USA > Colorado > Arapahoe County > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 48
USA > Colorado > Denver County > Denver > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 48
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JAMES A. CHERRY.
J. A. Cherry, a prominent youug member of the Denver bar, was born in Washington County, N. Y., July 31, 1854. He graduated at Williams Col- lege, in Williamstown, Mass., in 1875, and imme- diately came to Denver and began reading law with the firm of Sayre, Wright & Butler. In September, 1877, he opened an office at 403 Law- rence street, where he still remains. Mr. Cherry, as counsel for the defense, made his reputation as a lawyer in the famous Marston trial, in which, after a two-weeks trial, his client was acquitted of the charge of murder in the first degree. He is a genial and pleasant gentleman, a close student, and well deserves the success he has met with in his profession.
A. K. CLARK, JR.
A. K. Clark, successor to W. W. Montelius, dealer in musical instruments and merchandise, was born in Baldwinsville, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Jan. 2, 1847. He was raised on a farm and received a common school education. He began business at an early age and for a number of years speculated in stock, -cattle, sheep and hogs. In 1865, he went to Florida and engaged in catching fish for the Cuban market. In 1867, he went to the West India Islands, and spent one year there in the coffee business. In 1868, he went to Kentucky, where
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE J . W. ILIFF, DENVER , COL.
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for five years he was engaged in the lumber busi- ness and operated a flour-mill, and raising hogs, after which he went to New York and spent one year in the hardware business. In 1874, he came to Colorado, and spent one year traveling in the Territory and in New Mexico. He then located in Georgetown, and took charge of the office of the Howe Sewing Machine Company, in January, 1875; remaining there until May of the same year, when he removed to Denver and formed a partnership with W. W. Knight and F. A. Knight, as General Agents for the Domestic Sewing Machine Company, in Colorado, Wyom- ning and New Mexico. In the fall of 1876, they added the music business to their other business, and continued the same until February, 1879, when Mr. Clark sold out his interest to W. W. Waterbury and removed to Leadville, and in March, 1879, entered into partnership with A. Tweed in the grocery and bakery business, also selling pianos, organs, and sewing machines. He was also engaged in mining at Ten Mile and Kokomo. In October he returned to Denver and bought out the music store of W. W. Montelius, No. 412 Larimer street.
FREDERIC A. CLARK.
Among the prominent pioneers of Colorado, was Frederic A. Clark, without doubt one of the most enterprising and persevering business men in the West, and possessed of those noble traits of man- hood-strict integrity, manly honor and generosity of soul-which rendered him a universal favorite. He was born in Southington, Conn., January 3, 1838. His education was acquired in the public schools, supplemented by about three years' attendance at an academy in his native town. In his boyhood, he was active, enterprising and ambitious, maintaining a good record for scholar- ship while at school, and performing with alacrity any work assigned him. As he approached man- hood, he chafed somewhat at the monotonous life and lack of opportunities in a New England country town, and, stimulated with the accounts
of Western enterprise, at the age of seventeen, he left home and went to Wisconsin. Returning home just at the time the glowing accounts of Kansas were being heralded through the Eastern States, after a brief visit to his friends, he proceeded to that State, where he remained in business until the early summer of 1860. He then joined a party of Pike's Peak gold-seekers, crossed the Plains, and, in a short time, engaged in the gro- cery business in Denver, in the spring of 1863. He was burned out, but again started in the same business, and had not recovered from the former loss before his entire stock of goods was washed away in the flood of the following spring. These two great reverses in such rapid succession left him considerably embarrassed; but, with an iron will and untiring perseverance, he was still equal to the emergency. He gave his promissory notes, due in one year, for his indebtedness, and again started in business. Fortune favored his efforts, and he was enabled to meet all his liabilities as they became due. He continued in business in Denver until the spring of 1867, when he removed to Georgetown, having purchased a half-in- terest in the Terrible Mine of that place. From this time until his death, he was one of the most exten- sive miners in the State. In the spring of 1870, he went to Europe accompanied by his wife, and, while there, organized a company in London, and sold the "Terrible Mine " for £100,000, or $500,000. This was among the first large sales of Colorado mining property in Europe, and did much toward awakening an interest and bringing capital to this State. The following July, he returned home; and, from that time on, was largely engaged in developing the mining interests of Colorado. He had discovered that the Territory was one vast storehouse of wealth, and gave his entire time and much money toward bringing her treasures to the knowledge of the world. He removed his family to Denver in the fall of 1870, where he continued to reside until his sudden death, which occurred July 21, 1874, and was caused by the falling of a derrick in one of his mines at
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Fairplay. He married Miss Mary M., daughter of J. W. Smith, of this city, in August, 1863, and left three danghters and a wife to mourn his sad death. He was one of the most noble and generous-hearted men in the Territory. He gave freely of his means to those in need, while to all his friends he was both generous and just. He evinced in his every act a true and noble man- hood, which invited the love of his relatives and friends, and commanded the respect of all who knew him. His personal integrity and high sense of honor were never questioned.
" The elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, ' This was a man !'"
CLARENCE J. CLARKE.
This gentleman was born in Richmond, Va., in 1843, being of Scotch and English descent. His family was one of the oldest and most highly re- spected in that vicinity. His father was a promi- nent banker of Richmond, and in 1850 removed his family to Washington City, where he con- tinued in the banking business until 1856, at which time he removed West and settled in Omaha, Neb. Leaving home in 1858, young Clarke went to St. Joseph, Mo., where he entered the employ of C. C. Woolworth, in the book and stationery business, and the following year took charge of a branch store in Leaven- worth, Kan. In 1860, he crossed the Plains on foot to Denver, and continued in the employ of the book and stationery house of Woolworth & Moffat up to 1868, when he became a partner in the firm (Woolworth, Moffat & Clarke). In 1864, he accompanied the delegation of Taba- guache Ute Indians to Washington, as secretary to Maj. Head, afterward Lieut. Governor of Colo- rado. In 1867, he was elected County Treasurer of Arapahoe County and held that office two years. In his capacity of Treasurer, he signed the first issue of the Denver Pacific Railroad bonds, signing his name no less than 60,000 times. In 1870, he sold out his business, and since that
time has been engaged in the purchase and ini- provement of real estate. In this, as in his former business, he has been successful, and a number of fine buildings in Denver are the result of his enterprise in that direction; among them the fine block on Larimer street, known as the State Building, which he erected in company with Mr. Rodney Curtis. Although a young man, Mr. Clarke is regarded as one of the solid and reliable citizens of Denver.
ADDIS E. CARTER.
The "Star Stone Works" of Denver, owned by A. E. Carter and E. J. Martin, is destined to occupy a very prominent place among the business industries of Colorado. A sketch of the senior member of the firm will not be found an inappro- priate contribution to the biographical portion of this volume. Addis E. Carter was born in Mer- cer County, Penn., in 1846. His boyhood had scarcely been passed, when he was initiated into a business career, through the medium of a country store, where he began as a clerk at the age of four- teen, and rose to the position of partner at the age of twenty-one. His health had become under- mined by too close attention to business, and part- ly to recuperate strength, and partly to invest his capital to better advantage, he sold his interest in the store and moved to La Porte, Colo., near the present site of Fort Collins. One year's experi- ence in his new home, conducting a general mer- chandise business, seemed to be enough at that time, for at the expiration of that period he re- turned to Pennsylvania, opened a hardware store in the town of Sharon, and remained there several years. In 1879, he came to Colorado again, es- tablished himself in business, and will undoubt- edly become a permanent resident of the State. In connection with E. J. Martin, he has under- taken to introduce more generally the use of arti- ficial stone and marble. With the former they build houses, pave streets and construct sidewalks. With the latter they ornament churches, public halls, private residences and business structures,
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producing blocks of any size, color or variety, at less cost than natural marble; of equal weight, and greater durability ; susceptible of the highest polish, and absolutely impervious to the action of oil or acids, which work an immediate discolora- tion of its quarried prototype. The patronage extended to this important industry has been thus far very encouraging. Large orders, both for stone and marble, have been received, although the business has been very recently established, and the "works " on Larimer street display unusual activity, especially in the office of "design," where skillful artists from the Eastern States are engaged in reproducing in artificial stone and mar- ble the varied hues and veins of color which Nature's brush has painted in her granite beds and Parian quarries. The process of manufacture is, of course, secured by patent, and the right to man- ufacture and sell this stone or marble in the State of Colorado is the exclusive property of the own- ers of the " Star Stone Works" of Denver. Mr. Carter is now thirty-five years old, and has been married several years. He is a member of the Methodist Church, Independent in politics, and a Mason. There can be no doubt of his ultimate success in securing an extensive patronage for the important industry he represents.
FREDERICK CRAMER.
Mr. Cramer has been engaged in contracting and building in Denver ever since 1865, is un- doubtedly the oldest builder in the State, and has probably erected and superintended the erection of more buildings in the city than any other man. Among other buildings are the Denver City Water Works, and many prominent business blocks and private dwellings. He was born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N. Y., August 25, 1833. In 1852, he went to New York City, and had charge of a mill devoted to the manufacture of wood-work, and thus became familiar with every branch of the building business. He was married to Miss Zilpha Parker, of Brooklyn, in Septem- ber, 1863. Previously, however, in 1860, he went
to Minnesota, and was there during the Indian massacre in 1862, after which he went to Wiscon- sin, and in spring of 1863, returned to New York. After his marriage, he came permanently to Colo- rado, and followed mining in Park County, and prospecting in various localities till 1865, when he located as a builder in Denver. He was elected a member of the School Board of Denver about 1868, and in 1869, to the City Council, and was an efficient member while many public improve- ments were made. Although repeatedly solicited to serve again in the same capacity, he has always declined. Besides his interests in town, he owns a farm of 300 acres in the county, and is more or less interested in mining operations.
LYMAN H. COLE.
The pleasure derived from the possession of wealth is certainly enhanced by the consciousness that its acquisition is due alone to honest labor in the legitimate fields of industry. Among those who have invested years of steady work in Colorado, and have reaped the harvest of their prudent, per- severing lives, stands Lyman H. Cole, a citizen of Denver. He was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., 1833, and brought up in the occupation of a farmer until he was twenty years old, when he went to Michigan and engaged in business in Quincy, buying and selling, and shipping stock to market. In 1862, he moved to Colorado, and has resided in the State, chiefly in Denver, since that time. His first experience was harsh enough, commencing in the employment of stock-dealers and stock-raisers, and continuing for several years in that capacity, until by the force of his own tact and labor he accumulated sufficient capital to em- bark in the business of raising and selling his own stock. Fortune smiled upon his venture, his possessions increased and doubled, and when, a short time ago, he concluded to dispose of his cattle ranche, the sale netted him $100,000. Besides stock-raising, he has executed some heavy railroad contracts, in connection with other par- ties ; such as the grading of the road from Denver
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to Cheyenne, during the years 1867-68-69, and about forty miles of the Kansas Pacific from River Bend, going west, in 1870-71. Mr. Cole was married in Quincy, Michigan, in 1858, and has one son living. He is still owner of a sheep ranche near Bijon in this State, but devotes the greater portion of his time to the care and management of his real-estate interests in Denver, which are very large. In the prime of life, he has accumulated a fortune, which, by judicious investment, is not- only increasing, but also adding to the wealth and progress of Denver.
SAMUEL COLE, M. D.
Dr. Cole was born in New York City January 1, 1845. His parents removed to Chicago when he was one year old. He attended the Chicago public schools until 1862, when he adopted the profession of medicine, and received the degree of Doctor of Medicine at Rush Medical College of Chicago in February, 1865. In the spring of 1866, he also received the degree of M. D. from the University Medical College of New York. In May of the same year, he went to Paris, France, attending lectures and clinics and visiting the hospitals of that city until 1867, when he changed his field of study to Heidelburg, Baden. He remained in Heidelburg until the spring of 1868, pursuing the study of medicine and surgery. He then went to Vienna, taking private instruction in laryngoscopy and otology. After two months in Vienna, he proceeded to Berlin. There he attended more especially the clinical and didactic courses under A. Von Graefe, the course of Virchow on Pathology, and that of Cohnheim on Histology and Microscopy. In September, 1868, he went to Prague and attended at the lying-in hospital in that city. In November, 1868, he returned to the United States, and shortly after engaged in the practice of his profession in Chicago. In the fall of 1867, he began the translation of a work entitled " Intraocular Tumors," by H. Koapp, Professor of Ophthalmology at Heidelburg. The translation of the work from the German to
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the English language was completed in the spring of 1869. In the winter course at Rush Medical College he assisted J. W. Freer, Professor of Physiology, in microscopical demonstrations. He was married in January, 1869. In 1870, he was elected Professor of Ophthalmology and Otology in the Woman's Hospital Medical College of Chicago, and gave a course of lectures on the same in the winters of 1870 and 1872. In the spring of 1872, he gave a course of lectures on "The Anatomy and Physiology of the Kidneys and their Diseases." In April, 1871, he founded the Chicago Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, and was elected Surgeon in charge of the same, together with S. D. Jacob- son, M. D., now of Chicago. The institute was successfully carried on until the building and fur- niture of the same were swept away by the great Chicago fire in the fall of 1871. He then removed to Des Moines, Iowa, and remained there until July, 1872, when he removed to Denver, since which time he has been engaged in general prac- tice in the city. Throughout his whole course, the eye and its diseases have been the subject of special interest, its study having been prosecuted in the New York Ophthalmic School and Eye and Ear Infirmary. In Paris, he was under the instruc- tion of Meyer and Desmarres; in Heidelburg, under that of Knapp; in Prague, under that of IIasney, and, in Berlin, under that of Von Graefe. This special liking was gratified in the establish- ment of the Chicago Ophthalmic and Aural Insti- tute, and had it not been for its sudden destruc- tion in the disastrous Chicago fire of 1871, its founder would have continued the practice of his private specialty. But that disaster compelled him to seek the broad field of general practice. He can now be classed among the permanent residents of Denver.
HENRY COLE.
Henry Cole, the Master Car-Builder of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was born in New York in 1844. Brought up on a farm, his only opportunity for attending school was dur- ing the winter months. When he was about
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fifteen years old, his mother and brother moved to Illinois, bringing him along with them, and during the following three years he assisted in the management of the farm. After that, he worked about four years in a planing-mill, and then about two years in the car-shops of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. He conducted a hotel in Leland, Ill., over two years, and then procured employment in an organ factory in Men- dota, where he spent about two years of his life. From Mendota he went to Wyandotte, Kan., and worked about three years in the wood-work depart- ment of the shops of the Kansas Pacific Rail- road, and thence to Denver in 1870, where he has since resided. Mr. Cole was married in Denver in 1871; owns real estate in the city ; is a member of the I. O. O. F., and regarded in the community as a good and useful citizen.
C. L. CRAIG.
C. L. Craig was born in Clarke County, Ind., July 23, 1815. While yet a boy, he went to Elizabeth- town, Ky., where he remained until 1848, engaged the greater part of the time in the mercantile busi- ness. From Kentucky he went to Missouri, remain- ing two years, and then started overland to Califor- nia, where he was engaged in mining for three years with fair success. After making several trips to Missouri, and spending three years in the South, he came to Colorado and began mining in the San Juan country. In 1874, he went to the Black Hills and prospected until 1876, during which time he laid out the town of Custer. He returned to Colorado in 1877, and has since given his at- tention mostly to farming, making an occasional prospecting trip to the monntains.
JUDSON A. CLEAVELAND.
Judson A. Cleaveland, Master Car-Builder of the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad, was born in the town of Royalton, Vt., in 1832. During his boyhood, he received a common school education, which was in a few years after- ward supplemented by the more severe instruc-
tion of farm life. Agricultural pursuits did not prove congenial, however, and, after serving an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, he was employed in the car-shops of the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad, rising eventually to the position of foreman. Some years later, when the Government assumed control of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, he was placed in charge of the car-shops of that road, and remained in that capacity until appointed foreman of the car-shops of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. Removing to Colorado in 1876, he became connected with the Colorado Central Railroad in a similar capacity. Resided at Golden until April, 1878, when he removed to Denver and entered upon his present duties as Master Car-Builder of the Den- ver, South Park & Pacific Railroad. Mr. Cleave- land is now in the prime of life ; married ; a mem- ber of the Universalist Church ; a Republican in politics, and a member of Masonic Lodge, No. 7, of Denver.
WILLIAM COOKE.
Mr. Cooke was born in Port Lavacca, Calhoun Co., Tex., Nov. 3, 1842. At the age of sixteen, he went to Colchester, Conn., where he attended Bacon Academy three years. Returning to Texas, he enlisted in the Confederate army under Gen. Chalmers, serving throughout the war. Iu the spring of 1867, he invested in beef cattle and started for California with a herd of three thou- sand head ; but getting as far as Fort Wallace, in Kansas, they were obliged, on account of Indian troubles, to turn back, and sold their herd at Abilene at a great loss. Mr. Cooke then began the practice of law at Ellsworth, Kan., then the terminus of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and was soon after appointed Special Attorney for Ellis County, locat- ing at Hays City. After a short time at that place, he went to Baxter Springs, Kan., on account of ill health, and was soon after elected a Delegate to the Democratic State Convention, which met at Topeka in the fall of 1868. In 1869, he went to Kansas City and began the practice of law, where he soon attained a high rank at the bar. On
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account of ill health, he came to Denver in 1873, and has since continued the practice of his pro- fession in this city.
JOHN J. CUMMINGS.
Among those who have recently established themselves in Denver, bringing with them a record of an enterprising career in other States, may be mentioned John J. Cummings, the present propri- etor of the Bon Ton Restaurant and Hotel, in West Denver. He was born in Scranton, Penn., in 1836. His father was one of the early settlers of that city, and erected the first brick building of that now flourishing place. At the age of twenty, his son became interested in contracts for building and extending railroads, and has since followed that profession during the greater part of his life. In connection with this business, he has also been engaged in contracts for the pavement of streets and building of sewers and tunnels, the magnitude of which may be estimated hy the statement that one contract for the Pennsylvania Railroad alone involved the sum of $400,000. He was for sev- eral years the contractor for paving the streets and constructing the sewers of St. Paul, Minn ; after- ward for the building of a tunnel and railroad seven miles long on the Pittsburgh, New Castle & Lake Erie Railroad ; also for the building of the track, twenty-eight miles long, of the Montour Railroad, owned by the Imperial Coal Company ; for the paving of the streets in Pittsburgh, and is now engaged with other parties in the construction of sixteen miles of track and 1,600 fect of tunnel for the Columbus & Sand Creek Valley Railroad. He was at one time Superintendent of the Dela- ware & lludson Canal Co., holding this position for several years, until he resigned and went to to New York to accept contracts in the paving of the streets of that city. Mr. Cummings came to Colorado in 1878, and has now become a perma- nent resident of Denver. He is interested in val- uable mining interests near Leadville, which, in connection with his present growing business, will assuredly place him in a short time in a position
of comparative independence. Successful hith- erto in many of his operations, there would seem to be no reason why his residence in Colorado should not be productive of the happiest results. He is unmarried, and claims entire freedom in po- litical affairs.
HERMAN H. CORDES.
Herman H. Cordes, of the firm of Cordes & Feldhauser, was born in Bremen, Germany, Jan- uary 11, 1850. When he was nine years of age, his parents came to the United States and settled in Central Missouri. Here Herman Cordes finished his education in the public schools and an academy, after which, in 1868, he entered upon a clerkship with Morrison Brothers, at Sedalia, Mo., continuing with them for about eight years in the mean time more than doubling his salary. In the fall of 1874, he came to Den - ver and began clerking for Daniels & Fisher, con- tinuing with them until June, 1878, when he had saved a sufficient amount from his earnings to ena- ble. him to form the above partnership, and open a carpet house, in which business they have since continued. In the mean time, their business has more than doubled, having at this time one of the best trades in their line of any firm in the State. Mr. Cordes is an enterprising and prompt business man, whose integrity and good habits command the respect, the confidence and the patronage of the public.
FREEMAN B. CROCKER.
Among the early pioneers who chose Denver as their home during the first year of its existence, while its future was altogether uncertain, and have watched its progress from a transient and strag- gling camp of huts and tents to a prosperous and stately city, is Freeman B. Crocker. Born in Barnstable, Mass., June 5, 1858, he is descended from an old and highly respectable New England family. He was one of the first of the forty- niners in California when the journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific was not a pleasant week's jaunt in a palace car, but a long and stormy voy-
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