USA > Colorado > History of Colorado; Volume IV > Part 82
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JAMES W. BLATZER
MRS. JAMES W. BLATZER
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With the establishment of the family home in Colorado, James W. Blatzer became a pupil in the public schools of this state and during vacation periods and after his textbooks were put aside he assisted in the work of the home farm, continuing to assist his father until he reached the age of twenty-two, when he took charge of the home place and afterward purchased the property, which he has since improved with fine buildings. He has an attractive residence and large and substantial barns and outbuildings which furnish ample shelter to grain and stock. Everything about the place is kept in good repair and the land is all under the ditch, thus greatly enhancing its productiveness.
In 1907 Mr. Blatzer was married to Mrs. Dora (Baasch) Deunermann, a native of Grand Island, Nebraska, and the widow of Henry Deunermann. By her former marriage she had one son, who has passed away, and to Mr. and Mrs. Blatzer have been born two daughters, Daisy and Arthalia.
In his political views Mr. Blatzer has been a democrat since attaining man's estate but has never been active as a political worker or office seeker. He and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a self-made man whose success is the direct outcome of his persistent and earnest labor. He has worked diligently and is recognized as one of the progressive farmers of Adams county, while his unfalter- ing labors have brought to him a fair measure of prosperity.
JUDGE CHARLES D. BRADLEY.
It is not the specific and distinctive office of biography to give voice to a man's modest estimate of himself but to leave the perpetual record establishing his position by the consensus of opinion on the part of his fellowmen. Viewed in this light, Judge Charles D. Bradley occupies a position of distinction among those who are regarded as the founders of Colorado and the builders of her high legal status. He is the only survivor among the commissioners who formed the rules and regulations under which a constitutional convention was held and arranged the apportionment for the election of delegates to that body. He also sat upon the district bench for a number of years and in the private practice of law occupied a position among the ablest rep- resentatives of the profession in Colorado. Now at the age of eighty he receives the veneration, respect and honor which should ever be accorded one of his years whose life activities have constituted a valuable contribution to the world's work.
Charles D. Bradley was born in Albany county, New York, on the 11th of Feb- ruary, 1839. His ancestors at an early day emigrated from England and settled in Connecticut. Later, in 1791, his great-grandfather with his family moved to the state of New York. Here in the county mentioned his parents reared a family of twelve children, of whom Charles D. was the youngest. Ten of the number reached years of maturity. The youthful days of the future jurist were spent upon a farm, where he became familiar with all kinds of labor incident to the development and, cultivation of the fields. One of the features of his boyhood's home was an excellent library and liberal educational advantages had been given to his elder brothers and sisters. The same opportunities were extended him and, like the others of the house- hold, he was also greatly indebted to the aid and influence of his mother, a woman of rare intellectual and moral qualities, whose training did much to shape the char- acter of her sons and daughters. Judge Bradley was a youth of fifteen when he suc- cessfully passed an examination and was licensed to teach in the public schools and would have then become a school teacher had not his age prohibited. The following year, however, he went to Will county, Illinois, where one of his sisters resided, and there he secured a school, thus earning enough money to meet the expenses of his trip. He was pleased with the west, but filial duty caused him to return to the east and he remained with his parents until they were called to their final rest, during which period he engaged in the cultivation of the home farm, also taught school and as opportunity offered continued his studies. He had determined upon a professional career and when at liberty to begin preparation therefor entered the law office of the well known firm of Jenkins & Cooper, of Albany, New York, who directed his reading until he successfully passed the examination before the supreme court that admitted him to the bar in the spring of 1867. He was then offered a partnership by his brother, Joseph P. Bradley, of Newark, New Jersey, who enjoyed one of the largest and most lucrative practices of any lawyer in the country and who afterward became an associate justice of the United States supreme court. Mr. Bradley declined the generous offer, however, preferring to rely upon his own resources and test his powers
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in the west. In July, 1867, he arrived in Denver, where he was employed as attorney by a New York mining company until the following September, when he entered upon the practice of law in Cheyenne, Wyoming. At that date the territory of Dakota embraced Wyoming's area as well and in the fall of 1868 Judge Bradley was chosen to represent his district in the Dakota territorial legislature, in which he served during the session of 1868-9, resigning a position as assessor of internal revenue to take his seat in the state legislative hall.
With the close of the session Judge Bradley made a trip to southeastern Iowa to visit friends, who prevailed upon him to enter into a land and cattle speculation there that proved financially unsuccessful. Two years of his time were spent in settling up his affairs in Iowa, after which he determined to resume law practice and opened an office in St. Louis. While active as a member of the bar of that city he was appointed United States attorney for the territory of Colorado and continued in that position until the admission of the state into the Union.
In the year 1875 the question of admission was being strongly agitated in the territory and Judge Bradley took a conspicuous part in bringing about the desired result. By section 3 of the enabling act passed by congress it was provided "that all persons qualified by law to vote for representatives to the general assembly of said territory * * * are hereby authorized to vote for and choose representa- tives to form a convention under such rules and regulations as the governor of said territory, the chief justice and the United States attorney thereof may prescribe, and the aforesaid representatives to form the aforesaid convention shall be apportioned among the several counties in said territory in proportion to the vote polled in each of said counties at the last general election as near as may be; and said apportion- ment shall be made for said territory by the governor, United States district attorney and chief justice thereof, or any two of them." Accordingly in this work Judge Brad- ley became the active associate of John L. Routt, then the governor, and Moses Hallett, chief justice. This commission in due time divided the state into districts for the election of representatives to a convention to form a state constitution and also pre- pared rules and regulations for such election, as required by the act. The election returns were sent to this board, who canvassed the same and issued to the successful candidates certificates of their election. The convention to form a state constitution met in Denver in the winter of 1875-6 and Judge Bradley was almost a daily attendant thereon and during the whole sitting mingled freely with the members. After the election of the people adopting the constitution Judge Bradley went to Washington, where in accordance with the duties of his office, he called upon the attorney general of the United States, who at that time was Alphonso Taft, the father of ex-President Taft, who remarked, "You people out in Colorado have formed a good constitution," and later referred again to the subject, remarking with emphasis: "You have adopted a very excellent constitution." Judge Bradley's influence was strongly and beneficially felt in connection with framing the organic law of the state and in shaping the history of Colorado during its formative period. His knowledge of law proved of the greatest value at this time, combined with a public-spirited devotion to high civic ideals.
In 1881 Charles D. Bradley, who had previously removed to Custer county, was appointed by the governor a district judge of the sixth judicial district, which at that time embraced the counties of Fremont, Custer, Rio Grande, Saguache, Conejos and Costilla, and in the fall of that year was elected to serve the balance of the term. His decisions on the bench were characterized by the utmost fidelity to duty, by marked comprehension of all salient features in his cases and by a masterful grasp of every important problem presented for solution. With his retirement from the bench he decided to remove to Fremont county, which offered a broader field owing to the fact that mining activity in Custer county was rapidly declining. In the former county he purchased a fruit ranch and at ouce resumed the practice of his profession, residing in Cañon City from October, 1883, until December, 1900, when he disposed of his holdings and established his home in Florence, where he has since resided.
It was in the year 1872 that Judge Bradley was united in marriage to Miss Mary Hastings Rush and they became the parents of a son, Joseph Markley, who graduated at the Colorado State School of Mines, with the class of 1901, as a mining engineer. Florence welcomed Judge Bradley into its social and professional circles and again the impress of his individuality was felt upon the public life of the community. In 1885 he had been elected to the state legislature, where he served for one term and did most effective work in defeating a bill providing that state convicts should be leased out to private and industrial enterprises. He was also a champion of a bill providing for a railroad commission and although the bill was not passed at that time, he has lived to see many of its principal features embodied in the present railroad
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laws of the state. When not occupied with public service his entire attention has been concentrated upon the duties of an extensive and important private practice. Well versed in his profession, his knowledge of the law being accurate and compre- hensive, he has never resorted to any but the most commendable methods, careful at all times to conform his practice to the highest professional ethics and standards. Public opinion rates him as a man among men in Colorado, inscribes his name high on the list of its ablest jurists and lawyers, and names him as one of the founders and builders of the great commonwealth.
L. HERMAN DAHLINGER.
L. Herman Dahlinger, devoting his attention to farming and dairying in Adams county, comes to Colorado from the state of Michigan, his birth having occurred in Detroit on the 11th of October, 1867. His parents, Frederick and Johanna (Goetz) Dahlinger, are natives of Germany but were brought to America during their child- hood days. They lived for a considerable period in Michigan and in February, 1880, removed to Colorado, where they took up their abode and they still make their home in Denver. They had a family of nine children, five of whom survive.
L. H. Dahlinger was a lad of thirteen years at the time of the removal of the family from Michigan to Colorado and in those states he pursued his public school education, remaining with his father until he attained his majority. In 1907, he began farming on his own account, purchasing the land upon which he now resides in Adams county, situated a mile south of Barr Lake. His possessions aggregate four hundred and fifty acres, all of which is improved, and he has one hundred and fifty acres planted to alfalfa, corn and wheat. He has closely studied the best methods of crop production in this region and his labors are at once practical and progressive. His business affairs are carefully and wisely conducted and success is attending him, so that he is now numbered among the representative agriculturists of his. com- munity. He is a member of the Grange and is deeply interested in the work of that order to disseminate knowledge of the greatest value to farmers.
In 1907 Mr. Dahlinger was united in marriage to Miss Adalaide Jorgenson, who was born in the state of Missouri, and they have become the parents of a daughter, Ellen A., now ten years of age. Mr. Dahlinger maintains an independent course in politics, voting for men and measures rather than party. He has served as school director and he is a firm believer in the public school system but he has never been an office seeker. He may truly be called a self-made man, for it has been through persistent labor that he has won the success which is his. Year after year he has worked on. undismayed by difficulties and obstacles, and he is today numbered among the prosperous farmers and dairymen of Adams county.
WILSON M. HARMON.
Wilson M. Harmon, identified with farming and stock raising interests in Boulder county, has through well directed effort won a substantial measure of success. He started out in life with no capital and by reason of close application and energy has become one of the prosperous agriculturists of his community. He was born in Golden, Colorado, August 26, 1861, a son of Manning and Julia A. (Rexroad) Harmon, the former a native of Massachusetts, while the latter was born in Randolph county, Virginia. They were married in Illinois, to which state the mother went in early life. She was born in 1835, the daughter of Samuel and Naomi ( Hoffman) Rexroad. Her father was born in 1803 and became a lumber dealer of New Albany, Indiana, where he passed away December 18, 1840, during the early childhood of his daughter Julia. Her mother was born January 15, 1807, and a few years after the death of her first husband became the wife of Hiram Harmon. She passed away February 8, 1857, leaving behind her the memory of a beautiful Christian life. She had early hecome a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was ever most loyal to its teachings. She was an obedient daughter, an affectionate wife and kind mother and an obliging neighbor and. more than all, her life was permeated by her Christian faith manifest in kindliness and helpfulness toward all. She survived her second marriage only a few years. Her daughter, Julia A., was reared in Illinois, where she became the wife of Manning Harmon. They remained residents of that state until after the birth
WILSON M. HARMON
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of two daughters, Katie and Nellie. On the 11th of April, 1861, Mr. and Mrs. Harmon left Illinois with their two little daughters and in a covered wagon started across the plains, reaching Golden, Colorado, on the 8th of June. They saw many Indians during the trip but were not disturbed by them, although at a later period many white people were killed by the red men and much property destroyed. While Mr. Harmon attempted to win success in the mines, he did not accomplish his purpose and took up his abode on a farm on Boulder creek, devoting his attention to the cultivation of his land, while his wife, in addition to her household affairs, assumed the care of a large dairy. Three other children were added to the household in Colorado, Wilson M. being the first of these, while Frank H. was born January 30, 1863, and Guy D. on the 5th of March, 1867. When the children were old enough to attend school the family home was established in Boulder that they might have the educational opportunities of the town, and after a few years they returned to the farm, where the sons made a good home for the mother, who is still living at the very advanced age of eighty-three years, the father having passed away a number of years ago.
After acquiring a common school education Wilson M. Harmon took up farming on his own account. He had been reared to that occupation and early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. In 1906 he pur- chased his present farm, which is the mother's old homestead, becoming owner of eighty acres of land which is now splendidly improved. He has made many changes in the place, adding substantial modern buildings and otherwise developing the prop- erty.
In 1892 Mr. Harmon was married to Miss Mary Harris, a native of Pennsylvania, and to them have been born five children: Earl L., who is now a student in the Uni- versity of Colorado at Boulder; Julia L., also attending that institution; Ella, deceased; John S., now a high school pupil; and Wilson R. The religious faith of the family is that of the Congregational church and Mr. Harmon is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife are members of the Grange. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party but he has never sought or desired political office. He is, however, serving as treasurer of the school board and is inter- ested in all that pertains to local progress and improvement, cooperating heartily in plans and measures for the general good.
BYRON D. MOFFITT.
Byron D. Moffitt has owned and occupied the farm in Boulder county upon which he now resides since 1884. His residence in this state, however, dates from 1879 and throughout the entire period he has been imbued with the spirit of western en- terprise which has been the dominant factor in the upbuilding of this section of the country. He was born in Ohio, January 26, 1848, a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Davis) Moffitt, both of whom were natives of the Buckeye state, where they spent their entire lives, there rearing their family of six children, of whom two are now living.
Byron D. Moffitt was reared and educated in Ohio and in 1871 came to Nebraska. where he lived for eight years. In 1879 he arrived in Colorado, establishing his home in Boulder county, where for four years he devoted his energies to mining. He then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, settling in 1884 upon the farm upon which he now resides, comprising one hundred and twenty acres of good land that responds readily to the care and labor that he bestows upon it, so that he annually harvests good crops. The land is all well irrigated and he employs the most pro- gressive methods in the cultivation of his fields and the care of the grain. He also makes stock raising a feature of his business, finding profit therein, and he is like- wise interested in mining.
In 1870 Mr. Moffitt was married to Miss Katherine R. Buck, who was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Andrew and Lydia (Bolton) Buck, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, where they always resided. Mrs. Moffitt was one of a family of six children and by her marriage has become the mother of two children. The elder, Atra Andrew, a farmer at Silt, Colorado, is married and has a son, Robert, who is also married and has a son, Robert Earl, who is a great-grandson of B. D. Moffitt of this review; and a daughter, Cora E., the wife of John L. Stockton of Silt, Colorado, by whom she has a daughter, Vera Rose. Milton D. Moffitt, the younger son, is now at Long Beach, California, where he is engaged in business. He is mar- ried and has a daughter, Mary K., now two years of age.
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Mr. Moffitt is entitled to wear the little bronze button that proclaims him a veteran of the Civil war, for at the time of hostilities between the north and the south he espoused the cause of the Union and enlisted with the boys in blue of Company B, Twenty-ninth Ohio Infantry. He went with Sherman on the celebrated march from Atlanta to the sea and at the close of the war was honorably discharged and mustered out at Cincinnati, Ohio. In his political views he has always been a stalwart repuh- lican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and while he has never sought or held political office he has served for several years on the school board and has done much to advance the interests of public education in his locality. He is also a stockholder in the Left Hand Ditch Company. He may truly be called a self-made man, for he started out in the business world empty-handed and through persistency of purpose and intelligently directed effort has accumulated a substantial fortune. He has always had the able assistance and enconragement of his wife and they have reared two sons of whom they have reason to be proud. Mr. and Mrs. Moffit are reap- ing the benefits of their lahor, being most pleasantly situated in an attractive home, while their efforts have secured to them a competence that enables them to enjoy all of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life.
FRANK D. GOODALE.
Frank D. Goodale, manager of the Honest Endeavor Mining Company of Denver, was born in Circleville, Ohio, January 2, 1853. His father, William Goodale, was a native of Watertown, New York, and became a railway contractor on the line between Chicago and St. Louis. He afterward removed to southern Illinois and assisted in founding the city of Centralia. He then engaged in contract work in connection with the Mississippi Central Railway, doing excavation work, and was the inventor of the steam shovel and methods of applying steam power to excavation. He married Mary E. Sherwood, a native of Pennsylvania, and both have passed away. Their family numbered seven children, of whom three sons are living.
Frank D. Goodale spent his youthful days in the middle west and after arriving at years of maturity was married in 1878 to Miss Elise J. Raible, of Indianapolis, Indiana. They have become the parents of two children: A. L., who is now connected with the Denver Post; and F. A., who is a mining engineer of California.
It was in the year 1884 that Mr. Goodale removed with his family to Denver and for a considerable period was prominently identified with newspaper interests. He was connected with the Denver Times and afterward became editor of the Advertiser, a morning paper. His prominence in journalistic circles is indicated by the fact that he was at one time a member of the State Editorial Association. In recent years he has concentrated his efforts and attention upon mining interests and he is now man- ager of the Honest Endeavor Mining Company and is interested in the Union Copper Mines at Garrington, Nevada.
Fraternally Mr. Goodale is a Mason, belonging to Trinidad Lodge, No. 28, A. F. & A. M., also to Trinidad Chapter, R. A. M., and in the lodge he has served as master. His religious faith is that of the Divine Science organization and his political belief is that of the democratic party. His progress in the business world has come as the direct result of his well directed efforts and perseverance. He has ever been ready to take a forward step and his ambition, his energy and ability have carried him into important relations.
WILLIAM ARBUTHNOT.
William Arbuthnot was for many years a respected farmer of Boulder county, who was horn near Jamestown in Pine township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, on the 30th of August, 1835, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Carson William Arbuthnot. The mother died in Iowa but the father passed his last days in Colorado.
At the usual age William Arbuthnot hecame a public school pupil and after spend- ing his boyhood and youth in Pennsylvania removed to Iowa, where he lived until 1859, when he came to Colorado, where he followed mining for some time. He after- ward secured a farm, whereon his widow now resides, and made the place the object of his care and thought to the time of his death, which occurred April 21, 1882.
William Arbuthnot was married in March, 1869, to Miss Mary E. Bader, a native Vol. IV-43
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of Germany and a daughter of John G. and Mary E. (Mersinger) Bader, who were also natives of that country, whence they came to America in 1853, first settling in Allen county, Ohio. There the mother passed away and in 1861 the father removed with the family to Iowa, establishing his home near Des Moines. Following the outbreak of the Civil war, he enlisted as a member of Company A, Tenth Iowa Inafntry, with which he served throughout the period of hostilities, participating in a number of hotly contested engagements. He also went with Sherman on the celebrated march from Atlanta to the sea, which proved the weakness of the Confederate cause, showing that the troops had been drawn from the interior to protect the border. After being mustered out in 1865 he returned to Iowa and on the 10th of May, 1866, started with his family across the plains for Colorado. After completing the long and tedious trip he settled in Boulder county, purchasing a ranch, whereon he resided until his life's labors were ended in death. To him and his wife were born four children, of whom two are now living, Mrs. Arbuthnot and F. W. Bader, a resident of California.
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