They carried a rifle, 2 Colt revolvers, a sheath knife and a Bible, twenty pounds of mail and a horn. The horn was to scare off the wolves. Mail was carried in a lightweight leather bag called a Mochila. There were pony express stations all along the way where they could take s short break, get a fresh horse and saddle and something to eat before going on. This job was so dangerous that they liked to hire Orphans so that if they were killed they wouldn't be missed. There were a total of 182 Riders and the last one died on January 1, 1955. The most famous one was Buffalo Bill Cody. The Pony Express was replaced by the Telegraph.
Members of the Society rode stick horses around the room and carried a letter from member to member in relay. They wore cowboy hats and bandannas and learned that the bandanas were worn with the knot in the back to keep the dust out of their mouths. A display board showed pictures of pony express riders because only one of the members is old enough to read.
Past President of the Society Sara Easom-Hughes, who was visiting from Winter Park, Florida brought her two daughters Amber (age 23 months) and Lillie (age 1 month) Hughes. Amber is already a member and Lillie's papers will be submitted soon.
The Society meets one Sunday a month at Powhatan Baptist Church in Clayton, N.C. If interested in joining or visiting contact Lynne Belvin at lwbelvin@aol.com or call 919-772-6899. Members learn about American History and leadership. Members must prove they had an ancestor that either fought in the Revolutionary War or gave material aid. The Adult Leaders provide genealogical help.
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