Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 107

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1530

USA > Colorado > Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present > Part 107

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Mr. Murfitt was born in Clay County, Ill., September 20, 1858, and was five years of age when he was orphaned by the death of his father, Joseph Murfitt, a native of England, but a resi- dent of the United States from young manhood. The mother of our subject was Louisa (Lawson) Murfitt, who was born in Kentucky, but after 1840 lived in Illinois. She was a descendant of an English family that settled in Virginia early in the history of our country. Her father, Rev.

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William Lawson, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and engaged in the ministerial profession during his entire life. Our subject had two sis- ters younger than he, Lucy, who is a widow and lives in Illinois; and Emily, wife of Rev. James Mulvany, also of Illinois. When his mother died he was six years of age. He was taken into the home of Mrs. Gavin, a second cousin, with whom he remained until he was fourteen. Afterward he worked to earn a livelihood and assist his sis- ters.

In 1879 Mr. Murfitt came to Colorado and en- gaged in mining at Leadville. In the spring of 1883 he went from there to Poncha Springs, where he remained until 1887, the date of his ar- rival in Carbondale. He has built most of the houses in this town and vicinity and has proved himself to be a reliable and efficient workman. He was married July 13, 1882, his wife being Miss Jennie Gordon, of Connecticut. Fraternally he is council commander of Camp No. 405, Wood- men of the World, and is connected with Car- bondale Lodge No. 82, A. F. & A. M., and Mount Sopris Lodge No. 75, I. O. O. F., of this place.

ENRY C. ROGERS, county judge of Pitkin Connty, was born about seventy miles from Nashville, Tenn., in Macon County, March 13, 1856, and descended from an old English family that settled in New Jersey on coming to the United States. His father, Randolph, was a son of Mathew Rogers, who was a native of North Carolina, but spent much of his life in Tennessee and there owned and cultivated a farm. Randolph grew to manhood on the home farm and devoted much of his active life to agricultural pursuits, although for some time he also engaged in building flat boats and shipping produce to different points. During the slavery agitation he favored abolition and used his influence for the freedom of the slaves. Politically he was a Demo- crat.

The mother of Judge Rogers was Martha M., daughter of Henry Hall, a native of Tennessee and a man of considerable distinction in his com- munity, being a large land owner and capitalist, and serving as a soldier in the war of 1812. She was the mother of five children, of whom Silas B. is a physician in Mulkeytown, Ill .; Leann is Mrs. Vincent Snyder, and resides in Franklin County, Ill., where her husband owns a large stock farm; Mrs. Milton Hamilton is deceased;

and Mrs. Clemens B. Thoman is the wife of a large stock farmer, who was formerly register of the United States land office in Lamar, Colo.

When ten years of age our subject accompa- nied his parents from Tennessee to southern Illi- nois. He was educated in Ewing College in Franklin County. Afterward he studied in the law department of the University of St. Louis, from which he graduated in 1884. A year pre- vious he had been admitted to the bar of Illinois. While giving some attention to the law, he also engaged in teaching, and for twelve years had charge of schools in Illinois. In 1884 he came to Aspen, Colo., and during the winter that followed he was employed as principal of the high school. In the spring of 1885 he began the practice of law, to which and to his duties as judge his sub- sequent time has been devoted.

In 1888 Judge Rogers married Miss Mary McClelland, who had been his friend in child- hood, and had been reared in the same neighbor- hood as himself. She is a descendant of Scotch ancestors. Her father, Samuel McClelland, now deceased, was one of the men who went to Califor- nia in 1849 via the Isthmus of Darien in hope of finding gold; upon returning to Illinois he en- gaged in general farming, making, however, a specialty of horticulture.

Reared in the principles of the Democratic party, Judge Rogers has always voted with his party and upheld its platform. Upon that ticket in 1895 he was elected judge of Pitkin County. Two years later he was re-elected. He also has a private law office and devotes considerable at- tention to his profession. Interested in educa- tional matters, and familiar with the needs of schools through his experience as a teacher, he has been helpful to the work of the schools of Aspen, and for three years served as president of the school board of this place. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World.

OSEPH B. DOZE, deceased, a pioneer of southern Colorado, was born, of French par- ents, in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1831. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Darke County, the same state, and there his early years were spent, his education being ob- tained in public schools. In 1848, when seven- teen years of age, he accompanied his parents to Mahaska County, Iowa. After six years in that county he moved to Decatur County, where he

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continued to reside until 1867. Leaving Iowa during that year, he came to Colorado and set- tled in what is now Huerfano County, adjoining the county of Pueblo. He embarked in the stock business, and continued to reside in the same lo- cality until 1871, when he settled upon a ranch near Rye, Pueblo County. The ranch was then totally unimproved. He at once set about im- proving the property, and built fences, set out orchards and erected a residence that was the finest ranch house in the county at that time. For years he continued active and successful in the stock business and general farm pursuits. He was fond of hunting and an unerring marksman, and many an antelope, deer and bear fell beneath his trusty rifle, by which means an abundance of game was secured for the family.

During the eighteen years spent in Colorado, Mr. Doze saw many wonderful transformations and improvements. When he crossed the plains in a wagon, the old-fashioned "prairie schooner" was still in vogue, the railroad having not yet spanned the great west. Pueblo was then a small village and the county of that name was prac- tically unsettled. The thousands of emigrants to Colorado in previous years had sought the mining camps further west or north, and there were few who cared to improve land and seek a livelihood by means of stock-raising and farm- ing. He had faith in the agricultural possibilities of the territory, and that his judgment was not at fault the after years proved. With many cares pressing upon him he had little time for politics, and, aside from casting a straight Democratic vote, took no part whatever in public affairs. Fraternally he was connected with the Odd Fel- lows for many years, and in religion was a faith- ful adherent of the Presbyterian Church. At fifty years of age, in 1885, his earth life ended, and he entered into eternal rest.

In 1855 Mr. Doze married Mary, daughter of Calvin and Sarah Johnson, her father being a successful farmer in Indiana, where she was reared and educated. Six daughters and three sons were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Doze. Fenelon Augustus is a conductor on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad; John Calvin is engaged in the stock business in Huerfano Coun- ty; Alfred Victor is engaged in mining at Victor; Lena is the wife of Robert Holloway, of El Paso County; Cordelia married Louis de Camp, of Gardner, Colo .; Alice is the wife of John Fre- mont Stewart, a railroad man; Lucille married

James A. Ayers, an electrician; Mary Joyce and Josephine (twins) are students in the Pueblo schools. The family reside at No. 941 Palmer avenue, Pueblo, in the winter, and spend the sum- mer months on the home ranch of one hundred and sixty acres, near Rye.

2 ALPH W. CARY, M. D., who is the pioneer physician and druggist of Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, was born near Mount Ver- non, Ohio, July 2, 1852, a son of William L. and Evaline (Graham) Cary, natives of Knox and Licking Counties respectively. His pater- nal grandfather, Frederick Cary, was born in Connecticut and removed to Ohio, settling on a farm. Prior to his removal from the east he married Anna Savage, also a native of Bedford, Conn., and soon afterward, about 1820, they be- . came pioneer settlers of Ohio, where for many years he was a justice of the peace, as well as a prosperous farmer. The father is still living, re- tired, in Knox County, Ohio, and is now seventy- six years of age, while the mother is seventy- two; for years he held the position of postmaster, but afterward gave his attention to farming and the stock business. Of his seven children five are living, namely: Ralph W .; Henry, who lives on the old homestead; Samuel F., who teaches school in Mount Vernon, Ohio; Evaline, who is at the old homestead; and William L., an attor- ney of Mount Vernon, Ohio.

After having completed a high school educa- tion, our subject in 1874 began the study of medi- cine with Dr. F. C. Larimore, of Mount Vernon, a prominent physician, who had received the ad- vantages of European study. Later he attended lectures at the medical schools in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland, graduating in 1879 from the college in Columbus. Returning to Mount Vernon he at once commenced profes- sional practice. He continued in the same city until 1883. In 1880 he was elected coroner of Knox County on the Republican ticket, although the county was strongly Democratic.

Coming to Colorado in 1883, Dr. Cary spent one year in Del Norte, after which he came to Monte Vista in 1884. He was one of the incor- porators of this village, which had just been lo- cated. Soon after coming here he established a drug business, which was the first store of the kind here, and he was also the first physician in the town. He takes no part in politics further than to exercise his right of suffrage in support

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of the Republican party. Besides his other in- terests, he owns real estate and some stock in this section, and has a number of rauches, some of which he leases, while the remainder he op- erates personally. He erected the store and resi- dence which he occupies, and has done much in the way of developing village real estate. He acts as physician for the town and county. He is serving as physician for the Fraternal Aid As- sociation. In the lodge of Odd Fellows he is serving as past noble grand. While he is not a member of any denomination, he has assisted those in the county where he resides, and has shown the greatest sympathy with religious work. He was one of the trustees of the Presby- terian Church when it was first organized, and was also a promoter and charter trustee of the Baptist Church.

March 6, 1890, Dr. Cary married Mae B., daughter of Benjamin C. and Julia (Sturdevant) Bartlett, of Jersey County, Ill. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Cary was William Bartlett, and her grandparents on the maternal side were William and Sallie (Triskett) Sturdevant. Three children were born to bless the union of Dr. and Mrs. Cary, namely: Ralph W., Jr .; Julia E. and Linna Mae. The older daughter met with a sad death, being accidentally poisoned by some medicine which, in childish ignorance, she took from her father's medicine case. The family are highly esteemed by the people of Monte Vista, where they have a host of personal friends and well-wishers.

r HARLES M. CORLETT, as an attorney, has gained a reputation which is not limited to the boundaries of Monte Vista, his home town, nor indeed to Rio Grande County. A man of strong personality and accurate judgment, he is conceded to be one of the most progressive cit- izens of his town, which owes much to his energy and his liberal aid in the promotion of local im- provements. He acts as attorney for a number of corporations, among them the State Bank of Monte Vista. In the organization of the Farm- ers' Improvement Town Company of Hooper he took an active part, and has since been a stock- holder, director and the attorney for the company, and assisted in platting the village of Hooper. He is attorney and manager of the Monte Vista Gas and Electric Light Company, in which he is a stockholder and director. As attorney and a stockholder he is also identified with the Rio

Grande and Lariat Ditch Company, and the Rio Grande and Piedra Valley Ditch Company. From the formation of the Vermillion Mining Company he has been connected with it, and is now its president and the principal factor in the develop- ment of the mines near Ouray, in San Juan Coun- ty, which are now established upon a paying basis.

A son of John W. and Abigail (Crane) Corlett, our subject was born in Humboldt, Neb., Sep- tember 12, 1860. His father was born in Lon- don, England, and at two years of age was brought to America by his parents, who settled in Ontario. Near Detroit, Mich., he married Miss Crane, who was born and reared in New York state. After their marriage, in 1856, they drove overland to Nebraska and settled upon a farm, where Mr. Corlett engaged in stock-raising. However, his life was not long spared; he died in 1861, while still in life's prime. In his family there were seven children, four of whom are now living, namely: Henry, who is engaged in the grocery and feed business at Kingfisher, Okla .; Emma, wife of W. O. Quick, of Nebraska; John W., a business man of Oklahoma; and Charles M. The last-named was one of the first white children born in Nebraska. He grew to manhood upon a farm in that state and received a high-school ed- ucation. When eighteen years of age he engaged in teaching in the home neighborhood, and this oc- cupation he followed for three years. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in the grocery and mer- cantile business at Burchard, Pawnee County, Neb., in which he continued for two years.

Desiring to enter the profession of law Mr. Cor- lett began to study in the office of Hon. George M. Humphrey, of Pawnee City. He was ad- mitted to the bar in January, 1887, at Lincoln, Neb. Returning to Burchard he opened an of- fice, and for two years carried on a general prac- tice. Meantime he became actively identified with political affairs. In 1880 he had served as census enumerator, and later he held other local offices. In the county and state conventions of the Republican party he worked energetically for the men and measures he believed would best promote the party's welfare. He was an ardent admirer of James G. Blaine, whom he helped to nominate for the presidency.

In 1889 Mr. Corlett came to Monte Vista, where he has built up an important practice in all of the courts. In 1892 he was a delegate to the national convention at Minneapolis, being

MR. AND MRS. RICHARD HOULE.

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alternate-at-large from Colorado. Since 1896 he has been county attorney, and also acts as town attorney. Besides his practice before the lower courts he has had one case before the United States court of appeals of St. Paul, and other cases in the higher courts. He is extensively in- terested in real estate and ranch property in Conejos, Costilla, Saguache and Rio Grande Counties. In his home place there are forty acres of land, with beautifully arranged grounds surrounding his residence, a brick structure, erected in 1895. One of the noticeable features of the place is a fishpond with trout and carp.

Fraternally Mr. Corlett is a member of Monte Vista Lodge No. 73, A. F. & A. M .; Bethlehem Chapter No. 13, R. A. M., Pawnee City, Neb .; and Mount Horeb Commandery No. 10, K. T., at Tecumseh, Neb. He is a member of the Christian Church at Monte Vista, in which he has officiated as a trustee and clerk. April 5, 1880, he married Mary E., daughter of George J. and Mary E. (Marshall) Stafford, of Nebraska, where she was reared, though born in Indiana. They are the parents of seven children, namely: Nellie I., who is her father's stenographer, and is also a talented and popular elocutionist; George M., Charles H., Abigail, Maude and Claude (twins), and Jennie.

2 ICHARD HOULE was an early settler in the Wet Mountain Valley, where he is en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. When he came here in 1873, the Indians had not yet de- parted for the more remote west, and the country was open and wild. He took up one hundred and sixty acres in what is now Custer County, and at once began to improve the land. Stock- raising has been his specialty. From John and W. R. Shafer, of Middletown, Butler County, Ohio, he purchased a bunch of Holstein cattle, which were the first ever shipped into this state. With these he began in the stock business, which he has. since conducted on an increasing scale. Later he added by purchase to his original tract lying about twelve miles north of Westcliffe, until he now owns a farm of six hundred acres, while with others, he is interested in a ranch of sixteen hundred acres midway between his home and Westcliffe. The land is devoted to both farming and grazing. All of his property is am- ply provided with irrigation facilities, by means of natural lakes above timber line, that have been converted into reservoirs for the storage of water.

He was one of the pioneers in the movement for the storing of water in this section, and has been more active than any other farmer in this work; at this writing he is interested in five reservoirs, at or above timber line.

A son of George and Eliza (Slader) Houle, our subject was born in Devonshire, England, Feb- ruary 4, 1850. He was reared to manhood on his father's farm and received his education prin- cipally in the Devon high school. When twen- ty-one years of age he came to the United States and settled in Livingston County, Ill., where he engaged in farming for one year. In the spring of 1873 he came to Colorado and has since resided on his present ranch. He is one of the extensive cattlemen of the county, and utilizes the products of his farm mainly for feed during the winter months.

Politically Mr. Houle is a Republican. He has steadfastly refused to accept nomination for any office, as his large interests require his undivided attention. The Methodist Church numbers him among its members. He is a stockholder in the creamery at Westcliffe and those at Cotopaxi, Hillside and Howard. His first marriage took place in January, 1876, and united him with Elizabeth Howard, of Devonshire, England. Eight children were born of their marriage, namely: Eliza, Richard S., George, James Gar- field, Thomas, Emma, John and Ellen. After the death of his first wife in 1896 he was a sec- ond time married, being united with Sadie Ash- ton, of Canon City, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Moore) Ashton, natives of Wales and England respectively, and now residents of Canon City.

Y OBERT J. CHAMBERS, a farmer and stock dealer residing on the Blanca River, nine miles southeast of Pagosa Springs, Archu- leta County, was born in Green County, Wis., in 1845, a son of Thomas and Rebecca Chambers. At thirteen years of age he accompanied his par- ents to Knox County, Ill., where he attended public schools and grew to manhood. In 1867 he went to Missouri, where he engaged in farm- ing. Two years later he removed to Labette County, Kan., where he entered land and carried on stock-raising, remaining in that place until he came to Colorado in 1878. The following year he settled permanently at Pagosa Springs, mak- ing his home in the town, while he conducted a stock and dairy ranch in the country. By home-

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stead law, in 1882 he secured the land from moved from Virginia to Kentucky, where he en- which he has developed his present ranch, and here he has about three hundred head of cattle, besides a number of horses. His attention is given closely to ranching, in which occupation he has been successful.

The political affiliations of Mr. Chambers were with the Democratic party until 1884, when he identified himself with the Populists, and has since been actively identified with the town and county affairs of that organization. In 1888 he was elected county commissioner and served for three years, during which time he officiated as chairman of the board. Twice since then he has been a candidate for commissioner, but the first time was defeated by three votes and the second time by thirty votes. Since the organization of school district No. 5 he has been president of its board of directors, contributing by his energy and good judgment to the promotion of local educational interests. He is an active member of the Farmers' Alliance of this county.

In 1868 Mr. Chambers was united in marriage with Miss Anna Mckinney, of Missouri, who died in 1891, leaving five children, viz .: Ernest; Effie, wife of W. O. Brown; Joseph; Urban; and Bessie, wife of Roy Sanderson. The present wife of Mr. Chambers was May Thompson, an esti- mable lady, and daughter of M. B. Thompson, of this county. By his second marriage he has one son, Carl Bryan, born December 27, 1898.

HARLES T. LOVE, one of the most suc- cessful stockmen of El Paso County, owns a ranch of eleven hundred and twenty acres, situated in the eastern part of the county, thirty- seven miles southeast of Colorado Springs and twenty-five miles south of Calhan. Since settling here in 1896 he has improved and fenced the tract, upon which, as well as upon several sec- tions of leased land, he engages in raising hay and stock. In order to provide water for the stock he has four wells and windmills. He makes a specialty of raising high-grade Shorthorns and Herefords, of which he has a large herd. Ship- ments of stock are made to Kansas City and Omaha, and fair prices are realized from the sales. Since 1875 his brand has been the let- ters LOV on the left side.

A resident of El Paso County since 1873, Mr. Love is a native of Cynthiana, Harrison County, Ky., and descends from Scotch and Irish ancestors. His grandfather, Samuel Love, in early days re-

gaged in farming and stock-raising. He died when his son, Joel F., was a child of six years. The last-named was born in Cynthiana, Ky., and was there engaged in the dry-goods business and in stock-raising. About 1862 he removed to Illi- nois and settled in Paris, Edgar County, where he carried on a hardware business about eleven years. In 1873 he removed to Colorado and settled ten miles south of Colorado Springs, at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain, on Rock Creek. There he engaged in the stock business. After some years, his health being poor, he removed to Colorado Springs, and was appointed postmaster here under President Cleveland's administration. However, his health became so greatly impaired that he resigned in the second year of his term. He died in the spring of 1892, when sixty-five years of age.

The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Mary E. Eads, was born in Bour- bon County, Ky., and was a member of the family whose most distinguished representative was the builder of the Eads bridge. She is still living and makes her home with our subject. In religious belief she is a Methodist. Her mother was a Miss McMillan, whose father was an aide on the staff of General Washing- ton. Our subject was one of three sons. His brother Harry, who was his partner, died in Colorado Springs; and the other brother, John, is engaged in mining at Steamboat Springs. Charles T. Love was born November 18, 1857. One of his earliest recollections is of the battle of Cynthiana, which was fought near his home. In 1862 the family removed to Paris, Ill., where he was educated in the grammar and high schools, bnt stopped school the year before graduating. In 1873 he accompanied his par- ents to Colorado. Three years later, with his brother, Harry, he located a ranch on this side of Cripple Creek. He soon became familiar with that entire stretch of country. Game was plen- tiful, and he frequently killed mountain lions, bears, buffaloes and deer, at places where are now some of the best claims of Cripple Creek. He and his brother homesteaded and pre-empted land, and became owners of eight hundred acres, which they fenced and irrigated, and on which they en- gaged in raising stock and hay.

After the death of his brother, our subject bought his interest and has since continued alone. He sold one hundred and sixty acres, leaving six

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hundred and forty acres in the Mountain Meadow ranch, which is best known as Love's ranch. He still owns the property, but has leased it since 1896, when he removed to his present ranch on the plains. While in the mountains he was a mem- ber of the school board and served as its presi- dent. He assisted in forming district No. 57 and hauled logs for the first school house, to which he contributed liberally of time and means. Po- litically he is a Democrat. In addition to his other interests, he is a stockholder in mines in Cripple Creek.

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Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 107

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1530

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1530