Post #22 Gunfight and ggrandfather Mose Blancett

My husband I were recently watching an old western movie, and the shoot out or duel that usually occurred. Of course the good guy won the match. Guess what--- our ggrandfather Moses Blancett (see blog #14 for lineage reference) was in one of these duels, yes he was the good guy!

The story below was taken from Moses brother, Truman's own writings:

"Brutal Trainmaster Killed.

The other case was with Mose, the oldest brother, and a trainmaster that was conducting a train through Fort Bridges. Why? He was a desperado, as most trainmasters were and was known to have killed two men. Mose was with the family for a few days though he had a wife and two children living near Fort Leavenworth.  This trainmaster's name was Jack Sparks.  He had made camp near our station and had 30 wagons with a crew of 35 men.  He came into our station intoxicated and abusive. Mose ordered him out.  He immediately challenged Mose to a pistol duel saying, "I will always think of you as a coward."  Mose said nothing to the family concerning the affair, but early the following morning I noticed Mose looking over his forty-five pistol.  At the appointed time he was on his way to meet Sparks.  I followed close behind him. I was equipped for any emergency. It appeared that Sparks didn't think we would call his bluff.  He never saw us until we were within a 100 feet of him. As soon as he saw us, stepping out in the open with his forty-five. Each fired a shot at the same time.  Mose received a slight scalp wound but the ox-drivers dug a shallow hole in the sand, wrapped sparks in a blanket and covered him over.  The assistant boss ordered the train to move on, leaving the trainmaster asleep in the drifting sand of the desert.  The news soon reached the end of the trail that a tenderfoot had killed Sparks. Mose and I were never questioned about the affair and it was soon forgotten."

A few months back, I made a trip to Colorado and stayed in James and Carrie Dole's beautiful home. They were the perfect host. Carrie is my sister Barbara's daughter, so of course, I got to be with my sister too as she set this up for us. We spent time in Colorado researching, trying to find Mary Stamm Koontz. John Andrew's first wife. Did not find her:( But, hopefully, I can pull a little bit together and share what we did enjoy while there searching the areas where the Blancett's and Koontz's once roamed when the area was wilderness. I know that one of you, if not me, will find what ever happened to her. See Post #4.