One in a collection by Allen Bachoroski,
Local Historical Writer,
Tales Along the
Highway of Legends
Note: This
is one in a series of historical stories about local families
in the Trinidad region.
Click here to find out more
about how these stories were collected.
John, also called Jack by his friends and relatives, was
born November 19, 1880 at Seoham Colliery, County Durham,
England. He came to Las Animas County, Colorado as a young
child with his parents, George and Susan Johnson Dale.
His early years were spent in Starkville and Sopris. George,
his father, met a tragic death as a young man falling
from a train going over the Sopris Trussel. I recall as
a young child being asked to point out the place where
my grandfather, who I never knew, died. The family spoke
of it often probably because John, my dad, was no more
than a boy working in the mines. He became the bread winner
for his mother, brother and sisters.
John, had a younger half brother, Tom Parker, who spent
most of his life in the Trinidad area. Jennie was born
in a coal mining village in Northern France and came as
a four-year-old child along with her parents Homer and
Sylvia LePlat Durand to Starkville in 1889. Homer, however,
was in Starkville for a short time before the rest of
the family and Jennie remembered how homesick her mother
was for France. They spent the first night crying in their
adobe house.
My grandmother Sylvia LePlat Durand had two brothers who
came to Las Animas County around the same time period.
They were Herbert and Emil LePlat. Herbert had many LePlat
descendants that lived in Las Animas County. Some of his
daughters married names that come to mind' Sproats, Winter,
Gregory, Johnson and if I am not mistaken also Edwards.
John and Jennie were married on March 4, 1902 in Trinidad.
Their marriage license states Majestic as home residence
for both, To this union eight children were born.
John and Jennie never ventured far from Las Animas County
for nearly fifty years but early in their marriage they
would leave for a short period of time. But they always
returned thinking job situations might be better. As a
result, three of their children were born out of state.
Their children were Sylvia, Fanny, Georgia, Jean, John
Jr. and Betty.
(Note:
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might share some photos of the family here)