USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV > Part 69
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115
DE MAINVILLE, Frank, was born at Leeds, England, Dec. 31, 1849. At an early age he was brought to the United States by his parents, who settled in northern New York, tinued to teach until twenty-five years of age. where he was educated in the public schools. In 1863, when only thirteen years old, inspired by the din of war and determined to take part in it, he enlisted as a drummer boy, and fol- lowed the regiment to which he was as- signed through all its battles to the close of the rebellion. After his discharge from the service in July, 1865, he settled in Wilming- ton, Del., and became a salesman in a mer- cantile house, remaining until 1871, when he formed a partnership with Mr. W. II. Bris- bane, which still continues. In 1876 they came West and settled in Cheyenne, Wyo. When the Leadville excitement caused a tre- mendous rush in that direction, Mr. De Main- ville went to that place to seek an opening for the firm. A few months later he was
DAILY, Marcus, was born in Pottsville, Pa., in 1840, and was educated in the public schools. After moving to New York City and to Iowa, he came to Colorado when nineteen years of age, arriving in Denver April 19, 1859, driving a yoke of oxen across the plains 91l the way from Morrison Ill., Senator Teller's old home. After remaining awhile in Den- ver he went to Gilpin county into what was then known as the Deadwood diggings on Beaver creek, near Rollinsville, and subse- quently to Gold Dirt, about nine miles north of Central City. There he became interested in the Gold Dirt lode, and discovered the fa- mous Perigo, one of the most extensive proper- ties in that section. He then moved to Ward district and became interested in the Colum- bia mine. In 1870 he came to Denver and has ory diggings when Horace Greeley arrived there in June, 1859. Sixteen years ago he married Miss MeClelland in Denver. Four children have been born to them.
DOW, C. H. See Vol. III, page 224.
grower, is a native of Illinois, and came to Col- resided here ever sinee. He was in the Greg-
DEARHEIMER, Alsina M. W., the mother of Buena Vista, was born near Kingston, Can- ada, June 12, 1845, and remained there until ten years of age, at which time the family re- moved to Cheboygan county, Wis. Here she was educated, and at the age of four- teen received a teacher's certificate. after which she engaged in teaching at Russell, Wis., for a period of six months, when she renewed her studies with the intention of bet- ter fitting herself for her chosen field of labor. At the age of sixteen she married Prof. B. W. Smith, a professor of languages and music. who, at the beginning of the civil war, enlisted in the Union army and, after a service of three years, lost his life in the South. Return- ing to her labors in the schoolroom, she con- when she married Mr. Dearheimer, in Beloit. Mich., and soon thereafter engaged in the mercantile business, continuing until 1877, when her husband's health necessitated a re- moval to Colorado. Mrs. Dearheimer first made the trip to the West alone, her hus- band following in August of the same year. Shortly after her arrival she made the trip on horseback to Cottonwood Springs, in Chaffee county, which were discovered and first im- proved by George K. Waite, her brother, and remained there until, through unfortunate circumstances, she was compelled to lose her property. After this misfortune she took up 120 acres of land where the present town of Buena Vista stands, building the first frame house in that country but, on account of ex-
E. A. BROM1.1.1.
425
HISTORY OF COLORADO.
isting laws, was obliged to preempt the traet in her husband's name. It was named "Grand View." She at once started a bakery, dis- posing of her goods to freighters and travelers, and thereby made the money needed to per- fect the title to the land. Here, in course of time, a town sprang up, to which Mrs. Dear- heimer gave the name of Buena Vista, and by the residents was called the motherof the town. At this time, and entirely nnknown to Mrs. Dearheimer, a stock company was formed by her husband and others, who took complete possession, and in a short while the results of her energy and business ability were lost to her and hers. Removing to Denver she en- gaged in dressmaking and subsequently again entered the schoolroom, and by frugality and industry has managed to again secure a com- petency for herself and family. Mrs. Dear- heimer takes an active part in public affairs, as they relate to the equality of women, and now devotes her time largely to matters of im- portance to state and country. She has one son, Elmer I. Smith, the fruit of her first union.
DONOVAN, John J., was born in St. Johns. N. B., and moved with his parents to Wisconsin in early life. When twenty-three years of age he came to Colorado, crossing the plains in ISGS. He married Celia Burke In 1871, and seven children were born of this union. Ile died Sept. 25, 1592, esteemed by all who knew him.
DOW, Charles L., mechanic, was born in Maine, Oct. 16, 1850, and there learned the furniture business. Ho located in Denver in 1879, speculated extensively in real estate, and has erected twenty-five or thirty houses in the city. The year of his arrival, he established himself in the wall paper and paint busi- ness, and is really the successor of his father's business, of which he had charge before that gentleman's death. Ho married Mary Mor- rison, daughter of S. B. Morrison, He is a deacon in the Central Christian church and takes a lively interest in religious matters.
he returned to Ohio and married Hannah, daughter of Joseph Canby, a distinguished physician and uncle of Gen. R. S. Canby, U. S. A. They settled in Attica, Ind., where he acquired a reputation as a skillful physician and also as a sagacious financier. He became deeply interested in the deplorable condition of the insane wards of the state, and instant- ly resolved to take measures for their improve- ment. In IS41 he succeeded in procuring the enactment by the legislature of a measure which provided for the building of an insane asylum, on the completion of which he was appointed the first superintendent of the in- stitution. In 1845 he was elected to the chair of obstetries and diseases of women and chil- dren in the Rush medical college at Chicago, a professorship he held for eleven years. While a resident of that city he became promi- nently identified with all the state and nation- al medieal associations. During the cholera epidemic of 1848-19. Dr. Evans published a monograph, maintaining that the disease was contagions, demonstrating it by the lines of march of the disease as along the lines of travel, and advocating rigid quarantine. He also urged Congress to establish a national quarantine. For a number of years he edited the "Medical and Surgical Journal," and was the founder of the Illinois general hospital of the lakes, subsequently transferred to the Sisters of Mercy and named Mercy hospital. He was largely instrumental in establishing the "Methodist Book Concern" and the "North- western Christian Advocate" in Chicago, and was one of the original promoters of the Methodist Church block; was one of the pro- jectors and aided in raising funds to build the Chicago & Fort Wayne railroad, and for many years acted as its managing director. By adroit financiering. for which, by the way. he has always been noted, he secured its right of way into the city and valuable lands for its depot. It was here. in the now great city, that he laid the foundation of his very large fortune by shrewd investments in real estate. In 1852- 53 he served as a member of the city council EVANS. John, second territorial governor of Colorado, was born in Waynesville, Ohio, March 9, 1814, son of David and Rachel Evans. His great-grandfather was among the early Quaker settlers in Philadelphia, and a manu- facturer of tools. llis sons, Benjamin and Owen, carried on the same trade on Chest- nut street, near the old United States Bank. Owen was the inventor of the screw auger. Subsequently David, father of the subject of this review, settled with his family in the wilderness of Ohio and in due time became wealthy. John was brought up on the home- and introduced the ordinance providing for the appointment of a superintendent of schools and was one of the carly promoters of the first high school. While a resident of Attica, Ind., he was converted and became a member of the M. E. church through the elo- quence of the renowned Bishop Simpson, with whom he became well acquainted. In 1853 he advocated the founding of the Northwestern University, and with others se- lected a suburb of Chicago for its site, which afterward was named "Evanston" in hls honor. Within two years the university was stead farm and occasionally attended the dis- established. He also bought property, now in triet school. Upon attaining his majority he the heart of Chicago, and occupied by the went to Philadelphia, took a course at the Grand Pacific hotel, for the benefit of the Clermont academy, and in 1836 began the university. lle endowed the chairs of Latin study of medicine, graduating an M. D. in and Mental and Moral Philosophy with $50,- 1838. Ilis first practice was among the pio- 000, and subsequently increased the endow- neer settlers along the Illinois river. In 1539 ment to $100,000. He was the first president
426
BIOGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENT.
of the board of trustees and occupied the 1862 he was appointed by Mr. Lincoln secre- position forty-two years. In 1861 Dr. Evans, tary of the Territory of Colorado, and arrived in a publie controversy with Judge Seates, of in Denver in May of that year, since which the supreme court of Illinois, stoutly and persistently advocated the emancipation of the slaves and their enlistment in the Union armies as one of the most effective measures
time he has been prominently identified with the history of the territory and state. In 1864 he was a delegate to the Baltimore con- vention, which renominated Mr. Lincoln for that could be adopted for crushing out the rebellion. He was a candidate for Congress from Chicago, and one of the prominent speak- ers at the first republican convention at An- rora, Ill., but was defeated by the "Know Nothing" or American party. He was a dele- gate in the state convention which nominated the presidency. During his territorial sec- retaryship, he was frequently acting-governor by virtue of his office, and promoted the mob- ilization of the 2nd and 3rd regiments for the suppression of the rebellion, and the pro- tection of the territory against incursions of Indians. The winter of 1864-65 was a memor- his friend Abraham Lincoln for the presi- able one in the history of the territory. All dency, In 1861 Mr. Lincoln tendered him the the plains tribes were hostile, and made a
governorship of Washington Territory, but it simmiltaneous attack upon the eastern frontier, stretching from the Platte to the Arkansas rivers. The Indians took possession of all the was declined. In 1862 Dr. Evans was appoint- ed governor of Colorado to succeed Wm. Gil- pin. The remainder of his career, wrought lines of travel between the territory and the out in this state, has been quite fully set states, and all communication with the East forth in the regular course of our history. was cut off. Freight trains ceased to ven- ture, mail coaches ceased to run, miles of Illinois, the full consummation of his benefi- telegraph wire were cut and carried away. Great as his work had been in Indiana and cent efforts appears in more than three de- cades of usefulness to our people. The in- terested reader will find the impress of his genius for the organization and completion of mighty works on every page of our local his- tory. He has but to look over the streets of Denver, out upon the broad plains and toward the snow-crested ranges of our everlasting hills, to discover the vast schemes of well- directed progress which he devised and put in operation. Ile was the first citizen of the territory and afterward of the state; the lead- er of men, of cities and of universal develop- ment. What he has builded lends imperisli- able renown to the commonwealth and covers his name with imperishable glory.
ELBERT, Samuel H., ex-chief justice of the supreme court, was born in Logan county. Ohio, in 1833. His father was a physician and surgeon, eminent in his profession, with honorary degrees from the medical colleges of Cincinnati and Philadelphia. In 1840 he moved with his family to the then Torri- tory of Iowa, where young Elbert passed his boyhood, working upon the farm, and attend- ing such schools as the new country afforded. In 1848 he returned to Ohio, and commenced a regular college conrse at the Wesleyan uni- versity, where he was graduated with honors in 1854. He then began the study of law in Dayton, Ohio, continuing until the fall of 1856, when he was admitted to the bar, lle then returned to lowa, and in the spring of 1857 moved to Plattsmouth, Neb., where he located and commenced the practice of law. Here he soon took a leading position in his profession and in politics. In May, 1860, he was a dele- gate from Nebraska to the Chicago conven- tion, which nominated Mr. Lincoln. lle took an active part in the presidential campaign of that year, and was elected a member of the council of the Nebraska legislature. In
Denver was then but a small place of a few thousand inhabitants, and serious fears were entertained that there was not a sufficient supply of provisions in the country to last through the winter. Mr. Elbert was acting- governor at the time, and the duty of meet- ing the emergency devolved upon him. It was impossible to get assistance from the federal government, as all its energies were employed in suppressing the civil war. In the poverty of the territory, it was impossible to arm and equip any sufficient number of troops to inau- gurate an aggressive movement against the Indians. He, however, determined to open the principal line of communication with the states along the Platte river by way of Jules- burg. With this purpose, he issued his call for six companies of militia, in all 300 men, and through the aid of the county commis- sioners of the different counties (there were no funds in the public treasury for that pur- pose) these companies were soon armed and mounted, and at the end of two months, un- der their protection, trade and travel was re-established. In June. 1865, Mr. El- bert was married at Evanston, Ill., to Miss Josephine Evans, daughter of ex-Governor Evans, and in the summer of that year he re- turned to Colorado and took an active part in the movement to organize the state govern- ment, and in the election of ex-Governor Evans and Jerome B. Chaffee, as Senators from the new state. In 1866 he resumed the practice of law in partnership with the Hon. Jolin Q. Charles, under the firm name of Charles & Elbert. This firm had a large and lucrative practice until 1873, when Mr. El- bert was appointed, by President Grant, gov- ernor of the territory. During all this time he had been prominent in the politics of the territory. In 1869 he was elected to the terri- torial legislature. In 1870, as secretary, and.
427
HISTORY OF COLORADO.
in 1872, as chairman, of the republican terri- torial central committee, he is accredited with having first thoroughly organized the party. During his gubernatorial term he was earnest and effective in forwarding plans looking to the development of the material resources of the country, and thoroughly identified him- self with the people in all their interests. He especially gave a great deal of valuable time to the study of irrigation, beheving that it was a problem upon the successful solution
of which the prosperity, not only of Colorado, ple, and especially of many members of the le- but of all the western states, largely de- pended. Through his efforts a convention as- sembled in the summer of 1873, at Denver, composed of delegates from all the states and territories west of the Missouri river. He de- livered an address to this convention on the subject of irrigation, and the necessity of government aid in that direction, which was marked by deep and scholarly research, origi- nal suggestion, and cogent and clear reason- ing. At this juncture there arose bitter polit- ical feuds, and in the spring of 1874 he was removed from office. This subsequently ap- peared to have been the result of misrepre- sentations and machinations of political ene- mies in Washington. At the time of his re- moval he had the entire confidence and re- speet of the people. No charge was ever made or established against him. His removal re- sulted in great dissatisfaction in the republi- ean party, and at the next general election the territory for the first and only time in its history went democratie. In time President Grant ascertained the facts of the conspiracy against Governor Elbert, and frankly ae- knowledged that he had been misled by inter- ested and unscrupulous persons. In the fall of 1574 Governor Elbert went abroad, visiting all the prominent capitals and cities of Eu- rope, and by close and appreciative observa- tion of progressive industrial measures and appliances in the old world, he formed a wise judgment of the possibilities and necessities of this new country. Of his judicial career the opinions of two eminent jurists, Judge Dixon, who served fourteen years upon the supreme bench of Wisconsin, and upon re- tiring began the practice of law in Denver, and Hon. Moses Hallett, judge of the U. S. dis- trict court of Colorado, are appended. Judge Dixon wrote: "When, upon the admission into the Union of Colorado as a state in ISTG. Judge Elbert was called to the supreme bench. then just organized, it was with an undoubted confidence and exportation on the part of the bar and the people that he would discharge the duties of his high office to the utmost satis- faction of all. In this neither bar nor people was disappointed. To say that his career upon the bench was universally acceptable is not, as I have every reason to believe, in the least to overstretch the truth: for, when, in 1882, it became necessary to elect a successor to his place, the feeling and expression were widespread and general that he should again of party.
become a candidate, and, after it was pub- liely known that for considerations of health and other canses he peremptorily declined. expressions of regret on every side were heard. Again, in ISS5, upon occasion of an election to fill a judicial term commencing in Jan., 1886, the same unlimited contidonee was exhibited. As is well known, being influenced by like considerations which induced him to decline in 1882, it was on that occasion only after the most urgent solicitation of many peo- gal profession that he consented to resume a position upon the supreme bench. Such consent was followed by his triumphant elec- tion and return to the office, but only to meet with further publie disappointment when, to- ward the close of 1888, he was again com- pelled to withdraw from the laborious duties of the position. His resignation was generally looked upon as a serious publie loss, and par- tieularly so by and among the lawyers at large who had been chiefly instrumental in proeuring his return to the beneh." Judge Hallett said: "In the supreme court, of which he was twice a member, Judge Elbert ren- dered his best public service. The distin- gnishing qualities of a good judge, which are not often conspicuous at the bar or in polit- ical lite, here found appropriate expression. Chief among these qualities is that exquisite discrimination which discovers the true prin- ciple of justice in every guise, and however it may be perverted or obseured by fallacious reasoning. In the law, as in morals, the line between truth and error is often narrow, and, in some minds, indistinet. It is plain enough to one who is endowed with a clear sense of justice and is faithful to it. Ile is not ham- pered by the most arbitrary rules of law, for, recognizing the law as the true exponent of justice, every will yields to her supreme au- thority. And so in high office Judge Elbert was always the true minister of justice who could find the right and wrong of every case, and maintain the right with implacable ob- stinacy. And this was done with a grace of diction and brevity and force of reason which bogniles and convinces the reader. Opinions of courts are not often found to he light or agreeable reading, and every lawyer has great satisfaction in such as are neither prolix nor obscure." While he was chief justice his alma mater, having previously conferred upon him the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, honored him with that of L. L. D. Since the events mentioned he has spent the years in travel and in the care of his estate. Gov- ernor Elbert had the dire misfortune to lose his wife and only child in 1868, and has re- mained unmarried since. He is just in the prime of a well-preserved manhood. In all his walks thus far, he has borne good repute. meeting and receiving the hearty "well done" of the good people of Colorado, irrespective
428
BIOGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENT.
ELSNER, John, physician, is the son of guide, rode around the hostiles, reached Lin- an eminent physician of Austria, who in the ley in safety, extracted the bullet which had war with Hungary, in 1849, led a body of 2,000 penetrated his left breast and lodged under the shoulder blade, and treated him to re- covery. For many years he has given much study to natural history and is a member of several foreign scientific societies. During his residence in Colorado he has gathered one of students attached to Kossuth's revolutionists, and at its unfortunate close was compelled to take refuge in Italy, His family followed him thither, and. soon afterward. all em- barked for the United States. After prac- ticing medieine some years in New York City, the finest collections of rare and curious speci-
the father removed to Syracuse, N. Y., and mens to be found in the state, adding a large number from foreign lands, including geology, there resumed his profession. John was born in Vienna, Austria, May 8, 1844, and primar- mineralogy, paleontology, botany, etc., classi- ily educated in Syracuse. Inclining to the tied after Norman Choy's method and of well-directed labor in this field, and of cor- respondence and exchanges with scientists study of medicine, he was sent to Europe, Dana's mineralogy. This cabinet is the result where he remained under instruction in some of the best medical schools until the fall of 1858, then returned to the United States and in different parts of the world. It has been " entered his father's office. Only seventeen examined and admired by many gentlemen when our civil war began, he was appointed interested in the lines of natural history it represents. He has written and published a work on the theory and practice of medicine, to the U. S. sanitary commission. In 1863 he graduated from the New York eye and ear infirmary, and shortly after was appointed for reference by practitioners and students.
examining surgeon on board the U. S. receiv- ing ship Ohio, at the Charlestown navy yard, but was subsequently transferred to the mili- tary service, with which he remained until the elose of the war. Returning to New York,
ELLIOTT, Victor A., ex-associate justice of the supreme court of Colorado, was born in Tioga county, Pa., July 23, 1839. He re- inained with his parents on their farm, at- tending such schools as were accessible in the he entered Bellevue hospital medical college, rural districts at that time, until he was six- graduating in 1866. He began practice in teen years of age, when he commeneed teach- ing in a country district school, and the fol- lowing year entered the academy at Wells- boro, the county seat of Tioga county, study- ing and teaching alternately for four years. At the early age of sixteen he expressed a desire to study law, but this did not accord with his father's wishes at that time. How- ever, when he was eighteen, his father gave him his time, so that he might follow his long cherished inelinations. At the age of twenty- one, having accumulated a small balance, as the result of his teaching, after paying his tuition at the academy, he entered the Michi- gan university, in the law department. Oet. 1, 1860, and remained there until the out- Syracuse but left during the same year for Denver. In 1870 he was appointed county physician of Arapahoe county. Under his ad- ministration of that office, as set forth in Vol. III, page 281, the public hospital service was concentrated and as thoroughly systematized as it could be under prevailing conditions. His efforts in that direction were highly beneficial, and, in time, led to important results. He was largely instrumental, also, in organizing the Denver medieal society in 1871, several previ- ous attempts to effeet that object having failed. He was a delegate from this society and Arapahoe county to the American medi- cal association, whose annual meeting that year was held in San Francisco. He wrote break of our civil war in 1861, when he re- several articles for the society. that were published in its proceedings in 1872. He is a member of the Colorado state medical so- ciety, the Bellevue alumni association, the Denver and Arapahoe county medical so- cieties; the Rocky Mountain, the National, the American microscopie and American health associations, and the International medical congress. Ile has a private hospital for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. During 1891 he made extensive observations with the various forms of treatment, being the first to employ Koch's, Shurley Gibbs', Lubrich's and Gavoy's methods in Colorado. During labor and responsibility. After fifteen months
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.