1850s. Reports of mineral discoveries in the territorial gold regions inspired the Tabors to leave their farm and move on to Denver City, and then Laurette, near Alma, in South Park. Although they weren't aware, they became part of the 59'ers Rush to the Rockies.

Tabor left his family in Golden and ventured to Payne's Bar, the area later known as Idaho Springs. After no success, Tabor moved on to Colorado City, and from there up the Arkansas Valley, with friends Nathaniel Maxey and Samuel P. Kellogg. They prospected Granite, and then Oro City. For a time in 1860, the Tabors owned a storefront in California Gulch, and Horace went on prospecting. But, by 1861, California Gulch appeared to have been panned out. The Tabors then moved on to the next prospect: Laurette City, in the Mosquito Range of South Park, now the Jefferson Territory. Here, the Tabors remained for nearly seven years, with Augusta running the storefront and Horace the prospecting postmaster. Augusta Tabor felt this new gold mining camp secure enough to have her sister, Lillian Pierce, join them at Laurette (soon to be renamed, Buckskin Joe).

The Tabors – Augusta, Horace, N. Maxey (son), and Lillian (Augusta's sister) – became a focal point of the community. Lillian Pierce even more so because she was a single woman. The sentiments expressed in LOVE'S OFFERING exhibit just how appreciated Lillian was in this new gold mining camp. There is a long letter handwritten and signed by Augusta Tabor, taking up a full page, as well as a page handwritten by "Horace," who signed this album three times.

This album was originally presented to Lillie Pierce on April 22, 1862, her 17th birthday, at Laurette, Colorado Territory. Many contributed poetic sentiments, such as Tom, on April 22, 1862; W. N. Kellogg, Laurette, February 23, 1863 (related to Samuel); William C. McClelland, dated Laurette, September 26, 1863; M. Cunningham, Laurette, May 28, 1862; and many others. There is a signature block from N. Maxey Tabor; however, this appears to have been signed by Augusta.

This album has historical significance in several ways. On, that little other than this album exists today from Laurette, Colorado Territory. Second, that this album is directly related to the famous silver baron, Horace Augustus Warner Tabor, and his family nearly two decades before their historical days in Leadville. Third, as an extant artifact representing a manner in which friendship was expressed between people in the 1860s. Fourth, as a relic from one of Colorado's first gold rush (1859) families. Fifth, as an inscribed and signed family heirloom from one of Colorado's most significant historical personalities.

Condition: tooled leather covers and spine with gold-print; gutters beginning to split, yet binding is still strong; pages show some aging, however, are generally clean and bright. Pages with writing by Augusta Tabor and that of H.A.W. Tabor are bright and clean. Price: $9,500.00

COLORADO ARTIFACTUAL & MT. GOTHIC TOMES