History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 45

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080

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JAMES B. GRANT.

Among the substantial business men of Leadville is the subject of this sketch, who, for several years, has been intimately con- nected with the history of ore reduction, and is a member of the firm who own the smelting

works in California Gulch, which bear his name. The smelting works of J. B. Grant & Co. have long since been acknowledged the largest in the country, and as shown by the tabular statement of the annual production of smelters, exceeds anything in the history of that branch of industry. The firm comprises J. B. Grant, Edward Eddy and William H. James, and they do a monthly business of over a half million of dollars, and have a capacity of from 350 to 400 tons of ore per day. Mr. Grant was born in the State of Alabama in January, 1848, and remained at home, with his parents, until the breaking-out of the war, and, though but a lad of thirteen years, he joined the Confederate army, and spent several months in the field as a soldier. In the spring of 1861, he came North, and went to reside with his uncle, Hon. Judge Grant, at Davenport, Iowa, and, as his parents had lost their property in the vicissitudes and changes brought about by the war, the Judge bore the expense of young Grant's education, giving him an academic education at the Agri- cultural College, in Iowa, which he attended for a period of six years, afterward taking a course of studies at the Cornell University, of Ithaca, New York State. To complete his education, he spent two years in foreign trav- el, and was at Freiburg, Germany, until the year 1876, when he returned to America, and as he had devoted much of his time while at the University to the study of mineralogy, he came to Colorado, and engaged in assaying, at Mill City and Central City, for a short time, and in the spring of 1878, came to Leadville and embarked in the smelting of ore. Mr. Grant has been untiring and un- swerving in his enterprises, and has done a great deal in the last three years to develop the resources of Leadville in the output of ore. He has never sought political distinction or official record, in Colorado, rather preferring to march in the solid line of industry, and devote his exclusive attention to the mammoth business in which he is engaged, and having unusual foresight and business acumen, has accumulated a fortune, and is now regarded as among the wealthiest and prominent citi- zens of Leadville, He was married to a daughter of R. E. Goodell, formerly a promi-

Prison Hawkins A.J.

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nent banker of Chicago, Ill., a very lovely and accomplished lady.

HENRY W. GAW.

Mr. Gaw is not only one of Leadville's sub- stantial business men, but he is also one of her worthy and honored pioneers. He is descended from Irish ancestry, born in County Down, Ireland, July 25, 1834. His parents emi- grated to Montreal, Canada, when he was but a child. He received the rudiments of an education in the common schools, and served an apprenticeship at the brewing business, with John H. R. Mossa & Bro., of Montreal, in whose employ he continued for a period of twenty years. In 1875, he removed to Idaho Springs, Colo., and purchased a brewery, and after running it for two years was burnt out. In the spring of 1878, he came to Leadville, and started the brewery which bears his name, and which he is running at the present time. This is the pioneer brewery of Leadville, the ground being broken for it in March, 1878. From a very small beginning, it has gone on, steadily increasing in size, until it has now attained a capacity of 120 kegs per day. The brewery has all the modern improvements, no establishment of the kind in Leadville having greater or better facilities for making the best of beer. The cellars have patent ice floors, and the buildings are heated by steam. Water is obtained from a never-failing pure spring. The brewery is very convenient and compact, lacking nothing it should have to make it complete. The beer manufactured here has the deserved reputation of being the best made in the mountains. Mr. Gaw has, in connection with the brewery, a large bot- tling establishment on the Oro road, furnished with all modern appliances, with facilities for turning out 100 dozen per day. The brewery is situated on the south side of California Gulch, in a spot especially adapted for' it. Mr. Gaw was married to Miss Stuppel, of Montreal, Canada, in June, 1860, and has a family of four children.

FRANK GAY.

This enterprising young business man was born in New York City June 8, 1849; he at- tended the public schools of his native city

until fifteen years of age; then served an ap- prenticeship at the machinist's trade; when out of his term of service, he took a course of book-keeping, in the Mercantile College of Bryant & Stratton; afterward worked at his trade for a period of eight years. At this time, being desirous of seeing the world, he started out on his travels, and spent several years visiting San Francisco, old Mexico, and many of the cities in the West, finally settling, in 1877, in California Gulch, Colo., where he started the foundry and machine-shop ' of which he is the present owner, calling his works the Pacific Iron Works. His business is one of the largest in the State; he manu- factures steam engines, mining machinery, and the entire success is due to his strict at- tention to business and his untiring energy. Since settling in Leadville, Mr. Gay has been Superintendent of several smelting and sam- pling works, together with building and min- ing a number of stamp-mills, his practical knowledge of mechanics making his services in demand in this mining country. He also assisted in working the celebrated Print- er Boy Mine, crossing the range on foot to deliver the gold product to the banks, and bring back funds to pay the workmen, carry- ing as much as 350 ounces of gold at a single trip. `He also engaged with a stock company, in Denver, to erect smelting works at Malta, but it proving unprofitable he abandoned the enterprise. He has held various offices of public trust, serving as a member of the School Board, at Leadville, Justice of the Peace and was Postmaster at Malta for a brief period, and has taken an active interest in public affairs, and been closely identified ·with many of the leading industrial enter- prises. He is also interested in mines, and owns some valuable real estate in Leadville and vicinity. Mr. Gay is a hard worker, and has conquered difficulties that would have crushed most of meu; he has achieved success almost unparalleled, with a record for integrity and honesty that is unimpeachable. Starting with- out capital, Frank Gay may be styled, emphat- ically, a self-made man. He is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, and holds membership in the I. O. O. F. Previous to there being any Assayer, prospecting parties

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would bring the carbonates into the black- smith-shop of Mr. Gay and melt them in the forge fire, by this means discovering that they contained lead and silver, thus determining the actual value of the carbonates. Mr. Gay devotes his entire time to his business, and is yet a young man, and with his energy and business capacity, his future financial success would seem to be well assured

JOHN D. GRIFFITH.

Mr. Griffith is one of the early settlers at Leadville, and one who has accumulated a fortune through his strict attention to busi- ness. He engaged early in the lumber busi- ness, and for awhile was the sole lumber mer- chant in the city. His place of business, on the corner of Elm and Pine streets, is the same at which he first located over tw.) years ago. Mr. Griffith is a pattern-maker by trade, and for several years followed the same at St. Louis, Mo. He superintended for awhile the erection of the Harrison works here, and has worked at his trade in over fifteen States of the Union. He has traveled extensively throughout the greater portion of America. Since his advent in Leadville, he has been very successful, both in his business and min- ing, and is the owner of much real estate in the city. May 31, 1878, he married a daugh- ter of Prof. John H. Tice, of St. Louis. His business enterprises have done much to build up Leadville. He was born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., in 1847.

DANIEL J. HAYNES.

Mr. Haynes is of the leading law firm of Haynes & Parks. Through his untiring efforts and constant application, he has laid the foundation for a practice which every day but adds fresh witness to his ability. His pro- fessional success is to be attributed to his own earnest and persevering efforts. Patient industry has always been the most prominent feature of his character. He was born in Warren County, Ky., on the 29th day of July, 1844, and raised as a farmer's son until the age of seventeen, in the meantime receiving a common school education. Early in 1862, then being but a boy, he joined the Federal army and served three years. Returning home

in 1865, he completed his education at Warren College, Kentucky. He contined to farm until 1873, during which time he studied the first principles of law. In December, 1871, he married a daughter of T. T. Arlington, of Florence, Ala. In 1873, he removed to Flor- ence, and there established and managed, as proprietor and editor, the Florence Republican, a newspaper which did much toward aiding the Republican party in that section. In 1875, he sold out his paper, and came to Col- orado and located at Denver, having been ad- mitted to the bar of Alabama in 1874. While in Denver, he acquired a successful and flat- tering practice. Mr. Haynes came to Lead- ville early in 1879, where he has since fol- lowed, his profession. He is largely inter- ested in Lake County in mining; fortune has favored him in that line, and he is to-day the lucky owner of many promising mining prop- erties. At a convention of Republican repre- sentative men of the Southern States, held at Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1874, Mr. Haynes was one of the eighteen delegates in attendance from Alabama, and through his exertions a policy was adopted by that convention which afterward proved to be a great promoter of the interests of that party in the South. Mr. Haynes, during the war, was a member of the Twenty-sixth Kentucky Infantry; he took part in the campaign against Atlanta, and was a participant in all the stirring engagements in which the Twenty-third Army Corps, under Gen. Schofield, took part, finally joining Gen. Sherman at Goldsboro, on his way back from his march to the sea.

M. B. HAAS.

The present City Jailer, of Leadville, is M. B. Haas, who was appointed in the spring of 1881, by the Republican Council. He is largely interested in mining property, and can be termed an old pioneer of this State, as he was engaged in the tobacco business, in Den- ver, in 1860, his main house being in Leaven- worth, Kan. He was born in Arnhem, Hol- land, in 1836, and when fourteen years of age, came to America, settling in Detroit, Mich., where he was employed in the tobacco house of Oliver Goldsmith, acting, soon afterward, in the capacity of foreman. He removed to

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Leavenworth, Kan., in 1856, where he em- barked in the tobacco business; came to Col- orado in the fall of 1858; he afterward re- turned to Leavenworth, and in the spring of 1879, arrived in Leadville, where he has since been engaged in mining, and has met with success. Mr. Haas was the first Postmaster at Leavenworth.

DAVID HOWARD.

David Howard was born in the State of Pennsylvania in 1848; while at home, he was engaged in farming and attending the com- mon schools. In the fall of 1867, he went to Cheyenne, W. T., and was one of the first set- tlers there. He there engaged in the lumber business for about one year, when he took up a ranch, on Running Creek, in Colorado, and engaged in raising stock, but during the fall was driven out by the Indians, saving most of his cattle, but losing all his horses. In Jan- uary, 1879, he gave up his ranch and came to Leadville, where he has since been engaged in mining and the livery business.

JOHN H. HERON, M. D.

Dr. Heron is an associate in the medical profession with Dr. F. F. D'Avignon; he was born at Canandaigua, Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1849; when six years old, he accompanied his parents to Ohio, where he resided until 1870, up to which time he had received a common school education. In 1871, he was a member of the literary department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor; he passed but one year there, then went to Detroit, where he was employed about one year in a steamboat line office. He afterward attended the medical class at Ann Arbor for one year, then took a three years' course at Rush Medical College, Chicago, where he graduated. He practiced medicine there one year, and came to Lead- ville November 20, 1878, where he has since devoted his time to medicine and surgery. He is one of the founders of the Leadville Medical Society. The Doctor married Miss Minnie Foley, of Ann Arbor, Mich., April 20, 1879.

N. C. HICKMAN.

Mr. Hickman is the senior member of the large and enterprising firm of Hickman &

Graff, who are engaged in a general merchan- dising and commission business, on the corner of Pine and Chestnut streets, in Leadville. He was born in Randolph County, Mo., in 1844. At the age of seven years, he, together with his parents, removed to Davenport, Iowa, and attended school at the Iowa College until 1859, in which year he accompanied his father, who was then a leading physician in Iowa, to the State of Colorado, arriving in Denver the same year, and shortly afterward settling in Central City, where he engaged in mining. In the spring of 1860, the sudden and unex- pected loss of his father, necessitated the re- turn of young Hickman to Iowa, where he re-entered Iowa College, and completed his education. In 1864, he returned to Central City, where he engaged in mining and mer- chandising. In 1867, he closed up his busi- ness, and departed for Cheyenne, W. T. The arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad at that time causing quite a boom there, Mr. Hick- man there engaged in merchandising business, where, for a period of two years, he met with great success. In 1870, he removed to Wichita, Kan., and there again engaged in merchandising, and also did some farming. Mr. Hickman again returned to Denver, and from 1873 to 1876, was employed by J. K. Doolittle, as book-keeper. In the last-named year, he went to Los Vegas, N. M., represent- ing the Singer Sewing Machine Company, as their Territorial Agent. He held the position for one year, when he again branched out in the merchandise business for himself. Near this point, he purchased a large ranch, which he still retains, and engaged in raising stock. This ranch is considered one of the largest and best managed in that section. In Janu- ary, 1879, Mr. Hickman arrived in Leadville, and immediately commenced devoting his attention to mining, to which he still gives a large portion of his attention. He purchased four lots, on the corner of Leiter avenue and Chestnut street, and erected a large and com- modious building, in which the firm of Hick- man & Graff first commenced business, they being the foremost merchandising house of the day, a business in which they have met with great success. Mr. Hickman is now Alderman of the First Ward, having been

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elected in the spring of 1880, for a term of two years, by a large majority over his oppo- nent. His integrity and uprightness, coupled with his cordiality, have justly won for him great popularity. In mining, he has been quite fortunate, realizing a handsome sum out of the mines that are now owned by the Ocean & Seneca Mining Company. He is still inter- ested in the Little Anna, on Evans' Gulch, also the Star of Venus and the Plata Verde; also other very promising properties.

GEORGE L. HENDERSON.

Among Colorado's pioneers Mr. Henderson may be numbered, for the Pike's Peak excite- ment of 1859 caused him to seek his fortunes here; he has ever since made Central City and California Gulch his home. He was appointed the first Postmaster of Leadville, and claims that the camp was named Leadville at his sug- gestion. He has been successful in mining and farming on a ranch which he owns about three miles from Leadville. He is engaged in a general merchandising business, on Lower Chestnut street, occupying a building which he owns. Mr. Henderson was born in 1836, in Ashtabula County, Ohio; received a com. mon school education, and prior to his advent. in Colorado, resided in Wisconsin and Cen- tral Iowa.

CHARLES L. HALL.

Among the men who have sought homes in the West, few have had a more vivid experi- ence in pioneer life, or have experienced more hardships on the frontier, than Charles L. Hall. He was born in New York State, in 1836, and, with his parents, removed to Jackson County, Iowa, in 1844. He obtained such an education as could be had, and at- tended the Iowa College, at Davenport, Iowa, until 1859. At the early age of twenty, he embarked in the flouring-mill business for himself, but it proving unprofitable, he soon abandoned it and came to Colorado the same year, locating on Ralston Creek; he started a stock farm, which he sold the following year, and after a short trip East, he came to Cali- fornia Gulch, in the spring of 1860, and com- menced prospecting and mining, visiting, the following winter, the San Juan district. In the spring of 1861, while prospecting near

the present town of Silverton. he was lost in the mountains for fourteen and a half days, during which time he had nothing to eat- endured the most terrible suffering, and in his effort to prevent being starved to death, he made a fire and boiled his old buckskin breeches and boots, making a broth, which was neither highly nutritious nor palatable. but such was his extremity that he thought this broth gave him some strength to renew the struggle for life. When found by his com- panions, he was so emaciated and weak that he had to be carried to camp by two of his comrades, being unable to walk or stand. His weight, when found, was forty-eight pounds, his usual weight being 135 pounds, having lost eighty-seven pounds during his fourteen and a half days' fast. After this experience, he returned to California Gulch, and contin- ued prospecting. In the spring of 1862, he operated a salt-works about twenty miles from Fairplay; was also engaged in stock-raising at the same locality. He was twice elected to the Legislature from that district, and served for three years as County Commissioner. In the winter of 1878, he came to Leadville, and engaged in quite a number of business enter- prises, among which was contracting for grad- ing streets. He organized a stock company, consisting of Messrs. Tabor, Bush, Hall and others, to light the city of Leadville with gas. Mr. Hall gave his personal attention to the constructing of the works, laying the main pipes, and had entire charge, and the success can be mainly attributed to his personal efforts. Mr. Hall has spent a large amount of money prospecting and in mining, with but little success, until the spring of 1881, when, to- gether with Dennis Sullivan, and two other parties, they bought the well-known Mylo Group of mines, in the Ten Mile district, which bids fair to be as valuable as any in the State. Mr. Hall spends his time in looking after the many varied enterprises in which he is interested, and has but little time for out- side matters; he derives a comfortable revenue from them. He was one of the well-known firm of Bush, Tabor & Hall, who opened the Windsor Hotel, in Denver, in June, 1880, but subsequently sold his interest to Mr. Tabor. He owns stock in several railroads to a very

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7 considerable amount, and has some very valu- able real estate in Leadville. Mr. Hall is a man of resolute will and strong character; the foregoing imperfect sketch can serve but as a hint to a life full to overflowing of shrewd and bold enterprises, with startling events- more, perhaps, than have befallen to any other one man, and which deserve mention in the pioneer annals of Colorado. He was married in Colorado, and has three children, all born in the State.

GILBERT L. HAVENS.

G. L. Havens is one of the early settlers of Colorado, who, by careful business management and fair dealing, has placed himself among her honored and prominent men. He was born in Redford, Clinton Co., N. Y., May 17, 1834, and received a good common-school edu- cation. In 1849, he went to Ellenburg, Clin- ton Co., and began his business career as clerk for his brother in a country store, remaining in that capacity for about eight years, when, having saved a sufficient sum from his earn- ings, he went to Belmont, Franklin Co., and engaged as Superintendent of a lumber busi- ness owned by Lawrence Brainard, of St. Al- bans, Vt., and, after remaining in that position for a brief period, he bought the business and continued the lumber trade for several years. In the fall of 1875, he sold out and came to Colorado and engaged as Superintendent of the Fuller Placer Mining Company, in Sum- mit County, and remained in that capacity until the fall of 1877. In January, 1878, he came to Leadville and was engaged in prospecting and mining for about one year. Realizing the importance and growing demand for lum- ber in Leadville, he formed a copartnership in that business, under the style of firm of Halleck, Shute & Havens, and continued in that line of industry until the 1st of July, 1879, and since that period has been engaged in mining and real estate, owning some very valuable property in Leadville and Denver. Mr. Havens is married, and makes his per- manent residence in Denver, where he has a beautiful residence. Successful hitherto in many of his operations, there would seem to be no reason why his present ventures should not be productive. Mr. Havens is an enter-

prising, prompt business man, whose integ- rity of character command the respect and confidence of the community where he lives.

HORACE W. HAVENS.

The junior member of the firm of Havens & Beman is Horace W. Havens, who was born in Franklin Co., N. Y., October 10, 1858. His father being in the lumber trade, at fifteen young Havens engaged with him as foreman of lumber-yard and saw-mills, remaining there for about two years; came to Colorado with his father in 1875, and was employed by the Fuller Placer Mining Company in Summit County, for a period of three years, as book- keeper; also, as part of the duties of his posi- tion, he had to visit Denver about twice every month during the mining season and carry the gold dust to the mint. These trips were made on horseback, and attended with great risk and personal danger, as the entire distance had to be made in the night, to avoid the law- less characters that infested the mining camps in those days. In 1878, Mr. Havens came to Leadville and engaged in the prosperous lum- ber trade of which he is now the junior mem- ber of the firm of Havens & Beman, being the largest dealers in the county, and have branches in Gunnison, Eagle and Ten Mile districts. His. many sterling qualities- energy, perseverance and honesty of purpose -united with a suavity of manner and a gen- ial disposition-are well calculated to give him the success he deserves. He is unmar- ried, and devotes his entire time to his busi- ness.

HON. J. L. HODGES.

Hon. J. L. Hodges, Deputy United States Collector of Internal Revenue, was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., April 1, 1833, and received an academic education at Lima College, N. Y. In 1855, he removed to Joliet, Ill., and was Principal of the High School for two years, and in the spring of 1857 went to the State of Minnesota and engaged in farming until the fall of 1860; was appointed First Lieu- tenant of the Third Minnesota Volunteer In- fantry, and afterward promoted to Captain; was taken prisoner at the battle of Murfrees- boro, Tenn., and escaped shortly after at Mc Minnville; was in the battle of Redwood, Minn.,

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under Gen. Sibley, during the Indian outbreak of 1862, and remained in the army until the close of the war, and was Assistant Provost Marshal in charge of prisoners at Little Rock, Ark., and was wounded in a skirmish near Vicksburg while gallantly leading his com- mand. In 1868, he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Arkansas, and, and was chairman of the com- mittee that introduced the new constitution, which was adopted. Mr. Hodges was admitted to the bar in 1868, and elected twice to the Legislature from the Pulaski County District, Arkansas, and also held the position of Post- master at Little Rock in 1872. He removed to Colorado in 1878, and was appointed Deputy Collector in May, 1879, which position he still holds.

GEORGE W. HUSTON.

George W. Huston was born December 25, 1839, at Uniontown, Fayette Co., Penn. He received his education at his native town, and at Pittsburgh, in Duff's Mercantile College. He came West to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1856, and engaged as book-keeper to the firm of Newton & Keen. In the spring of 1857, he went to Leavenworth, Kan., and was Deputy. Recorder of Deeds. He came to Colorado in 1859 and engaged in mining in Gilpin County. During the winter of 1859, he, in company with four others, made a trip to Leavenworth, Kan., on horseback, returning to Colorado in the spring; he then went to California Gulch and engaged in mining, being elected Sheriff the same spring. In the fall of 1861, he went to Kansas and enlisted as a soldier, and was appointed Clerk of the Quartermaster's Department: was soon after commissioned by the Secretary of War as Quartermaster of the Second Cherokee Indian Regiment; he re- signed this office, and was appointed by the Governor of Kansas Regimental Quarter- master of the Fourteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry; was a prisoner of war six months. After the close of the war, he returned to Leavenworth, Kan., and received the position of Register of Deeds of Leavenworth County. He returned to Colorado in 1875, having since devoted his time to mining and real estate business; he came to Leadville in the spring of 1878, where he has been successful in his

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 45

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 1080

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080