Johnny Fry, First "Official" Westbound Rider of the Pony Express

donna

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Johnny Fry was born in 1840 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. He was the son of John and Mary Fry. In 1857 Johnny and his mother and her then husband, Benjamin Wells went to Rushville, Missouri to live.

Johnny was the first "official" westbound rider of the Pony Express. He weighted less than 120 pounds and was assigned to the first leg of the westbound route, delivering mail from the stables in St. Joseph, Missouri before carrying it to Seneca, Kansas.

When the Pont Express went out of business in 1861, Johnny Fry joined the Union Army. He was killed by Quantrill's Raiders in the Battle of Baxter Springs.

From Article: "Pony Express Riders Cover 1,950 Miles In Ten Days", "The Kentucky Explorer", April 2017.
 
Johnny Fry was born in 1840 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. He was the son of John and Mary Fry. In 1857 Johnny and his mother and her then husband, Benjamin Wells went to Rushville, Missouri to live.

Johnny was the first "official" westbound rider of the Pony Express. He weighted less than 120 pounds and was assigned to the first leg of the westbound route, delivering mail from the stables in St. Joseph, Missouri before carrying it to Seneca, Kansas.

When the Pont Express went out of business in 1861, Johnny Fry joined the Union Army. He was killed by Quantrill's Raiders in the Battle of Baxter Springs.

From Article: "Pony Express Riders Cover 1,950 Miles In Ten Days", "The Kentucky Explorer", April 2017.
You do the Bluegrass State proud, Donna. I wish I had as many anecdotes about Ohio and Illinois as you do about Kentucky.
 
The Pony Express was a fascinating institution. Buffalo Bill Cody was also one of the riders.
I found this map here that gives an idea of the incredibly huge distance covered:
1582651465191.png

Source
 
A close friend manages the Pony Express Museum in St. Joe. Its worth visiting, if you are traveling through the area. The Jesse James home and the Patee House Museum are located just a half dozen blocks east.

In the mid to late 60s my Dad tore down the old milk barn on our homeplace to clear a space to construct a new hay barn. He saved a couple of the hand hewn wooden beams from the old barn, because Grandma said they had been salvaged from the Pony Express stables and used to construct the old barn. I have no idea if that's true, but it makes a good story. I still have the beams.
 
Since Buckeye Bill mentioned Johnny Fry, thought bump this thread.
Thank You, I get so involved with ACW and other things, that it's been years since I even thought about the Pony Express. Now if Saturday morning TV was like it was 50 or 60 years ago that would be a different story.
 
Killing five of their assailants while target practicing? I'm guessing 'several' as three. I wonder how many of Quantrill's men attacked and whether it was due to Lt. Cook being in charge of the 2nd Kansas colored infantry. The find-a-grave post led me to believe he killed 5 himself when attacked while alone. I am curious to know which story is true!
Lubliner.
 
I wrote a book about the mail carried by the Pony Express, "The Pony Express, A Postal History" (Frajola, Kramer and Walske). It is available as free downloadable PDF file linked from the page here. Included in the book are covers carried on the first westbound and on the first eastbound trips.

Below is a page showing a cover carried by Pony Bob Haslam on his famous long ride. I purchased the cover for a client last year amd made the album page for him - my favorite Pony Express cover:

JM1 15.jpg
 
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