Henry James Monk was born in Waddington, New York circa 1832. Hank, as he came to be known, was the eldest of the four children of George and Polly Monk. From an early age he took to horses and had a natural way with them. It is rumored that he once drove eight horses abreast during a civil celebration.
At a young age, Hank landed his first job driving a stage. Some historians say that he may have been as young as 12 years old; others say that he was a little older. Nonetheless, they agree that he got into the business of stage driving at a tender age. He was given a regular route between Waddington and Massena, and the 20-mile route showed many of his doubters—who believed that he was too young—that he was a natural.
This was the America we all loved, today not so much
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I love a good yarn. This sure qualifies.
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