Born: 1844 in St. Louis County, Missouri

Died: December 22, 1924, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Charles Cliff is one of the five Pony Express riders buried in St. Joseph.

During the Pony Express, Charles Cliff rode from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Seneca, Kansas, from May 1861 until the Pony Express ended.

After the Pony Express, Cliff drove an ox team on the Platte trail, to Denver and narrowly escaped death in an Indian skirmish. Later, he had a feed and flour store in St. Joseph.

Source: Pony Express National Memorial, St. Joseph, Missouri.

In 2002, Gary Cliff wrote: "Supposedly, great great grandpa Charles rode in the first airplane to land in St Joe. It was a mail plane, how appropriate."

From left to right are: Cyclone Charlie Thompson, Charles Cliff, and Buffalo Bill Cody. Photo was taken in 1913 when Buffalo Bill was in St. Joseph with his Wild West Show. The monument is in Patee Park, directly across the street from the Pikes Peak Stables - now the Pony Express Museum. The Daughters of the American Revolution placed the monument in 1912 to mark the starting point of the Pony Express on April 3, 1860. A huge crowd gathered in St. Joseph for the dedication of the monument and to see Buffalo Bill. Thompson and Cliff lived in St. Joseph and joined Cody for the photo.

The five Pony Express riders buried in St. Joseph are:

Charles Cliff at Mount Mora Cemetery
James W. Brink at Mount Auburn Cemetery
Michael Whalen at Ashland Cemetery
John Phillip Koerner at Ashland Cemetery
Cyclone Charlie Thompson at Mount Auburn Cemetery.