The Townsfolk

The Townies


The town may be small, but the Townsfolk are certainly a colorful lot. The population swells and shrinks, depending on the season and how many cowboys or are passing through at any given time. A few of the more notable inhabitants are mentioned here...
				Gypsy Carter - Owner - Carter's Gun Shop Gypsy doesn't talk much about her past. Of course most folks can't get past her present to ask anyway. The foul-mouthed and often hot-headed gunsmith seems more at home hunched over her latest piece of work in her shop than carousing in the local bar. Arguementive and confrontational when crossed her perpetual tomboy dress and attitude have gained her little in the lines of friends amoung either the male or female citizens of Lago, and to hear her say it that's exactly how she likes it. While her mannerisms leave much to be desired there isn't a soul in the territory that could argue that she doesn't know her craft. She works long and hard to keep up her reputation for quality goods and services and often doesn't leave the confines of her shop for days at a time to ensure she's always there when somone might need her. Of course it's rumored that her skills with a firearm goes further that just being able to fix them and there's not a soul in town willing to place themselves in front of her ever-present shotgun to see if that's true or not. She is the proud owner of the new Gun Shop down on Lower Second Street and her products are second to none in the territory.

		Victoria James - Owner - Buffalo Rose Born in California, Victoria James was an only child. One might think: “Why would this woman want to leave California?” Well, when she was twelve years old, her Father John, died in a mine cave in. He was trying to better his family’s life with gold. Once her Father died Victoria and her Mother, Anabelle had to take jobs to support what was left of the family. Taking a job as a waitress in the local town, Victoria worked hard everyday for her family. One day after work her Mother had come down with a fever. Day and night Victoria would take care of her Mother trying to break the fever. The fever never broke and her Mother died within the week. Not being able to stay in that house after her Mother died she took what she had, which was close to nothing, and left town. When the train dropped her off in Lago as the farthest place she could afford to go she was a little scared. Taking a job as a Barmaid she learned to love the town. Now, you’ll always find her overseeing the Buffalo Rose as the new owner. Though she works hard she always has a smile about something and friendly to all.

				Dalton - Bartender - Buffalo Rose Born to poor tenants in Mid West America in 1839, Dalton was raised by the belt. A shady past came to a head when he attempted to thwart his murderous brother and turn him over to the authorities. He made it to Lago on his 30th birthday with only one goal: to put the past behind him and forge a new beginning. At first his reserved nature aroused much suspicion, but has since come to be known in most quarters as the open and trust-worthy bartender at the Buffalo Rose.

				Agatha Ramsey - Photographer Agatha Elizabeth Ramsey was born in Boston Massachusetts. Her mother passed away when she was still a toddler and she was raised by her rather excentric but big hearted father, Randell Ramsey. Randel was an inventor. Not a rich man but he made a comfortable living for himself and his daughter. Even though relatives insisted that he should remarry so Agatha can be raised with a woman's touch, he never did. Randell taught his shy daughter the joys of machinery, literature, of of course, photography. She recieved her first camera at the age of nineteen. The two lived happily for many years until Randell suffered a spill down the stairs. His health failed quickly and he passed away. Agatha suffered from heartbreak for the loss of her father and was quickly wisked off to live with her aunt Katherine, a stodgey older woman of money who was not too fond of her "old maid" of a niece. The years Agatha spent with her aunt were not happy ones. Katherine considered Agatha's plain looks, clumsiness, and her facination with books and photography unlady like. Agatha grew more shy and akward under her aunts care and she began to develop the nasty habit of running into furnature as well as tripping over her own feet. She kept to herself, happy to stay up in her room reading Shakespeare and romantic stories and studying photography. When Agatha turned twenty two, Katherine thought it was time she was married. Reluctantly, she was introduced to Travis Richards, a wealthy man of Boston society. Agatha found him handsome but rather boorish and condisending. Thinking that any escape from her aunt's house was worth it, the two were engaged shortly after meeting. She was wrong. The night of their engagement party Travis became a bit too intoxicated. He spent most of the evening speaking poorly of his wife to be, making crass remarks about her to their guests. In a burst of fustration, Agatha informed him he was nothing but a pomus windbag and stormed off. Unfortunately her moment of triumph only brought her three sharp blows across the back by way of Travis' walking stick later that evening. Agatha didn't wait to see what her fiance's feelings would be the next day. She packed a bag, took money from her aunt's desk and bought herself a train ticket out of Boston. Agatha sold her jewelry and her beloved camera to make it as far as Lago where she wandered a few days in fear of both being alone and fear her aunt and fiance may hunt her down. She can usually be found at the Trail's End Inn spilling tea on her lap or running into a door jam or two when distracted or nervous. Yet, some seem to find it quite charming...in a schadenfreude sort of way.

				Flanna Reynolds - Owner - Willow Falls Feed and Tack Born in County Cavan, Ireland, Flanna Muireann MacKenna was born one of ten children in a traditionally Catholic family. Her father, Collin had a small potato farm not to far from Loch Gowna where he, with the help of his Wife Glynna raised their brood. Glynna kept an herb garden which she used to make medicines for the neighbor. She taught all her children some basics, but Flanna was often found in the garden with her mother asking numerous questions. When the potato famines hit, the MacKenna family was devastated as well as everyone else. They managed to hold out for a long time, even as their neighbors, friends and family moves to America. Collin eventually decided to move his family as well. Packing up what they could carry and selling the farm got them enough money to get across the Atlantic in 1862, and not much further. Upon getting into New York, the MacKenna family obtained a small apartment in Manhattan. Hearing the call for soldiers needed, Collin, and a couple of his older boys signed up, thinking to provide better for the large family. They left shortly before the Draft riots of '63. After the war, Collin was sent to Knoxville, Tn, where Flanna, now a woman of about twenty two years of age, met Lt. Colonel Richard Reynolds. She became Flanna MacKenna Reynolds in the spring of '66, the following year they moved to Fort Bloodworth, near Lago. They weren't at the Fort much more then a few weeks when, for some reason, Richard tried to burn down the Scarlet Thread. When he was cornered in the Trail's End, he tried to shoot Mr. M.J. Harris and was subsequently killed, leaving Flanna a widow. She left the Fort and gained employment at the Flying V ranch as a housekeeper and was allowed to start up her own herb garden on part of the property to make medicines and other herbal goods to sell to the townsfolk.

			Duncan MacKenzie - Manager - Trail's End Restaurant and Hotel In the Fall of 1840, Duncan MacKenzie was brought into the world. The son of a simple horse farmer and his wife, Duncan grew up around horses, tending and riding them on their few acres in Virginia. It was a simple life, nothing too extravagant, and that was the way Duncan liked it. That was until the rumors of a succession started to circulate. The rumors turned out to be much more than he just words and in April of 1861, Virginia succeeded. It was never a question of his willingness to enlist, and soon he and his father found themselves under the command of the newly appointed Brigadier General of the Army of Northern Virginia’s Cavalry brigade; Jeb Stuart. Their first real action was defending Richmond in the Battle of Seven days, fought in June of 1862. General Lee sent their brigade out to scout the entire right flank of the Union forces. Not only did the brigade achieve this mission, they rode completely around the Union General McClellan to deliver their report. Duncan was coming into his own and General Stuart himself was taking note of the young enlistee. In August of 1862, the Brigade found themselves part of the Second Battle of Bull Run (Or Second Manassas if you so desire to call it). Duncan and the Brigade managed to circle once again the Federal army and return with over 1200 of their horses. Defense later in the campaign of Crampton’s gap allowed Lee to get his forces in position to meet McClellan just in time. Stuart became in Lee’s words, the “Eyes of the Army.” It was around this time that the skills Duncan possessed were noted by officers in the Brigade. Stuart himself saw in this young man a soldier who seemed quite fearless and whose perception and ability to predict movements could not go without recognition. Thus, Duncan became a solo scout at times, riding deep into enemy territory to report back to Stuart himself. If Stuart’s brigade was the “Eyes of the Army”, Duncan became a crucial part of that. In December of 1862, the Battle of Fredricksburg was fought. Their Brigade did less scouting work, and basically used their horse drawn artillery to keep the Federal attack off “Stonewall” Jackson. The following May, Chancellorsville was fought. Stuart and his men joined up with the Second Army Corp when Jackson went down; shot by his own men in the dark. In 1863, right before Gettysburg, the Cavalry found themselves in heavy combat with a Federal Cavalry at the Battle of Brandy Station(June 9th). The Federal Cavalry surprised Stuart and his men at dawn and a battle ensued all day, the tides changing repeatedly. It was here that Duncan lost his father when he was shot in the chest. For the rest of the day, he fought with grief and sorrow as well as against the Federals. It was not until it was discovered by the Union army that Lee was near that the Union fell back. Duncan was spent, emotionally and physically, but he knew something big was on the horizon he was right. That July, the Battle of Gettysburg was fought. Perhaps the Calvalry’s greatest faux pas. Stuart was commanded with his cavalry to screen the advancing Confederate Army, and as he did so scout the Union movement. Stuart struck off on a side raid and was detained. This side raid was questioned by Duncan and other officers, yet nobody dared speak to the man they all respected. Thus, the information arrived to General Lee on the Second day of the battle, and too late in Lee’s eyes. Duncan and his fellow Cavalry were to spent and exhausted to be of any help. Gettysburg was a crucial loss for the Confederates, a turning point in the war if you will and though many blamed Lee, Duncan harbored some unspoken feelings that Stuart was the cause, and in effect himself. He broods on this still. Through the rest of the war, they continued to provide information and data on the Union movements, and even were sent to help General Sheridan defend Richmond again. Thus, when the war ended, and the Cavalry mustered out, Duncan found himself lost. He could not return home, his mother having passed away just a two months before the surrender at Appomatox. Duncan sold the farm for some cash and took what little he had, and headed west, finding himself in Lago. It should be noted that the respect Duncan has for General Stuart and even more so General Lee runs deep. Very deep. In fact, any ill word spoken of either of them will certainly garner a violent reaction. In fact, his most prized possession is a short personal letter written to him by Lee himself, done so because of the praise that Stuart had spoken of to Lee himself.

		Lillian "Lili" Antoinette Von Shtupp - Actress Born in the spring of 1845, Lillian "Lili" Antoinette Von Shtupp was born to be something special. Everyone she knew for as far back as she can remember complimented her beauty and her poise. This has not come without scratches upon her, for she is rather vain in her own beauty. Her parents were modest farmers who made enough to feed their family, for the rest of it was spent on Lily and her quest for fame. This has left her spoiled in her outlook. Bejeweled, bedazzled and with a bright smile, she did well on the stage. Her natural grace marked her gorgeous, but her cold demeanor marked her a diva. As she became more famous, she discarded her family and her roots.

	Arianna Fulton Arianna Fulton was born on a small thriving ranch a few days North of Lago. Her father had met and married her mother, a French immigrant, in Tennessee. Shortly after they were wed they moved west, taking advantage of cheap land and lots of it. Shortly after building the beginnings of the Fulton Ranch, Arianna’s brother Seth was born, followed by Arianna herself. The ranch grew quickly, as did the two Fulton children, who were taught language, math, and manners by their gentle mother while their father taught the ranch life to his son and cosseted his baby girl. When Arianna reached twelve, her mother became sick and died. She was kept away from the sick room and had been unable to see her mother before her sudden death. The pall of grief that covered the family made it easy to disregard everything but the closest members of the family, being her brother, father, and two faithful family servants. After her mother’s death, Arianna was loosed upon the countryside of her father’s ranch, beyond the control of anyone there and too dear to their hearts to restrain. Unfortunately, this gave wild reign to her insatiable curiosity, which led her all over the countryside. Her older brother, Seth, encouraged this activity, giving her lessons on how to ride, how to at least hold a gun, and acting tough in general. Unknowingly watched by her father’s men, Arianna grew to love exploring the world of her home and found great peace in being away from the prying eyes she knew of. She also found comfort in helping around at home, taking over her mother’s role, and caring for her small family. She grew up into a pretty young lady and was sought out by some of the local boys, one in particular gaining her favor. When a stable fire took the young man's life in questionable circumstances, Arianna was crushed. Some thought she would never leave the Fulton Ranch and were quite surprised when she told her father her plans to see beyond the constraints of their ranch. With little more than curiosity and a few dresses, Arianna meandered into Lago on accident and quickly grew to call the place home.

	Dr. Benjamin Claussen The son of an Army officer and his wife, Benjamin came to Ft. Laramie in the Spring of 1841. Moving his small family nearby, he gave them a taste of the army life, while his wife created a small haven, providing her fresh vegetables which she grew to the Fort as well as the Sioux and Cheyenne. Ben grew up with many of the Sioux and Cheyenne youths as friends. Soon, however, things change when the Platte Ferry was seized by the Sioux and a skirmish resulted between the soldiers at Fort Laramie and the Sioux, resulting in the death of his father. He was 14. Soon after, a Lieutenant M.J. McCormick passed through the Fort where Ben was shadowing the surgeon at the time. Taking as much of a liking to the young man and his mother as he could with anyone, McCormick offered to send Benjamin to medical school. His mother, who now lived on a small farm nearby, was grateful for the interest the soldier took in her son and at age 16, Ben was sent to the Chicago Medical College with letters of recommendation from the Fort's doctor and Lt. McCormick. During the war, those nearly ready for graduation served rotations at the POW camp at Camp Douglas. To the dismay of the war-hardened Union soldiers, Ben Claussen attempted to better the conditions of the camp, but was waved off by those in command and was later recalled to the College after several complaints were made against his efforts to make the prisoners of war more comfortable within the inhuman conditions which they were being held under. In 1865, Benjamin graduated and accepted the offer of being the town of Lago's doctor by the now Colonel McCormick as he passed through on his return trip. Ben followed soon after.