Elizabeth Pennock Tallman came to Parker for the first time in July or August of 1864. She'd just arrived in June of that year in the town of Denver after traveling by ox-drawn covered wagon from New York with her brothers and sister.

In July, Mr. Foster, her brother-in-law who had a saw mill out on Running Creek, took her out to the mill with her sister, Mary. They passed through Parker, then called Pine Grove, on their way to the mill. Mr. Foster was providing lumber for all the building that was going on in Denver. They were cutting lumber and then sending it to Denver by ox team. Mr. Foster hadn't considered it safe to visit the mill earlier, even though Elizabeth had been yearning to see it since she'd arrived. The Indian problems had died down some. So he finally consented to take Elizabeth and her sister to the mill with him. It was a dangerous time to be traveling around the countryside because not long before that, the Hungate family had been killed by Indians. Their bodies were buried out behind the mill bunkhouse not long before Elizabeth and Mary arrived.

According to Elizabeth in a story in Colorado Magazine dated July 1936, they set out one morning for the mill in a two-seated carriage - Mary, Mr.H.M. Foster, their two children and Elizabeth. The trip to the mill was quite an experience. No matter which direction she looked she could see antelope.

Some of the wood choppers brought in some fine looking wild currants. Since just about the only fruit available in Denver were dried apples and peaches, which were too expensive for Mary and Elizabeth, theydecided to procure some of the currents. The second morning, they set out by carriage to pick currants. About five miles from the mill, and quite close to where the Hungates lived, they crossed a north and south running ridge. There in a willow-lined draw running east were the currantsthey wanted. Mr. Foster unhitched the team and Mary and Elizabeth started filling pails with the luscious fruit. Suddenly Mr. Foster reappeared with his face as white as a sheet and whispered, "Get Mrs. Foster and the children into the carriage as quickly as you can."

"We're just getting started. Why do we have to go?" Elizabeth demanded indignantly.

He pointed down to where the willows were smaller, not even a half mile away, and there was a band of maybe twenty Indians crossing the draw. Well, they held their breath until the last Indian passed through the draw. Then they high-tailed it back to the mill staying on the north side of the willows to stay out of sight. That afternoon, Mr. Foster loaded up Mary and the children and headed back to Denver but Elizabeth wanted to stay because her brothers were working at the mill.

The next morning, two of the log-choppers were killed so everyone began staying pretty close to the mill. They didn't see any more of the Indians that week. Several days later Mr. Foster returned, driving a fast horse in a light open buggy. He decided Elizabeth and the men needed to abandon the mill and return to Denver.

Watch for Sandy's book signings. Saturday,June 17 at the Borders store in Arapahoe Crossings, Parker and Arapahoeroads from 2 to 4 pm and future dates to be announced.