Volume 47 - No. 25
by lyle e davis
Tracking one of California’s most famous stage coach drivers proved to be a fascinating assignment. His name was Charley Darkey Parkhurst. Near as we can figure, he was born in 1812 in Sharon, Vermont. Mother was Mary Morehouse Parkhurst, apparently born out of wedlock, the father was unknown. He had two siblings, Charles born in 1811 who died in 1813 and Maria born in 1810. Their mother Mary died in 1812. Charley and Maria were sent to an orphanage in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
In 1824 at age 12 Charley ran away from the orphanage, escaping in boys clothing. He became a a stable boy for Ebenezer Balch in Worecester, Vermont. Balch, the owner of a livery stable in Rhode Island, took him in as his own son. Balch taught the young child to ride horses and drive wagon teams giving him the skills needed to later drive stagecoaches throughout California. Charley was taught to drive a coach, first with one, then four, and eventually six horses. Charley worked for Balch for several years. He quickly mastered the profession and made the perilous long journey all the way across the country to work as a whip (the term then for a stagecoach driver) on the Pacific Coast.
Over the ensuing years, he earned a hallmark reputation driving a six-up (a six horse team) in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, and California during the gold rush era. He not only learned how to drive a team, he learned to smoke, chew, and drink. Eventually, he wound up in the gold fields like all men of that era, arriving around 1852 and drove stages for the California Stage Lines until 1855.
Western stagecoach companies were big business in the latter half of the 19th century. In addition to passengers and freight, stages hauled gold and silver bullion as well as mining company payrolls. Stage robbery was a constant danger and bandits employed many strategies to ambush a stagecoach. Thieves rarely met with much resistance from stage drivers, since they had passenger safety foremost in mind. The gang was usually after the Wells Fargo money box with its valuable contents. Passengers were seldom hurt, but they were certainly relieved of their cash, watches and jewelry. Before the completion of the transcontinental railroad over Donner Pass in 1868, the only transportation through the Sierra was by stage. Rugged teamsters held rein over six wild-eyed horses as they tore along the precipitous mountain trails. The stagecoaches were driven by skilled and fearless men who pushed themselves and their spirited horses to the limit. One-Eyed, Bandit-Shootin’ Charley
When the almost 40-year-old Parkhurst arrived in the Santa Cruz Mountains in
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The Legendary Charley Darkey Parkhurst 1850, he fit right in with the other rough and tough drivers. Known as “One-eyed Charley,” he wore a black patch over his left eye, lost when attempting to shoe a horse. His lips were stained from constant tobacco chewing and as the years wore on he talked less and less earning him another nickname, Silent Charley. When Parkhurst did speak, he didn’t hesitate to sling around swear words in a gruff voice. The only part of his appearance that was out of place was his cleanshaven face, an odd choice for a man in those days. Parkhurst proved himself in California not only in skill with a team of up to six horses but in handling bandits. A bandit
Concord Stagecoach - 1869
called “Sugarfoot” and his crew held up Parkhurst’s stagecoach and forced him to hand over the wagon’s strong box (used to hold all of the passenger’s valuables). He calmly acquiesced while keeping all his passengers safe, but before they left, he warned the robbers that he’d “break even with them.” Sugarfoot unwisely stopped his stagecoach again, and this time, Parkhurst shot him dead. As the story goes, Sugarfoot crawled back to a miner’s cabin and, before he died, told the miners he’d been shot by the famous driver, One-eyed Charley.
In appreciation of his bravery, Wells Fargo presented Parkhurst with a large watch and chain made of solid gold. Charley became a member of the western community, even joining the all male IOOF (International Order of Odd Fellows).
He spent 15 years running stages, sometimes partnering with Hank Monk, the celebrated driver from Carson City. Over the years, Pankhurst’s reputation as an expert whip grew. From 20 feet away he could slice open the end of an envelope or cut a cigar out of a man’s mouth. Parkhurst smoked cigars, chewed wads of tobacco, drank with the best of them, and exuded supreme confidence behind the reins. His judgment was sound and pleasant manners won him many friends.
One afternoon as Charley drove down from Carson Pass the lead horses veered off the road and a wrenching jolt threw him from the rig. He hung on
Obituaries Memorials Area Services Page 12
to the reins as the horses dragged him along on his stomach. A m a z i n g l y, Parkhurst managed to steer the frightened horses back onto the road and save all his grateful passengers.
The "whip" Charley Darkey Parkhursts, aka “One-eyed Charley,” C h a r l e y and/or “Cock-eyed Charley,” Parkhurst, like all the others and/or a missing eye, it was easy to before and after him, had sun baked, assume he was a typical driver, except weathered skin, pulled gaunt across Charley was one of a kind! He was thick bones. Most folk ate poorly then small, at five foot-seven inches tall, and were in many cases suffering from slender yet stocky from the waist malnutrition. Called "Whips" for their down. experienced ability with their "six-ups" (six horses) pulling at that many lead During his 30 years as a stagecoach lines; stagecoach drivers were a hardy driver, Parkhurst became known as one group. Their gauntlet covered scared of the best in California. In the late hands were always full. To use a shot- 1860s, as traveling by train began to gun or a whip for any reason took great replace the need for stagecoaches, juggling ability and strength. They Charley retired as a whip and tried his were also quick to sum up a bad situa- hand at other ventures. tion and correct a problem before a disaster occurred. Fond of a wad of tobac- He is rumored to have raised cattle on co to keep calm in such emergencies. Bean Creek and may have opened a Able to speak words of caution with stage station and saloon between Santa endearing tones and bellow blas- Cruz and Watsonville. It seems more phemies to prevent problems while certain that he worked as a skilled lumfighting and tugging the animals on berjack for several years until rheumatrack. With clothing as dirty as their tism and cancer of the mouth forced bodies, drivers were usually stand-off- him to stop. ish. Charley had the added "benefit" of a nasty scar, dislocated cheek bone In 1865, Parkhurst grew tired of the
The Legendary Charley Parkhurst Continued on Page 2