USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV > Part 101
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not so easily disposed of. His general ap- river steamer, called the "Indiana," and for pearance on the street was that of a well- the succeeding five years followed the river. dressed business man, of rather captivating address and manners, the last in the world to be suspected of unfair dealing by the person upon whom his arts were plied. It was only after the victim had been fleeced that his true character was disclosed. He was the king of his elan, the most noted crim- inal of the class Denver has ever known. Though frequently arrested, so adroit was his management and so keen his skill, he always contrived to escape trial and punishment. either by compromise with the complainant or by some crafty device. As it seemed impos- sible to throw the net of the law about him, yet determined at all hazards to expel him from the city, Sheriff Spangler detailed one of his deputies named Emil Auspitz to watch him constantly; to dog his footsteps every where, by night and by day ; to be his veritable shadow, always and forever present, when sleeping, eating, walking or riding, where- ever he might be there Auspitz was to be also. Those orders were obeyed in their fullest meaning. The faithful deteetive never lost sight of the wily operator. He followed him through the day, to his home at night and ap- peared to him the first thing in the morning. Tired at length of this eternal, sleepless, fatigueless vigilance and espionage, Bages determined to shake it off by a trip into the country by rail, but he had scarcely stated himself in the car before Anspitz also walked in and sat down beside him. lle employed every device to escape the dreadful surveil- Janee, but in vain. Finally, as a last resort, he endeavored to bribe the detective, but this also failed. At length he went to Sheriff Spangler and offered him a large sum to with- draw his sleuth-hound, pledging himself to obey the laws, abandon his profession and become a respectable citizen, asking only that he should be allowed to live in Denver. But the stony hearted officer remained obdurate. No condition but that of absolute expatriation would be accepted. Failing in all directions. Baggs then left the city and has not since returned. In 1882 Mr. Spangler became a stockholder and director in the Union (now Union National Bank) and in 1884 was choser vice-president, which position he retained several years. He is one of the strong eap- italists of the city. Subsequently he took up railroad contracting and building. Soon after the reported dis- covery of gold in the Pike's Peak region he followed the trail and reached the present site of West Denver, March 15, 1859. When the town of Auraria was formed, he was one of the original shareholders in the town company. After prospecting for gold along the streams and at Arapahoe bar, just below Golden, without gratifying returns, he, with others, passed up Vasquez Fork to Geo. A. Jackson's diggings, on Chicago creek, op- posite Idaho Springs. While there they were apprised of John Gregory's discovery in what is now Gilpin eounty, and immediately went to that point. Mr. Sopris took part in the primary organization of Gregory mining dis- triet, and was elected its president for one year. He located a claim on the Bates lode, opposite Mountain City, and worked it for a time. In the fall of 1859 he was elected to represent Arapahoe county, Kan .. in the leg- islature of that territory, which claimed juris- dietion over the greater part of what is now Colorado. In the spring of 1860, after the adjournment of the legislature, he returned to Indiana, and brought his family to Denver, where they have resided to the present time. Soon afterward, he, with a party of adven- turous spirits in Denver, numbering 15, or- ganized an exploring expedition, and Sopris was chosen captain thereof; with them went Mr. Charles Marion, a civil engineer, D. C. Collier, Dr. Arnold, Richard Dodington and others whose names are not remembered. Supplied with saddle and pack animals, and provisions, and the usual paraphernalia for camping. they left Denver July 1, 1860. crossed the South Park to the present town of Breckenridge, and went down the Blue river to Ten Mile, which they christened; thence to Eagle river, and thence to the Roaring Fork of the Grand, about six miles from Glenwood. They went up Willow creek to the foot of that magnificent mountain known as Sopris Peak, then christened for their leader. Here, as elsewhere en route, they prospected for gold, but found nothing valu- able. Thence they returned to the Roaring Forkand came down to the hot springs, which is now Glenwood, where they camped for a time and bathed in the delightful waters, probably the first white mon of our genera- tion to bathe in them, though some of the old primeval hunters and trappers may have done so. Here they eut pine trees and con- strueted a boat wherewith to cross the Grand river. Where the present beautiful bath house stands was an island. Just be- low the "Cave" stood a large pine tree, which they blazed and inseribed as follows: "These springs were discovered on July 23, 1860, by Capt. Sopris and party of prospectors." They
SOPRIS, Richard, a Colorado pioneer, was born in Yardley, Bucks county, Pa., July 26, 1813. Receiving such advantages of early mental training as the limited facilities of that very early period afforded, working on the farm until sixteen, he then learned the trade of a house carpenter. He was married June 5. 1836, to Miss Elizabeth Allen of Tren- ton, N. J., and the same year moved to Indi- ana, where he became a contractor on the Whitewater canal, making his home in Brook- ville. Franklin county. Here he remained un- remained about these springs for a week, til 1840, and then became captain of an Ohio then crossed to where the town of Meeker now
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stands, thence to the headwaters of the Un- he was elected mayor of Denver. In 1879 he compahgre, and into the San Luis valley, via was re-elected to the same office. During the Cochetopa pass, thence to Fort Garland and latter term occurred the serious mob uprising back to Denver, after an absence of three months. The measurements, notes and maps they made on their journey formed the basis of Governor Gilpin's first map of Colorado. Since then that region has been penetrated by railways, and with its mining camps and settlements forms an important part of the state. Capt. Sopris gave me the following against the Chinese quarter, which resulted in a serious riot, as more particularly set forth in Vol. III, page 25. For some six years he was president of the Colorado pioneer's association. From 1582 to 1591 he hekl the office of commissioner of public parks, under the city government, and with the limited means placed at his command, as far as pos- from memory, as the records have been lost: sible. converted them into attractive and en- In the early spring of iss0 a self constituted joyable resorts for the people. The chief sig- committee, composed of Il. P. Bennet, A. C. nificance of the foregoing synopsis of a long Ilunt and R. Sopris, resolved to frame a con- stitution and laws as the base of a municipal government for the city of Denver. Bennet drafted a system, and the committee snb- mitted it to a public meeting held in the old Peoples' theater. The draft was read, and after discussion unanimously adopted. and useful, though perhaps not a distin- quished, career, lies in the fact that Capt. So- pris was one of the first settlers in the Rocky Mountain region, one of the very small band of pioneers who created the initial move- ments which have effected the wonderful It transmutation of the wilderness into a great provided for the subdivision of the town into and prospering commonwealth. He was a three wards, with a council composed of witness of and bore, so far as he was able. a two representatives from each ward. This part in all the subsequent events ranging through the first 33 years of its history. In the public offices he held he was faithful. honest and capable. In the summer of ISSG himself and wife celebrated the fiftieth an- niversary of their marriage, probably the first golden wedding celebrated in Colorado. lIe was a good, loyal, upright citizen, known and respected for the virtues of his character and the purity of his life. He died at his home in Denver, April 7. 1893. fundamental law gave the city power to levy taxes, repair streets and bridges, to appoint a marshal. establish courts, etc. Appellate and common pleas courts were established. Jacob Downing and Nelson Sargent were judges of common pleas, and 1I. P. Bennet of the appellate court. In the organization of the common conneil Capt. Sopris was elected president, with the functions of mayor. This government filled the need until the regular organization of the territory in 1861, when a STRONG, Frank H., was born in Mt. Ver- non. Ohio, Nov. 2, 1853, and remained there until eighteen years of age, being educated at Gambier college, in that state. Upon reaching his eighteenth year he removed to Wisconsin, where, for six years. he followed the lakes. At the expiration of that time he removed to Chicago, where, until 1879. he was engaged in contracting. In the year last named the desire to try his fortune still farther west induced him to come to Colo- rado. Locating in Denver, he was for ten years connected with the Denver Water com- pany. For the ensuing six years he was with Rhodes Brothers in the water contract- ing business in different sections of the country. Soon after the advent of Gov. MeIntire's administration, he was appointed a member of the board of public works of the city of Denver, taking office the first of June, 1805. Ile brought to the position a wide and varied knowledge of men, together with a native ability far above the average. therefore was well qualitied by experience to conduct its affairs in a manner satisfactory to the public. new charter was framed by the legislature. In Aug., 1861, he joined the 1st regiment Colo. volunteers, and was commissioned captain of one of its companies, which he commanded during its several engagements with the Confederate forces, which had un- dertaken the conquest of New Mexico, and served with it until its return to Denver, when he resigned and engaged in farming. Ile was elected sergeant-at-arms of the House, in the second territorial legislature, and filled the same office in the third session in 1864. In 1864 he was elected a delegate to the constitutional convention for the state of Colorado. In the fall of 1865 he was elected sheriff of Arapahoe county, and re-elected in 1867. In 1866, while acting as sheriff. he erected the buildings of the Colorado agri- cultural society. on their fair grounds, north of the city, adjoining the section now known as Ford's Park addition to Denver, and for five years was president of the society, con- ducting its annual fairs. In 1869-76 he was engaged in building, under contracts, the western division of the Kansas Pacific rail- way, and also certain sections of the Denver Pacific. In 1871-72 he assisted in Imikling SMITH, Joseph H., was born on a farm at Taylorsville mnow Mountain City), Tenn., June 20, 1844, and was educated at Taylors- the Denver & Rio Grande railroad, on cer- tain sections between Denver and the coal mines near Canon City. In 1973 he was ap- ville academy, which closed in Der .. 1861, pointed deputy sheriff of Arapahoe county, owing to the disturbaures of the civil war, and held that position until Oct., ISTS, when and subsequently destroyed by the same
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BIOGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENT.
cause. His father, Col. A. D. Smith, was a sides with Judge Smith. Joseph H. was one noted Unionist of east Tennessee, and one of of the World's Fair commissioners for Colo- the chief supporters of Governor Andrew rado in 1892-93.
Johnson, in defending the Union. Joseph in- herited the patriotie spirit of his sire. In Aug., 1862, at the age of eighteen. he left home and was piloted through the lines by the famous scout, Dan Ellis. They reached Cumberland Gap, then occupied by Gen. W'm. Morgan, in a state of siege, and re- mained there until Morgan's retreat. Mean- while Mr. Smith joined the 2nd Teun. infantry and accompanied Morgan on his re- treat to Greensburg, Ky,, remaining with his regiment until the division united with Gen. Rosecrans, in his West Virginia cam- paign. While his regiment was marching to join the Army of the West, at Murfreesboro, he was left in Ohio on account of ill health. without having been mustered. In July, 1863, he rejoined it at Stanton, Ky., served a short time in recruiting service at Louisville, when having learned that a younger brother had succeeded in passing the lines and had joined the 4th Tenn. infantry, then at Nashville, he went there, and subsequently to Knoxville, via Louisville and Lexington, on a mission for Governor Andrew Johnson. This executed, he joined his father, who was then organizing the 13th Tenn. cavalry, at Strawberry Plains. While attending an uncle, the major of a Union regiment, who was ill of typhoid fever, at the house of Gen- eral Magby, he was taken prisoner, but was permitted to remain with his relative, and when the siege of Knoxville closed he was secreted by General Magby, and thus escaped going to prison. lle was mustered out of service in 1865, and soon after engaged in the dry-goods trade at Knoxville, continuing un- til the fall of 1867. when he sold out and en- gaged in general merchandising at his birth- place, until 1871, then came to Denver and organized the Novelty Manufacturing com- pany, which he conducted until the fall of 1887, when he was elected county elerk and reeorder of Arapahoe county, by the repub- lican party. At the close of his term he was re-elected. A third nomination was tendered him but it was declined. Since that time his efforts have been given to private interests in Denver. Mr. Smith possesses great force of character, indomitable perseverance, with strong moral and physical courage. Ilis
STIRMAN, E. I .. lawyer. was born in Ben- ton county, Ark., in April, 1839, was, on the paternal side, descended from a Huguenot family, that fled from France to England on the repeal of the edict of Nantes. The name was then spelled Stirmont, but to destroy their identity the name was changed to Stir- man. The first Stirman known in America came over with the second Lord Baltimore. and was high sheriff under him in Maryland; his descendants took the part of the Colo- nists, in the war of 1776. After the war, William Stirman, the great grandfather of the present subjeet, removed to Virginia, and his son, William Stirman-the grandfather- with his two brothers, removed to Kentucky and settled in Garrard county, where he raised to man and woman hood a family of twelve children. Alfred A. Stirman, his see- ond son, and father of this subjeet, married Miss Pauline Fry, the second daughter of Dr. Jacob Fry of Fayette county, Ky. The entire family moved from Kentucky to Pal- myra, Mo., and from there to Washington county, Ark., in the spring of 1839. It was whilst on this trip that E. I. Stirman was born. As Colonel Stirman expresses it. he "came within half a day of being a Mis- sourian," having been born the first night after crossing the state line, in camp. His father remained in Arkansas, settling at Fayetteville, where Colonel Stirman remained until the ontbreak of the war. At the age of seven years he was left an orphan, and thrown entirely upon his own resources. In spite of these disadvantages, however, he succeeded in fitting himself for the active duties of life, and at the outbreak of the war was a clerk in a store at Fayetteville. In May. 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Ist Ark. (Confederate) cavalry, and she- cessively filled every position up to colonel, except corporal and major. At Wilson's Creek, Mo., he was orderly sergeant of his company; at Pea Ridge he had been promoted to captain, and was in the celebrated charge led by General McIntosh, in which his regi- ment captured a Union battery supported by two regiments of infantry. After the battle of Pea Ridge the regiment was dismounted father was president of the convention held and transferred to the east of the Mississippi, at Greenville, in 1861, to form the new state of Columbia, from east Tennessee, western North Carolina and West Virginia. His eld- the reorganization of the regiment under the est brother, who was in the Confederate ser- vice, was made captain of his company. for gallantry at Shiloh, and subsequently was promoted to colonel, for gallantry at Mission
where it was engaged in the fights about Corinth, and surrendered at Vicksburg. On conscript law, he was re-elected captain of the company. Two months afterward, the regiment being without field officers, the com- manding general ordered an examination of Ridge, where he was severely wounded. An- all the captains for the vacant field positions, other brother. Judge John P. Smith. is now chancellor of the Ist chancery district of Tennessee, llis mother, who is still living, mand of General Bragg, he was promoted to hearty and vigorous for one of her years, re- when Captain Stirman was promoted to the lieutenant-colonely. In Ang., 1862, by com- the coloneley, and his regiment assigned to
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duty as sharpshooters for Fifer's brigade of Middle Park, for a year and a half. after Dabney 11. Maury's division, and was in the charge upon Fort Robinett. In the attack by General Van Dorn, Oct. 2. 1862, and the fol-
which ho engaged with the Denver & Rio Grande, and continued with them until 1893, when he became chief engineer of the Flor- lowing day, in the retreat from the fight at once and Cripple Creek railroad. This line the Hatchie bridge, against General Ord, he located and constructed into the gold camp, and was in charge of the maintenance of way until called to accept the duties of state engineer of Colorado, April 5. 1895, Colonel Stirman commanded the rear guard. At Mark's Mills, Ark., Colonel Stirman was struck five times, and during the entire period of the war had nine horses shot under him. At the close of the war his command was on outpost duty near Arkadelphia, Ark .. and on receiving news of the surrender of Johnston, surrendered to General Bussey, at Fort Smith, Ark. He then went to the Ken- tucky university, and was graduated in the Lexington law school. He commenced the practice of law in 1869, at Fayetteville, Ark. In 1872 he was elected district attorney, serv- ing one term. When Garland became gover- nor. after the Brooks-Baxter war, Colonel Stirman was, without solicitation, appointed brigadier-general the Arkansas state forces, and organized the state guard in the Northwestern district, a compliment due en- tirely to the record he had made in the war. In 1879 he came to Colorado, and after one year in Denver went to Lake City, where he practiced law until 1884, when he was elected a member of the legislature. Upon the com- pletion of his term he removed to Ouray. from which county he was placed upon the democratie state ticket for attorney-general. with Alva Adams for governor (as referred to in Vol. III, page 50, as E. J. Stirmanı. Ro- maining there until Feb .. 1894, he then re- moved to Denver. There were few men in either army who, without any aid except native energy, have made a more brilliant record.
SEAMAN, Allen B., lawyer, was born Jan. 18, 1862, in Shipman, Macoupin county, Ill. Ilis father was Major Marinus W. Sea- man, who was a physician and surgeon in active practice in Shipman, from 1854 until the fall of 1893, except during the war, when for three years he belonged to the 122nd regiment Ill. infantry, volunteers. He was mustored in as second assistant surgeon; was promoted to first assistant surgeon, and then to surgeon of the regiment. with the rank of major. Ilis mother's name was Elizabeth Shellman Seaman (maiden name Elizabeth Shellman). Both father and mother were natives of New York. They were married in Illinois early in March, 1861. A. B. being the only child. Ilis mother died in April, 1884, but the father is still living, and now resides with his son in Denver, Colo. Mr. Seaman received his education at the public schools in his native town until 1876, when he went to the high school in Jersey- ville, Jersey county, Il., and was there gradu- ated in 1879. In the fall of 1879 he went to the university of Chicago, and graduated there, receiving the degree of B. S. During vacations, while in Chicago, he studied law with the firm of MeCagg & Culver. After graduation from the university of Chicago he attended the law school at the state uni- versity of Iowa, at lowa City, graduating there in the spring of 1854, with the degree of L. L. B. He came to Denver in July. 1884, opened a law office in August, and has prac- tieed continuously from that time to the pres- ent. In April, 1893, he was elected city at- torney for the city of Denver, and served two years with marked ability. The amount of work performed by him in that period was prodigious. He was married Oct. 13, ISS5, to Jane Orithia Babcock, in Monmouth, Ill .. and has two children Allene Elizabeth, born Sept. 3. 1886; Lucia Marie, born Jan. 15, 18SS. lle has been very active in local and state polities, and being a powerful speaker has acquired much distinction.
SUMNER, Horace A., state engineer, was born in Massachusetts, March 18, 1815. lle remained in that section until 1868, during which time his education was received, finish- ing with an academical course, and the start made in his chosen profession. that of civil engineering. In 1864 he began to engage in railroad work, being employed in Massa- chusetts. New Hampshire and Vermont, and continued it four years, when he removed to Iowa, where for two years he was connected with what is now the C. B. & Q. railroad, after which he was with the Burlington & Southwestern for three years, leaving that road to accept the office of engineer of pub- lie work, in Burlington. Next he became as- sociated with the Chicago. Burlington & SHEPARD. A. D., county superintendent of schools, born in Fulton county, N. Y., July 10, 18446. is descended from a long line of ances- try, dating back to the year 1550, with John Shepard as the founder of the house. When A. D. was three years old the family removed to Wisconsin, from whence, after a residence of ofte year, they relocated in New York. where he remained until 1872. during which time his education was received. In 1872 he Kansas City, and the St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern railroads, as chief engineer, un- til 1878, when he engaged in business for himself for two years, and then returned to civil engineering, being for one and a half years with the Chicago, Burlington & Nor- thern in Wisconsin, during its construction. At the expiration of that time he came to Colorado, and was engaged in making lova- tion surveys for the Colorado railway, in located in Danville, Il .. and successfully en-
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gaged in the foundry and machine trade un- years of age he went to lowa, and engaged as til 1877. when the desire to try his fortune a clerk in the mercantile establishment of his in the West induced him to locate in Denver, brother, where he remained six months, then where he continued in the foundry and ma- located at Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered the chine business until 1887. In May, 1879, he bank of S. S. Davis & Co., where he con- was elected president of the Board of Educa- tinned until 1861, when he enlisted in the 5th lowa cavalry as adjutant, whence he was transferred to the Ith cavalry as captain. and finally became lieutenant-colonel of the 2nd regiment of Vicksburg volunteers. He was in a number of important battles, among tion of district No. 2. West Denver, in which capacity he served nine years. The favor- able impression Mr. Shepard had made as a thoroughly qualified and conscientious man procured him the nomination and subsequent election of county superintendent of schools, them the engagements at Shiloh and Corinthi, in 1887, and his management of that office has been so energetic, practical and business- like that at the present time (1894) he is serving his fourth term, a fact which elo- quently attests the value of his services to the connty.
and he was also in the Carter raid in east Tennessee, which was declared by Gen. Hal- leek to be the most brilliant of the kind that occurred during the war. He was in the serv- ice a little more than three years, and was mustered ont at Nashville in 1865. lle came SEERIE, David D., contractor and builder, was born in Farfarshire. Vale-Strathmore, Scotland. March 11, 1862. After receiving a good education, he was apprenticed to the stonecutter's trade, with an uncle, who gave him thorough training in all the important details, not only of stonecutting but of cal- culating cubical sections, etc. He left his native land for America in 1880, coming di- rect to Denver from New York. Here he found employment with Messrs. Hayes & Cain, contractors, his first work being done upon the stone trimmings of La Veta Place, Colfax avenue. He continued as an em- to Colorado in the fall of 1866, going to Cen- tral City, where he was engaged in mining about twelve months. He afterward located at Denver, and formed a partnership in the practice of law with his cousin Alfred. In 1879 he became a member of the law firm of Thompson, Sayer & Blake at Leadville, and during his residence there he was the at- torney for that city six years. He returned to Denver in 1891, and has, since that time, steadily followed his profession. Feb. 3. 1869. he married Miss Angusta Young of Central City. They have two sons living: the eller is a recent graduate of the Denver high ployé until 1885, when the contracting firm school. Col. Sayer is not only a good lawyer, as is evidenced by his success, but is a most
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