AtticTapestry: A 19th-century resident of Estes Park, Colorado.
'''James Nugent''', known as "'''Rocky Mountain Jim'''" (died 1874) was prominent in the early history of [[Estes Park, Colorado|Estes Park]], in the [[Rocky Mountain National Park]], [[Colorado]], USA. A guide for visitors, his character was described in the writings of an English explorer, [[Isabella Bird]].
==Life==
James Nugent came to Estes Park about 1868; it is not known where he came from. He built a cabin in Muggins Gulch, an entrance to Estes Park, and was one of the first guides in the area. He lost his eye, and sustained other injuries, when attacked by a [[grizzly bear]] in July 1869.<ref name=parkhistory>[http://bit.ly/2J8XmX3 "Historical Background for the Rocky Mountain National Park"] [[National Park Service]]. Retrieved May 2, 2019.</ref><ref name=characters/>
===Meeting with Isabella Bird===
The English explorer [[Isabella Bird]] was exploring Colorado in 1873; her uncle [[George Kingsley]] recommended Estes Park.<ref name=heritage>[http://bit.ly/2IWYMEz "Love in the Park"] ''[[American Heritage (magazine)|American Heritage]]''. Volume 18 no. 2, February 1967.</ref> Much of what is known about Nugent comes from her writings.
She described Nugent: "... a broad, thickset man, about the middle height, with an old cap on his head, and wearing a grey hunting-suit much the worse for wear... a revolver, sticking out of the breast-pocket of his coat.... Tawny hair, in thin incorrect curls, fell from under his hunter’s cap and over his collar. One eye was entirely gone, and the loss made one side of the face repulsive, while the other might have been modeled in marble.... Of his genious and chivalry to women there does not appear to be any doubt; but he is a desperate character, and subject to 'ugly fits', when people think it best to avoid him."<ref>[[Ansel Watrous]], "An Early Day Tragedy in Estes Park".'' Estes Park Trail'', June 9, 1922. Page 5.</ref>
With Nugent as guide, and two others, she climbed [[Longs Peak]]; Bird wrote, "Had I known that the ascent was a real mountaineering feat I should not have felt the slightest ambition to perform it." During the expedition, Nugent confided to her; she wrote in a letter that he "told stories of his early youth, and of a great sorrow which had led him to embark on a lawless and desperate life."<ref name=heritage/> She continued to correspond with him after she left Estes Park.<ref name=parkhistory/>
===Griffith Evans, and death of Nugent===
Griffith Evans, who ran the old Estes ranch in the valley, was a rival of Nugent. He was a guide, like him.<ref name=characters>[http://bit.ly/2J7XOEW "Nine colorful characters who made history in Estes Park, Colorado"] Estes Park. Retrieved May 3, 2019.</ref> Nugent was opposed to [[Windham Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl|Lord Dunraven]]'s plan to make Estes Park a hunting preserve, but Evans was in favor of it.<ref name=parkhistory/> It was also thought that Nugent was interested in Evans's seventeen-year-old daughter, which gave rise to enmity. Her interest in a young Englishman named Haigh, who was looking after Lord Dunraven's interests in the Park, angered Nugent.<ref name=june2>Ansel Watrous, "An Early Day Tragedy in Estes Park".'' Estes Park Trail'', June 2, 1922. Page 5.</ref> Isabella Bird, aware during her visit of the bad feeling between them, wrote in a letter, "Jim's 'I'll shoot you' has more than once been heard in Griff's cabin."<ref name=heritage/>
On June 19, 1874, Nugent was shot outside Evans's ranch-house; he died from the injury in September, in [[Fort Collins, Colorado|Fort Collins]]. It was supposed that he was shot by Evans, who was later acquitted;<ref name=heritage/> but it was also alleged that he was shot by Haigh.<ref name=june2/>
==References==
[[Category:1874 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Estes Park, Colorado]]
[[Category:Mountain guides]]
==Life==
James Nugent came to Estes Park about 1868; it is not known where he came from. He built a cabin in Muggins Gulch, an entrance to Estes Park, and was one of the first guides in the area. He lost his eye, and sustained other injuries, when attacked by a [[grizzly bear]] in July 1869.<ref name=parkhistory>[http://bit.ly/2J8XmX3 "Historical Background for the Rocky Mountain National Park"] [[National Park Service]]. Retrieved May 2, 2019.</ref><ref name=characters/>
===Meeting with Isabella Bird===
The English explorer [[Isabella Bird]] was exploring Colorado in 1873; her uncle [[George Kingsley]] recommended Estes Park.<ref name=heritage>[http://bit.ly/2IWYMEz "Love in the Park"] ''[[American Heritage (magazine)|American Heritage]]''. Volume 18 no. 2, February 1967.</ref> Much of what is known about Nugent comes from her writings.
She described Nugent: "... a broad, thickset man, about the middle height, with an old cap on his head, and wearing a grey hunting-suit much the worse for wear... a revolver, sticking out of the breast-pocket of his coat.... Tawny hair, in thin incorrect curls, fell from under his hunter’s cap and over his collar. One eye was entirely gone, and the loss made one side of the face repulsive, while the other might have been modeled in marble.... Of his genious and chivalry to women there does not appear to be any doubt; but he is a desperate character, and subject to 'ugly fits', when people think it best to avoid him."<ref>[[Ansel Watrous]], "An Early Day Tragedy in Estes Park".'' Estes Park Trail'', June 9, 1922. Page 5.</ref>
With Nugent as guide, and two others, she climbed [[Longs Peak]]; Bird wrote, "Had I known that the ascent was a real mountaineering feat I should not have felt the slightest ambition to perform it." During the expedition, Nugent confided to her; she wrote in a letter that he "told stories of his early youth, and of a great sorrow which had led him to embark on a lawless and desperate life."<ref name=heritage/> She continued to correspond with him after she left Estes Park.<ref name=parkhistory/>
===Griffith Evans, and death of Nugent===
Griffith Evans, who ran the old Estes ranch in the valley, was a rival of Nugent. He was a guide, like him.<ref name=characters>[http://bit.ly/2J7XOEW "Nine colorful characters who made history in Estes Park, Colorado"] Estes Park. Retrieved May 3, 2019.</ref> Nugent was opposed to [[Windham Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl|Lord Dunraven]]'s plan to make Estes Park a hunting preserve, but Evans was in favor of it.<ref name=parkhistory/> It was also thought that Nugent was interested in Evans's seventeen-year-old daughter, which gave rise to enmity. Her interest in a young Englishman named Haigh, who was looking after Lord Dunraven's interests in the Park, angered Nugent.<ref name=june2>Ansel Watrous, "An Early Day Tragedy in Estes Park".'' Estes Park Trail'', June 2, 1922. Page 5.</ref> Isabella Bird, aware during her visit of the bad feeling between them, wrote in a letter, "Jim's 'I'll shoot you' has more than once been heard in Griff's cabin."<ref name=heritage/>
On June 19, 1874, Nugent was shot outside Evans's ranch-house; he died from the injury in September, in [[Fort Collins, Colorado|Fort Collins]]. It was supposed that he was shot by Evans, who was later acquitted;<ref name=heritage/> but it was also alleged that he was shot by Haigh.<ref name=june2/>
==References==
[[Category:1874 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Estes Park, Colorado]]
[[Category:Mountain guides]]
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