AHJ_ah00261 Inventory of the Joe Le Fors Papers, 1911-1947 Le Fors (Joe) Papers Processed by Steven Mares University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2013; 2015

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort March 2013 Finding aid is in English Collection Summary Le Fors, Joe, 1865-1940. Joe Le Fors papers 1911-1947 00261 .7 cubic feet (2 boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English 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. Biography of Joe Le Fors

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.

 Scope and Content

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.

 Access Restrictions

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

 Copyright Information

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

 Related Materials

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

 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 Information

The collection was processed by Steven Mares, June 2015

 Preferred Citation

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

 Access Terms Horn, Tom, 1860-1903 Crime and criminals -- Wyoming. Peace officers -- Wyoming. Law enforcement -- Wyoming. Ranching -- West (U.S.) Cattle stealing -- West (U.S.) Train roberries -- Wyoming. Wyoming -- History -- To 1889. Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918. Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945. <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Le Fors, Joe, 1865-1940 -- Wyoming peace officer. Ranching Politics, Government, and Law Laws and Legislation Territorial Government Wyoming Container List Series I. Autobiographical Manuscript

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 Activities

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