Frontierado is celebrated the first Friday of every August, so this year it will be marked on August 2nd. This holiday celebrates the myth of the old west, not the grinding reality. Here’s a seasonal post regarding the Pony Express, the much-romanticized messenger service across the west that lasted from April 3rd, 1860 to October 26th, 1861.
PONY BOB HASLAM – One of the most famous Pony Express riders of them all, after Buffalo Bill Cody. (Wild Bill Hickok did not really work for the Pony Express, but rather as a teamster for its parent company.) Click HERE.
THE MAN CALLED BOSTON – This Expressman, real name Warren Fremont Upson, wasn’t really from Boston, but he was from back east and the nickname just stuck. For his colorful career with the the Pony Express and afterward, click HERE.
IRISH TOMMY RANAHAN – A look at his time with the Pony Express and his later career as an armed guard accompanying payroll shipments for gold and silver mines out west, then as an Army Scout. Click HERE.
THE CLIFF BROTHERS – Charlie Cliff and Gus Cliff both served as Expressmen but had very different lives after the Pony Express folded. Click HERE.
BiLLY TATE – The lore surrounding Tate and his desperate battle against hopeless odds during his last ride for the Pony Express packs a punch. Click HERE.
THE VERY FIRST RIDERS FOR THE EXPRESS – Heading west from Saint Joseph, MO – Sailor Billy Richardson and Johnny Fry. Heading East from Sacramento, CA – Jim Randall and William “Sam” Hamilton. Click HERE.
The oath sworn by all Expressmen: “I,……….., do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while an employee of Russell, Majors and Waddell, I will, under no circumstances, use profane language, that I will drink no intoxicating liquors, that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win the confidence of my employers, so help me God.”
Balladeer's Blog 
Great posts as always. I have never heard about the Pony Express before but always find your posts very engaging to read. While I’m not familiar with the Pony Express, I do have an interest in Westerns. I have always enjoyed Western movies as I mentioned in a previous post. The Pony Express brought to mind a number of great Western movies I have seen. For instance, it reminded me about the film “News of the World”. Tom Hanks gave one of his best performances in this western about a newsman travelling across the frontier to rescue a young girl from Native Americans. An underrated film that didn’t get recognition that it deserved back in 2020.
Here’s why it’s worth watching:
Thank you! I’m on my way to your review of News of the World.
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Thank you very much!
Those guys were a different breed.
I agree!