History of Larimer County, Colorado, Part 47

Author: Watrous, Ansel, 1835-1927
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Fort Collins, Colo. : The Courier Printing & Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 678

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In May, 1892, Rev. Franklin Moore, a licen- tiate, took charge of the work and faithfully and sat- isfactorily served the church for eleven years. In the fall and winter of 1894-5, a stone building, costing $2,000 was erected, $600 of the amount being contributed by the board of church erection of the Presbyterian church. The new place of worship was duly dedicated on February 3rd, 1895, Rev. Robert Coltman, assisted by Revs. A. E. Chase and Franklin Moore, officiating. During Mr. Moore's pastorate about 100 members were received, over 50 of them by baptism. His resignation took effect May 1st, 1903. The church was without a pastor then for nearly two years. On April 1st, 1905, Rev. W. D. Reaugh took charge and acceptably served the church for two years. He was- followed by Rev. A. H. Moore, a licentiate, who supplied the pulpit one year. The present pastor, J. H. Henry, began work December 1st, 1909 and is proving a very efficient pastor.

Timnath

Soon after the completion of the Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific railroad, in 1882, the nucleus of a village sprang up at a station on the railroad six miles southeast of Fort Collins. It was started in the heart of a thickly settled and prosperous farm- ing community which had, theretofore, been known as Sherwood, in honor of one of the pioneers of the Caché la Poudre valley. The first dwelling erected in the embryo town was built by William Groff, which was later purchased by T. J. Wilkins and is now the home of his widow, Mrs. Wilkins. A schoolhouse, known as the Fairview school, was built in 1882 to take the place of the old log cabin, built in 1869, in which a school was taught until the new house was completed. The old school house stood on the south side of the river and Miss Mary Moulton, now Mrs. F. W. Sherwood, taught the first school opened in that district in 1870. The

new school house was built on the north side of the river a short distance north of the railway station. A Presbyterian church was organized in 1882, to which Rev. Charles A. Taylor, the first pastor, gave the name of Timnath, taking his cue from the 14th chapter of Judges in Holy Writ, the first verse of which reads as follows:

"And Samson went down to Timnath and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughter of the Phil- istines, whom he afterwards took unto wife."

REPAIRING IRRIGATING DITCHES-THE MEN IN THE FOREGROUND ARE TOMMY CLINE, EB. DAVIS AND BOB STRAUSS

From that time the village has been known as Tim- nath. In imitation of Samson's example, many a present day Samson has gone down to Timnath to take a rosy-cheeked damsel for his wife, justifying his course by liberal quotations from the Bible. Rev. Taylor was appointed the first postmaster and the postoffice was located in the kitchen of the manse, which was not plastered, and the letters would be stuck in the crevices between the siding.

A church was completed and dedicated in 1888 and from that time the town began to grow and spread out until at present almost every line of business is represented, and Timnath has become an important shipping point for fat live stock, and the products of the farm. There are large well-filled stores, a hotel, a bank, public hall and several other public conveniences. A few years ago the railroad company built a small but well-appointed station to take the place of the old uncovered platform that served as a depot for several years.

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The first grocery store was built and stocked by Teller & Son in 1889, and the first blacksmith shop was started by David R. Galbreath.

The first settlers in the vicinity of Timnath were Thos. Cline, R. G. Strauss, Simon Duncan, Ebene- zer and Thomas Davis, J. M. and F. W. Sherwood, Paul Flick, Capt. Geo. E. Buss and others. They all had more or less exciting experiences with the Indians. Mrs. Duncan was alone with her small

OLD ARAPAHOE COUNCIL TREE

children one day when a number of redskins came to the cabin. She siezed a gun and opened fire upon them through the chinking of the logs and her un- welcome visitors turned and fled, leaving her the victor. They never troubled the Duncan cabin after that, though it is possible that all they wanted at that time was to beg or borrow something. At another time, in 1867, word came down the river that the Indians were on the war path, and many of the women and children hid themselves in the bushes or tall grass. Mrs. Thomas Davis and little two year old son, John, were at home alone when the alarm was given. She took the child and both hid in the willows, remaining there a day and a night until she thought the danger was past. John

Davis was born near Timnath in 1864, and was the second white boy born in that neighborhood. He is still living near his birthplace.

The old log school house was for many years a landmark on the road between Greeley and Fort Collins. Religious services were often held in it and people drove for miles to attend them. The old Fairview school house built in 1882, became too small to accommodate all the children who wished to attend school and a larger and much handsomer school building was erected in 1909.

On James Strang's farm, near Timnath, stands an aged cottonwood tree, known as the council tree. Beneath its wide-spreading branches the Arapahoes and Cheyennes used to hold their councils, and on the old tree in 1862, Robert Strauss saw the Indians hang a redskin enemy, probably a Ute or Pawnee, who had fallen into their hands.

The Farmers' Bank of Timnath

This institution was organized as a private bank in June, 1906, with a capital stock of $10,000. John A. Cross, now State Senator, was the first President, I. J. Mead the first Vice-President and E. W. Thayer the first Cashier. On September 19th, 1907, it was incorporated as a state bank and the capital increased to $15,000. The total resources of the bank on the date of the statement issued on November 10th, 1910, amounted to $72,- 683.69; its deposits, including savings accounts to $53,051.75 and its surplus and profits to $4,631.94. Its present officers and directors are: President, J. M. Edwards; Vice-Presidents, H. H. Thayer and H. G. Springer; Cashier, E. W. Thayer; B. F. Clark, H. Strauss, E. D. Pearson.

Timnath Presbyterian Church

This church was organized in the spring of 1882 with 50 members. Religious services were held previous to that time, however, in the old log school house which stood across the river from the present town of Timnath. Rev. Charles A. Taylor was the first regular pastor of the congregation. The church building was completed and dedicated Aug- ust 25th, 1888, and the present value of the church property is $6,000. The membership roll at pres- ent contains the names of 90 persons, and the Sun- day school has an enrollment of 75. Rev. J. M. Wylie is the present pastor. All departments of the church are working together in harmony for the up-building of the kingdom.

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The Eleventh Ohio Cavalry

The 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry played such an important part in the early history of the Caché la Poudre valley, particularly of Fort Collins, that a brief account of its organization and service on the Plains during the Indian troubles of 1864-5 and 6, will, I am sure, be of interest to the reader. For this sketch, prepared by an officer in that regi- ment, I am indebted to Rollin Q. Tenney of Fort Collins, who clipped it from a recent number of the National Tribune, published at Washington, D. C. The writer says:

"Seeing a short sketch of the 11th Ohio Cavalry, we desire to make a few corrections or additional statements. In 1861 the 1st battalion of the 6th Ohio Cavalry was detached from the regiment at Benton Barracks, and sent to Fort Laramie to re- lieve the 2d U. S. Dragoons, which were sent south. This battalion was commanded by Maj. Wm. O. Collins, of Hillsboro, O. Very soon Maj. Collins discovered his battalion was unable to cope with the "wily red man," and he got permission from the War Department to recruit a second battalion for this especial service, which he did, and the two battalions were organized and called the 11th Ohio Cavalry.

"Maj. Collins received a Colonel's commission. Soon thereafter, there were 200 recruits secured for this regiment, and on the arrival of the recruits at regimental headquarters, Fort Laramie, they were organized into two new companies, K and L. The 1st battalion was mustered out at the expiration of its term of service. The other companies were re- tained until the close of the war or until relieved in 1866. The regiment was commanded success- ively by Col. Collins, Maj. Mackey and Maj. Evans. The regiment established Fort Collins, Colo- rado, Fort Halleck, Wyoming, and Fort Connor, Montana, and guarded the overland stage route from Denver to Salt Lake City. It was with Gen. Connor on his famous expedition in 1865 against Red Cloud and Sitting Bull in the Powder river and Big Horn country. The regiment had numerous fights with the Indians, the most noted of which was on the Rosebud, a tributary of Tongue river, and not far from where Gen. Custer's massacre took place later. This battle was fought by Gen. Connor's command on that expe- dition, and the command consisted of two com- panies of the 2d California Cavalry, two companies of the 7th Iowa Cavalry, two companies of the 11th Ohio Cavalry, one company of Pawnee Indian

Scouts, commanded by the noted Capt. North, and one company of Winnebago Indian Scouts-about 500 in all.

"The Indian forces, commanded by Sitting Bull and Red Cloud, were said to be of 5,000 warriors. Gen. Connor's command marched all night and at- tacked the village just at daybreak, defeating the Indians, capturing and burning the village and capturing about 600 head of horses, mules and ponies, the most of which were stolen from the stage company and emigrants the year before. Con- nor's loss was two killed and several wounded. The Indian loss was supposed to be about 100. This expedition of Connor's was the expedition with which Col. Cole, with two regiments of Missouri Cavalry, was to form junction with Connor on the Yellowstone; but Col. Cole's command failed to connect, and retreated from the country in dis- order. After this expedition, Red Cloud and Sit- ting Bull signed a peace treaty at Fort Laramie, and remained peaceable for a short time.

"The regiment did very strenuous service, three and four men being placed at stage stations to pro- tect them, and it was not unusual for a war party of Indians to dash in, kill the soldiers, burn the station and drive off the stock.

"The writer, a member of Company K, had the honor of commanding the escort to Speaker Colfax, Ex-Lieut. Governor. Bross, of Illinois, and Richard- son, of the New York Tribune, and Samuel Bowles, editor of the Springfield, Massachusetts, Republican. This was during the time of the Indian troubles, and the stages were only run through with escorts, traveling by night only. This was Speaker Col- fax's overland trip from the Missouri river to San Francisco in 1865, I think. The regiment was re- lieved by the 7th U. S. Cavalry in June, 1866, and was mustered out at Columbus, O., Aug. 14, 1866." -P. W. Brown, Second Lieutenant, 11th Ohio Cavalry, Runnells, Iowa.

Home

The election precinct known as "Home" em- braces all of that territory lying west of Livermore precinct to the summit of the Medicine Bow range, south of St. Cloud and Laramie precincts and North of Estes Park precinct. The first permanent set- tler in this precinct was John Zimmerman, who located near Cameron Pass in 1880. He and his family consisting of wife and four children, two sons and two daughters, were the only occupants of all that region for about two years.

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In May, 1879, the Cache la Poudre and North Park Toll Road company was incorporated with a capital of $5,000 to build a wagon road along the Cache la Poudre river from the foot of Pingree hill, or Pingree's Camp as it was then called, past Chambers lake and over Cameron Pass into North Park. The directors for the first year were A. H. Patterson, S. B. Stewart and L. R. Rhodes. Mr.

That year J. A. Clark built a hotel on Cameron pass and J. W. Norvell and his associates started a store near Clark's hotel. Hotels and stores were also built at Teller and Lulu the same year, and a newspaper, called the North Park Miner, was started at Teller. In 1882 Mr. Stewart put on a line of stages from Fort Collins to Teller and secured the establishment of a daily mail route be-

LAKE COMO, AT ZIMMERMAN'S

Stewart began work on the project that year and in 1880 completed the road and opened it for travel to Chambers lake. Mr. Zimmerman moved his family in over that road. About that time a min- ing excitement broke out in the southeast corner of North Park and by the following year a town with several hundred inhabitants had sprung up on or near Jack creek. The town was named Teller. in honor of United States Senator Henry MI. Teller. Another mining camp was also established about this time in the northeast corner of Grand county, and it was called Lulu in honor of the eldest daughter of B. F. Burnett, who was one of the principal locators. Mr. Stewart extended his road in 1881 from Chambers lake to Teller and for three or four years while the Teller and Lulu camps were flourishing, there was a great deal of travel over it.

tween the two points. His coaches went out of Fort Collins loaded almost every day during that summer and fall. Postoffices were established at Home and Chambers lake, with John VanDolah as postmaster at the lake and Paul Mansfield at Home. The Home postoffice was kept in a small cabin still standing on what is now known as the Williams' ranch, formerly owned by C. B. An- drews and called the Shetland ranch. John R. Brown, who was post blacksmith for the troops when they were at old Camp Collins in 1864-5 and 6, located on this ranch in 1880, selling it in 1885 to Mr. Andrews and he in turn, a few years ago, to C. E. Williams. H. C. Peterson and family, R. W. Durkee, George Grill and others took up land along the river between Pingree camp and Poudre falls in 1881-2. S. B. Stewart built a hotel

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at the foot of Pingree hill that year which he called Rustic, and which he conducted for three or four years. It soon became a famous resort for summer tourists and he had a good run of custom during the summer seasons. Norman W. Frey and Dixon & DeRivas located at what is now called Pinehurst about that time.

In the spring of 1884, Mr. Zimmerman moved his family down from Cameron pass and occupied a cabin on the north side of the river nearly opposite to where he afterwards built the Keystone hotel. He soon had a saw mill running, cutting out lum- ber for two frame cottages which he erected in 1886 on the south side of the river where, for several years, he and his family hospitably entertained sum- mer visitors. These cottages are still standing and serve as annexes to the Keystone hotel, a fine three story brick structure, thoroughly modern in all of its appointments, erected in 1896, which he and his daughters, the Misses Eda and Agnes, still suc- cessfully conduct. Soon after locating here, Mr.

Zimmerman was appointed postmaster, which office he still holds.

R. W. Durkee, H. C. Peterson and John R. Brown sold their ranches in 1885 to C. B. An- drews and left the mountains, Mr. Peterson, Capt. Coon and John Lyon going with their families to the White river country, locating near the present town of Meeker. Mr. Peterson died there in 1896, and Capt. Coon died in Connecticut in 1903. Mr. Peterson's widow and one daughter, Mrs. J. H. Setzler, are residents of Fort Collins and his two sons, Ray of San Francisco and Lee of Meeker, are living. The Stewart Toll road became an open public highway in 1902. Casper Zimmerman has carried the mail from Fort Collins to the Home postoffice for the past twenty years, and his stage line is now equipped for forty-five miles of the distance with steam automobiles, which cover the route from Fort Collins to Elkhorn in four hours. Over the remaining fourteen miles, the mail and passengers are carried in stages drawn by horses.

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Biographical

T HE history of a country is best told in a record of the lives of its people," said Macaulay, the great English historian. With this statement in view, this biographical record has been pre- pared. No more interesting or instructive matter could be presented to an intelligent public. In this volume will be found the life stories of many of the pioneers of Larimer county, whose lives and characters are worthy the imitation of coming generations. It tells when and how they crossed the Plains and settled in Larimer county; of how they lived and what they did in the early days. It tells how some, beginning life in poverty, by industry and good management, have become wealthy. It tells of men who have risen from the lower walks of life to eminence as public officials. It tells of those in every walk of life who have striven to succeed, and records how success has usually crowned their efforts. It tells how that many, in the pride and strength of early manhood, left the plow and the anvil, the office and the counting-room, left every trade and profession, and at their country's call went bravely forth "to do or die," and how through their efforts the savages of the west were subdued, and of those who fought valiantly for a restored Union. Coming generations will appreciate these sketches and preserve them as a sacred treasure from the fact that they contain much of the history of Larimer county that would never find its way into the public records. Care has been taken in the compilation of these sketches, and every opportunity possible given to those represented to insure correctness in what has been written, and it is believed that few errors of consequence will be found. In addition to the biographical sketches, steel and half-tone portraits of many pioneers and representative citizens are given. The faces of some and their biographical sketches will be missed in this book. For this, the publishers are not to blame. Not having a proper conception of the work, some refused to give the desired information, while others were indifferent. On the whole, however, the publishers believe the work contains a great deal that will interest and instruct the present and future generations and be appreciated by the loyal citizens of Larimer county.

June, 1911.

THE COURIER PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO.

GENERAL R. A. CAMERON, founder and first president and superintendent of the Fort Collins Agricultural Colony, established in 1872, died on Thursday, March 15, 1894, at his home in Canon City, after a lingering illness. A sketch of his life and public service follows: General Cameron was born February 22, 1828, in Brooklyn, New York. He moved to Indiana, near Chicago, in 1842, graduated at the Indiana Medical college in the spring of 1850, and was a member of the Indi- ana legislature in 1860-61. At the breaking out of the Civil war, he raised a company in two days and was mustered in as Captain in the 9th Indiana In- fantry, was made lieutenant colonel of the 19th Indiana and sent to the defence of Washington in July, 1861; was made colonel of the 34th Indi- ana and took part in the battles of Island No. 10, New Madrid, Port Gibson, capture of Memphis and siege of Vicksburg. He was for bravery and good conduct at Port Gibson, under the eye of Gen. Grant, commissioned brigadier general. After the opening of the Mississippi river he was in command

of the Third division of the Thirteenth army corps in the Red river campaign, under Gen. Banks, until General Ransom was wounded at Sabine Cross roads in Louisana, when the command of the corps fell to him. He was placed in command of the dis- trict of La Fourch, with headquarters at Thibo- deauxville, Louisana, after the Red river cam- paign, and remained there until the close of the war. Soon after the war the Louisiana legislature, at the motion of Duncan Smith, changed the name of Sabine to Cameron, as a compliment to General Cameron for having done his duty with as little friction as possible and preserved his honor and in- tegrity under all circumstances. In 1870 General Cameron assisted N. C. Meeker in organizing the colony which located in Greeley, Colorado, and took charge as superintendent of the enterprise un- til it proved a success. He repeated his experi- ments at Manitou and Colorado Springs and after- wards, in 1872, organized the Fort Collins Agri- cultural Colony. He was made warden of the Colorado state penitentiary by Governor Eaton in

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LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO

1885, serving two years in that capacity. He was an important factor in the settlement of the Caché la Poudre valley and contributed largely of his means and energy to the establishment of colonies at Greeley, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins, doing much in his day to bring the state into notice and in aiding in its settlement and development.

LOUIS R. BLACKSTOCK .- Born in Atlanta, Georgia, November 5th, 1842; died at Fort Col- lins, Colorado, April 12th, 1904. He came to Larimer county in 1869 and settled on a farm in Pleasant valley near the present town of Bellvue, where he lived for more than a third of a century. In 1902 Mr. Blackstock gave up farming and moved his family to Fort Collins and opened and successfully conducted the Blackstock hotel on Jef- ferson street until death supervened. He was twice married, his first wife being a sister of former county commissioner W. P. Bosworth and P. J. Bosworth of Fort Collins, and of Harlan P. Bos- worth of Stove Prairie. Two children, Lee Black- stock and Mrs. Ernest Honnold were born of the union, both of whom are living. His second wife was Mrs. Wiseman whom he married in 1894, and who survives him. He was a man of many sterling qualities of heart and mind, and, though tenacious of what he believed to be his rights, was well liked.

WALTER E. MANSFIELD, D. C., was born Nov- ember 25, 1871, at Meridian, Mississippi; came to Colorado in 1873, locating first at Las Animas, coming thence to Fort Collins, in September, 1910; married Mary M. Morgan in 1907; graduate of the Cleveland school of Psychology and at the National school of Metaphysical Science; the National school of Chiropractic; chiropractor by profession having an office at the northeast corner of College avenue and Oak street, Fort Collins. He contends that from a Chiropractic standpoint disease emanates from a pressure upon the nerves leading from the spinal cord.

ULYSSES S. HANKINS, was born January 9th, 1868, at New Market, Iowa; received his educa- tion in the public schools and at the Colorado Agri- cultural college. He was reared on a farm and is a son of W. A. Hankins of Loveland. He came from Iowa with his parents to Colorado in 1879 and the family settled on a homestead claim near Loveland, Larimer county. Our subject was mar- ried November 18th, 1891, to Cora Pegg in Fort Collins. They have one child, a son, named Har-

lan who is at home with his parents. For the past seven years has most acceptably filled the post of field superintendent for the Great Western Sugar company in the Berthoud district. In the spring of 1910, Mr. Hankins moved from his farm into the town of Berthoud, where he now resides.

THOMAS J. MONTGOMERY .- Descended from good old Virginia and Kentucky parentage, Mr. Montgomery was born September 20th, 1849, in

THOMAS J. MONTGOMERY

Macoupin county, Illinois. He was reared on a farm until 16 years of age when he came to Golden, Colorado, with his uncle, W. A. H. Loveland. This was in 1866. He clerked in his uncle's store at Golden when that place was the Capital of Colo- rado, learning telegraphy of R. E. Gamble at night after the store was closed. In 1867 he applied for a position as government telegrapher, was accepted and sent to Fort Sedgwick and from there to Mud Springs on the North Platte; had charge of this station eight months and was then transferred to Bovay's ranch and then to Alkali Flats. That year he entered the employ of the Union Pacific and was sent to Cheyenne to superintend the in- stallation of telegraph offices along the line of the

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COUNTY, COLORADO

railroad west of that point, opening the office at Colorado Junction, Granite Canon, Tie Siding, Buford, Laramie and others on west. He witnessed some stirring times at Mud Springs and Bovays, as the Indians were very troublesome that year. He went back to his Illinois home in the fall of 1870 and took a complete course in bookkeeping and com- mercial law at the Commercial college in Springfield. In the winter of 1873 he was appointed night oper- ator at Martinsburg on what is now the Wabash road, remaining in the company's employ about a year. In February, 1875, he married Addie Z. Eberman, and moved to Golden in 1876, and was employed by the Colorado Central railroad as oper- ator at Longmont until October 7, when he came to Fort Collins to take charge of the station as agent and telegraph operator. He first opened an office in Joseph Mason's store on Jefferson street remaining there until October 22, when he moved the office into the unfinished depot. In 1881, Mr. Mont- gomery was elected county clerk and re-elected in 1883, serving two full terms. He then moved on to a stock ranch near St. Cloud and engaged in the cattle business, selling ranch and stock in 1890 and returning to Fort Collins, which has since been his home. His first wife died in October, 1893, and in January, 1899, he married Helen E. Lunn, who died a few years ago. He has one son, Hugh, child by his first wife, who is now general manager of the Electric Light and Heating plant at Auburn, New York. His present occupation is that of con- veyancer and dealer in real estate, placing loans, etc.

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History of Larimer County, Colorado, Part 47

Author: Watrous, Ansel, 1835-1927 Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Fort Collins, Colo. : The Courier Printing & Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 678

Author: Watrous, Ansel, 1835-1927
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Fort Collins, Colo. : The Courier Printing & Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 678