USA > Colorado > Arapahoe County > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 51
USA > Colorado > Denver County > Denver > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 51
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gaged extensively in mining. In 1870, having sold out his miniog property, he returned to Den- ver, and soon afterward organized the City National Bank, of which he was President until 1876. During that time he was engaged in the stock business. In 1876, he dissolved his connec- tion with the bank, and has since turned his atten- tion to mining at Georgetown and Leadville. He was married at Marietta, Iowa, July 1, 1857.
FRANK W. CROCKER.
This gentleman was born November 12, 1845, at Hartford, Conn. Receiving a good com- mon-school education, he was employed in 1862, as a clerk in a drug store, in which place he remained for about two years and a half. He then occupied the position of book-keeper and bus- iness manager for the saddle and harness house of Smith, Bowen & Co., of Hartford, remaining with them until the spring of 1871, when he came west and settled in Denver, Colo. Starting in the business of manufacturing crackers, he has been very successful, the business the first year amounting to about $20,000, increasing to $75,000 for the year 1879. Mr. Crocker con- ducts an exclusively wholesale trade, supplying the retail dealers throughout the State and adja- cent Territories.
GEORGE M. COLLIER.
Mr. Collier was born in Rochester, N. Y., in 1844. His parents died before he was eight years old, leaving him in the care of friends, with whom he removed to Cleveland, Ohio, and endeavored to make his own livelihood by selling newspapers on the street. He was afterward employed as feed- boy in the office of the Cleveland Plaindealer. In October, 1857, he removed to Wyandotte, Kan., and after spending one year, went to Emporia, Kan., and was employed on a farm until 1860, when he joined a party going to Pike's Peak. He left the party on their arrival at Colorado City, and traveled on foot to Denver, where he obtained a clerkship with the firm of Smead & Hunt, commission merchants,
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continuing with them until 1862; then worked in the office of the Herald, edited by Thomas Gib- son, and also of the News, edited by Byers, Dailey, Bliss & Rounds. Returning to the East in the spring of 1863, he attended school until January, 1865, when he returned to Denver, and soon after- ward went to Central City, accepting the position of collector and solicitor on the Miners' Register. In 1867, he again went East, and after spending two years, returned to Central City as manager of the Central City Register, where he remained until 1872. Removing to Black Hawk, he started the Black Hawk daily and weekly Journal. In 1873, he was nominated for County Clerk and Recorder of Gilpin County by the Republican party, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. He soon after removed to Denver and started a job office on Blake street, where he continued success fully until 1874, when he removed to his present location. In November, 1876, he formed a part- nership with J. R. Cleaveland, at the same time purchasing the material of the Denver Lithograph Company. They have, since that time, success- fully conducted the business of lithographing, en- graving and printing.
JOHN R. CLEAVELAND.
Mr. Cleaveland was born in Quiney, Adams County, Ill., June 19, 1840. In 1855, he entered the carriage repository of Hayes, Woodruff & Co. as an apprentice in wood work. In 1856, he ac- cepted a clerkship in the post office at Quincy, io which he continued until the spring of 1858, when he removed to St. Louis, where he was employed as clerk in the retail department of A. M. Leslie's dental manufactory. At the end of six months, he went to Saline County, Mo., as shipping clerk for Robinson & Co. Returning to Quincy, Ill., in a short time, he entered the employ of J. Jones & Co., dealers in furs and hides, for whom he trav- eled until 1861, after which he spent one year teaching school and clerking in the commissary department at Camp Flag. After spending an- other year as traveling agent, he turned his steps
toward Pike's Peak. Having outfitted three wagons in company with H. C. Clark, he left Quincy in May, 1863, and began collecting a cargo of chickens for two of their wagons, having a ca- pacity for one hundred and fifty dozen chickens. Arriving in Denver the 25th of August, they disposed of their chickens at a profit of $10 per dozen. He then took a contract to furnish hay for the Government. In May, 1864, he went to Central City, and accepted the position of clerk in the Recorder's office, but was soon afterward appointed Deputy County Clerk. In November, 1865, he was appointed Assistant Postmaster, which position he occupied until the fall of 1869, when he was elected County Clerk and Recorder, serving in that position two years. In February, 1873, he was appointed by Hon. James B. Belford Clerk of the Second Judicial District, and remained in that position until the successor of Judge Belford was appointed. During that time, he had exchanged some mining property for Pecan Grove Plantation, near New Orleans, La. In the winter of 1875, he went to Louisville, Ky., and accepted a position as manager of a grocery in that city. In October, 1876, having sold his plantation in Lou- isiana, he returned to Denver, and on November 14, formed a partnership with George M. Collier in the lithographing and printing business. Since that time, their business has rapidly increased to three times that of former years. They have in- creased their facilities by the addition of steam, a cylinder press, and other machinery necessary to meet the demands of their growing business.
OTTO G. CRANSTON, M. D.,
Dr. Cranston was born at Urbana, Ohio, May 30, 1852. Heentered Oberlin College, in the regular academic course, completing, however, only half of it, after which he graduated at the Union Business and Commercial College of Oberlin, Ohio, and imme- diately commenced the study of medicine, obtain- ing his degree of M. D. at the Eclectic Medical Institution of Cincinnati in the spring of 1873. After graduating, he practiced his profession for
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the space of two years in Cincinnati, from which city he removed to Urbana, Ohio, where he prac- ticed about one year, and, from there, removed to Galion, Ohio, where he remained until April, 1879, when he removed to Denver, and here formed a copartnership with Dr. S. W. Treat, with whom he is at present associated. Dr. Cranston is an accomplished gentleman, well up in his profession, and is a valued member of the corps of practicing physicians in this city.
JOSEPH COLLIER.
Mr. Collier was born in Aberdeenshire, Scot- land, in July, 1836. He was educated in the national schools, and, in 1859, learned the trade of a blacksmith; but, after five years' exper- ience in that business, turned his attention to photography as his chosen profession. He em- barked in that business at Peterhead, Scot- land, and, after five years, removed to Inver- ness, where he continued five years more, con- ducting a very large business, and becoming quite noted as an artist, and receiving the patronage of the nobility. In June, 1871, he came to the United States, and selected the Rocky Mountains as his field of operations. He resided in Central City, Colo., seven years, during which time he devoted his entire attention to obtaining a large collection of views of the finest mountain scenery and places of interest and note in Colorado and the adjoining Territories. His perseverance and success in reproducing these beautiful and pictur- esque scenes attest his skill and ability as an artist, for which he became so noted in his native country. In 1878, he removed from Central City to Denver, and has since established a lucra- tive business.
E. W. COBB.
E. W. Cobb was born in Boston, Mass., No- vember 24, 1827, and graduated in the high school of that city. After finishing his education, he went into a large foreign shipping-house as clerk, and remained for about ten years, and then went to California as first messenger for Adams
Express Company. He remained in that business two years, then went to Australia, where he en- gaged in the heavy commission business in Mel- bourne, doing a large trade, and having as many as twenty ship loads on hand at one time. He remained in Australia until 1857, when he returned to Boston, Mass., and remained a short time. In the spring of 1859, he came to Denver and en- gaged in the grocery business for two years. He then owned and ran the Elephant Corral for one year, after which he engaged in mining, following that until 1869, when he was appointed Chief of the Mineral Department of the Surveyor General's office, and, with the exception of two years, has since held that position.
GEORGE W. COLE.
George W. Cole, one of the enterprising busi- ness and stock men of Colorado, was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., May 22, 1844. After receiving a good common-school education in his native town and in Michigan, where he removed in 1853, he entered the army in Battery C., First Michigan Artillery, for three years, re-enlist- ing in 1863. He participated in the battles of Corinth and the siege of Atlanta in which Gen. McPherson was killed ; was with Sherman on his march to the sea, and fought at the battle of Black River, the last hard fight of the war. He was in line at the general review of Sherman's army in Washington, after the close of the war. He then returned to Michigan and was mustered out of the service, remaining in that State until the 4th of August, when he started for Colorado, arriving in Denver September 28, 1865. He followed freighting across the Plains until June, 1866, when he engaged in stock raising, in which he has con- tinued ever since. The first ten years was devoted to cattle raising, after which he engaged in raising sheep. In 1879, he began importing sheep from Vermont, and is now bringing fine blooded stock from that State. On one of his ranches he is engaged in farming, the other being a sheep ranche owned by himself and brother. December 11,
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1867, he married Miss Sarah J. Skelton, of Den- ver. He is prompt, reliable, and in every respect a good citizen.
LEONARD CUTSHAW.
Mr. Cutshaw was born in the beautiful city of Cleveland, Ohio, in the year 1842. He received a good common-school education, and learned the carpenter trade with his father, thus educating his hand as well as brain for the arduous struggle of life. The beginning of the war found young Cut- shaw working industriously at his trade, and then but nineteen years of age. Like so many young men at the critical period of our country's history, he enlisted, serving in the Twenty-first Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry Militia, and was honorably dis- charged in August, 1861. Turning his face west- ward, he resided in California until the spring of 1864. Returning East, he enlisted in the Quar- termaster or Construction Department as a private, and was afterward successively promoted to Second and First Lieutenant, and was mustered out of the service as Captain in April, 1865. He then went to the Pennsylvania oil regions, working at his trade, remaining there until the fall of 1867, when he went to Chicago and entered a civil engineer and architect's office, remaining there till the spring of 1873. While in this office, he faithfully devoted himself to his profession, mastering its intricacies by hard study, and obtaining a good practical as well as theoretical knowledge thereof, working and contracting through the day and attending school at night. Upon leaving Chicago, he made Denver his home, where he has since resided. He here formed the copartnership of Nichols & Cutshaw. The firm entered upon its professional work at once, and continued until 1877, when Mr. Cut- shaw was appointed Deputy Land Surveyor for about one year. During this time, however, the firm of Nichols & Cutshaw drew up the plans and specifications and superintended the construction of many of the most prominent blocks, public buildings and residences in the city, among which may be mentioned the Fink Block, Gallup & Stan-
bury Block, First National Bank Building, the Broad well Block, the addition to the News Block, Daniels & Fisher's Block, Central Fire Station, etc., etc. Mr. Cutshaw was elected City Engineer in the fall of 1877, which position he held up to the fall of 1879.
JOHN COOK, JR.
This gentleman was born in Dublin, Ireland, February 4, 1848. His parents removed to the United States when he was three years of age, and located in Buffalo, N. Y., where he received his education in the public schools. In 1861, he en- tered the army. After serving one year, he was discharged on account of sickness. He then learned telegraphing, and was engaged in that business until 1864, with the exception of three months' militia service. In 1864, he again enlisted, and served until the close of the war, during which time he was promoted to Orderly Ser- geant. Returning to Buffalo after the war, he fol- lowed telegraphing until 1867, when he engaged in building and a general real-estate business. He conducted this successfully for six years. In November, 1873, he removed to Denver, and immediately engaged in handling real estate, in which he has since continued, establishing a large and prosperous business, having built and operated a saw and shingle mill at Kokomo. He was mar- ried in Buffalo, N. Y., February 28, 1870. In October, 1878, he was elected Alderman from the Fifth Ward of this city.
FRANK M. COBB.
The subject of this sketch was one of a party of fifty, known as the Lawrence party, who came to Pike's Peak, in 1858, from Lawrence, Kan., which place they left in the middle of May, reach- ing the Platte River in September, where they laid out the town of Montana. Soon afterward, he and Adnah French, William Smith and Will- iam Hartley, laid off the town of St. Charles, embracing 1,280 acres of the present site of Den- ver. That fall, he returned to Lawrence, leaving
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Charles Nichols in charge of the new town. Dur- ing the month of October, the Denver Town Com- pany obtained possession of the property. On his return, the alternative was presented of losing his entire interest or taking a share with them, and he chose the latter. Going to the mountains, he spent the years 1859 and 1860 in working a lead known as the Justice Gold Lode, near Central, and in placer mining in Russell Gulch. From 1861 until 1865, he was with the army in the South as sutler, after which he was engaged in the mercan- tile business in Worcester, Mass., till 1869, when he returned to Colorado. Embarking in the cattle business, he continued most of the time until 1869, since which time he has been mining in the Gun- nison country. Mr. Cobb was born in Minot, Ox- ford Co., Me., October 13, 1832, and up to the age of twenty, was engaged in his father's hotel, in Mechanics Falls. Going to Natick, Mass., he clerked for one firm for five years, or until 1857, when he emigrated to Kansas, and thence to the Rocky Mountains as above stated. Mr. Cobb has had a varied experience in the West, and is an exemplary and worthy citizen.
HUTTON CRATER.
Perhaps no other city of its size in this country contains more young and enterprising lawyers than does Denver. Its rapid growth for the last few years, with its bright prospect for the future, have lured many such hither, prominent among whom is the above-mentioned gentleman, junior member of the firm of Ingersoll & Crater. He was born in Morristown, N. J., December 6, 1852, and, after leaving school, clerked in a store until 1871, when he came to Denver, and began reading law with the well-known firm of Sayre, Wright & Butler. He was admitted to the bar in March, 1875, and immediately began the practice of his profession alone, but, a year later, formed a copartnership with Mr. F. W. Ingersoll, of which firm he is still a member. Mr. Crater is a close student, and a careful and safe counselor, while the firm of which he is a
member is among the best known of the young law firms in the city.
JOHN L. DAILEY.
No man in Denver occupies a more secure and well-established reputation as an upright, honora- ble citizen, and a faithful, efficient public officer, than John L. Dailey, the present Treasurer of Arapahoe County. Coming to Colorado in April, 1859, with the first printing press brought across the Plains, in company with William N. Byers, he helped to set up and work off the first copy of the Rocky Mountain News, of which journal he became one of the owners in July of the same year, continuing as such until November, 1870, and contributing much to the remarkable success of that paper. From that time until 1874, he was engaged in the job printing business, and as business manager of the Denver Tribune. Soon after the organization of the Rocky Mountain Insurance and Savings Institution of Colorado, he was chosen Secretary of that corporation, and served in that capacity until his election to the office of County Treas- urer, in October, 1877. The high character and reputation for efficient management which the office had enjoyed under his predecessor, Mr. J. M. Strickler, has been fully sustained by Mr. Dailey, and at the last election in October, 1879, the citi- zens of the county expressed their appreciation of his services by re-electing him to another term of office by a large majority. Mr. Dailey was born Nov. 19, 1833, in Seneca County, Ohio. His father, William T. Dailey, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and emigrated to Ohio, when but a boy, the family being among the pioneer settlers of Perry County. His mother was Sarah McCormick, a native of Perry County, Ohio. In 1848, Mr. Dailey, then a lad of fifteen, went to Fort Wayne, Ind., and was apprenticed to the printer's trade. In 1855, he went West, to the Territory of Ne- braska, and found employment in the office of the Omaha Nebraskian, published by Hon. Bird B. Chapman, the first Territorial Delegate to Congress from Nebraska, being for a number of months
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during the year 1866, the only compositor, and setting all the type in the eity of Omaha. He aft- erward published the Dakota City Herald for nearly three years. Mr. Dailey has been twice married ; first in March, 1866, to Miss Melissa B. Rounds, of Chicago, who died the following No- vember. He was married in October, 1868, to Mrs. Helen M. Woodbury, a daughter of Rev. W. E. Manley, a well-known theologieal writer, the founder of the first Universalist society in Chi- eago, and now a resident of Auburn, N. Y. Mr. Dailey has a family of four children.
CHARLES DENISON, M. D.,
Dr. Charles Denison was born November 1, 1845, in Royalton, Vermont, where his grand- father, Joseph A. Denison, and his father of the same name, were both physicians of note. His mother was Eliza Skinner. After attend- ing the academy in his native town and the Kimball Union Academy in Meridan, N. H., he passed the Freshman year at the University of Ver- mont, and finished his collegiate course at Will- iams College, Williamstown, Mass., graduating in the summer of 1867, having already begun the study of medicine, Prof. S. W. Thayer, of Bur- lington, Vt., being his preceptor. In 1869, he graduated as valedictorian from the Medieal Department of the University of Vermont, having, during his course, been instructor of gymnastics in the University. He then studied in New York City one year, and was House Surgeon of the Hartford City Hospital for a like period, settling in 1871 in Hartford, Conn., where he directed his attention to diseases of the eye and to mechanieal surgery, but, attacked by pulmonary hemorrhage in December, 1872, he went to Texas and Florida to spend the winter and spring. In October, 1873, he removed to Denver, where he has specially devoted himself to the study of elimate, spending much time and eare in gathering statistics relating to elimate and consumption, and receiving eom- munieations on this point, during the first year or two, from 700 physicians in all parts of the United
States. Formerly a member of the Hartford City Medical Society, he is now a member, since 1874, of the Colorado State Medical Society, of which he was Seeretary in 1878. He has for four years been a member, was one year Seeretary, and is now President, of the Denver Medical Association. He was elected a member of the American Medical Association in 1875, and appointed a member of the Special Committee on the "Influence of the Climate of Colorado on Pulmonary Diseases," reporting on behalf of the Committee in 1876. He was delegate to the International Medical Congress held in Philadelphia in 1876, to which he reported on the " Influence of High Altitudes on the Prog- ress of Phthisis." Besides the reports above mentioned, his contributions to medical literature inelude : " Colorado as a Health Resort in Winter," -Chicago Medical Examiner, January, 1874; "The Extension Windlass,"-New York Medical Journal, May, 1875; " The Best Welfare of Invalids seeking the Benefits of Climate, with Suggestions for the Co-operation of Physicians, Life Insurance Companies, etc.," 1875. But his principal effort in a literary way is, "The Rocky Mountain Health Resorts," an analytical study of high alti- tudes with relation to the arrest of chronie pulmo- nary diseases. This is an Svo of nearly 200 pages, just published by Honghton, Osgood & Co., of Boston, Mass., a work calculated to supply a need long felt by physicians as well as invalids through- out the United States for statistical information of this elimate and its effects. Besides the analysis of the attributes of the Rocky Mountain and like elimates, the work contains deseriptions of the vari- ous health resorts and mineral springs (with anal- yses of their waters), the results of the experience of many consumptives and asthmaties in Colorado -as well as an elaborate " Climate Map of the Eastern Slope of the Rocky Mountains," a " C'hest Examination Chart," chiefly designed for the use of invalids, who could thereby learn in advance if the high-altitude climate be suited to their needs. The purpose of the hook is to prevent invalids com- ing for whom the climate is not suited, and to
RESIDENCE OF W. J. KINSEY, DENVER, COL.
MOFFAT
KASSLER
MOFFAT & KASSLER BLOCK, LAWRENCE, ST. DENVER, COL.
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give that large number assurance for whom the high altitude will be decidedly restorative. He was elected, in 1875, Coroner of Arapahoe County, but his experience not creating a liking for the office, he resigned. Dr. Denison was mar- ried in Chicago, December 26, 1878, to Miss Ella Strong, daughter of Gen. Henry Strong, of that city
HON. WESTBROOK S. DECKER.
Mr. Decker was born in Seneca County, N. Y., April 22, 1839. In his early boyhood, he attended school during the winter, and worked on a farm through the summer. At fifteen, he went to Ulster County, N. Y., and was engaged in his father's dry-goods store for about one year. In the fall of 1856, he went to the Brockport Col- legiate Institute, where he remained until the spring of 1857. In the fall of the same year, in company with an old schoolmate, he went to Illi- nois, and began teaching school in Coles County. Was engaged in this pursuit until the spring of 1861. While teaching, he pursued a course of law studies. In the summer of 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty- Sixth Regiment, New York Volunteers, and served in the ranks until the battle of Gettysburg, in July, 1863. The first battle in which he was engaged was that of Maryland Heights, Septem- ber 13, 1862. On the 15th, he was, together with the rest of the command under Col. Miles, taken prisoner at Harper's Ferry. He was, how- ever, soon paroled, and exchanged in December. He was on duty with the forees that were guard- ing the approaches to Washington, until the spring of 1863, when his regiment joined the Second Army Corps, commanded by Gen. Hancock, and followed the rebel army into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Was in the battle of Gettysburg, Penn., from early morning, July 2, until the evening of the 3d, when he was severely wounded. In consequence of his injuries, he was confined to the hospital at Trenton, N. J., for about four months. Returning to his regiment, he found a commission as Second Lieutenant await-
ing him, and was assigned to duty with the Nine- teenth United States Colored Infantry. His regiment was attached to the Ninth Army Corps, under Gen. Burnside, and was with the Army of the Potomac in the memorable campaign from the Rapidan to Petersburg, and engaged in many of the fiercely fought battles. In June, 1864, he was appointed Ordnance Officer of the Fourth Division, Ninth Army Corps, and in that capacity served successively on the staffs of Gens. Ferero, Hartranft and Hartsuff. After the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, in the spring of 1865, he was promoted to First Lieuten- ant, and soon after was ordered to Brownsville, Texas, where he served as Assistant Provost Marshal until August, when he resigned his com- mission, returned to New York, and, having determined to continue his law studies, entered the Law Department of the Michigan University, and graduated therefrom in the spring of 1867, with the degree of LL. B. His expenses while attend- ing the University, exhausted his means with which to commence the practice; but, feeling that hard work and attention to business were sure to win, he opened an office in Kankakee, Illinois, and soon obtained a very fair practice. In the summer of 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Kate Worden, of Seneca Falls, New York. They have had three children, two of whom are now living. In the fall of 1869, Mr. Decker was elected County Judge of Kankakee County, Ill., without opposition, and served for a term of four years, with credit to himself, and to the satisfaction of the people. During the last two years of his term of office as Judge, his health became seriously impaired, and, in the fall of 1873, he came to Colorado, in the hope of having his health restored, and this hope was soon realized. He at once commenced the practice of his profession, and, by his energy and application to business, took rank among the best lawyers of the State. On the 12th of June, 1877, without solicitation on his part, he was appointed United States Dis- triet Attorney for Colorado. In the administration
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