PODCAST · history
Cimarron 1872
by Matt R
Matt Ruglys reads from letters sent by his great great grandfather, Henry Tinson, from Cimarron, New Mexico between 1871 and 1873. The letters describe life and work in the American west.
Episodes
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Episode 62 - “So now to close the last letter, I believe, I shall ever write to you from New Mexico”
Henry is preparing to leave Cimarron, and New Mexico, to return home to his family.
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Episode 61 - “I couldn’t get my money yesterday - Morley kept away on purpose”
In another letter to Charlotte, Henry tells of his difficulty in winding up his affairs in New Mexico.
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Episode 60 - “Another prisoner escaped from the jail yesterday - no, the day before!”
In this letter to his wife, Charlotte, Henry is counting down the days until he goes home to England.
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Episode 59 - “Your mother and the family will leave for England earlier than we had thought”
This is a very brief note to Harold letting him know when to expect his mother and family to arrive in England.
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Episode 58 - “Maxwell House is to be turned into offices, and I believe Mr Morley will have Java House”
Henry is preparing Harold for Charlotte and the family's return to England.
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Episode 57 - “I have told Mr Collison that I intend to resign”
The die is cast, the family will go home shortly and Henry will follow next year.
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Episode 56 - “Mr Collison is expected in tonight”
Henry, (and I), have waited so long for Collison’s arrival, but will he actually show up?
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Episode 55 - “There appears to be an impression that the railway will begin directly”
It seems that the long awaited Mr Collison may arrive in a week! The last letter had no signature, and this one has no salutation so this may be the end of the previous letter.
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Episode 54 - “We have had the east wind for about a week”
Yet more of the English are leaving Cimarron and going home.
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Episode 53 - “It is expected there will be a ‘big fight”
The residents of Cimarron are anticipating a war between the Cheyennes and Comanches on one side and the Utes and Apaches on the other.
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Episode 52 - “The sheriff seized this morning all Pritchard’s stock at the corral”
Mr Morley has left to meet Mr Collison, so will Collison finally get to Cimarron?
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Episode 51 - “The days are calm and very beautiful”
Henry is still waiting for Collison to arrive, and displays his sense of humour.
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Episode 50 - “We are, perhaps, the most economical people in Cimarron”
Henry writes that Mr Collison’s arrival in Cimarron is keenly awaited.
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Episode 49 - “I was a mucho bueno hombre Ingles”
This is a very chatty letter to Gilbert who was sent back to England from Cimarron to go to school.
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Episode 48 - “I believe there are diamonds in the neighbourhood of Cimarron”
Henry waxes lyrical about the beauty of New Mexico, and laments yet another brewing failure.
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Episode 47 - “I don’t think we can complain much of Cimarron”
Henry goes out and about the countryside in wagons.
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Episode 46 - “A lighted candle in one hand, and a cocked revolver in the other”
Henry complains about the expense of living in Cimarron, and hunts down strange noises in the night.
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Episode 45 - “I haven’t done an hour’s work in the office for a week”
This letter is mainly concerned with family and business in England.
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Episode 44 - “I should think there were about 2,000 flashes an hour”
This letter has yet more of one of Henry’s favourite topics - the weather.
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Episode 43 - “I wish I had known there would have been no schools here”
This letter was written later on the same day as the previous episode after Henry has thought some more about Gilbert’s future.
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Episode 42 - “There was a saloon opened at the back of our house on Saturday”
This is a very special episode because I am in Cimarron, not just that but I am in the house where Henry and his family lived and where he wrote many of these letters. This letter dated the 5th February 1872 that I missed reading earlier in the series because I mis-read the date. So I am sitting…
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Episode 41 - “The ground sticks to you like newly toasted cheese”
And we’re back after our short break, a break that, for me, was very exciting. Over the last couple of weeks I have been to Cimarron in New Mexico, with my younger daughter, to visit many of the places that Henry mentions in his letters. We stayed in the actual house that Henry and his family…
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Episode 40 - “All our best beer has leaked out of the cask”
This is, for Henry, quite a short letter tidying up some of his affairs.
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Episode 39 - “A large proportion of the few residents of Cimarron will leave next week”
Written over the course of 3 days this letter describes some of the rifts in Cimarron society.
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Episode 38 - “Mr Morley fastened a large rope around his chest and the other to the telegraph pole”
This letter was written on the same day as the previous episode, and the first half is written by Henry’s wife Charlotte and the remainder by Henry.
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Episode 37 - “Charley Morris had his brains blown out on Saturday morning”
Henry tells his son that Cimarron is not at all what he expected it to be.
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Episode 36 - “The lines are down, we can get no news from England”
Henry writes of more severe weather, as well as the possibility that there will be some more money coming soon.
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Episode 35 - “Mr Gray saw a large snake in our front garden”
This letter from Jessica is written on most pages across the page one way then with the page turned through 90 degrees over the top of that writing yet it is surprisingly easy to read. Jessica has the best handwriting of the family.
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Episode 34 - “I have bought an eagle”
Still concerned that letters are going missing, Henry lists them in this registered letter. And finally Mr Gardyne arrives, but will he do any good?
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Episode 33 - “From dawn til noon, anvils were discharged”
Henry is concerned that some of his letters may be going missing, and the Americans celebrate the 4th of July.
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Episode 32 - “The most exhausting, exciting, and eventful official day I have ever known”
Finally there’s a shake up at the Maxwell Land Grant and Railway Company, and for the first time Henry can see himself staying for the full three years of his contract.
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Episode 31 - “This is composed of pure Mexican gold”
This letter is a description of the presents that Henry is sending back to England for family, and the editor of Chambers Journal which publishes most of Henry’s writing.
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Episode 30 - “Yesterday was the longest day and celebrated here with the most frightful hail, rain, thunder and lightning”
This letter switches between astonishment at the weather, and the comings and goings of Maxwell Land Grant senior management.
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Episode 29 - “Waste, robbery, peculation, and shameful extravagance”
Henry is starting to lose patience with everyone around him.
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Episode 28 - “We have had a deal of hot weather and it does pour so hard”
There is a six week gap between the last letter and this one which is written by Henry’s wife Charlotte. It ends quite suddenly as the last page or pages are missing.
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Episode 27 - “We have a company of soldiers here for a few days”
This is a typewritten letter to Gilbert, Henry’s 12 or 13 year old son who has returned to England to go to school. I do not know whether this typewritten version is the original or whether the original was handwritten and is now lost.
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Episode 26 - “We are living in a reign of terror”
Lawlessness reaches new levels and Henry receives a disturbing message.
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Episode 25 - “Edith is having a little holiday at McAllister’s farm”
For once Henry does not mention the possibility of the family leaving Cimarron anytime soon.
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Episode 24 - “Fanny amused herself by slipping off the horse”
This letter is from Henry’s 17-year-old daughter Jessica and is delightfully full of joy.
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Episode 23 - “Wiseman would have been shot dead as a herring”
In this long letter Henry explains how the influx of even a small amount of money has unfortunate consequences for the residents of Cimarron.
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Episode 22 - “We are very much upset and anxious about the Fisher murder”
This short letter, from Henry’s wife Charlotte, wishing her son Harold a happy birthday, was written on the same day as the last episode.
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Episode 21 - “The president and vice president of the Company each being indicted for murder!”
This is quite a long letter with tales of murder, and dishonesty.
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Episode 20 - “$16,000 at Duncan and Sherman’s Company”
Henry receives a welcome telegram - but is it enough?
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Episode 19 - “Such is life, and also death, in New Mexico”
The lack of money in Cimarron is driving people to desperate measures.
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Episode 18 - “The place is in anarchy”
The troubles in Cimarron that stem from the mismanagement of the Company are taking a decidedly nasty turn….
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Episode 17 - “I think we may say goodbye to the Maxwell Land Grant”
Henry’s concerns about the financial mismanagement of the Maxwell Land Grant and Railway Company deepen and he expects to be sent back to England very soon.
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Episode 16 - “This is Sunday evening, we are sitting in the parlour”
This letter is written by Henry’s wife Charlotte, though there is one part which appears to have been written by Henry, the handwriting is clearly different.
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Episode 15 - “If you were to leave Mr Tinson …”
This letter is yet another tale of woe about the company and those who run it, but Henry receives a vote of confidence.
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Episode 14 - “It really was a capital ball”
Henry feels that he is under imminent threat of being sacked. And Cimarron holds a ball!
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Episode 13 - "Maxwell House ought to be shut up"
There are riotous goings-on in Maxwell House
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Matt Ruglys reads from letters sent by his great great grandfather, Henry Tinson, from Cimarron, New Mexico between 1871 and 1873. The letters describe life and work in the American west.
HOSTED BY
Matt R
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How many episodes does Cimarron 1872 have?
Cimarron 1872 currently has 62 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cimarron 1872 about?
Matt Ruglys reads from letters sent by his great great grandfather, Henry Tinson, from Cimarron, New Mexico between 1871 and 1873. The letters describe life and work in the American west.
How often does Cimarron 1872 release new episodes?
Cimarron 1872 has 62 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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You can listen to Cimarron 1872 on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Cimarron 1872?
Cimarron 1872 is created and hosted by Matt R.
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