Bill Huffman, the grandson of William “Buster” Albright, recently passed away. He was 84. Buster found a gun on Sand Creek in 1891, ten miles north of Chivington. The spot he found the gun would become part of the Bowen family ranch. Chuck and Sheri Bowen discovered over 4,000 Sand Creek period artifacts on the ranch.
Buster passed the gun down to Bill. We got acquainted with Bill about 2015, and he brought the gun to Lamar for a program in January 2016. Chuck organized the program while he was vice president of the Prowers County Historical Society. It was a three part program including Pat Palmer with his presentation titled, “Coal Oil, Colonoscopies, Lamps and Lanterns,” and Delbert “Doc” Jones with his presentation titled, “Army Saddles.” Bill’s presentation was titled, “Cowboys, Sand Creek Revolver & the First White Child Born in Kiowa County; My Family, the Albrights.”
Bill’s great-granduncle was Kiowa Albright, known as Ki, and said to be the first white child born in the newly formed Kiowa County. Ki was born four months after the county was established. The old school building in Sheridan Lake was turned into a community center and named the Kiowa Albright Hall or known locally as the KA Hall.
When Buster found the gun, he and his friend, Gillette Flute, documented the find: “This is to certify that W. H. Albright found & old Cap & Ball gun the summer & year of 1891 west of the Indian Battle ground on Big sandy creek ten miles north of Chivington Colorado gun was made by the star arms Co Patent Jan. 1856 A. G. Fluke.”
Chuck and Sheri made a monumental discovery where the gun was found, ten miles north of Chivington, which places it on the Bowen family ranch, about two miles up the creek from the NPS site.
Learn more about Chuck and Sheri’s Sand Creek discovery on this website.
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