History of Colorado; Volume II, Part 46

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

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Mr. Hamburger was married in Denver, at the United Presbyterian church, by the late Rev. James Rankins, on the 20th of September, 1909, to Miss Maude A. Burnett, a native of Denver and a daughter of B. F. Burnett, a representative of an old Colorado family, and Clara (McGrew) Burnett. Both are still living, residents of Denver. Mr. Hamburger's mother is also yet a resident of Denver. To Mr. and Mrs. Hamburger has been born a son, George Benjamin, whose birth occurred in Denver, January 5, 1912.

Mr. Hamburger obtains his principal recreation through motoring and fishing. Thoroughness characterizes him in all that he undertakes. He has not dissipated his energies over a broad field but has concentrated his efforts and attention upon the line of his present activity and upon study in connection therewith. He is constantly striv- ing to promote the service that the house renders to its patrons and the enterprise and integrity of his business methods have placed him in the front rank among those in his line in Colorado. In politics he maintains an independent course, while fraternally he is connected with the Masonic lodge and chapter and is a loyal adherent to the teachings of the craft. He likewise belongs to the Denver Civic and Commercial Asso- ciation.

CLEMENT FRANCIS CROWLEY.

Clement Francis Crowley, attorney at law, whose clientage is of an extensive and most important character, ranks with the leading representatives of the profession in Denver. He is yet a young man and his future career, judged in the light of past events, will be well worth the watching. He was born in Virginia City, Nevada, January 9, 1889, and is a son of Caleb John and Margaret (Moran) Crowley, whose family numbered ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom six are yet living, Clement F. Crowley be- ing the third among those who still survive and sixth in point of age in the family of ten. The father was a native of Maine and belonged to one of the old families of the Pine Tree state of Irish lineage-a family established in Maine while this country was still numbered among the colonial possessions of Great Britain. Mr. Crowley was an accoun- tant and became one of the early settlers of Nevada, locating there during its palmy days. He was but two years of age when his parents started with their family to San Francisco and while they were in Panama the train upon which they were making the trip was maliciously wrecked and both the parents were killed outright, being murdered and robbed by the natives. A friendly American, who was a ship captain, picked up the child, whose parentage was then unknown. He kept the little lad for nine years, rearing him as his own. During this time he traveled abroad upon a sailing vessel to all parts of the world. On one occasion he arrived in the port of San Francisco and after a seven years' search he found an uncle of Mr. Crowley and thus the child was returned to his own kindred. He was then reared and educated in San Francisco and in 1874 he removed to Nevada but later returned to California and during the last years of his life was a resident of Butte, Mon- tana, where he passed away in August, 1914, when sixty-six years of age. He had fol- lowed mining during the greater part of his life and met with varied success, his labors sometimes bringing to him substantial returns, while again he was not successful in his search for the precious metal. In politics he was a stanch democrat, always much in- terested in politics and in civic affairs. His religious faith was that of the Roman Catho- lic church. His wife was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and is of Irish lineage, her parents having been natives of the Emerald isle and early settlers of Virginia City, Ne- vada, and also of Sutro, Nevada, where her father followed mining. Mrs. Crowley was the daughter of Barney and Margaret Moran. She is still living and yet makes her home in Butte, Montana, where she has lived since her husband's death, their home having been established there some years before.

Clement F. Crowley of this review was largely educated in the public schools of Butte and was graduated from the high school in 1906. He afterward spent one year in pursuing a literary course in Albion College and later he entered upon the study of law in the University of Denver and won his LL. B. degree upon graduation with the class of 1911. His early life was devoted to study save for the summer months, when he worked in the mines. He started working as a nipper and later was advanced to the position of shift boss hut became imbued with the desire to enter upon a professional career and utilized his opportunity to study law as previously indicated. Following his graduation in 1911 he took up the practice of law in Denver and in 1913 he entered the office of the attorney general, serving as an assistant until January 6, 1917, or for a period of four years. He has not only become well known as a leading lawyer of the state, forceful and resource- ful in his practice and in his presentation of a cause before the court, but has also left the

CLEMENT F. CROWLEY

Vol. II-21

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impress of his individuality upon the lawmaking interests of the commonwealth. In upon the duties of the position in January, 1917. He became floor leader and spcaker pro tem of the house during the last regular session aud in the special session. He is the November, 1916, he was elected to represent his district in the state legislature and entered father of what is known as the minimum wage bill for women and children and also the bill to prevent discrimination against the Jews and has taken an active part in every platform measure presented by the democrats. He was also largely instrumental in se- curing the passage of the bond bill, providing for carrying on the war and other state necessities. He has closely studied political, economic and sociological conditions which have had to do with questions coming up before the state legislature and has ofttimes taken a firm stand on the side of advancement, reform and progress. His position upon any vital question is never an equivocal one and he gives most earnest support to the cause which he advocates, owing to a firm belief in its value as a public measure. He has long been a very active worker in democratic ranks in Colorado and is a recognized leader in the party.

On the 24th of November, 1910, Mr. Crowley was married in Denver, Colorado, to Miss Flavia Churchill, a native of Wyoming and a daughter of Edmund J. and Liska (Stillman) Churchill. Her parents are natives of Nebraska and Mrs. Crowley is a very prominent club woman of Denver. To Mr. and Mrs. Crowley have been born two children: Clement F., who was born in Denver, April 20, 1912; and Churchill Robert, born October 30, 1913.

Mr. Crowley is a member of Sigma Nu and also of Phi Alpha Delta, a legal fraternity. He belongs to the Catholic church, being a communicant of St. Francis De Sales parish. He is also connected with the Knights of Columbus and he has filled all of the offices in Harmony Lodge, No. 45, W. O. W. He is connected with the Bar Association of the City and County of Denver and also has membership in the Colorado State Bar Association. He took a very active part in athletics during his high school and college days and his chief diversion is football, while he also greatly enjoys hunting and fishing. He has acted as coach for football and base ball teams and for those participating in track meets. In high school he held the championship as a long distance runner of the state. He was captain of the Denver University team when it won the football championship in 1908, 1909 and 1910. Since 1912 he has been acting as referee on football, base ball and other sports in Colorado and neighboring states and he is the Rocky Mountain editor for A. G. Spalding's Guide and has been special writer for the past five years on football for various papers of Denver and Salt Lake City. In addition to his other activities he is serving as special prosecutor for the fish and game department of the state. The extent and variety of his interests show him to be a man of well rounded character and development. It is characteristic of him that he never stands still but attacks everything with a contagious enthusiasm that produces results. His undaunted energy does not stop at obstacles or diffi- culties but finds some way to overcome these, whether it is in the training of a college team in athletics or the passage of a bill in the state legislature. He is equally strong and resourceful in presenting a cause before the court and he never fails to impress. judge or jury with the strength of his position and seldom fails to win the verdict desired.

WILLIAM C. VORREITER.

William C. Vorreiter, a leading and influential citizen of Loveland, is a prominent factor in financial circles of Larimer county as president of the Loveland National Bank. which important position he has occupied for the past seven years. His birth occurred in Keokuk, Iowa, on the 27th of October, 1859, his parents being Charles and Augusta (Heiser) Vorreiter, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father, a cabinet maker by trade, crossed the Atlantic to the United States in the early '50s, locating in Keokuk, Iowa, where he made his home for many years. Eventually he removed to Lucerne, Missouri, where he resided to the time of his demise, which occurred in 1913. His wife was called to her final rest on the 4th of January, 1903.

William C. Vorreiter was reared and educated in his native city and after putting aside his textbooks was employed as a store clerk for some time. In 1879 he removed with his mother to southern Colorado, where they engaged in the mercantile business, conducting a chain of stores. In 1891 he embarked in the business alone at Silver Cliff and was thus engaged at that place until 1901, when he removed his stock of goods to Loveland, Larimer county, and there conducted a store until 1911. In the latter year he sold out, having been elected to the presidency of the Loveland National Bank, of which important financial institution he has since remained at the head. The bank has pros- pered under his capable direction and is now in a most flourishing condition. It has a

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"paid in capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, a surplus fund of thirty thousand dollars, undivided profits of ten thousand dollars, deposits of nine hundred thousand dollars and resources amounting to one million one hundred and seventy thousand dol- lars. The officers of the institution are as follows: William C. Vorreiter, president; John Hahn, vice president; B. R. Bonnell, vice president; A. V. Benson, cashier; and H. D. Henry, assistant cashier. In addition to his banking interests Mr. Vorreiter is also an extensive holder of farm property, owning a farm in Larimer county and two in Weld county. He also has an interest in the Loveland cherry orchard of ninety acres, an interest in two large cattle ranches in the mountains and owns considerable business property in Loveland.

On the 8th of July, 1891, Mr. Vorreiter was united in marriage to Miss Hanna Tuggy, by whom he has two children: Clara E., whose birth occurred September 11, 1901; and William H., whose natal day was October 8, 1905.

In his political views Mr. Vorreiter is independent, supporting men and measures rather than party. He has been a member of the school hoard for a number of years and is now acting as its president, doing valuable service in the cause of education. He is a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fraternity, while his religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. The period of his residence in this state covers almost four decades and he has long been numbered among the foremost business men and citizens of his community. With the history of Colorado from pioneer times to the present he is largely familiar, having witnessed and aided the work of progress, upbuilding and development.

HARRY M. THOMPSON.

Harry M. Thompson, an able official of Weld county, Colorado, holds the important position of county surveyor. He is a native son of this county, having been born July 5, 1884, his parents being Thomas G. and Filinda (Moss) Thompson. The father claims Michigan as his birth state and the mother first saw the light of day in Illinois. The former was a farmer by occupation and in 1878 came to Colorado. He was quite success- ful in his business affairs, having spent a number of years in Illinois before coming to this state. He was an honored veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted from Michigan. It was after the close of hostilities that he made his home in Illinois. Having come to Weld county, this state, he took up in 1883 government land, to the cultivation of which he gave his efforts. His property was situated quite close to Greeley and he set out a number of trees around the town. Before this time, in 1879, he and others were engaged in freighting into Leadville, Colorado, and there he remained for a short time. How- ever, after taking up his government claim in 1883 he devoted his entire attention to the operation of his farm and its improvement and was thus engaged until the time of his death in April, 1896. His widow survives him and has made her home in Greeley ever since.

Harry M. Thompson was reared and educated in Greeley, completing his course in the high school in 1903. Being interested in mathematics and mechanical sciences, he took up the work of civil engineering and has since continued in that line with con- siderable success, having won a large patronage in Greeley and Weld county. His natural ahility has been greatly increased by thorough study and practical experience and he today ranks among the foremost in his profession in his part of the state. He was one of the incorporators of The Engineers Construction Corporation and was president of this organization until he was elected to his present position in November, 1916. He has since made the interests of the county his own and with painstaking care has taken charge of the important duties which come to him as surveyor of Weld county. Yet he is interested in other business enterprises, although he resigned the exacting position of president of the Construction Corporation in order to give his undivided efforts and time to his official business.

On August 9, 1905, Mr. Thompson married Miss Ruth Baker and this union has been blessed with one child, Jean B., who was born April 16, 1908. Mrs. Thompson comes of a well known and highly esteemed family, being a daughter of Edwin E. and Charlotte Adele Baker, who are referred to in greater detail in another part of this book. Judge H. M. Baker, well known in this part of the state, is a brother of Mrs. Thompson.

In political issues Mr. Thompson inclines toward the democratic party, giving his support to that organization. He has always taken a deep interest in public affairs and has done much toward promoting measures of general public benefit. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic order and the Woodmen of the World, practicing the

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helpful principles underlying these brotherhoods in his everyday life. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson reside at No. 509 Eleventh avenue, Greeley, and there often entertain their many friends. Their warm-hearted hospitality is freely extended and they are a valuable part of the social fabric of Greeley, being ever welcome where intelligence and true culture are the key to social gatherings.

JOHN H. REDDIN.

The bar of Colorado finds many of its brightest legal lights in the city of Denver. Not only is John H. Reddin prominently known as an able attorney but is also a man of ex- cellent literary attainments, whose name as author and writer is a familiar one in various sections of the country. Mr. Reddin comes to the west from New York, his hirth having occurred in Seneca county, that state, on the 13th of October, 1858, his parents being John and Sarah (Sullivan) Reddin, both of whom were born in Ireland. They came to America in early life and settled in Seneca county, where they were married and resided during the Civil war, removing thence to Oneida, New York, and later to Norwich, New York. The father was prominently engaged in railroad construction in the early days of the New York Central. He came west when the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy was projected to Denver, and reached this city in 1881. Here he continued to reside to the time of his death, which occurred in 1907, when he had reached the age of seventy-six years. For a considerable period he had survived his wife, who passed away in Denver in 1888, when fifty years of age. They had a family of four children: John H .; Patrick, who died in Denver in 1883; William G., who has heen connected from the beginning with the Moffat Railroad in Denver; and Mrs. W. P. Pattridge, also a resident of Denver.

In early life John H. Reddin attended the public schools of Oneida, New York, passing through consecutive grades to the high school and academy in Norwich, New York, and later he took up the study of law, believing that he would find the practice of that pro- fession a congenial pursuit. After thorough preliminary training he was admitted to the bar at Alhany, New York, in 1880, and with the removal of the family to Denver he also came to this city and opened law offices here on the 20th of April, 1881. Through the in- tervening period, covering thirty-seven and more years, he has been in active practice here and has long ranked with the most successful members of the Colorado har. For a short period in the early days of his practice here he was assistant district attorney. He has for many years, however, heen one of the leading corporation lawyers of Denver and at- torney for the Colorado Milling & Elevator Company, which is perhaps the largest private corporation of the state. He is likewise attorney for the Hibernia Bank & Trust Company of Denver, for the Solis Cigar Company of Denver, which controls the largest business in that line west of St. Louis, and of various other corporations. He is himself a director and stockholder in a number of large husiness enterprises in the state, and is at the present time extensively engaged in mining at Cripple Creek, and farming and stock raising in Morgan county. He belongs to the American Bar Association, the Colorado State Bar Association and the Denver City and County Bar Association.

Aside from his professional interests Mr. Reddin has been for many years prominently identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was one of the organizers of the "Big Brotherhood" movement in that order. He is also prominent in the Knights of Columbus, of which he is a national director and supreme master of the fourth degree, with jurisdiction over the United States and all its possessions, including Porto Rico, the Hawaiian islands, the Philippine islands, Alaska, and also over Canada, and Newfound- land. At the present time he is giving much of his time to the war work of the Knights of Columbus in this country and France for the benefit of our American soldiers and sailors in the great world war. He is the father of a great educational movement in the Knights of Columhus known as the Free Public Lecture movement. He holds membership in the Immaculate Conception cathedral of Denver and while taking a deep interest in the work of the church, he is also active in civic affairs wherever he believes that his aid is needed to further progress and improvement.

In May, 1900, Mr. Reddin was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ford, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ford of Chicago Illinois. The former was a well known contractor there but hoth he and his wife are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Reddin have become par- ents of four children. Mary, who was born in Denver in 1902, is now attending Loretta Academy. Margaret, born in Denver in 1904, is a student in the Cathedral high school. John W., born in Denver in 1906, is also attending the Cathedral school, as is Josephine, the youngest of the family, who was born in Denver in 1910.

JOHN H. REDDIN

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The history of Mr. Reddin would be incomplete if reference were not made to his ability as a writer and historian. His activities have always been of a helpful character, contributing to progress and improvement through intellectual development and moral uplift, and the consensus of public opinion places him in the front rank among Denver's representative men.

EMILIO D. DE SOTO.

Prominent among Denver's able lawyers is Emilio D. De Soto and few men in the profession are more thoroughly informed concerning mining law and questions relative thereto. Mr. De Soto comes to Colorado from South America. He was born at Lima. Peru, August 5, 1865, a son of the late Joseph B. De Soto, a native of Spain. who migrated to Peru about 1850. He was a lawyer by profession and after residing on the southern continent until 1867 made his way northward to the United States and became a resident of Denver, where he continued to live until 1873. He translated the territorial legisla- tive acts from English into Spanish. He was an eminent lawyer and able scholar and after remaining for a number of years in the north, retraced his steps southward as far as old Mexico, where he passed away in 1878. He married Emma Allen, a native of England, who had gone to Peru in early girlhood. She, too, has passed away, her death occurring in Denver in 1872.

Mr. De Soto of this review was one of a family of four children, three sons and a daughter. He pursued his education in the schools of Georgetown, Colorado, passing through consecutive grades to the high school, from which he was graduated in 1881. He next entered the law office of Morrison & Fillius in order to prepare for the bar and there continued his reading until admitted to practice in the year 1891. He was licensed to practice in all the courts and immediately afterward entered into partnership with R. S. Morrison, his former preceptor, under the firm style of Morrison & De Soto. In this connection he has since remained, being a very prominent and well known member of the Denver bar at the present time. He has always specialized in mining law and he was the collaborator with Mr. Morrison in preparing a volume entitled "Morrison's Mining Rights." This publication has reached its fifteenth edition and Mr. De Soto has assisted in its preparation for twenty years as one after another edition has been brought from the press. In addition to the practice of law Mr. De Soto is also an officer and director in various mining companies.

On the 31st of October, 1895, Mr. De Soto was married in Denver to Miss Laura Bates, a daughter of the late Joseph E. Bates. In his political views Mr. De Soto is a democrat and his religious faith is that of the Episcopal church. He belongs to the Civic and Commercial Association of Denver and his aid and assistance can at all times be counted upon to further measures and movements which tend to advance the interests of the city, to extend its business connections and to uphold its civic standards. From the age of twenty years he has been self-supporting. He entered upon a profession where advancement is attributable entirely to individual merit and ability and his increasing powers have brought him prominently to the front, especially in connection with mining law, in which department of jurisprudence his opinions are largely accepted as authority.

FLOYD J. WILSON.

Floyd J. Wilson, attorney at law practicing at the Denver bar, was born in Lansing, Michigan, on the 7th of May, 1881, a son of John B. and Emma S. (White) Wilson. The father was born in the state of New York and following his removal to the west engaged in the manufacture of machinery and farm implements, living for many years in Michi- gan. His death occurred February 22, 1917. His widow, who was born at Eaton Rapids, Michigan, now makes her home with a daughter in Seattle, Washington.

Floyd J. Wilson, after completing a course in the high school at Lansing, Michigan, with the class of 1899, became a student in the Michigan Agricultural College, in which he studied for two years and was graduated on the completion of the engineering course in the class of 1903. He next entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and won his LL. B. degree as a member of the class of 1906. The same year he was admitted to the Michigan bar at Lansing and for a short time continued in active practice in that city, but attracted by the opportunities of the growing west, he made his way to Tonopah, Nevada, where he became connected with the engineering department of the Tonopah

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& Goldfield Railroad. He occupied that position for two years and afterward removed to Denver, where he took up his abode in 1909. In this city he entered upon the practice of law and after three years' association with a law firm took up general practice alone. He concentrates his efforts and attention largely upon mining and corporation law and in these branches of the profession has developed marked power and ability because of his close and discriminating study. He is familiar with precedent and with principle bearing upon those lines of litigation and he has done much important work in that field of jurisprudence. He is likewise interested in the oil business and is one of the representative young men of the west, alert, energetic and progressive, who is here finding broad scope for the exercise of his dominant qualities and who by unabating and intelligently directed effort is meeting with substantial success.

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History of Colorado; Volume II, Part 46

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