History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 88

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

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BENJAMIN CURTIS.

Among the worthy foreigners who have come to America in search of homes, and found them in Colorado, is the subject of this sketch. He was boru in England August 25, 1825. At the age of fifteen years, he went to learn the machinist's trade, and followed that business in his native country till 1857, when he removed, with his wife and two small boys, to Canada. After remaining there one year, they went to St. Joseph, Mo., where he followed his old busi- ness in connection with railroading. In 1863, he came to Colorado, and was in Central City and Black Hawk till 1868, when he removed to Fremont County, and located upon a farm on Four Mile Creek, four miles from Canon City, where he and his two sons still

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reside. They have an elegant place. with all the modern improvements and comforts of home around them. Mr. Curtis is very highly respected by the people of Fremont County.

SYLVESTER H. DAVIS.

Mr. Davis has been upon the frontier most of his life. He was born upon a farm in Ken- tucky June 6, 1814. At the age of twenty- three, he went to Arkansas as agent for Cooper, Tanner & Erickson, in herding cattle and sup- plying the Indians. In 1840, he went back to his former home, and was engaged till 1849 in farming. He was then one of the first pioneers who went to California ; here he remained till 1852, when he returned to Missouri. In the fall of 1853, he went to Texas, where he remained during the winter, and in the spring of 1854 removing to Kansas, then almost entirely a new country. Here he lived ten years, becoming familiar with the Indians, learning to talk their language, and trading with them extensively. In 1863, he removed to. Colorado, locating near Colorado Springs ; afterward removed to Fremont County, where he has since resided, on a farm on Four Mile Creek, and about three miles from Canon City.

J. A. DRAPER.

Mr. Draper was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., March 26, 1813. He received a district school education, and at the age of eighteen years he commenced learning the hatter's trade ; he worked at his trade for twelve years in differ- ent places. In 1843, he moved to Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wis., where he engaged in farming for six years. The following seven years were spent in mercantile business. In 1861, he removed to Fremont County, Colo., where he has since resided, engaged in farming and mercantile business. He has been very successful in his business and now owns con- siderable real estate in Canon City. He has occupied the position of County Treasurer and Postmaster at different times. He has the respect of all his neighbors and is looked upon as one of the substantial old pioneers of the country.

A. W. DENNIS.

A. W. Dennis, photographer, Canon City, was born in Rockland, Me., Decembar 29, 1858. At the age of five years, he moved to Hallowell, Me., and attended school there for six years.

In 1869, he removed to Melrose, Mass., and in 1870 was thrown from a wagon and was so in- jured that he has never entirely recovered from the effects of the accident. The injuries were so severe that the best medical skill in this country seemed to be unable to afford relief, and, in 1871, he was removed to London, where he was admitted to the St. Thomas Hospital and soon after began to recover, but did not fully recover his health so as to do business until nearly five years later. In 1876, he re- turned to America and settled in Austin, Minn., where in the next year, he began to learn his present business. He remained in Minnesota till April, 1880, when he came to Canon City, which he expects to make his permanent home. Most of the Fremont County portraits in this book are from photographs taken by him.

GEORGE E. DUDLEY.

George E. Dudley is the oldest son of Henry and Emily E. Dudley, and was born in Vassal- boro, Kennebec Co., Me., December 29, 1847. His ancestors were English. Thomas Dudley, the first of the family who came to America, arrived in "old colonial times," and was chosen Second Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony. The subject of our sketch entered the Sophomore class of Waterville College, Maine, in the autumn of 1879. After leaving that institution, he accepted a professorship in the Hope Street College of Quakers in Providence, R. I., where he remained until his health be- came impaired. At about this time, he was offered the superintendency of the Westboro (Massachusetts) State Reform School, but de- clined to accept the position. He went to Cañon City in June, 1875, and had charge of its public schools four years. In the summer of 1879, he engaged in mining enterprises in Gunnison County, and was one of the pioneers in locating the present beautiful city of Gothic in the Elk Mountains. At its general election in 1880, for City Directors, he received its banner vote, not having a vote cast against him. He has his residence in Canon City, and will make it his home.

MICHAEL DUEBER.

Mr. Michael Dueber is a Prussian by birth. He emigrated to America, with his parents, in 1854, being then but nine years of age, locating at Newport, Ky. At the early age

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of twelve years, he went to Chillicothe, Ohio, to clerk in the dry goods store of C. J. Miller ; he remained in Mr. Miller's employ four years. He then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, as clerk for C. W. De Land, and remained there four years. In 1865, he went to Leavenworth, Kan., and engaged himself to B. Flesher & Co .; in the fall of the same year, being only twenty years of age, he was sent by this firm with a stock of goods to New Mexico. The next year, he en- tered a partnership with Vicente Romero, a Mexican, in the general merchandise business, at La Cueva, Mora Co., N. M. He remained there one year, and when gold was discovered in the Morano District he went there and was one of the founders of the town of Elizabeth- town. He was engaged there in merchandis- ing, hotel keeping and mining, till 1869. He was also Justice of the Peace there three terms. He then went to Arizona and California, re- turning to Denver in 1870. In 1871, he came to Canon City to open the penitentiary ; was one of the guards till 1874. He then engaged in the manufacture of brick and in stock-raising till April, 1877, when he was appointed Deputy Warden in the Penitentiary, which position he still occupies.

WARREN R. FOWLER.

W. R. Fowler was born in Central New York in 1815, one year after the close of the last war with Great Britain, in which his father had been a soldier. His father was descended from the first Chief Magistrate of the Colony of New Haven, Connecticut, and his mother from Lord Raymond, of England. The family of seven children, though busily employed on a farm, were comfortably reared and given a good com- mon-school education. When nineteen years old, Mr. Fowler began teaching during the winters, preparing himself for the regular ex- amination by employing every spare moment during the intervals of farm labor in sum- mer, and attending a short term at the academy in the autumn. He continued his studies in the sciences, the higher mathematics and the Latin langnage, all of which he taught to some extent during the seventeen years in which he was engaged in teaching. At the age of twenty- two years, he married Miss Charlotte J. Cheese- bro, a cultivated and much esteemed young lady of Whitestown, N. Y., with whom he has since lived most happily. They have one son

and one daughter, both of whom are married and have families. In 1849, he decided to seek his fortune in California. He embarked in a sailing vessel, all available steamers having been fully engaged three months ahead. Dur- ing a voyage of nearly six months he suffered continuously from sea-sickness. It would be extremely interesting to trace in detail his many exciting adventures while in pursuit of wealth in the Golden State, his hardships, and hairbreadth escapes from savage Indians, but our space forbids it, and we must be content with a mere allusion to one or two, and hasten on to record subsequent events of his life. On one occasion, while making his way from San Francisco to Horse Shoe Bar, on American River, he became separated from his compan- ions, and following an Indian trail became lost among the hills. Night came on and with it a meeting with eight wild Indians, from whom, however, he escaped unharmed, and retracing his way reached the main road, where he fell in with a party of sailors, who were traveling by night to avoid the intense heat of the day, and accompanied them to his destination. On an- other occasion, he swam the American River, near its mouth, pushing before him a raft of brush, upon which he had placed his clothes, con- taining a purse of gold and other valuables. Each twig of his brush heap furnished resist- ance to the water, and it was only by putting forth almost superhuman exertions that he escaped being swept into the rushing Sacramento just below. He at last succeeded in touching bottom some three rods from the opposite bank and landed his cargo safely, but it is safe to say he never afterward attempted to cross a river with a brush heap for a bark. This satisfied his de- sire for river navigation, but he afterward be- came interested in a vessel engaged in the lum- ber trade, also a vessel in traffic with the Celes- tial Empire, in teas and other products, which returned large profits. In California, he suc- ceeded in amassing about $8,000 in gold, and turned homeward after an absence of two years. While at Sacramento, he had passed through one of the most terrible cholera seasons ever ex- perienced in America, and now on the Isthmus of Darien he contracted a lingering fever, which came near ending his life. Upon his recovery, he engaged in the lumber trade at Utica, N. Y., and continued in that business for three years. About this time, the Great West, of which

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Chicago was the center, opened up vast fields for enterprise. Thither he went with a friend, and purchased 8,000 acres of native prairie land, from which he realized a splendid profit within two years. After two years more spent in selling merchandise, he made such invest- ments in Chicago, that in one year he was the owner of property worth $50,000. In the finan- cial crisis of 1857-58, he lost much of his prop- erty, and became so disheartened as to abandon much that might have been saved. Completely discouraged, he sought relief in the new country known as "Pike's Peak," a land said to abound in gold. Financial trouble had caused him to pause and consider whether money and its pur- suit were the desideratum of life. Riches had taken wings and flown away when least expect- ed; that which had been acquired through years of toil had vanished. Heartsick and discour- aged, he sought comfort in the promises of the word of God, and found rest and peace. Joy and hope took the place of gloom and despair. and he entered cheerfully upon the Christian life, which he has continued faithfully to the present time. He united with he Presbyterian Church, was elected Deacon and acted as such till he left for Colorado. He set out with an ox team, consisting of three yoke of oxen, tak- ing his family and an outfit, among which were some bibles, theological text-books, Sabbath- school books, a package of tracts and, some sermons, he being determined to bring his religion across the Missouri River, a thing many have failed to do. Arriving at Canon City on the 10th of August, 1860, he found a wide field for his Christian efforts, which he was not slow to occupy. Public services were held every Sunday, a Sabbath school was established and no Sabbath passed without the distribution of tracts throughout the entire settlement. Very soon a simple code of laws was enacted, and Mr. Fowler was unanimously chosen to administer them. Before long a Methodist preacher came to the place and established a small society of that communion, with which Mr. Fowler then united, and has since remained connected. During his residence in Canon, he has been for six years Superintendent of Schools, and by him were organized most of the school districts of Fremont and Custer Counties.

Mr. Fowler has had personal acquaintance with some of the Utes, notably with Ouray, who came on one occasion to his house to buy

powder. Its sale to Indians being unlawful, the demand was refused, but when the request was for a present of flour it was readily granted, the chief promptly returning the sacks in which had been packed the "shorts" given to him and his people. Mr. Fowler is a strong advo- cate of total abstinence principles, in relation to the church, to society and to politics. He will not vote for any candidate for any public office who drinks intoxicants, or who favors their use. He has taken a lively interest in politics, and has several times been proposed as a candidate for the State Legislature, but as he neither believes in asking for a nomination nor soliciting votes, it has always been found neces- sary to put forward some other person. Al- though Mr. Fowler came into the country with an ox team and nsed no other for several years, he has long since discarded their use and adopt- ed horses and carriages, which he greatly pre- fers. Yet he has great regard for the peaceful, quiet ox, which served him so faithfully for five or six years, and with which he has traveled thousands of miles over mountain roads, camp- ing under the blue sky, encountering rains and snows, often sleeping, moistened by the one or covered by the other, during all of which his patient oxen have been his companions and friends.

This sketch but ontlines the remarkable inci- dents and experiences in the career of this rep- resentative pioneer, who, by his many sterling qualities, has won an enviable standing among his fellow-citizens and in the community at large.

HON. WILLARD B. FELTON.

Mr. Felton is a descendant of Nathaniel Felton, who came to America from England in 1633. Since coming to Colorado, he has been very closely identified with its growth and prosperity, having been elected to some position of trust nearly every year. He was born in Massachusetts Nov. 26, 1837. His father owned a large grist and saw mill ; he remained at home till he was fifteen years of age, when he went to Boston, and engaged with the whole- sale dry goods house of Austin, Sumner & Co. as assistant book-keeper. He remained with the same house till the spring of 1862 ; he then came to Colorado, and located in Frying-Pan Gulch, Lake County ; from there he went to Cache Creek Gulch, Lake County, where he re- mained till 1870. While there he organized

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the Treasury Mining Company, and built a fifteen-stamp mill. . He was elected to the Con- stitutional Convention in 1864; he was Enroll- ing Clerk in the Council in 1865. In 1868, he was elected Superintendent of Schools for Lake County, also appointed County Judge the same year. In 1870, he went to Saguache County, and engaged in farming and stock-raising till 1875. He was Superintendent of Schools for 1871. In 1872, he was Assessor. He was County Judge from 1873 to 1881 ; he was Chief Clerk in the house for the first and second terms of the State Legislature. He was one of the members of the Constitutional Convention in 1875 ; after the Constitution was enrolled, Mr. Felton discovered that they had made no provision for appointing Presidential Electors for 1876, and through his foresight and influ- ence, Section 19 of the schedule was added, empowering the Legislature to appoint electors to represent the State, thereby securing the election of Hayes. He was publisher and pro- prietor of the Saguache Chronicle from April, 1876, to January, 1881. In February, 1879, he was appointed one of the Commissioners of the Penitentiary. He was Clerk of the District Court of his county for 1880. He was ap- pointed Warden of the Penitentiary in Decem- ber, 1880, to fill a vacancy ; and in February, 1881, he was re-appointed to the same position for the full term of two years. He was Secre- tary of the Republican State Conventions in 1876 and 1880. He was, in 1869, married to Rhoda Royal ; he has one son and one daughter.

CAPT. SAMUEL T. FERRIER.

Prominent among the business men of Canon City is Capt. Ferrier. He was born in a log cabin, in the woods of Indiana, January 3, 1839. The country being new, his school advantages were limited till he became twenty-one years of age ; he then entered Waneland Collegiate Institute, where he remained one year. When the war broke out, he was one of the first to respond to the call of his country. He enlisted in the "Bloody Ninth " Indiana Regiment ; after three months' service, he entered the Second Indiana Cavalry, with which he re. mained till the close of the war ; first as pri- vate, afterward Captain. He was in Gen. Thomas' command, and he and his regiment were always at the front. After the war closed, he went back to Indiana, and engaged in farm-

ing and handling stock. In 1866, he was mar- ried to Mary Eversol. In 1877, he removed to Canon City, Colorado, where he has since re- sided, engaged in the transfer business, being a member of the Canon City Transfer Company. He is one of the City Council, elected in 1880, and re-elected in 1881.

AMBROSE FLOURNOY.

This gentleman was born on a farm in Jack- son County, Mo., September 1, 1832. He re- ceived what education he could get from the common schools. He remained at home with his father until twenty-three years of age, and then went to Johnson County, Kan., where he ran a saw-mill till 1858; he then returned to his former home, and in 1860 he started with a saw-mill with ox teams across the plains. He put up his mill in El Paso County, near Pike's Peak ; this he ran for awhile, and sold out, and returned again to his home in Missouri. He, like many others who return East, was not con- tented, and in 1863 he came back to Colorado and located at old Fort Lyon. In 1865, he moved to Four Mile Creek, in Fremont County, where he has since resided engaged in farming.

CHARLES W. FOWLER.

Mr. Fowler was born in New Hartford, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1840 ; was one of the first graduates from Bryant & Stratton's College at Chicago. Readily taking to the forms of business and a favorite generally, he was called upon to leave the home of his good parents, Mr. and Mrs W. R. Fowler, to try pioneer life in Montana, being offered choice between clerkship in the Bank of Helena, or clerkship of the U. S. District Court for the Territory- He accepted the latter, which he filled with great credit for years 1863- 64-65-66. He was one of the first to mine in Washington Gulch, in Elk Mountain country, and advertised Gunnison County with his pen extensively years ago, while traveling agent and correspondent through the Southwest for the Colorado Chieftain, and during same period, he wrote one of the best articles descrip- tive of advantages of this county yet written, large numbers of which were circulated by our citizens. During his younger days, his pocket was a veritable horn of plenty. Now that he is married and has a bright family of little pets, as with us all, the horn must be carried to keep the ducats in for use rainy days. At present he

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is in the Railway Mail Service, and acknowl- edged to stand at the head of the list in the West. Long live Charles W.

JESSE FRAZER.

" Uncle . Jesse Frazer " as he is familiarly called by every one, is one of the pioneers of Colorado. While he came here in 1859, with the throng who came in search of the precious metals, he had a different point in view, it was to find lands upon which to found a home for the balance of his life. And right well has he succeeded, as one who reads this sketch will see. Perhaps no person in Colorado has seen greater hardships, and underwent more priva- tions in an early day, than " Uncle Jesse " and his estimable wife. He was born in St. Charles County, Mo., April 12, 1819. In 1827, he re- moved with his parents to Illinois. He was in Quincy when it was composed of only two houses, and those built of logs. Reared in a new country, his advantages for an educa- tion were very limited. He remained in Illi- nois and Missouri engaged in farming till 1859, when he came to Colorado and stopped for one year on the Platte River, above Denver; he then came to Fremont County, and located on the Arkansas River, eight miles below Canon City, where he now resides. In that early day. the nearest point at which they could buy any supplies was Denver, except occasionally from a trail wagon going through the country. At one time he heard of a supply wagon at Canon City, and went there on foot and bought a sack of flour, for which he paid $18, and carried it upon his shoulder home -eight miles. Just before leaving Denver, he was married, to Mrs. Ash ; and well did she do her part in this new country, often staying alone surrounded by In- dians, while her husband went to Denver. She was the first white woman in Fremont County. Mr. Frazer commenced tilling the soil with a novel plow, made from a crooked stick ; with this he put in quite a crop, and raised quite an amount of vegetables the first year. In 1867, Mr. Frazer put out a few apple trees ; finding they did well, he has added to them, till now he has by far the best orchard in Colorado. In fact, the writer has been all through the East, in what are known as fruit-growing counties, but never saw so thrifty and beau- tiful a young orchard anywhere. It comprises 2,000 trees, consisting of apples, pears and

plums, all set out at uniform distances from each other, and the ground nicely tilled. He also raises extensively all kinds of berries. Mr. Frazer sold in 1879 and 1880, each year, over $2,000 worth of fruit. He is also exten- sively engaged in raising bees, from which he gets a good revenue every year ; besides, he raises all kinds of grain. Although Mr. Frazer has seen many hardships, he has now in his old age the satisfaction of looking over his vast fields of the richest land on earth, with plenty of everything to make him comfortable. He no longer has to go to Denver on foot or with an ox team, for the onward march of progress has brought the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad right through his lands, with a station at Florence, only one mile away. He is held in the highest respect by every one.

REUBEN J. FRAZIER.

The subject of this biography was born in Randolph County, Ind., January 23, 1834. Removed with his parents, in 1837, to Iowa, then Black Hawk Territory. He was engaged on the farm till 1859, when he came to Colorado ; has been a resident of Fremont County since 1860, engaged in farming and dealing in cattle. He was married, in 1856, to Miss L. J. Smith ; he has a family of eight children, all born in Fremont County, except one. He has held the office of City Marshal and Deputy Sheriff at different times.

GEORGE HADDEN.

Mr. Hadden, the Superintendent of the Colo- rado Coal & Mining Company at Coal Creek, Colo., is a native of Scotland. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1846. He came to America in 1863. He first commenced coal mining, on George's Creek, Maryland ; later on he was in Kentucky, where he spent two years. In 1870, he was appointed Superintendent of the Hazleton Coal Company in Kansas ; he was there three years. He then came to Cedar Point, Colo., and opened up the mines there for the same company. This proved a failure, and the company was merged into the Jefferson Coal Company. He then went to Gold- en and opened up their mines there. In 1872, he came to Coal Creek and took the position he has held since. Mr. Hadden is a man of rare ability as a miner. He is a perfect gentleman, and is held in high estcem by all.

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THEODORE M. HARDING.

We hear the remark made frequently, " I did not come to Colorado for my health." Mr. Harding did come for his health. Having been given up to die in the East, he came here as a last resort. He has not only regained his health but has built up a large and lucrative business in Canon City, in the short time he has been here. . He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1855. At the age of sixteen years, he entered the hardware establishment of Perrin & Gaff, in his native city, where he remained for eight years. In 1879, he came to Colorado. After being here a short time, and his health improving rapidly, his brother came on and they engaged in the hardware business, now having two stores, one at Cañon City and one at Irving. He was elected one of the Board of Trustees of Canon City in 1880, and was re-elected in 1881.

JOHN H. HARRISON.

Mr. Harrison is the County Treasurer of Fre- mont County. He was born in Henry County, Ky., March 23, 1844. His father was a Presbyte- rian clergyman. John received a good educa- tion, spending four years at Westminster College, Fulton, Mo. In 1864, he came to Colorado and located at Canon City ; has been farming, mer- chandising, or in the real estate business since. He was County Commissioner from 1876 to 1879. In 1879, was elected to his present office. He was married to Miss Mary E. Franck in 1879.

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 88

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