Johnny Fry
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Johnny Fry (1840–October 6, 1863) was the first "official" westbound rider of the Pony Express.
Fry was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky to John Fry and Mary Fry. Mary moved with her son and new husband Benjamin Wells to Rushville, Missouri around 1857.
Fry, who weighed less than 120 pounds, was assigned to the first leg of the westbound route of the Pony Express delivering it from the stables in St. Joseph, Missouri a few blocks to a ferry across the Missouri River before carrying it on to Seneca, Kansas. Ads for the Pony Express said, "Wirey young men, preferably orphans to ride 20 miles..."
While there are no photographs of the start of the Pony Express This old tin-type of Johnny Fry [1] standing next to Johnson William Richardson, with Charlie Cliff and his brother Gus Cliff pictures the riders hired by Lewis for Russell, Majors and Waddell.
The start of the Pony Express which was delayed two hours to 7:15 p.m. because the courier from the East Coast had missed a train connection. Fry was the scheduled official first rider on April 3, 1860. According to an article, a 9-year-old Richardson rode the first blocks from the stables to the river, where the pouch was handed to Fry, who rode the ferry to Elwood, Kansas and then took it on to Seneca, Kansas. Richardson said he rode first because his brother Paul Coburn, who managed the stable, threw the pouch on his horse.[1] Fry was to deliver the first eastbound mail back to St. Joseph.
Local lore says that the donut was invented as a cake for him to eat while speeding by young girls homes.[2]
After the Pony Express went out of business in 1861 Fry joined the Union Army and was killed by Quantrill's Raiders in the Battle of Baxter Springs.
[edit] References
- ^ Johnson William Richardson biography at xhomestation.com
- ^ Frequently Asked Questions at Xhomesation.com
