Pony Express Bible facts for kids

The Pony Express Bible was a special book given to the brave Pony Express riders. The company gave these Bibles to their riders in 1860 and 1861. Riders also had to sign a promise to follow certain rules of good behavior.

What Was the Pony Express Bible?

A Special Book for Riders

The Pony Express Bible was a unique book made for the company's employees. The company, called Russell, Majors and Waddell, gave these Bibles to all their workers. This special Bible was covered in leather.

It was about 5.7 inches (14.5 cm) tall and 3.6 inches (9.1 cm) wide. It was also a little over 2 inches thick. The Bible had 1,278 pages, with two columns of text on each page.

How the Bibles Were Made

Alexander Majors, one of the company's owners, ordered these Bibles. They contained the full text of the Old and New Testaments, which are parts of the Christian Bible. The company first bought these Bibles for their wagon-train workers.

The Bibles had gold writing on the cover. It said, "Presented by Russell, Majors & Waddell. 1858." The text inside came from an 1858 King James Version Bible. This version was published by the American Bible Society in New York City.

The Rider's Pledge

When a Pony Express rider started their job, they received one of these special Bibles. Inside the front cover, there was a "frontier pledge." Riders had to promise to be loyal, honest, and sober. They signed this pledge when they began working. About 183 riders worked for the Pony Express from April 1860 to November 1861.

Why Were Bibles Given to Riders?

Rules for Riders

Alexander Majors, one of the Pony Express founders, had strong religious beliefs. He wanted his employees to follow certain rules based on the Christian Bible. For example, employees were not allowed to use bad language in public. They were also told to respect Sunday as a day of rest.

Equipment for the Journey

At first, Pony Express riders were given specific items to carry. These included a bowie knife and the Pony Express Bible.

However, many riders later stopped carrying some of this equipment. It was too heavy and they felt it was not needed for their fast journeys. Some people say riders did carry the Bibles, at least at the start. Others say the Bibles were never carried because they added weight. Extra weight would slow down their ponies. To travel lightly, many riders carried only a single pistol with extra bullets. Some riders didn't even carry a gun, trusting their pony's speed to escape danger.

Where Are the Bibles Now?

Surviving Copies

The American Bible Society's report from 1861 shows that 300 Bibles were given to Majors and Russell. By 1960, only 12 copies were known to still exist. Since 1980, only two of these Bibles have been sold to the public.

Many of the surviving Bibles are in museums and libraries:

• 2 copies – Pony Express History and Art Gallery, San Rafael, California
• 2 copies – Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 1 copy – Sons of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 1 copy – Bancroft Library, Berkeley, California
• 1 copy – Denver City Library (Main), Denver, Colorado
• 1 copy – Mormon Station State Historical Monument, Genoa, Nevada
• 1 copy – Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, Nebraska
• 1 copy – State Historical Society of Colorado, Denver, Colorado
• 1 copy – Society of California Pioneers, San Francisco, California
• 1 copy – California Historical Society, San Francisco, California

A copy of the Bible is also kept at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Society of California Pioneers

The Society of California Pioneers owns a Pony Express Bible.

Overland Mail Company

Sharing Routes

The Pony Express route went through areas like Utah, Nebraska, and Kansas. The Pony Express riders shared relay stations with the Butterfield Overland Mail Company. This company operated stagecoach lines.

When the Pony Express stopped running in 1861, the Overland Mail Company took over the western parts of the Pony Express route. This included the route that went to Sacramento, California. The full Pony Express route crossed Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California.

Bibles for Station Operators

The station operators for the Overland Mail Company also received Bibles. They were given the American Bible Society's 1859 edition of the Bible. This edition was the same as the 1858 version given to the Pony Express riders.

The Pony Express Bible on TV

Featured on Pawn Stars

The Overland Mail Company Bible was shown on the TV show Pawn Stars. This happened in season 8, episode 55, titled "Ponies and Phonies." The episode aired on April 24, 2014. In the show, rare book expert Rebecca Romney compared the Overland Mail Company Bible to the Pony Express Bible.

Images for kids

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  Pony Express Bible, KJV of 1858

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  Pony Express Bible with gold lettering

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  American Bible Society KJV 1858

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  Overland Mail Company Bible

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  Close up showing gold lettering

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  Overland Mail Company Bible title page