History of Colorado; Volume II, Part 11

Author: Stone, Wilbur Fiske, 1833-1920, ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 944

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EUGENE G. HOLDEN, M. D.

Dr. Eugene G. Holden, engaged in the practice of medicine at Severance, is also identified with banking there and in a measure has extended his efforts into agricultural circles. He was born in Iowa in 1879, a son of Dr. Charles E. and Judith D. (Athearn) Holden, the former a native of New York, while the latter was born in Iowa. Charles E. Holden was taken to Iowa when but three years of age. He was the son of a farmer and spent his youthful days upon the home farm, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. But he did not care to devote his life to agricultural pursuits and turned his attention to the study of medicine. He qualified for active practice and afterward followed his profession in Iowa for many years or until 1899, when he removed to Longmont, Colorado, where he opened an office, there remaining an active practitioner until his demise, which occurred in 1910. His father-in-law was also a physician and Walter S. Athearn, a brother of Mrs. Charles

HISTORY OF COLORADO

E. Holden, became a distinguished educator at Drake University of Iowa and later was connected with a university at Boston, Massachusetts. He became widely known throughout the country as a man of eminent learning and ability. His sister, Mrs. Holden, is still living and now makes her home in California. By her marriage she became the mother of the following named: Eugene G., Carl, Callie, Mildred and Hazel. The last named, however, passed away in California.

Eugene G. Holden acquired his early education in the Deita high school of Iowa and afterward attended Penn College. Having decided to follow in his father's pro- fessional footsteps, he began reading medicine and eventually became a student in the Keokuk (Iowa) Medical College. He has continuously practiced since 1903. He located first at Longmont, Colorado, where he remained until 1905. He then came to Severance, where he has since practiced, and he is spoken of throughout this section of Weld county in terms of the highest regard. While he gives the major part of his thought, attention and efforts to his practice, he is also vice president of the Farmers Bank of Severance and is part owner of a farm west of Pierce, comprising one hundred and sixty acres of rich and productive land. He also engages to some extent in buying and selling land.

In 1906 Dr. Holden was united in marriage to Miss Ethel Kuppinger, who was born in West Virginia, and they have one child, Eugene, whose birth occurred in 1907. Dr. and Mrs. Hoiden occupy an enviable position in social circles. They are people of genuine worth of character and the hospitality of the best homes of their section of the state is freely accorded them. Dr. Holden has made for himself a very creditable position in professional circles and is held in high esteem by reason of the honorable and progressive course which he has followed in every relation of life.

J. H. DANA.

J. H. Dana, a prominent attorney successfully practicing in Denver, was born in Washington county, Iowa, September 28, 1868, his parents being William Bancroft and Nancy Jane (Williams) Dana, the former a native of Iowa, while the latter was born in Ohio, whence she removed to Iowa in early life. They were married in that state and in 1868 became residents of Kansas, settling on a farm in Montgomery county, where Mr. Dana continued to make his home to the time of his death, which occurred in 1908. His widow still survives and yet occupies the old homestead in Montgomery county.

J. H. Dana was the fifth in order of birth in a family of eight children, all sons. In early life he attended the district schools and also became a student in the Fort Scott Normal School. After completing his course there he devoted several years to educational work as a teacher, spending three years in that connection with the district schools of Montgomery county. He afterward became principal of the schools of Caney, Kansas, in which capacity he served for two years. In the meantime he began reading law and in 1896 was admitted to the bar. In connection with his law work he had served as editor and was proprietor of the Caney Times, but he sold the paper at the end of a year and concentrated his efforts and attention entirely upon law practice at Caney, where he followed his profession for three years. He was elected county attorney of Montgomery county and occupied that position acceptably for two years. In 1901 he left Caney to become a resident of Coffeyville, Kansas, where he entered into partnership with Thomas G. Ayres under the firm style of Ayres & Dana. This connection, however, was later dissolved and he became a member of the firm of Ziegler & Dana. He thus continued in successful practice until 1910, when he sold his interest to his partner and removed to Denver, seeking the broader field of labor offered in this city. He has since been active here in the legal profession and has made for himself a creditable name and place as an able attorney. His mind is naturally analytical and logical and he readily recognizes the relation between cause and effect. He loses sight of no point bearing upon his case and his ability to marshal the points in evidence at their greatest strength has been one of the salient features in his success. Mr. Dana is also heavily interested in a number of oil companies of Colorado and Wyoming and in some of these is a director.

Fraternally Mr. Dana is a Mason and has attained the Knights Templar degree in the York Rite. He also has membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Denver Athletic Club, while along strictly professional lines his connection is with the Denver City & County Bar Association, the Colorado State Bar Association and the American

HISTORY OF COLORADO

Bar Association. He has become widely known through his professional and business activities in this state and stands deservedly high, his personal worth as well as his ability making for popularity among those with whom he has come in contact.

EMILE JACQUES RIETHMANN.

Emile Jacques Riethmann, of Denver, was for many years actively engaged in the dairy business and he still holds valuable farming interests in Adams county. He was born in Switzerland, March 5, 1844, and comes of genuine Swiss parentage. His father was John Riethmann and his mother Mary (Hunzicher) Riethmann. The former was a butcher by trade, following that pursuit in the old country. He came to the United States in 1848 with his wife and four children and settled first in Utica, New York, where he remained for two years. He then removed to Switzerland county, Indiana, where he followed the business of a drover. He took stock to the Cincinnati market overland and after residing for a number of years in Indiana left that state in 1856 for Illinois. He remained, however, in the latter state for but two months and then removed to Des Moines, Iowa, while subsequently he established his home in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he continued until 1859. He afterward followed his sons to Colorado, becoming one of the pioneer farmers of the state and contributing to its early development and progress. He reared a family of six children, two of whom were born on this side of the Atlantic.

Emile J. Riethmann and his brother John left Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the 19th of February, 1859, en route for the west. The former was then a youth of fifteen years. Up to that time he had heen reared upon his father's farm in Indiana and in Iowa, with the usual experiences of the farm-bred boy. With his brother he crossed the Missouri river on the ice and thence traveled across the plains with a party numbering five members. They followed the Platte River trail and arrived in the newly laid-out settlement of Denver on the 23d of March, 1859. The trip across the country was made with two horses and two mules. The "outfit" built seven log houses on the site of Denver, living in the first one which was constructed. The brothers soon began to prospect for gold at Arvada, on Ralston creek, but found none there and were persuaded to go to the Deadwood "Diggin's," now Russellville. They remained there for a short time and then went to the famous Gregory "Diggin's," now Central City, where they discovered a lode on the mountain. Lack of facilities and knowledge of quartz delayed their work greatly. The Riethmann brothers, however, were the first to get water up the mountains to the mines. They remained in the mining district until their father, John Riethmann; arrived in Denver on the 6th of June, 1859, and then sold out the mine, trading their share for two yoke of oxen and a wagon. In this way they traveled to Denver. The father took up his abode on a farm at the mouth of Sand creek, in Adams county, and the property is still in possession of his son Emile, who continued upon the home place until he reached the age of twenty-two years, assisting materially in its early development and improvement. He drove the first milk wagon in Denver, using a team of oxen. When twenty-two years of age he established the Pioneer Dairy and continued in the dairy business in Denver for twenty-two years, on the expiration of which period he sold the business to the Cook Brothers, but he still retains his farms, all of which are in Adams county and are valuable properties, returning to him a most gratifying annual income.

On the 28th of March, 1871, in Denver, Mr. Riethmann was united in marriage to Miss Mary Yesley, a native of Ohio, who came to Denver in the autumn of 1869. Her father was of Pennsylvania birth. To Mr. and Mrs. Riethmann have been born four children, but all have passed away. Cora, the eldest, became the wife of W. C. Gram, of Denver, and had one child, Lucille, who was reared by her grandfather. Nora died at the age of eighteen years, while William Luther passed away in infancy and John F. died at the age of twenty-five years.

In his political views Mr. Riethmann has always maintained an independent course. His religious faith in the past years has been that of the Presbyterian church. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and he also belongs to the Swiss Gruetli Verein. In 1864 he was a member of the Home Guard Militia, which in that year went out to meet the Indians who were upon the warpath. He has at different times been called upon for public service. He was county com- missioner of Arapahoe county from 1886 until 1889, at which time the county included the district that now constitutes Arapahoe, Denver and Adams counties. He was also

EMILE J. RIETHMANN

HISTORY OF COLORADO

Swiss consul for the states of Colorado and Utah and the territories of Arizona and New Mexico, being appointed during the Cleveland administration on the 29th of October, 1896, and serving until 1902. He has been the president of the Fulton Ditch and is now president of the Burlington Ditch. In other words he has been closely associated with the development of irrigation interests and at all times he has been a student of conditions in this section of the country bearing upon the development of its material resources. He has contributed to the work of progress along that line as well as through his activity in public office and his worth as a man and citizen is widely acknowledged.

HOBERT L. FRAZIER.

Hobert L. Frazier is filling the office of deputy sheriff of Weld county and, further- more, deserves mention in this volume as a representative of one of the oldest and best known pioneer families of the state. He was horn near Johnstown, Colorado, in July, 1880, a son of Sylvester and Eugenie (McCune) Frazier, the former a native of Ohio, while the mother's birth occurred in Kentucky. It was in the year 1866 that Sylvester Frazier arrived in Colorado at a period when the work of progress and de- velopment seemed scarcely begun within the borders of the state. He turned his atten- tion to the live stock business, in which he engaged for many years, winning success by the careful and systematic manner in which he conducted his interests. He was afterward appointed to the position of under-sheriff of Weld county at the time when the county seat was at Evans, Colorado. He continued to act in that capacity for about four years and later was appointed under-sheriff at Greeley after the county seat was removed to the latter place. He continued to make his home in Greeley throughout his remaining days and was one of its valued and respected citizens. He served for two years during the Civil war in defense of the Union cause as a member of Company A of the Eighth Ohio Infantry and throughout his entire life his career was character- ized by marked fidelity to duty. He died in April, 1908, having for about eleven years survived his wife, who had passed away in September, 1897.

Hobert L. Frazier was reared and educated in Greeley, Colorado, and after his textbooks were put aside he began farming on his own account, devoting about five years to agricultural pursuits. He was then appointed deputy sheriff and has since served in that capacity during the last three terms of office, or for a period of over thirteen years. This fact indicates most clearly that he has been thoroughly competent in the position and that he enjoys in the fullest measure the esteem of his superior officers.

In November, 1902, Mr. Frazier was united in marriage to Miss Ida Goetter, a daughter of Fred and Mary Goetter, who were natives of Germany and came to America in early life. After residing for a time in Illinois and Nebraska they removed to Colorado and Mr. Goetter took up the occupation of farming in this state, devoting his attention to general agricultural pursuits until the time of his retirement from active business about 1906. He afterward removed to Portland, Oregon, where he now resides, being most pleasantly situated in that beautiful city of roses. His wife is also living. To Mr. and Mrs. Frazier have been born three children, namely: Merle W. Frederick S. and Eugene H., all of whom are now in school.

Mr. Frazier is a member of the Woodmen of the World. His political allegiance has always been given to the republican party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church. Those who know him, and he has a wide acquaintance, esteem him as a man of genuine worth, enjoying in full measure the goodwill and confidence of those with whom he has been brought in contact. He is a representative of one of the old families of the state and has himself been a resident within its borders for thirty-eight years, so that he has witnessed much of its growth and development.

WILLIAM H. SHARPLEY, M. D.

Dr. William H. Sharpley, actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Denver and also manager of health and charity for the city, has for a number of years been quite prominent in connection with public office and high honors have been conferred upon him. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. William Parker

HISTORY OF COLORADO

Sharpley, both of whom have passed away. He was educated in the public schools of Denver and in the University of Denver, from which he was graduated in 1898. He became a resident of this city in 1876, when but a youth, and was employed at various trades. In early life he was connected with newspaper work but became imbued with a desire to enter upon the practice of medicine and put forth every effort to prepare for a professional career. His earnings enabled him to pay his way through the uni- versity and after his graduation he entered upon the practice of medicine, in which he has since continued. He has won liberal and well deserved success, for he closely con- fines his attention to professional duties, keeps well informed concerning advanced thought and scientific investigation relative to the practice of medicine and surgery and in fact is interested in everything that tends to bring to man the key to the complex mystery which we call life.

Dr. Sharpley was married in Denver in 1883 to Miss Kate Lennon, a native of Hannibal, Missouri, and a daughter of the late Colonel John and Elizabeth (Brown) Lennon. Mrs. Sharpley passed away March 5, 1910, leaving a daughter, Elizabeth, who is the wife of Eari M. Scanlan, of Denver.

Dr. Sharpley is a democrat in his political views and has always taken a deep interest in politics and vital questions relative to the welfare and progress of his city. He has served as police surgeon from 1898 to 1904 and health commissioner from 1904 to 1912. He was superintendent of the county hospital in 1913 and 1914 and was elected commissioner of social welfare and also mayor of the city, serving until 1915. Since the latter date he has been manager of health and charity for the city of Denver. He also represented his district in the state senate for four years and was elected a member of the second charter convention of the city. He now fills the position of a member of the state board of health. His high professional standing is indicated in the fact that he was honored with the presidency of the city and county medical society. He likewise belongs to the Colorado State Medical Association and to the American Medical Association. His military record covers four years' service in the early '80s with the Governor's guard. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America and his religious faith is that of the Episcopal church. Dr. Sharpley deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. He has steadily worked his way upward through persistency of purpose and individual effort and, not afraid of hard work. he was able to advance step by step. Feeling that the professions offered a broader field than the trades, he at length turned to a professional career and in the practice of medicine has found a work for which he is eminently fitted. He thoroughly understands the principles of the science of medicine and keeps in touch with the trend of modern thought and investigation, adopting those advanced ideas which are so rapidly working a transformation in medical science and which have gone far toward solving the problems of health.

BENJAMIN F. HOTTEL.

Benjamin F. Hottel is looked upon as one of the leading men of Fort Collins by reason of the importance of the business interests with which he has been connected, interests which have contributed in marked measure to the substantial upbuilding and material development of his part of the state. He was long identified with milling interests, was one of the promoters of the sugar factory at Fort Collins and is now a well known figure in banking circles as the president of the Poudre Valley National Bank, to which office he was called in January, 1910.

Mr. Hottel comes to Colorado from the beautiful Shenandoah valley of Virginia, in which he spent the period of his boyhood and youth, while its schools afforded him his educational opportunities. His identification with the west dates from 1875. On ieav- ing the Old Dominion he made his way first to Omaha, Nebraska, where he engaged in the wholesale grocery business, but Iater turned his attention to cattle raising by putting a herd of cattle on the rich pasture lands of Wyoming. He took up his abode at Fort Collins in October, 1877, then a young man of less than thirty years, but it is the young men who have been the builders of the west and Mr. Hottei belongs to that class. He possessed keen discrimination, personal courage, indomitable energy and marked business ability. He believed that the Cache la Poudre valley had great opportunities and that its future was bright with industrial promise. He therefore became a factor in its development, first turning his attention to the milling business, for he had previously learned the trade in his father's old mill in Virginia. He there-

HISTORY OF COLORADO

fore became associated with Joseph Mason in operating the Lindell mills, then owned by Mr. Mason, and since that time, or for a period of forty-one years, Mr. Hottel has made his home in Fort Collins.

In February, 1880, Mr. Hottel purchased a half interest in the mill, and following the death of his partner, Mr. Mason, in 1881, he acquired the other half of the business, thus becoming sole owner. He continued to operate the mill until 1885, when he sold to the Colorado Milling and Elevator Company, but remained with that corporation as manager of the mill for several years. While identified with the Lindell mills he paid to the farmers of the Cache la Poudre valley millions of dollars for wheat and other grains and thus his work was of the greatest worth to the community. Forceful and resourceful, constantly broadening his activities, he became one of the leaders in the movement which resulted in securing one of the largest sugar factories in the state for Fort Collins, personally subscribing twenty-five thousand dollars for stock for the enterprise, after which he was elected president of the company. He became a prom- inent and active factor in banking circles when in January, 1910, he was elected presl- dent of the Poudre Valley National Bank, of which he has long been a stockholder and director. As head of the institution he has given his attention to executive manage- ment and control and his administrative direction of its affairs has brought excellent results.

In 1875 Mr. Hottel was united in marriage to Miss Emma Mantz and they have become parents of a son and two daughters: Charles M .; Anna Josephine, now deceased; and Mary E. The family residence is at No. 215 South College avenue, in Fort Collins. Mr. Hottel and his family are of the Episcopal faith in their religious views, while his political support is given to the democratic party. He has never consented to accept public office save on two occasions, when, at the urgent solicitation of his fellow townsmen, he became a member of the city council as alderman from his ward. He is, however, a most public-spirited man and gives liberally of his time, his means and his efforts to assist any undertaking or project that is calculated to advance the material, social and moral welfare of the community. He stands among that class of broadminded, farsighted and progressive citizens who have been the real builders and promoters of Colorado, this state standing today as a splendid monument to their enterprise.

ALLISON STOCKER.

When a youth of but eleven years Allison Stocker began working at the carpenter's trade; today he is one of the leading contractors and builders of Denver, carrying on an extensive business under his name. The firm formerly was Stocker & Fraser, which had been in existence since 1892 and through all the intervening years, covering more than a quarter of a century, had been prominently identified with building operations, erecting many of the principal buildings of the city. The business is now conducted under the name of Allison Stocker, Mr. Fraser having retired.

Mr. Stocker was born in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1862. His father, Matthew S. Stocker, was also a native of the Keystone state and was a son of Alexander Stocker, who was a native of Scotland and on coming to America took up his abode in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. There he resided throughout his remaining days and eventually met an accidental death. His son, Matthew S. Stocker, was reared and educated in Pennsylvania and in young man- hood entered upon an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade, which he followed in his native state until 1879. He then came west to Colorado with his eldest son, Alexander. They settled in Leadville, where he followed mining and prospecting, continuing his residence in Leadville until 1882, when he removed to Denver, where he lived retired from active life until called to his final rest in November, 1884, when sixty years of age. In early manhood he had married Elizabeth Allison, a native of Mauch Chunk, Pennsyl- vania, and a daughter of Joseph Allison, who was a native of England but came to America about 1825 and settled in Pennsylvania, where he spent his remaining days, occupying the position of mine superintendent. He reached the advanced age of eighty- six years. His daughter, Mrs. Stocker, died in Denver in 1903, at the age of seventy-two years. She had survived her husband for almost two decades and her remains were then interred by his side in Fairmount cemetery. In their family were eight children, four sons and four daughters, three of whom are yet living, namely: Allison, of this review; William; and Mrs. John H. G. Fraser, also a resident of Denver.

Allison Stocker pursued his education in the public schools of St. Clair, passing

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HISTORY OF COLORADO

through consecutive grades to the high school of Pottsville, the county seat of Schuylkill county. While pursuing his studies he also took up a course of law under the direction of Congressman Strauss. He was only eleven years of age when he began working with his father at the carpenter's trade during vacation periods and in his youthful days he also engaged in clerking in a general store in his native county. In 1880 he came to Colorado, first settling at Leadville, where he arrived on the 29th of March. He was there associated with his father and a brother in mining and prospecting and also worked at the carpenter's trade in Leadville. For a time he was employed by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and on Christmas of 1882 he became a resident of Denver, where he worked as a journeyman carpenter until 1888. He then entered the contracting and building business on his own account and has steadily advanced in this connection until he has developed a business second to none in the state. In 1892 he became one of the organizers of the firm of Stocker & Fraser, which firm erected many of Denver's principal buildings, including the Young Women's Christian Association building, the Coronado block, the Colonial building, the Littleton Creamery, the Beatrice Creamery, Brown Brothers' building, the Spratlen-Anderson building, the McPhee & McGinnity building, the New Century building, the Sheedy building, the new Abattoir, the new Stock Yards Exchange building, the Ford Auto building, the O'Fallon, the Barteldes seed build- ing, the Denver Chamber of Commerce, the new Union Station and various others. Mr. Stocker is now one of the contractors on the new United States General Hospital. In fact his patronage exceeds in volume and importance that of any other contracting firm of the state and his position through many years has been in the foremost ranks of the contractors of Denver. Mr. Stocker is also vice president of the Merchants Bank and of various other important business corporations and he is a director of the Master Builders Association. Step by step he has worked his way upward along the line of his chosen vocation until his position has long been one of leadership.

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History of Colorado; Volume II, Part 11

Author: Stone, Wilbur Fiske, 1833-1920, ed Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 944

Author: Stone, Wilbur Fiske, 1833-1920, ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 944