Nelson Story
Background
Nelson
Story was an interesting man. He was
born on April 3, 1835 in Megs County, Ohio. He was enemies with
Joe Lindley. His family was rich. In 1857 he taught school
in Charles Fork, Ohio. In 1858 he joined the Army and was shipped
to Salt Lake City. In 1860 he went to Kansas City. He
married Ellen Story on December 12, 1860. Nelson Story went to
Fort Worth, Texas in 1866. He brought 700 cattle and 12
wagons full of supplies from Houston, Texas to Bozeman. He took
200 mares from California. Nelson Story was very important.
Historical Fiction
The Nelson Story Affair
As I
walked downtown I sighed. It was
boiling! A man strolled over to me and asked “Do you know
anything about Nelson Story?”
“Yes, of
course I do!” I answered
boastfully. So we strolled down Main Street and chatted....
“Look, I
shouldn’t be talking to strangers” I said.
“No, I’m
really harmless” he said.
“Okay, if
you say so... Nelson Story was born
on April 3, 1838 in Megs County, Ohio. He always wanted to
be a cowboy. Why, I don’t know. In 1851 he took a
different path. In the spring of 1857 he taught school in Charles
Fork, Ohio. Soon after he joined the Army and was shipped to Salt
Lake City, Utah.”
“So
Nelson Story taught school and served I the Army
in the same year?
“Yes, and
he was a bartender too. I have to go
eat lunch, meet me at the Story Mansion, J. Byron’s Mansion no
Nelson’s, at three o’clock tomorrow okay?” I asked.
“Okay,
see ya kid” he replied.
The next
day I arrived a little bit early to see
what the man was doing. He wasn’t there so I waited. H came
about 3 minutes after 3 o’clock. We started talking....
“In 1964
he decided to go to Kansas City to work for
Matt Trent (Ellen Story’s dad). He worked there for a while and
then married Ellen on December 12, 1860. In 1864 Nelson reached
Bozeman. He was a successful banker there, but he made enemies
like Joe Lindley. Nelson’s family was very rich. His
children could go to the store and buy anything and put it on his bill!”
“Yea,
nearly got me broke!” He said.
“What?” I
asked.
“I am
Nelson Story” he said.
(To be continued)
Theo Bennett