USA > Colorado > Larimer County > History of Larimer County, Colorado > Part 50
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
an active member of the Cattlemen's association held in Denver and elsewhere, and his voice could always be heard as in ringing, forceful tones he spoke for what he believed to be the best policy ; and he has always been listened to with respect and deference. He returned to Dixon in the win- ter of 1868 and '69 and married Eliza M. Rogers on February 25th, 1869. The young couple came to the Big Thompson valley and there they have resided since, every roof that covered them being home in its best sense; made so by a woman whose altar has been the family hearthstone. Four child- ren bless this union, three of them surviving. They are Burton W. Johnson, engaged at mining at Seven Troughs, Nevada; Mrs. Myrna A. Richey of Lone Tree, Iowa and Mrs. Edna G. Ish of Longmont. Mr. Johnson has held positions of trust and could have held elective office more had he so minded. He was Larimer county's repre- sentative in the Third General assembly; was deputy warden of the state penitentiary during Governor McIntire's adminstration; and Governor Thomas appointed him state game and fish com- missioner, offices that he filled with credit to him- self and the state. As the years rolled on the old guard of pioneers is becoming less and in a few short years the last pioneer will have crossed the range-and none will he more mourned in state or valley than Thomas H. Johnson-true citizen, loving husband, affectionate father and staunch friend.
WALTER L. FENTON was born at Mineral Ridge, Trumbull county, Ohio, on the 20th day of Decem- ber, 1832. He was married in 1854, to Margaret Evans, and in 1880 came to Larimer county and settled at Berthoud. From the age of eighteen years until sixty, he followed the blacksmith trade. There are five children. Mr. Fenton by reason of advancing years has retired from active labor and now resides at Berthoud.
WILLIAM S. TAYLOR, one of Larimer county's most esteemed and best loved pioneers, died on April 10th, 1899, at Pasadena, California, which had been his home since 1891. Few men have ever lived in the county who were better known and more uni- versally admired because of his generous nature, genial disposition and frank, cordial and companion- able characteristics, than big-hearted William Stone Taylor. He was born May 10th, 1835, in Wash- ington, Pennsylvania, and was therefore nearly 64 years of age when death called him hence. He went at an early age with his parents to Illinois, and in
[28+]
HISTORY OF LARIMER
COUNTY,
COLORADO
1862 came to Laporte, this county, which was his home for nearly thirty years. He came west to enter the employ of the Overland Stage company and kept the stage station at Virginia Dale during the perilous years of 1863-4-5, when the Indians were so trouble- some.
Almost the entire country was then an unbroken wilderness, inhabited only by marauding and murder- ous bands of Indians. Later he kept the stage sta- tion at Cooper Creek, Wyoming, and in the fall of 1867, after the Union Pacific railroad had been completed to Cheyenne, and the stage line had been changed to run from Denver to Cheyenne, he took charge of the hotel and station at Laporte, remain- ing there for several years. Here he had the pleas- ure of entertaining General Grant and party as it passed through the country in 1868; and on Sun- day, June 21st, 1865, Hon. Schuyler Colfax, after- ward vice-president of the United States, and Sam- uel Bowles, editor of .the Springfield, Massachusetts, Republican, spent the day with him and his accom- plished wife at Virginia Dale. After the comple- tion of the Union and Central Pacific roads to the Western coast and the abandonment of the La- porte stage station, Mr. Taylor bought the hotel building and moved it onto his farm, just east of La- porte, where he lived for nearly 20 years. The farm is now owned by M. L. Landes. Shortly after the death of his first wife, in July, 1886, Mr. Taylor sold his farm and stock and spent much of his time in traveling, making Fort Collins his home, how- ever, until he moved to California in 1891. In 1890 he married Mary Murch, who, with one daughter, survives him. Mr. Taylor was noted for his genuine western hospitality, his kind heart and liberality. He loved his home and friends, and his latch-string could always be found on the outside. He was the life of social gatherings and no man ever enjoyed the companionship of congenial spirits better than he did.
FRANK E. BAXTER is a native of Woodhull, Steuben county, New York, where he first saw the light on February 16th, 1852. He was edu- cated at Woodhull academy and, having moved to Atlantic, Iowa, was there married on the 5th of September, 1875, to Miss Frank A. Hoyt. To this union was born a son, Ray Baxter. Mr. Baxter migrated to Colorado in 1883, and first set- tled at Stratton Park in Larimer county. Having lost his first wife, after some years of widowhood, he was married to Miss Florence E. Woods of Fort Collins, and this marriage has been blessed
by the birth of three daughters, Norma, Leone and Lucile, and a son, Frank E. Jr. The subject of our sketch is emphatically what is known in the expressive language of the West as a "hustler". He has been active in the politics of the county and has been several times elected by the people to offices of trust which he has filled with integrity and to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He
----
FRANK E. BAXTER
has engaged successfully in farming as well as in the mercantile business. His social nature is largely developed and he delights in the society of his neigh- bors and acquaintances. An active member of sev- eral· lodges, he is known as a worker. Fearless in the expression of his opinion while tolerant of the opinions of others, he exerts an influence for good. His entire honesty in dealing with his fellows serves as an example and encouragement to the virtuous and as a rebuke to the vicious. Not a little of the progress and development of Larimer county is due to Mr. Baxter and men of his class.
FREDERICK LEE BEERY is engaged in the culti- vation of fruitlands in the vicinity of Loveland, Larimer county, where he has resided since the autumn of 1899. He was married on the 25th day
[285]
HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
of December, 1907. Mr. Beery is a successful farmer, and energetic young man and a respected citizen. His only child, Victor Lee Beery, was born May 30, 1910.
GEORGE CARLSON was born of Swedish parents, on the 23rd of October, 1876, at Alta, Buena Vista county, Iowa. His parents moved to Colo- rado while George was still very young and the
GEORGE CARLSON
first eight years of his school life were passed at Villa Park public schools in Barnum, near Denver. Under the necessity to carve out for himself a career, he labored on a farm and by industry and economy he was enabled to accumulate sufficient money to meet the expense of a course of study at the Agricultural college at Fort Collins, which in- stitution he attended during the years 1892 and 3. The year 1894-5 was spent in teaching school in the Ashton district, in Weld county. Having saved enough money to enable him to again take up his studies, he entered the State Normal school in 1895, and in 1898 was graduated from that insti- tution with marked credit. At the Normal school, Mr. Carlson evinced a love for athletic sports which he never failed to manifest during all of his
subsequent career as a student. Such youthful trophies and honors as may be won upon the foot- ball grounds were frequently awarded him and the election by his fellow students from time to time to offices in their various associations gives evidence of his popularity among them. The course at the Normal completed, he wished to pursue his stud- ies further, and in the fall of 1898, entered the State university at Boulder. Here he did literary work of a character that won for him the com- mendation of his instructors and opened the way to his becoming instructor in English in the prepara- tory school of the university. In 1892 he was grad- uated from the university, receiving the degree of A. B. His preparatory or preliminary study was now completed and it became necessary for him to decide upon a calling for life and to enter upon the special preparation for that. He chose the pro- fession of the law and graduated from the law school in 1905. His first year after admission to the bar was spent in the practice of the law in the state of Idaho. In 1905, he settled in Fort Collins and opened an office and has continued to the pres- ent time in the practice of his profession. On the 29th day of August, 1906, Mr. Carlson was mar- ried to Miss Rose Alps and there have been born to them two children, a boy and a girl. He was appointed in 1906 deputy district attorney for the county of Larimer and won some reputation by the vigorous and successful manner in which he prosecuted violators of the law prohibiting the sale of intoxicants. Before the expiration of his term of appointment, he resigned the office of deputy prosecutor and for a few months confined himself to a private practice. In 1908, he was elected dis- trict attorney for the Eighth judicial district of Colorado. Mr. Carlson has met with flattering success in the practice of the law and gives promise of a successful future. He is studious, careful and possessed of a fair, judicial mind; his clients are dealt with in a spirit of fairness and courtesy and he is respected by the members of the bar. He has been active in the field of politics and has met with some success as a public speaker. His persever- ence, amiable address and scholarship are calculated to carry him far and he is sure to give a good account of himself as the years go by.
CHARLES H. KENNEDY was born May 6th, 1887, in Ritchie county, West Virginia; educated at Indian Creek school, Beatrice, West Virginia; married Grace E. Morgan of Hendley, Nebraska, April 16th, 1910; came to Fort Collins, July 25th,
[286]
HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
1906, and lives at 1002 South College avenue. He is a groceryman by occupation and a valuable ad- dition to the business and social life of the home of his adoption.
J. L. NIGHTINGALE was born in Alexander, Nebraska, on the 4th of November, 1867. His education commenced in the common schools of that state was completed at the Baptist seminary at Gib- bon, Nebraska, followed by a business course at Greeley. He operated as a mining solicitor for a time and at last took up his residence at Livermore, in Larimer county, where he served for eight years as deputy postmaster. He then for two years filled the office of Game warden and for the last six years has acted as assistant postmaster at Fort Col- lins. Mr. Nightingale's genial good nature has won for him the friendship, and his sterling honesty has secured the esteem of all with whom business brings him in contact.
THOMAS CHALMERS BUNYAN, President of the Berthoud National bank, has always occupied a high position in the estimation of the people in every community in which he has lived, particu- larly in that of Berthoud where he has spent nearly twenty years of a busy life. He is a native of West Charlton, New York, where he was born August 30th, 1847. His parents were John Bun- yan and Jane T. (Chalmers) Bunyan. He was educated at Charlton academy and at Union col- lege, graduating from the latter with the degrees of A. B. and A. M. Soon after completing his studies at Union college, he was chosen superintendent of the schools of Ballston Spa, New York, serving in that capacity from 1872 until he came to Colo- rado in 1892. Upon assuming this position, Mr. Bunyan set at work at once to reorganize the system then in operation and succeeded in estab- lishing what developed into a system that was the pride of Ballstonians. He gradually raised the standard until it became one of the most perfect and best conducted systems of graded schools in towns of the size of Ballston Spa in the Empire State. He was also actively identified with other educational interests outside of the Ballston schools. He was, while a resident of Ballston Spa, a not infrequent contributor to leading educational per- iodicals and was the author of numerous papers on educational subjects which were read before gatherings of teachers. He was one of the organ- izers and the first President of the Saratoga county, New York, Teachers' association, one of the most prosperous and influential organizations of the kind
in that state. After coming to Berthoud in 1892, he dropped educational work, but not his interest in the education of the masses, to engage in the banking business. He founded the Bank of Berth- oud that year and his success in that venture has been all and more than he had reason to expect, when he opened the doors of his bank for the first time. He has been President of the bank and its
THOMAS CHALMERS BUNYAN
successor the Berthoud National bank since April 1st, 1892. Personally, Mr. Bunyan is too well known in the Little Thompson valley and Lari- mer county to need any words of praise in this sketch. His uniform courtesy and even tempera- ment, his strong convictions of what is right and what is wrong, his personal presence and his rare intellectual powers have fitted him to make and to hold as friends all those whose friendship is worth considering. His family is an interesting one and every member of it is held in high esteem. Mr. Bunyan was married August 11th, 1875, to Miss Ellen M. Hallowell, at West Charlton, New York. Four children have come to bless the union, their names being John Bunyan, cashier of the Berthoud National bank; William C. Bunyan, assistant
[287]
HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
cashier of the bank; Julia and Ellen T. Bunyan, all of them graduates of the University of Colo- rado. Mr. Bunyan has a fine large library of well selected books where he spends his leisure hours in reading.
GEORGE BEAR was born June 24th, 1824, in London, England, and came to America at the age of 28 years, in 1852. He was married January
GEORGE BEAR
25th, 1855, to Miss Ellen Landell, who was also of English birth. There were born to them nine children, eight of whom are still living, being Mrs. J. W. Humphrey, of Kansas City, Missouri; J. P. Bear, of Fort Collins; Mrs. H. C. Henderson, of Los Angeles, California; F. A. Bear, of Boise, Idaho; Mrs. M. B. Stewart, of Denver; George Bear, of Bellvue, Colorado; Mrs. W. A. Farn- ham, of Alamosa, Colorado and Mrs. A. C. Ruther- ford, of Twin Falls, Idaho.
The subject of this note came to Black Hawk, Colorado, in 1863, and in 1864 located on a farm in Boulder county, where he engaged in stock rais- ing in connection with general farming. In 1880,
he moved with his family to Larimer county and settled on a farm near Bellvue. Here he continued the same business of farming and stockgrowing as had occupied his attention in Boulder county, until the time of his death, which occurred on May 11th, 1903. Mr. Bear met with success in his undertakings and was possessed of a comfortable amount of worldly goods. He was a consistent member of the church, a kind parent and an up- right citizen. He came to the state when little had been done to test its possibilities and lived to see it rank as one of the best in the Union. He raised a family, none of whom has failed to follow in the lines of right conduct so persistently fol- lowed by the father.
MRS. EMELINE DORMAN has been a resident of Larimer county for the last five years, her home being at Berthoud. She was born near Dayton, Ohio, on March 8, 1842. Her husband, to whom she was married in 1860, was in the Civil war and saw much active service. Mrs. Dorman is the mother of seven sons, three of whom are citizens of Larimer county.
GEORGE E. GRAHAM, son of Edmund A. Gra- ham, the pioneer painter and decorator of Fort Collins, was born November 21st, 1871, in Ypsi- lanti, Michigan. Two years later his parents moved to Fort Collins where our subject learned and has since successfully followed his father's occupation for 18 years. On November 22nd, 1899, he mar- ried Mary A. Philippi, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Philippi, who was born June 6th, 1880 in Fort Collins.
THOMAS C. HALVORSON .- The thirty years our subject has spent at farming in the Caché la Poudre valley have been fruitful of good results, and he is now numbered among the comfortably well-off re- tired farmers of Fort Collins. He was born Janu- ary 31st, 1854, at Hjoring, Denmark, and obtained his education in the public schools of his native land. He was a soldier in the King's army for 15 months and a corporal during six months of the time. He came to the United States when a young man and on March 29th, 1881, married Nelsina Gotfred- sen at Penn Yan, New York. Two months later, May 24th, he and his bride landed in Fort Collins and he at once engaged in farming and stock raising. He worked the F. W. Garrett farm three years and then took up a homestead in the Boxelder dis- trict. He sold the improvements on this claim, relinquished his right and bought an 80 acre farm
[288]
HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
on which he lived for 16 years. He now resides on the corner of Peterson and Myrtle streets, Fort Collins. In the fall of 1909 he bought a 160-acre farm situated nine miles northwest of Fort Collins.
SWAN GUSTAF ANDERSON was born in Sweden, on December 28th, 1861, and came to America and to Larimer county in 1881. In 1894, he was mar- ried to Matilda Carlson who also was born in Sweden, on the 9th day of June, 1863. Three sons and a daughter have been born to them. Mr. Anderson has been engaged in farming since com- ing to this country. He is a man to be trusted.
WILLIAM MABEL was born in December, 1858, in a log house in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania ; came to Fort Collins in 1876, spending first three years in Spring Canon as cow puncher; has since lived on Stover street; brickmason ; married Annie Carroll, January 2nd, 1885, in Fort Collins; four children, Harriet, Laura G., Eva V. and Jessie C. Mabel; worked in oil fields of Pennsylvania before coming to Colorado; has invented a number of use- ful mechanical appliances.
REV. WILLIAM H. MCCREERY was born in the Ligonier valley, Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania, on November 17, 1839. When nine years old his father moved onto a farm in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and there he divided his boyhood days attending district school and at work on the home place. From the school he went to the acad- emy in Marion, Pennsylvania and pursued his studies for a higher education till August, 1862, when he enlisted in the 139th infantry, Pennsyl- vania volunteers, ready to give his life, if neces- sary, in defense of the Union. Later he enlisted in the United States signal corps. There he stayed until mustered out in August, 1865. On his return home, he resumed his studies at Day- ton academy and was graduated from Westminister college with first honors in 1870. From 1870 to 1873 he was in charge of the Mount Pleasant academy, Pennsylvania, during which time he was preceptor of Z. X. Snyder, now president of the State Normal school of Greeley. Mr. McCreery attended the Allegheny Theological seminary, was graduated in 1870, and ordained a minister of the United Presbyterian church, in August, 1874. Shortly after that he and his family moved to Colorado, coming direct to what is now known as Loveland, and here he has remained. He organized the United Presbyterian church in that city on November 25, 1875, the pioneer United
Presbyterian church of Colorado. The congre- gation numbered 15, and to-day it has enrolled on its register about 400 communicants. In 1879 he ceased his pastoral duties, owing to ill health, lived quietly, but in the fall of 1882 he was appointed superintendent of Larimer county's schools. To this office he was twice re-elected by an over- whelming majority. His occupancy of that office
REV. WILLIAM H. MC CREERY
proved he was the right man in the right place, for the school districts increased 100 per cent, or from 27 to 54, and that number has been but slightly augmented to the present day. Those five years represented a great development in school matters and the former superintendent is entitled to great praise for his ability and work. Part of Mr. McCreery's duty was to locate all school district boundaries and place them on section lines, and the work was well and ably done. From 1888 to 1889 he conducted a private school in Loveland, then engaged in real estate, loans and insurance, and in these lines he is still engaged, enjoying good health and an optimistic placidity of mind that is refreshing to friends and acquaintances. In 1870 the Rev. William H. McCreery and Martha Mar-
[289]
HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
shall of Dayton, Pennsylvania, were united in mar- riage, and three children still live to add to their parents' joy and happiness. They are Mrs. Mabel Tuggy of Riverside, California; Mrs. Ida Berger of Shoshone, Wyoming and the Rev. Elbert Mc Creery, a missionary at Dolieb Hill, Sobat river, London, Africa. Mrs. McCreery died in May, 1900 and three years later he married Miss Julia McCreery, who still shares with him the enjoy- ments and responsibilities of the home.
JAMES E. DUBOIS was born October 23rd, 1843, near Cincinnati, Ohio, and came to Colorado in 1859, while still in his teens. The family first located on Boulder creek, but in 1870 moved to the Big Thompson valley which remained its home for many years. Mr. DuBois early took an interest in mining and spent several seasons prospecting and hunting for precious minerals, which, however, seemed to elude him for he was never successful at mining. In 1885 he was elected county clerk of Larimer county, and re-elected in 1887, serving the people both terms with fidelity and to the satis- faction of the people. Shortly after retiring from the county clerk's office, he was appointed a member of the state board of agriculture and in 1897 was elected secretary of that board. On the 4th day of April, 1888, he was united in marriage to Henrietta LeBoeuf who died December 9th, 1898. Mr. Du Bois died in 1901.
CHARLES CLAY .- The pioneer colored man of Larimer county, had been a familiar figure about the streets of Fort Collins for nearly half a century. He was born a slave October 10th, 1828, on the farm of William Robertson, in Calloway county, Missouri. When his master died, Mr. Clay be- came the property of John Robertson, his former master's son. Charles was in St. Charles, Missouri, when the war broke out, engaged in purchasing his freedom. He was to pay $2,000 for himself, but after paying $600 of the claim, concluded he had paid enough and started for California, going as cook for a wagon train. On getting to Fort Laramie the train was held with others because of the hostility of the Indians along the route. He there engaged as cook for an officers' mess of ten. From that time until he came to Colorado he saw exciting times and was in several Indian fights. He was with Lieutenant Casper Collins' party when that gallant soldier was killed by the savages in 1863, and relates a graphic story of that sad affair. Lieutenant Collins was a son of Col. W. O. Col- lins for whom Fort Collins was named. The story
of his tragic death is related elsewhere in this vol- ume, practically as Clay tells it. During the fight, Clay, armed with a carbine, laid behind the parked wagons shooting at Indians whenever he could see a good mark. Clay came to Colorado in 1864, and worked as cook for William McIlvaine, who kept the Overland stage station at Latham at the junc- tion of the Cache la Poudre and the South Platte. After staying there a year he went to Denver to work as cook in the Old Planters hotel for Jim McNassar at $80 per month. Late in the season of 1865 he came to Laporte and worked for a German who was operating a brewery there. Next he was employed by W. S. Taylor as cook at the Laporte stage station. Clay became a permanent resident of Fort Collins in 1875 and that city had since been his home. He has followed various occu- pations since locating in Fort Collins, including that of farmer, cook, barber, butcher and shoemaker and has been city scavenger for nearly twenty years. He was one of the most interesting char- acters in the city. Everybody knew him and was his friend. Mr. Clay died on Wednesday, Aug- ust 31, 1910.
WILLIAM H. McCORMICK was born in Noble county, Ohio; came to Denver April 7th, 1870; taught school two years in Arapahoe county; came to Larimer county as a Home Missionary of the United Brethren church, which has since been his home, his work requiring visits to all the settle- ments from the Divide south of Denver to the Caché la Poudre valley, making his trips on horse- back; knew most of the families in the great val- leys between Denver and Fort Collins; first visited Big Thompson valley in the fall of 1870; married Anna M. Brunner of Denver, October 15th, 1879, and soon afterwards moved to his farm near Ber- thoud ; moved from farm to Berthoud in 1890 and engaged in the mercantile business in which he still remains; represented Larimer county in the 5th General assembly and was a faithful, conscientious member of that body. Mr. McCormick has traveled a great deal, having visited nearly all the lands and countries on the globe and is a cultured and well in- formed gentleman. He has two children, Mrs. Grace Doke, wife of Attorney I. J. Doke of Love- land, and W. E. McCormick.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.