Joe Le Fors papers, 1911-1947

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Le Fors, Joe, 1865-1940.
Title
Joe Le Fors papers
Dates
1911-1947 (inclusive)
Quantity
.7 cubic feet (2 boxes)
Collection Number
00261
Summary
This collection includes an autobiographical manuscript and correspondence of Joe Le Fors, a U.S. Marshal and range detective for the western livestock industry and for various railroads.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Joe Le Fors (1865-1940) was a pony express rider, freighter, U.S. Marshal, and detective for the livestock industry in Wyoming and Montana and for various railroads. Le Fors was a member of the posses that pursued the robbers after hold-ups of Union Pacific trains at Wilcox, Wyoming, (1899) and Tipton, Wyoming, (1900). In 1902 Le Fors obtained from Tom Horn the controversial confession that led to Horn's conviction and execution for the murder of a fourteen year old boy.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains the manuscript of Le Fors' autobiography, "Wyoming Peace Officer," published in 1953. Additionally, included in this collection is correspondence from Joe Le Fors, Lawrence Johnson, and other persons, regarding Le Fors' activities as a range detective from 1911 to 1947.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Joe Le Fors at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

The manuscripts and photographs were received from Nettie Le Fors in 1952. The correspondence was received from William T. Ward in 2014.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Steven Mares, June 2015

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Autobiographical ManuscriptReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) - Partial Handwritten Drafts
 1935, undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) - First Draft and Notes
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) - Annotated Draft
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) Pt. 1
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) Pt. 2
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) Pt. 3
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) Pt. 4
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer - Index
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) - Galley Proofs
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer (Autobiography of Joe LeFors) - Dust Jacket
 undated
1
Manuscript: Wyoming Peace Officer - Photographs and Printing Block (Joe Le Fors, Jim Tosah, railroad posse)
 undated

Series II. Correspondence Regarding Range Detective ActivitiesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
2
Correspondence: 1914-1917
Handwritten Letter; From H.C. Snyder addressed to Mrs. Lawrence Johnson, no envelope
 03/07/1914
Handwritten Letter; S.J. Hallcroft addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 08/22/1915
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 09/19/1916
Envelope; From the Executive Department, Cheyenne, Wyoming addressed to Joe LeFors
 09/28/1916
Typed Letter; From J.L. Baird addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 10/04/1916
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 10/16/1916
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 10/24/1916
Handwritten Letter; From A.W. Sedgwick addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 10/27/1916
Handwritten Letter; From Harry W. Keeline addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/6/1916
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/11/1916
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/20/1916
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/21/1916
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/25/1916
Handwritten Letter; From R.L. Bedford addressed to Joe LeFors, envelope included
 11/27/1916
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 12/07/1916
Handwritten Letter; From W.B. Coy addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 12/26/1916
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 12/30/1916
Typed Letter; From E.L. Rossecrans addressed to Joe LeFors, no envelope
 12/26/1916
Handwritten Letter; From R.L. Bedford addressed to Joe LeFors, no envelope
 12/27/1916,
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 01/05/1917
2
Correspondence: January to April, 1917
Handwritten Letter; From W.B. Coy addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 01/11/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, two envelopes included
 01/13/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 01/17/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 01/19/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Jacob Mill addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 01/22/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Bert Wakefield addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 01/25/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Thor Bell addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 02/03/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 02/02/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Jess Boner addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 02/07/1917
Single Page Letter; From Lawrence Johnson addressed to the Fall River Bank of Edgemont with a $100 deposit, envelope included
 02/12/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 02/15/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Thor Bell addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 02/28/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 03/04/1917
Typed Letter; From E.L. Rossecrans addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 03/06/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 3/10/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 04/02/1917
Typed Letter; From Robert D. Carey, President of Wyoming Stock Growers Association addressed to Jacob Hill
 03/15/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 03/22/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 3/24/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 03/26/1917
2
Correspondence: April to August, 1917
Handwritten Letter; From W.B. Coy addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 04/03/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 04/10/1917
Typed Letter; From Robert D. Carey, President of Wyoming Stock Growers Association addressed to Lawrence Johnson
 04/10/1917
Handwritten Letter; From W.B. Coy addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 04/27/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/16/1917
Handwritten Letter; From the Wilson Brothers, Fine Stock Dealers addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/23/1917
Handwritten Letter; From W.B. Coy addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/27/1917
Typed Letter; From Atty. Juckett V. Adams addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/28/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/30/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/31/1917
Notice, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Round up of Horses and Cattle, enclosed in an envelope
 05/31/1917
Handwritten Letter; From James Spencer addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 05/31/1917
Handwritten Letter; From S.Y. Cornell, addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 06/06/1917
Handwritten Letter; From W.B. Coy addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 06/12/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 07/20/1917
Typed Letter; From J.L. Baird addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 07/21/1917
Handwritten Letter; From W.D. Mckeon addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 08/05/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 08/17/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 08/17/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 08/28/1917
2
Correspondence from 1911 to 1947
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 08/31/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 09/08/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 09/30/1917
Handwritten Letter; From the Newcastle Land & Cattle Company addressed to Lawrence Johnson, no envelope
 10/12/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 10/06/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/14/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/18/1917
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 12/04/1917
Typed Letter; From U.S. Attorney, District of South Dakota, Deadwood addressed to Joe LeFors, two pieces, no envelope
 01/26/1918
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 04/10/1917
Handwritten Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Mrs. E.J. Johnson, envelope included
 11/02/1911
Typed Letter; From Joe LeFors addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 11/30/1916
Handwritten Letter; From George R. Keeline addressed to Lawrence Johnson, no envelope
 07/19/1919
Cover only of The Cattleman, Fort Worth, Texas, magazine
 1936
Typed Letter; From United States Senator, John B. Kendrick addressed to Lawrence Johnson, envelope included
 06/24/1920
Typed Letter; From Lawrence Johnson addressed to United States Senator, John B. Kendrick, no envelope
 04/23/1922
Typed Letter; From Russell Thorp addressed to The Family of Mrs. Lawrence Johnson
 07/03/1947

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Cattle stealing -- West (U.S.)
  • Crime and criminals -- Wyoming.
  • Law enforcement -- Wyoming.
  • Peace officers -- Wyoming.
  • Ranching -- West (U.S.)
  • Train roberries -- Wyoming.

Personal Names

  • Horn, Tom, 1860-1903

Geographical Names

  • Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918.
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945.
  • Wyoming -- History -- To 1889.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Le Fors, Joe, 1865-1940 -- Wyoming peace officer.

Processed by Steven Mares
2013; 2015

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