History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 62

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

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served in the Army of the Cumberland. On the close of the war, he became connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad, and in 1866 removed to St. Louis, as Secretary of the Kansas Pacific Railway Company, and remained with that company until 1874. Coming to Colorado in the summer of 1874, he has had charge of the Central Colorado Improvement Company and of the Southern Colorado Improvement Company (since consolidated with the Colorado Coal and Iron Company), as Vice President, since that date. The last-named company-the Colorado Coal and Iron Company-was incor- porated January 23, 1880; owns the Nolan grant south of the Arkansas River, consisting of 48,000 acres of land, including the town site of South Pueblo, and 40,000 acres of coal land along the Arkansas Valley ; also, the Cañon Coal Mines of 3,500 acres, the Walsenburg Coal Mines of 3,000 acres, the El Moro Coal Mines of 8,000 acres, the El Moro Coke Works, the Iron Blast Furnace and Bessemer Steel Works at South Pueblo, and a large number of iron mines. The President of the company is Gen. William J. Palmer, and the Vice President Col. Charles B. Lamborn. Col. Lamborn is also Vice President of the National Land and Im- provement Company, and the Colorado Springs Company. He resides at Colorado Springs.

LEWIS S. LONG.

This gentlemen, a member of the wholesale and retail grocery firm of Nichols & Long, in Colorado Springs, was born in Detroit, Mich., December 25, 1843. While yet an infant, his parents removed to Crawford County, Penn., and in 1854 to Topeka, Kan. His early life, until his eighteenth year, was spent in attending public school. On the breaking-out of the war of the rebellion, in 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany A, Second Kansas Volunteer Infantry for three months' service. At the expiration of that time, he re-enlisted for three years in Com- pany A, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, and served until February, 1864, when he was honorably mustered out of the service. He then returned home, and followed farming that season. In the spring of 1866, he came to Colorado, and spent the summer in placer mining at Gold Run, Summit County. In September of that year he went to Southwestern New Mexico, where he was engaged in mining two years. He then returned to Kansas, and during the

Niels Larsen

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succeeding five years devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1873, he again came to Colorado, located at Pueblo, where he worked at the carpenter's trade until 1876. The succeeding four years he was engaged in pros- pecting in the mountains, and is the discoverer of the Tin Cup District in Gunnison County, and located the Silver Cup Mine in that dis- trict. During the winter of 1880-81, he sold his mining interests to the Bald Mountain Min- ing Company of New York City. Then, in company with W. S. Nichols, he succeeded A. D. Craigue in the wholesale and retail grocery business.

HON. JAMES H. B. McFERRAN.

Among the many prominent men of Colorado, who have diligently and successfully toiled and labored up the "hard and rugged road to for- tune " to honor and distinction, is the subject of this sketch. Mr. McFerran, or Judge Mc- Ferran, as he is better known, was born Sep- tember 17, 1819, in Washington County, Mary- land. At that time the advantages of attaining an education were very limited, and Mr. Mc- Ferran received the rudiments of his instruction in a subscription school, which held its sessions in a log cabin. During the winter, his time was spent in attending the school, while in the sum- mer seasons he was employed in assisting his parents in agricultural pursuits. Being devoid of patrimony or inheritance, at the age of six- teen he left his home, and succeeded in obtain- ing employment in assisting in the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, then being built through his native State. For six months he was employed at this, with a remuneration of 87¿ cents per day, and at the expiration of that time he was appointed foreman, and re- ceived as compensation for his labor $1.87} per day. Succeeding this, he embarked as a con- tractor and superintendent of public works, in which capacity he served seven years. During this time he availed himself of all the opportu- nities, and constantly added more and more to his then limited education, and in order to fur- ther his progress, he attended a higher grade of school, devoting his time and attention prin- cipally to mathematics. At the age of twenty- five, he began the study of law at his home, under the personal instruction and advice of Mr. Lowe, a very distinguished attorney of Hagerstown, Md., who was afterward elected

Governor of the State. After three years of ardent study, during which he practiced before some of the inferior courts, he removed to Gallatin, Daviess County, Mo., where he began the practice of law, meeting with excellent suc- cess. In 1848, he was elected to the State Senate of Missouri, which office he subsequently resigned. In 1856, he was elected to represent Daviess County in the Legislature. In 1859, he was elected Judge of the Circuit Court. When the war of the rebellion was declared, he espoused the Union cause, and organized the First Missouri Cavalry M. S. M. Federal Volunteers, and entered the service as its Colonel, which office he maintained until the close of the war, when, in 1865, he was mus- tered out. After the close of the war he re- sumed the practice of law. In 1865, he estab- lished the Daviess County Savings Association, a banking corporation, of which he was Presi- dent, and which is still doing business in Gallatin, Mo. In 1869, he removed to Chilli- cothe, Mo., where he established the Peoples' Savings Bank, which is still in operation at that point. In 1873, he removed to Colorado Springs, Colo., and founded the Peoples' Bank of this city, and is still its President. Mr. Mc- Ferran has adopted this State as his home, and has always taken a live interest in the prosperity, growth and welfare of this city. He is now engaged in mining and the reduction of ores, and is the President of the Peerless Mining and Reduction Works, and of the East Leadville Town Site Company, an incorporation having a capital stock of $1,500,000. He is also largely interested in coal mining at the coal fields, eight miles east of this city, which is in a flourishing condition, containing an eight foot vein of good coal.

MAJ. HENRY MCALLISTER, JR.

Maj. McAllister was born in Wilmington, Del., September 14, 1836. At an early age he removed with his parents to Delaware County, Penn., where his early life was spent in attend- ing a private school, under the conduct of the Society of Friends ; after which he attended public school until eighteen years of age. He was then placed in a wholesale mercantile house in Philadelphia, Penn., where he re- mained two years. During the succeeding five years he was engaged in a general mercantile business in Delaware County, Penn. Shortly

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after the breaking-out of the war of the rebell- ion, he closed up his business, and enlisted in the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry as private, and after filling all the subordinate offices of that company, was promoted to the rank of Major, under command of Gen. William J. Palmer, now President of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company, upon whose staff he served as Assistant Adjutant General during the last six months of the war. At the close of the rebellion he was honorably mustered out of the service, and returned to Philadelphia, where he was immediately elected Secretary of the American Iron and Steel Association, an organi- zation formed for the purpose of protecting the iron and steel interests of America, in which capacity he remained until the winter of 1872 -73. Owing to failing health, he then resigned his position, and came to Colorado, having pre- viously been elected President of the National Land and Improvement Company, an organiza- tion formed to sell lands along the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, with headquarters at Colorado Springs. On arriving here, he im- mediately assumed the duties of that office, and subsequently became Executive Director of the Colorado Springs Company, which offices he continued to hold until the fall of 1879, when he resigned. He has since devoted his attention to mining, and is at present largely connected with the mining interests of Southwestern Colorado. Maj. McAllister was President of the Board of Town Trustees from 1875 to 1877. He is a pronounced Republican, and has taken an active part in the campaigns, having at various times stumped the State. In 1876, he was a delegate to the National Republican Convention, held at Cincinnati, Ohio; and during the fall of 1878 took an active part in electing Gov. Pitkin. Maj. McAllister was married in 1866 to Miss Elizabeth Cooper, of Delaware County, Penn., and has a family of three children.

F. L. MARTIN.

In looking over the list of pioneers of Colo- rado Springs, we take pleasure in mentioning the name of Mr. F. L. Martin, one of her most prominent and respected citizens. Mr. Martin was born in Chenango County, N. Y., August 2, 1835, where he received his education and lived until 1864. In that year he removed to Chicago and embarked in the mercantile business, in which he remained until 1870,

when, on account of failing health, he sold out his business there, and came to Colorado, the invalid's home, where his health has been com- pletely restored. In 1872, he located in Colo- rado Springs, and embarked in the sheep hus- bandry, in which he is still successfully engaged. In 1879, he invested in the mines at Silver Cliff, where he now holds valuable property. He was married to Miss Maria L. Phillips, of Coventry, N. Y., in 1857, and has two children -- both girls.

DAVID McSHANE.

Among those who, in 1860, helped to swell the army of pioneers moving across the plains to Pike's Peak, whose early experience was one of deprivation and hardship, but whose subsequent efforts have been crowned with success, is David McShane, who has, during the past fifteen years, been identified with the agri- cultural and pastoral interests of El Paso County, was born in Fayette County, Penn., October 13, 1830, and is of Scotch descent. His early life, until attaining the age of man- hood, was spent on a farm and in attending district school. In 1851, he went to Linn County, Iowa, where he followed farming eight years. In the spring of 1859, he started for Colorado, but, on arriving in Kansas, determined to spend the season there. The following spring he came to Colorado, arriving at Colo- rado City on the 18th of May. He immediate- ly went into the mountains and spent that season placer-mining on Blue River, Summit County. The following fall he joined the Baker expedition and went to the San Juan district in South western Colorado, and became one of the original town company which laid out the old town of Animas City, near the present site of Durango. He remained there until the summer of 1861, engaged in erecting buildings. Then returned to Blue River and followed mining and prospecting until 1865. During the spring of that year, he took up 160 acres of land on Monument Creek adjoining the present town site of Monument in El Paso County, which he subsequently homesteaded. He has since devoted his attention chiefly to farming and stock-raising and has added to his farm 280 acres of adjoining land. He is also devoting some attention to mining in South western Colorado. Mr. McShane has served as County Commissioner of El Paso County six years, being first elected in the fall

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of 1870 and re-elected in 1873, and honorably and efficiently discharged the duties of that office. He was married in 1855 to Miss Catharine Willyard, of Fayette County, Penn., and has a family of six children, one son and five daughters.

JAMES L. MARSTON.

This gentleman, senior member of the plumb- ing and gas fixture establishment of J. L. . Marston & Co., in Colorado Springs, was born in Mansfield, Mass., December 25, 1830. He attended the public schools of his native town until eighteen years of age. He then traveled for a wholesale straw and millinery house three years. During the succeeding two years, he was engaged in that business for himself and traveled over Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 1853, he went to Philadel- phia, Penn., where he accepted a position in the wholesale aud retail straw and millinery house of Thomas White & Co., and had charge of the manufacturing department and of the straw goods in the store. In. the fall of 1856, he went to Providence, R. I., and embarked in the wholesale millinery business in company with his uncle Leonard, under the firm name of Leonard & Marston, where he remained fourteen years. In 1871, he sold out and took charge of the Albion White Lead Works, at Taunton, Mass., the first year as Treasurer and the subsequent six years as Agent, Superintend- ent and Treasurer. In 1878, he came to Colo- rado and purchased a herd of 3,500 cattle, which he drove to Wyoming Territory, then returned East and sent his two sons out there to look after his stock interests. In November, 1880, he removed his family to Colorado Springs and, in December following, succeeded J. H. Drinkwater in the plumbing and gas fixture business.

WILLARD S. NICHOLS.

Mr. Nichols, of the wholesale grocery firm of Nichols & Long, was born in Crawford County, Penn., November 15, 1840. At an early age he removed with his parents to To- peka, Kan., where he was engaged in agricult- ural duties and attending public school until he was twenty-one years of age. At that time he accepted a clerkship in a grocery store and for the subsequent twelve years was engaged in that capacity with different houses. At the expiration of that time, owing to ill health, he

removed to Colorado and bought and improved the Summit Park ranch in El Paso County, twenty miles west of Colorado Springs. While on the ranch he built a hotel and store, which he operated. In the fall of 1879, he rented his interests there and removed to Colorado Springs and engaged in the grocery business at Alpine, Chaffee County. He was engaged at that point one year, when, in company with Louis S. Long, they succeeded A. D. Craigue in the wholesale grocery business in Colorado Springs. Mr. Nichols was married in May, 1878, to Miss Hattie Long, of Topeka, Kan.

CAPT. EDMUND NEWCOMER.

Capt. Newcomer was born in Northumber- land Co., Penn., July 16, 1832. After receiv- ing a limited education in the public schools of his native county, at the age of fourteen, he left home and began an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, and traveled over various States for the purpose of gaining the best possi- ble knowledge of that trade. At the age of nineteen he began contracting and building in Niagara Co., N. Y., where he remained six years. He then removed to Macomb Co., Mich., and was there engaged in that business five years. In May, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, Tenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, of which he was, by the company, elected Captain, and served until the close of the war. In April, 1862, after being honorably mustered out of the service, he returned home. From there he went to Chicago, where he accepted the position of traveling agent for the publishing house of Bradley & Co., of Philadelphia, Penn. After serving in that capacity three months, he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and took charge of a branch house for that company, where he remained two years. During the succeeding eighteen months, he held the position of traveling agent for the International Life Insurance Agency of Chi- cago. In 1868, he removed to Lincoln, Neb., and was there engaged in contracting and building two years. He subsequently removed to Galena, Ill., where he traveled for a marble house two years, and was afterward engaged in mining lead three years. In 1876, he started west, and after spending some time at Omaha and Lincoln, Neb., came to Colorado Springs, where he has since resided. During the first year of his residence here, he worked at his trade ; then began business for himself, and

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soon afterward built a planing-mill, which he has since run in connection with contracting and building.

JOHN L. PEARCY.

Mr. Pearcy was born in Rutherford Co., Tenn., February 9, 1823. He remained on his father's farm and attended private schools un- til twenty-one, then engaged in farming. In 1855, he removed to Newton Co., Mo., where he continued that pursuit nineteen years. In 1875, he came to Colorado, located in El Paso County, and during the succeeding four years followed farming on Cheyenne Creek. He then leased Mrs. Hemenway's farm, three miles southeast of Colorado Springs, for a term of five years, where he at present resides.

GEORGE H. PARSONS.

This gentleman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Colorado Springs and of the National Land and Improvement Companies, was born in Flushing, on Long Island, N. Y., March 17, 1849. He completed his education at Colum- bia College in New York City, graduating as mining engineer from the school of mines of that institution at the age of twenty. He sub- sequently engaged in the nursery business at Flushing, continuing the same until the spring of 1880. He then came to Colorado Springs to take charge of the above-named office. Mr. Parsons was married in 1872, to Miss Lorraine Hascall, of New York City, and has one son.

IVORY PHILLIPS. -

The industry of sheep husbandry is justly re- garded as one of the most important and inter- esting subjects to the citizens of Colorado, and whoever contributes in any degree to its ad- vancement performs work which will continue in its results after he shall have passed away. Prominent among the representatives of the above interest in El Paso County is the subject of this sketch. Mr. Phillips was born in Saco, Maine, May 10, 1843. The first years of his life were spent in acquiring an education, and at twenty years of age he graduated from Bry- ant & Stratton's Business College of Portland, Maine. He then obtained a position as book- keeper in the last-named city, where he remained two years. He then went to Chicago and was there engaged in the same capacity six months. In 1866, he came to Colorado and located at Black Hawk, Gilpin County. The following

spring, in company with Daniel F. McKenney, he began the purchase of sheep in New Mexi- co, driving them north and selling them in the markets at Black Hawk and Central City. He continued in this business until the fall of 1870, when he made a trip East, spending the winter there. Early the following spring he returned to Colorado and located on the head-waters of Big Sandy, in El Paso County, and embarked in sheep husbandry. Mr. Phillips is the pos- sessor of eleven ranches of patented land, con- sisting of 1,120 acres, all lying in El Paso County, and divided into timber and water privileges. He also owns four ranches con- sisting 500 of land in Elbert and Douglas Counties. Mr. Phillips controls the water on a range of 50,000 acres on which he keeps his sheep. He is also extensively engaged in breeding thoroughbred sheep, of which he has ninety two head of registered stock, on shares, in Labette County, Kan.

JAMES ROBERTS.

Among the many pioneers of El Paso County we are pleased to chronicle the above-named gentleman. Mr. Roberts was born in Luzerne County, Penn., March 22, 1810. The early portion of his life was spent on the farm and at the age of twenty-one he engaged in farming and subsequently rented and ran a hotel four years. In 1847, he left his native State and proceeded west to Winnebago County, Ill., where he worked at carpentering the succeeding five years. In 1852, he went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he obtained employment in a planing- mill, at which he worked eighteen months and then removed to Waseca County, Minn. While there he embarked as a contractor at which he was engaged until 1859. He then started for Pike's Peak, having learned of the gold excitement then so prevalent, but owing to the stampedes of returning emigrants he re- mained at Nemaha City one year. In 1860, he succeeded in reaching Pike's Peak, and located at Colorado City, again starting as a contractor. In 1864, he built and opened the St. James Hotel, which he operated the succeeding ten years. He then rented the hotel, and has not since been engaged in active business. In the fall of 1860, Mr. Roberts was elected Justice of the Peace, continuing in this office seven years. In 1878, he was appointed by the Commission- ers to that position again to fill vacancy left

LEADVILLE COLO. THE BIG CHIEF MINE, NIELS LARSEN MANAGER

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by his predecessor, which office he still holds by re-election.

DANIEL W. ROBBINS.

Among the prominent business men of Colo- rado Springs is D. W. Robbins, who has, by fair dealing and perseverance, established him- self as one of the leading merchants. He was born in Parke County, Ind., November 3, 1844. In 1852, he removed with his parents to Dallas County, Iowa, where his early life was spent on a farm and in attending school. In August, 1862, when only eighteen years of age, he en- listed in Company D, Thirty-second Iowa In- fantry, and served until the close of the war, fourteen months of the time being spent in a rebel prison at Camford, Texas. In July, 1865, he was honorably mustered ont of the service, and returned home. During the following fall, he entered the Mount Pleasant University at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where he remained one year. He was subsequently engaged in the mercantile business at Swede Point, Iowa, two years, and at Dallas Center, same State, three years. In 1873, he came to Colorado, bringing with him a herd of stock, and engaged in stock- growing in South Park one year. He then located in Colorado Springs, and during the succeeding three years clerked in a clothing store for J. M. Hunter. During the spring of 1877, he succeeded Mr. Hunter, and has since added largely to his stock of ready-made clothing, boots, shoes, etc., and now has one of the finest stores in Colorado Springs. In the spring of 1879, he was elected a member of the City Council, which office he honorably filled one year. Mr. Robbins was married January 23, 1868, to Miss Anna A. Brubaker, of Swede Point, Iowa, and has a family of four children -two boys and two girls.

CAPT. LORING S. RICHARDSON.

Capt. Richardson, Auditor Denver & Rio Grande Railway, Colorado Springs, Colorado, was born in Boston, Mass., January 8, 1837. At the age of fourteen, he graduated from the English High School, and took the books of a large. mercantile house in Boston. He was in the war of the rebellion from April, 1861, to September, 1865, serving as a private ; then promoted to First Lieutenant Thirteenth Massa- chusetts Infantry, until' wounded at Second Bull Run ; after which he was promoted to

Captain of artillery by Gov. Andrew, in which position he served until the close of the war. In 1866, appointed Auditor of the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Railroad. In 1870, Auditor and General Passenger Agent of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, until it changed hands, when he returned in 1876 to his old position as Auditor and General Passenger Agent of the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain. General Palmer, in November, 1880, tendered him the position of Anditor of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway, which position he now holds, having been a railway auditor for fifteen years

OSCAR M. ROSE.

This gentleman was born in Stephenson Connty, Ill., September 5, 1850. His early life was spent on a farm, and in attending public school. In the spring of 1869, he, with his parents, removed to Colorado, and located on a ranch one and one-half miles south of the pres- ent site of Colorado Springs. In November, 1875, he married Miss Mary D. Bailey, of Little Rock, Ark., and shortly afterward removed to South Park, where, during the succeeding three years, he was engaged in stock-raising. He then removed to Colorado Springs, and engaged in freighting between tliere and the mountain camps. During the spring of 1880, he located on a ranch on Cheyenne Creek, where he has since resided, engaged in farming and stock- raising.

E. A. SMITH.

This gentleman, who, during the past sixteen years, has been prominently identified with the agricultural and stock-growing interests of El Paso Connty, was born in Londonn County, Va., July 30, 1829. At an early age, he removed with his parents to Belmont County, Ohio, where his early life, until attaining the age of manhood, was spent on a farm and in attending district school. He then determined to adopt the profession of law, and began reading under Judge William Kennon, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. The fol- lowing year he removed to Knox County, Mo., where he practiced six years. In 1865, he came to Colorado and homesteaded a farm of 160 acres in El Paso County, ten miles southeast of the present site of Colorado Springs, where he has since resided, engaged in farming and stock-raising, and at present owns 245 acres of well-improved land. Mr. Smith was married,

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 62

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