USA > Colorado > Arapahoe County > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 56
USA > Colorado > Denver County > Denver > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 56
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COL. LEONARD H. EICHOLTZ.
Col. Eicholtz was born in Lancaster City, Lan- caster Co., Penn. He was educated at the Moravian Academy in his native county, and after graduating from that institution removed with his father to Chester County, where he began his profession as a civil engineer on the Pennsyl- vania Railway. This position he occupied from 1852 to 1854, after which he accepted the same office on the Philadelphia & Erie Railway, in which he continued until 1864. After spending one year with a surveying party on the line of the Honduras Inter-Oceanic Railway, he returned to to the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad and remained with that Company until the breaking-out of the war. He then entered the Government service as civil engineer of the military railways, serving under Gen. Sherman in the reconstruction of rail- roads destroyed by the two armies during his cam- paign in the Southwest-in Tennessee and Georgia and from Charleston to Atlanta. In the fall of 1866, he came West as resident engineer of the Kansas Pacific Railway, with headquarters at Wy- andotte, Kan., and during the two succeeding years had charge of the surveying party on the line of the railroad to California on the thirty- second parallel of latitude. Returning in the fall of 1868, he entered the service of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, superintending the building of the bridges of that road until its comple- tion in 1869. He was then made Superintendent of Construction of the Denver Pacific Railway from Denver to Cheyenne, and at the same time had charge of the construction of the western end of the Kansas Pacific. After the completion of
these roads, he turned his attention for the suc- ceeding five years to loaning money-engaging in the general brokerage business. In 1872, he be- came interested in the organization of the Denver & South Park Railroad, and was made a Director and Chief Engineer of the Company, which position he still occupies. During the construction of the branch line to Morrison, work on the main line was suspended until 1876, when the work was pushed forward again as rapidly as the great diffi- culties in its construction would permit, having to be constructed for thirty miles through the narrow, rocky gorges of the Platte Cañon, with curves twenty-five to twenty-eight degrees, and with a min- imum grade of 160 feet to the mile.
GEORGE H. FRYER.
Mr. Fryer is one of Colorado's pioneer miners, and one of her honored and best citizens. For over fifteen years, he has given his time, and a great deal of money, toward developing the min- eral wealth of his State. As early as 1864, he obtained an independent fortune from the sale of mining property, but not content with being a drone, and living on the income he then had, he went on prospecting and developing the mining interests, expending much money in this way, and after many years of careful and scientific prospect- ing, and not mere "hap-hazard" digging, but rea- soning from the cause to the effect, he was led to believe that there were rich deposits of mineral in Colorado's mountains, and stimulated by a true miner's pluck, he kept on, until with his own hands he unearthed the famous "New Discovery," on Fryer Hill, which heralded a new era in mining circles, and opened up fortunes to scores of adven- turous seekers. Mr. Fryer was born in Philadel- phia, Penn., September 4, 1836; he received his edu- cation in that city, graduating in the high schools, after which he accepted a clerkship in a Philadel- phia silk house, for about four years. In 1857, he started West, first locating at Leavenworth, Kan., where he was engaged in the real-estate business up to 1861. In the spring of this year,
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he came to Denver, and soon afterward went to Summit County, and during the following summer, engaged in placer mining, with moderate success. The following autumn, he went to the Montgom- ery mining district, where he was elected Mining Recorder, and continued to discharge the duties of that office until the winter of 1862, when the Legislature abolished the office. Mr. Fryer was engaged in mining up to 1864, when he re.urned to Philadelphia, and made a sale of the mining property previously alluded to. Remaining in the East but a short time, he again returned to Colo- rado, and has been actively engaged in mining ever since. On the 4th of April, 1878, he struck ore in the "New Discovery," now a part of the "Consolidated Little Pittsburg," which gave the name to Fryer Hill, and as long as that hill remains, the name of George H. Fryer, will not be forgotten. Soon after the discovery of this wonderful mine, Mr. Fryer sold his interest, which was one-half, for $50,000, and soon after bought back 1,000 shares at the rate of $4,000,000, which gives an idea of what the "New Discovery" did for mining property. Mr. Fryer is now very largely engaged in mining, having interest in a number of Leadville "Bonanzas," from which he receives a daily income amounting almost to a little fortune. But he is the same man to-day that he was before striking his bonanzas, he could not be purse-proud if he tried, simply because his noble and generous disposition would not allow it. He gives liberally, of his means, to all public and charitable institutions, and is indeed the poor man's friend. Mr. Fryer's public spirit and per- severing industry, with his sterling honesty and noble disposition, have won for him so much favor and made for him so many friends, that he is at this early day popularly spoken of as his party's nominee for the next Congressional contest; and though his prospects for election might not be the brightest, if nominated, as the Democrats are in the minority in this State, yet the mere fact of his being spoken of as the nomince of a great party, for the honored position, is indicative of the high
regard in which he is universally held, and shows that the people of his State rightfully appreciate his untiring perseverance and manly principles.
HON. JOSEPH P. FARMER.
The stock-growing industry is justly regarded as one of the most important and interesting subjects to the citizens of Colorado, being second only to the mining interests in importance and wealth-pro- ducing capacity. Whoever contributes in any degree to its advancement performs a work which will continue in its results after he shall have passed away. In what high regard then should we hold one who devoted the best years of his life, and brought the highest order of business talent to the work of demonstrating that the apparently barren plains of Colorado were the natural herding- grounds of the world ? Such a man was the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. Born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, March 17, 1842, he came with his parents, at an early age, to America, and spent his youth in Phil- adelphia, removing to Galena, Ill., in 1856. In 1860, at the age of eighteen, he, in company with his brother, Thomas Farmer, came to Colorado, and becoming enamored of the mining prospects, he, with his brother, made a start in the Perigo district, but meeting with indifferent success, they shortly afterward abandoned mining and engaged in ranching on the Cache la Poudre, and in deal- ing in stock. For several years, they were quite largely engaged in Government contracts, furnish- ing the Government with hay, wood and beef. From the Cache la Poudre he removed to Ralston Creek, where, to farming, he gradually added stock-raising. Beginning in a small way, by close application, skillful management, and unswerving integrity in his dealings, he accumulated one of the best herds in Colorado, and became one of the lead- ing cattle men of the State. From the first, he put forth a constant effort to bring about a higher standard of integrity in the conduct of the cattle business, and all disreputable practices received from him a well-merited rebuke. From Ralston,
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RESIDENCE OF HON. GEO. W. MILLER, DENVER, COL.
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he removed his herd to the Bijou, at Byers, and purchased 800 acres of fine grazing land so located as to control access to the creek for a distance of five miles. In 1877, he removed his cattle ranche to Kit Karson, retaining his ranche at Byers as a sheep ranche, having become largely interested in that branch of pastoral industry. At one time, he owned not less than 12,000 sheep, and at his death left a herd of about 7,000, and on his cattle ranche at Kit Karson, a herd of cattle of no less than 5,000 in number. He was a great lover of fine horses, and kept usually over 150 head on his ranche at Byers. He was not only conspicuous in the pastoral interests of Colorado, but in the busi- ness interests as well. The Colorado Industrial Association received his constant encouragement. He was also one of the original incorporators of the German National Bank of Denver, of which he was a heavy stockholder. In politics, he was prominent as a leader in the Democratic party, and to further its interests he, in September, 1876, purchased a controlling interest in the Denver Daily Democrat, which he continued to run in the interest of the Democracy, and in an able manner, till his death. He was a delegate to all the Democratic State and Territorial Conventions, and Chairman of the Democratic County Com- mittee from 1875 to 1877. In 1876, he was nominated, on the Democratic ticket, for the State Legislature, but was defeated by a very small majority in a district overwhelmingly Republican, thus demonstrating his great personal popularity. As an expression of their high esteem and confi- dence, his brother cattle men elected him, in 1877, President of the Colorado Cattle Growers' Associa- tion, in which capacity he served one year with credit to himself and profit to the organization. He took a lively interest in church and educational matters, and was the Treasurer of the Catholic School Association, of which he was one of the founders and leading supporters. He was married, January 19, 1875, to Miss Lizzie F. Shevnin, daughter of John Shevnin, of Denver, and left at his death, December 31, 1878, two children. Mr.
Farmer was energetic and enterprising, a man of eminent business ability, sterling worth, noble nature, and kind and generons impulses, and ever ready to lend a helping hand to those in need of assistance.
ALFRED FRIEDMAN, M. D.
This gentleman, a member of the medical profes- sion of Denver, was born in New York City, Dec. 11, 1850. He first attended Redfield's Boarding- school on Broadway, and entered the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons of New York, in 1873. After graduating at that institution in 1876, he went to Vienna and stayed one year, and then entered St. George's Hospital in London, as a student and clinical clerk to Dr. Barclay. After leaving that institution he returned to America-having been married in 1876 to Miss Aliee Wilson, of London, -and at once began the practice of his profession in this city. He is a finely educated gentleman, and is deserving of success in his profession.
S. M. FRENCH,
Mr. French was born in the year 1841, in Homer, Cortland County, N. Y., and when five years old, moved with his parents to Pontiac, Mich. As soon as he was able to work, he was placed at the carpen- ter's trade, working in the summer months and going to school in the winter. As the years advanced, he obtained greater opportunities to pursue his studies, receiving at the last a good business and a classical education. From the school to the battle- field was the natural progress of the American youth, trained to love of country and the duties of citizenship, when Columbia called her sons to arms in defense of her just prerogatives. The whole class of sixteen students, including the subject of this sketch, stepped from the academieal halls to the service of their country, enlisting in the Twelfth Iowa Volunteers. Mr. French served with his regiment to the close of the war, partici- pating in many of the historic struggles of the campaign, Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., Brandon, Tu- pelo, Nashville, Spanish Fort and Mobile Bay, and
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was finally mustered out of the service at Memphis in 1865, after four and a half years of constant duty. Without loss of time, he resumed his trade, working in Manchester, Iowa, for a year, and then moving to Kansas in 1867, where, during the fol- lowing five years, he engaged in business as builder and contractor. In 1872, Mr. French came to Colorado, settling in Georgetown about a year, and afterward at Golden, where for two years he was proprietor of the Astor House in that city. His affairs were not in a very prosperous condition, and he was obliged to come to Denver to seek em- ployment at his trade. In the following year, he went to Boulder County and spent considerable time and labor in unsuccessful mining projects, and returned to Denver in 1878, where he has since resided. Mr. French is the senior member of the firm, "French & Ehrhardt," builders and contractors, No. 273 Seventeenth street, Denver. They are now doing an extensive business, employ- ing ten hands in their shop, and have facilities for undertaking the erection of dwelling-houses and business structures of every description. Mr. French was married in Manchester, Iowa, in 1866, -is a citizen of Denver, and real-estate owner in the city and various portions of the State. In religion, a Methodist; in politics, a Republican, and member both of the Masonic Order and of the I. O. O. F., holding at one time the highest office in a Lodge of the latter Order.
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DANIEL J. FULTON.
D. J. Fulton was one of the earliest settlers of Colorado, coming to the Territory in the early part of 1859. He was a native of Virginia, and was born in 1829. His father was a physician. and removed to Columbus, Ohio, about 1836, whence he removed, a few years later, to Lee County, Iowa. When the gold excitement broke out in California in 1849, Mr. Fulton was one of the first to undertake the peril- ous overland journey to the Pacific Coast, where he remained three years, and then returned East. He was engaged in trade from that time until his removal to Colorado, the greater part of the time in
Kansas. The first summer in Colorado was spent in mining. Having determined to make Colorado his future home, he returned East for his family and brought them here early in the spring of 1860. In 1864, Mr. Fulton went to Idaho Territory, where he remained about two years, returning to Colorado on account of sickness in his family. In 1877, he bought a farm on the Platte, sixteen miles below Denver, on to which he moved and where he has since resided. He was married in Kansas in 1857, to Miss Mary L. Johnson, of Kentucky.
NEWTON FULWIDER,
Newton Fulwider, stock-raiser, was born in Cedar Co., Iowa, March 8, 1844. He is a son of Henry Fulwider, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, a native of Virginia, and one of the early pioneers of Iowa, having settled there as early as 1829. He was raised on the farm, and, as a boy, had a varied experience in raising and shipping stock. On arriving at his majority, he engaged in the stock business for himself, and has since continued it. In 1875, he came to Colorado, and has since been engaged exclusively in raising cattle. In 1877, his brother, Marion Fulwider, came on from Iowa, and since then the business has been carried on under the firm name of Fulwider Brothers, they having a herd of about 1,600 head of cattle. Mr. Fulwider was married on the 22d of March, 1870, to Mrs. Minnie G. Sawyer, of Muscatine County, Towa, and has three children.
L. B. FRANCE.
This gentleman, one of the oldest members of the Denver bar, having been constantly engaged in the practice of his profession here since the spring of 1861, is a native of Washington, D. C. He was born August 8, 1833. In 1849, he re- moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered the exten- sive book establishment of Eli Morgan & Co., to learn the printing business. He was afterward connected with the daily press of that city, in the various capacities of printer, local editor and editor, up to 1857, employing his leisure time in the
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meantime in reading law. In 1857, he went to Chicago, where he completed his law studies in the office of Clarkson & Tree. He was admitted to the bar in that city in 1858, and continued to practice law in Illinois until early in 1861, when he came to this city and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. The same year he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Arapahoe County, being the first occupant of that office, which he held until 1865. A few years ago, he was appoint- ed, by the Supreme Court of Colorado, as reporter of its decisions, and has thus far reported Vols. III and IV. The thorough and able manner in which he has performed this work but sustains his previous high reputation as a safe counselor and a sound, able lawyer.
COL. CYRUS W. FISHER.
The demand for men of skill, energy and abil- ty, to push forward the construction of railroads in the West, has received a response from many such men, among whom is Col. Cyrus W. Fisher, who has been prominently identified with the rail- way system of Colorado for the past ten years. Col. Fisher was born in Waynesville, Warren Co., Ohio, September 22, 1835. His father was a prominent physician of Waynesville, and emigrated to Indiana in 1839, removing with his family, in 1844, to Illinois, thence to Monroe, Green Co., Wis., in 1845, and settling one year later in Rock County, Wis., from which place Cyrus W. Fisher was sent to Ohio, in 1848, to attend school at Waynesville. In 1849, his parents returned to Ohio, and located at Lebanon, Warren County, at which place he closed his academic studies in 1851, and soon afterward joined a corps of engineers, with whom he was actively engaged in the surveys of several railroads centering at Cincinnati, until 1854, then entered the service of the Ohio & In- diana Railroad, which was being constructed be- tween Crestline, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Ind., and served with that Company in various capacities- in shops, office, and running trains ou the road until July, 1856. He then entered the employ of
the Bee Line Railroad, as conductor between Crestline and Indianapolis. In February, 1857, he accepted a position in the office of John Canby, Superintendent of the same road, at Bellefontaine, Ohio, which he held until 1861. When Presi- dent Lincoln made his first call for 75,000 troops, he entered the army, and was chosen First Lieu- tenant of his company, which reported at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. His company was mus- tered into the United States Service for three years, as Company F, of the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The field and staff officers of the regi- ment were: Colonel, W. S. Rosecrans; Lieutenant Colonel, Stanley Matthews; Major, Rutherford B. Hayes; Adjutant, Cyrus W. Fisher ; Quartermas- ter, Skiles Gardner. The regiment was sent to Western Virginia, in July, 1861, and participated in the battles, marches and hardships of the cam- paign of that summer and fall, which cleared West Virginia of rebels. In November, 1861, Mr. Fisher was appointed Major of the Fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and joined that regiment at Camp Denison, Ohio. In February, 1862, the regiment was sent to Paducah, Ky., and was one of the regiments forming the division first com- manded by Brig. Gen. W. T. Sherman. In November, 1862, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment. His regiment remained with that division, which was afterward the nucleus of the Fifteenth Army Corps, until the close of the war, passing through many battles and sieges. Col. Fisher was married in Bellefontaine, Ohio, to Miss Sallie M. Dunham, December 15, 1859. She died September 25, 1860. He was again married August 11, 1864, to Miss Martha I. Hetich, of Crawford County, Ohio. In March, 1865, he pur- chased the Oskaloosa Herald, at Oskaloosa, Iowa, and was its editor-in-chief and proprietor until February, 1868. During his residence at Belle- fontaine, Ohio, he studied law under the instruc- tion of Hon. Benjamin Stanton, who was for many years a member of Congress from that district. He was admitted to the practice of law by the Su- preme Court of Ohio, in July, 1864. After
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selling the Oskaloosa Herald, in 1868, he opened a law office at Oskaloosa, Iowa, but threatened pulmonary troubles compelled him to seek the dry elimate of the Rocky Mountains. Having been tendered the positions of Superintendent, General Freight and Ticket Agent of the Denver Pacific Railway, he accepted the appointment in November, 1869, being the first to hold these offices on any railroad in Colorado. These positions he held until the road was purchased by the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1873. In the summer of 1870, the Kansas Pacific Railway having been completed to Denver, he was tendered the position of Super- intendent of the Denver Division, which he ac- cepted in September of that year, and held it until July 15, 1878. He was also Superintendent of the Colorado Central Railway for a few months, until Mr. Loveland again assumed control of the road, in 1875. In the summer of 1878, he was made Superintendent of the Mountain Division of the Union Pacific Railway, and assumed the duties of that office on the 15th of July, where he re- mained until February 7, 1879. He then resigned, to accept the position of General Superintendent of the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railway, of which he was also chosen a Director and Second Vice President in January, 1880.
CAPT. M. J. FITZ GERALD.
Capt. Fitz Gerald is one of the enteprising real- estate agents of this city, and one of the substan- tial and reliable business men. He was born in County Meath, Ireland, coming to America when a boy nine years of age, and locating at Baltimore, Md., where he had an uncle living. Here he re- ceived a moderate education, and was apprenticed to a bricklayer to learn that trade, but in January
of 1855, he enlisted in the United States Army, Company E of the First Artillery, and, while serving in this capacity, he at once began giving his spare time to the study of the sciences per- taining to pharmacy and materia medica. In 1859, he joined the Ordnance Corps, and was appointed Sergeant and Master Workman in the Arsenal at
Charleston, S. C., remaining in that position until December 31, 1860, when he was taken prisoner by the confederate troops of South Carolina, and, after a few weeks, was sent in charge of his detach- ment to Augusta, Ga., and upon the secession of that State was again taken prisoner, and a short time afterward was sent to Washington, D. C., and discharged from the service. In a few days, he re- enlisted in the First United States Artillery, and was appointed Hospital Steward of the United States Army, and ordered on duty at Fort Mc- Henry, remaining at this post for nearly a year, and was then ordered on duty at the General Hos- pital at Frederick, Md., and remained here until captured by the confederate troops a short time prior to the battle of Antietam, and was held pris- oner until released on the arrival of Gen. McClel- lan ; he again resumed his duties as Hospital Steward, remaining there until May, when he was transferred to Annapolis, Md., continuing Hospital Steward for a short time, and was then promoted to Second Lieutenant of the Ninth United States Infantry, and ordered to the Pacific Coast, joining his regiment and company on San Juan Island, and remaining there for about two years. While here, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. He was then removed to San Francisco, and there assigned a duty as Acting Assistant Quartermaster, presidio, and remained here until 1866. His next station was Fort Bidwell, Cal., where he built the post, and remained on duty until 1868, when he was ordered on general recruiting service, and sta- tioned at Cincinnati, Ohio, until the re-organization of the army in 1869, when he rejoined his regi- ment at Omaha, Neb., and continued in the serv- ice on the Plains until May, 1879. In the mean time, he was promoted to Captain in December, 1873, and, while stationed at the Red Cloud Agency, in August, 1876, he had his left leg fract- ured by a gun shot. He was in Chicago in 1877, with his company, and assisted in quelling the riots there. His last post was at Fort Mckinney, Big Horn Mountains. Here, on the 1st of May, 1879, upon his own application, he was placed on the
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retired list, and, after twenty-four years of active military service, returned to private life, and came to Denver and engaged in the real-estate and insur- ance business. Capt. Fitz Gerald has served his country long and faithfully, and, in entering upon a life of business, will no doubt meet with the suc- cess his sterling qualifications merit.
GEORGE FORD.
Mr. Ford is one of the substantial business men of Denver. He was born in Bellevue, Huron Co., Ohio, September 14, 1831. His father was a farmer, with whom he remained until the age of manhood. He then purchased a farm in his native county, and established himself in agricultural pur suits, a vocation for which he had a natural adaptation and taste, combined with a thorough acquaintance with its various branches. He con- tinued in that business until 1871, when he dis- posed of his farm and came to Colorado. His first undertaking was in the live-stock business, in which he continued successfully for two years, making the sheep trade the chief factor of his busi- ness. He then removed to Denver, and embarked in the wholesale and retail coal business, in con- nection with which he conducted a general flour and feed business, continuing the same with satis- factory results until January, 1880. Mr. Ford is a member of the Central Presbyterian Church, a reliable business man, and a good citizen.
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