Paria River to Cannonville

The Canoyn Diablo Train Robbers eventually wound up in Cannonville, Utah, probably 7-9 days after the incident.  What transpired there will be subject for yet another blog post.  Travel from Lees Ferry to Cannonville via the Paria River was common in those days.  We found the following passage in "A History of Garfield County".  (See citatioin below.)  Additional commentary is located after the quoted excerpts.

"Local residents obtained some special items from Native Americans-particularly Navajos. South of Cannonville, following the Paria River to the Colorado River, was Lees Ferry, the only crossing of the Colorado for miles. As a result, many Navajos followed a well-worn trail between Utah and Arizona territories that led them through the community of Cannonville. They liked to trade at the local store and brought their mats, rugs, and blankets all beautifully woven from fibers of yucca, cane straw, and wool. They often brought mustang ponies that they caught from wild herds and then broke and trained for purposes of trade. Residents of Cannonville and the Native Americans usually got along quite well and the white settlers became accustomed to the frequent presence of the Indians."

"One local woman in particular did not view Indians as a threat. Nine Indians rode up to Matilda Willis Thompson's home one day while she was kneading bread. Her frightened children ran to the house to hide behind their mother's skirts. Forcing their way through the door, the Indians demanded food. She said they would have to wait until she finished baking the bread, but one eager intruder reached for a handful of dough. Matilda quickly grabbed a knife and brought it down, just missing the man's arm; she told him that if he tried that again she'd cut off his hand. She demanded that he and his friends go outside and wait. Amid the laughs and jeers of his companions, the offending Indian retreated to wait outdoors as he was told. Matilda finally brought out two freshly baked loaves and some meat for her uninvited guests and watched as they ate it with pleasure. From then on the Indians showed great respect for this frontier woman and would even leave some venison at her door when they happened to be passing by."

Source: Location 163 as found in:
https://digitallibrary.utah.gov/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=34277


There are only two ways to reach Cannonville from Lees Ferry via the Paria River.  One is very straightforward--simply riding horseback up through the Parian River Canyon and then following the river farther to Cannonville.  This may or may not have been the travel route for the robbers.  We contacted a BLM Staff person at Kanab to discuss this possibility.  He said the Narrows section of Paria River Canyon is currently blocked with a large rockfall.  The rockfall does not impede either hikers or streamflow but it would not be passable by a mounted rider.  Of course, there is no way of knowing whether that route would have been clear in 1889.

The other route would be to follow the Honeymoon Trail from Lees Ferry along the base of the Vermilion Cliffs past Jacob's Pools to House Rock Spring. The route would thence go north in House Rock Valley to intersect the Paria River neat the old Pahreah Townsite.  At that point, it would become easy to follow the river north to Cannonville.


Newell, Linda King; Talbot, Vivian Linford
"A History of Garfield County"
Utah Centennial County History Series
Garfield County Commission; Garfield County (Utah);
Utah State Historical Society; State History; Heritage and Arts
1998