Recollections of My Life and Reflections on Times and Events During It: A Memoir by Father W. J. Howlett Main Menu Introduction Table of Contents Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Other Writings by Father W. J. Howlett Timeline Howlett Family Tree William J. Howlett Family Tree Maps and Geography: Howlett's First Trip West Fr. Howlett moved with his family to Denver when he was a child, and then moved to St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, KY several years later. This map recounts the path he took to get to both places. Maps and Geography: Howlett's European travels Fr. Howlett traveled far and wide during his trip to Europe. Here is a map of the places he recorded visiting. Maps and Geography: Howlett in Paris, 1872-1873 This map shows the locations that Fr. Howlett mentioned visiting while in Paris, France. Maps and Geography: Howlett in London, 1874 This map shows the locations that Fr. Howlett mentioned visiting while vacationing in London, England Maps and Geography: Colorado Missions with Terrain Fr. Howlett's Colorado mission locations, with Colorado terrain. Index Acknowledgements Contributors' Biographies HIST 394 at CUA, Spring 2020

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One of my brothers was to go with me as far as Moberly, Missouri, where another brother was in business. It was not exactly for my sake that he went, but it was very convenient for me to have him as he was accustomed to traveling and I was not. Then I was still a semi-invalid, and his company was a safeguard. There was another man going so the three of us had the big coach all to ourselves. That made it more convenient especially at night, for it gave us room to stretch our limbs and rest. We had no hotels to stop at for the night but our journey was one unbroken move with the only interruption of changing our horses at the various relay stations which were about fifteen miles apart. Leaving Denver we had six prancing grey horses, and our big Concord coach cut quite a swell as we left the city.

          At the first relay station we got but four horses, and so for the rest of that day. The following day when we could see we found ourselves jogging behind our mules and we continued thus until the last relay before reaching Hays City when we got six horses and entered the new town with some style about us. For our meals we brought our own food, and you may be sure our mother put up plenty and of the best. We saw no Indians during the trip, although we were passing through dangerous country where they might appear at any moment. But we were well armed and would have put up a good fight if attacked, and made a race for the nearest relay station where we could have been safe for the time. These stations were built mostly under ground- showing over ground only a dirt covered mound with openings for light on all sides and serving as lookouts and portables for defense against attackers.

          Hays City was then the terminus of the Kansas Pacific Railroad then in course of construction, and it was served by a mixed train for building material, freight and passengers to Kansas City, 300 miles distant. There was no sleeping coach, so I got a full seat and with a blanket for covering stretched out as comfortably as I could, and although there were no cushions on the board seats, I slept more comfortably and restfully than I ever have done since in any Pullman. The starting jerks and stopping bumps did not disturb me in the least. The cars then were linked together loosely in the old fashion and took up the slack between the coaches and each started with a jerk, and the stop came when each coach bumped against the one in front. A night and a day were required to make the distance to Kansas City, and there we stayed at a hotel for another night’s rest, and the next day we reached Moberly, then a town just started in the woods where the North Missouri Railroad was building a branch road to Brunswick and farther west.

          The priest attending the district was Rev. Michael Walsh of Macon City. He had not said mass at Moberly yet, but on New Year’s day he was at Renick, a small town a few miles away, and some of us went there by handcar to hear Mass at the house of Mr. O’Keeffe, a foreman of the railroad. A few days later my Missouri brother accompanied me to St. Louis, whence he returned home and left me to pursue the rest of my journey alone. It was the first time that I had ever been in such a large city, and the crowded streets were strange to me. I never felt so much alone as in that crowd. I was not homesick, but a spirit of lonesomeness came over me, and I was immenseley [immensely] relieved when the bus came to take the passengers across the ferry to East St. Louis  for the eastbound train. The next morning,

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