Louis Papa
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
Louis Papa
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Capture & Enhancement
Description
Sculpture of Louis Papa by Pat Kennedy in Benson Sculpture Park, Loveland, Colorado.
Story by Kenneth Jessen -
In her co-authored book, “Historical Images,” Loveland historian Zethyl Gates wrote this about Louis Papa, “Louis was silent about his past. If he revealed any information, it was scant indeed. What a loss. What tales he could have told about the Western frontier of the 1800s: life with the mountain man Mariano Medina, who raised him as his own son; early days near Fort Bridger, where the family lived in the ‘squaw’ camp of Uncle Jack Robinson; Indian raids on the Overland Trail; and life at Namaqua, early settlement at the crossing of the Big Thompson River…”
The story of Louis Papa begins when Mariano Medina was camping along the Snake River in Utah Territory during 1844. He met a French trapper by the name of Louis Elbert Papin.
The trapper had a wife from the Flathead tribe name Tacaney. Papin wanted to quit the harsh, dangerous life of a mountain man and return to civilization. His wife, on the other hand, did not want to leave her people and the land she knew. In addition, Tacaney was pregnant with Papin’s child.
Papin refused to leave and abandon her, but he reasoned since Mariano was a bachelor, Mariano probably needed a wife.
He struck a deal and traded Tacaney (unborn child and all) for some horses and a blanket. Papin needed these items for his long trip back to civilization.
The arrangement was quite simple; Tacaney moved from Papin’s lodge to Mariano’s lodge. When the baby was born, the infant was given the sir name of his biological father.
The name of Mariano’s stepson was changed to Papa rather than the French spelling Papin. Mariano raised the boy as his own child.
The family moved from Utah to a spot along the Big Thompson River in 1858, thus becoming the first settlers in the area. The place was known as Mariano’s Crossing and later was named Namaqua. Papa did not go to school, but spent his time helping his father with ranching.
When Papa was in his early 20s, he met a girl on one of his excursions to Denver. Her name was Eleanor Williams, and after a period of courting, they were married.
Papa built a small home for his bride south of Mariano’s home at Namaqua. A year after their marriage, Eleanor gave birth to a son they named Mariano Antonio. A short time later, Eleanor gave birth to a second boy, which they named José Adolfo.
Apparently, Eleanor did not like the area, possibly because of its isolation and primitive nature. She missed her family in the Denver area.
In any event, one day she packed up her things and took her two sons to Denver.
Papa stayed in the Loveland area, and after Eleanor left, he rarely saw his two children.
Eleanor moved in with her parents and eventually, the family moved to the Huerfano Valley. Years later after Antonio had become a young man, he had a chance meeting with his father on a train.
As Papa grew old, he became more dependent on the kindness of others.
Antonio came to Loveland to try to persuade his father to move south and live with Eleanor and himself. Papa was suspicious that this was a scheme to get his money and felt that it was too hot in that area. He believed that the heat would eventually kill him.
Papa worked for various cattle outfits including the Estes Park Company Limited and Frank Bartholf’s cattle operation in Drake. During his younger years, he also worked for outfits in Texas, Utah and Idaho.
Louis Papa was a man of silence. One day, a rancher named Hugh noted that some of his cattle were missing, and he suspected that Papa might know something about this.
The rancher offered Papa a good sum of money if he would divulge what he knew. The old cowboy’s reply was, “Hugh, me gets lots more than that just to keep my mouth shut.”
Papa homesteaded in the Big Thompson Canyon at the present day site of Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park. He made trips between his home in Loveland and his cabin along the river.
Loveland eventually purchased his homestead and constructed a new cabin, but Papa continued to live in his old cabin close to the river.
Papa may have been illiterate, but he was shrewd and frugal.
He continued to ride until he was past 80, and after his riding and ranching days were over, he longed for just one more roundup.
As put by Loveland historian Harold Dunning after Louis Papa’s death in 1935, “He did have one more roundup, but it was his last roundup. May his happy soul be riding the celestial ranges along with Will Rogers, Buffalo Bill … and those he loved so well.”
Some digital effects were applied to this original image after the photograph was made. No electrons were harmed during the transition. Ordered images will not contain the FAA watermark.
Image copyright 2019 Jon Burch Photography
Uploaded
January 21st, 2019
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