Wednesday in Wyoming -- June 17, 2015

Honoring the Pioneers -- Part 3

When they buried their dead, many of the pioneers were unable to construct headstones or other markers to identify their loved ones' final resting place.  In some cases, though, they attempted to leave a record.  This is an enhanced photograph of a stone found with the youngest of the three pioneers who were honored in the May 2, 2015 ceremony.

The stone says "Jesse Cole July 14, 186" with the last digit having been destroyed by the elements.  While you might think this was a headstone, it was not.  Instead, it was placed on top of Jesse's body before it was buried.

This is the unenhanced version of the stone. 

Researchers determined that Jesse Cole was a teenager, perhaps thirteen or fourteen years old, and that he had some Native American ancestry.  The other two pioneers were women, one of whom had recently given birth.  Based on diary entries from Abigail Scott Duniway, it is thought that this woman might have been Ann Scott, Abigail's mother.  Researchers named the other woman "Glenda" in honor of the nearby town of Glendo.