Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 123

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 123

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Politically Mr. Grant has been a life-long Re- publican, but he has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office. He is a fine-looking man, and in appearance much resembles General Grant, and while the latter was a born leader in war, our subject is a born leader in financial and business circles. He has been remarkably suc- cessful in his career, but is broad minded, liberal and generous, and from his door no one is turned away hungry. He is pre-eminently public- spirited, and few men have done more to advance the interests of the county than Robert Grant.

AMES A. PULLIAM, attorney-at-law, of Rico, Dolores County, was born in Scotland County, Mo.,in 1863, the youngest among the five children of Squire James and Rebecca H. (Shacklett) Pulliam, natives of Kentucky. His father removed to Missouri in early manhood and there engaged in the stock business, contin- uing to reside there from the year of his arrival,

Shortly after his admission to the bar, in 1887, Mr. Pulliam came to Colorado and was admitted to the bar of this state in the fall of that year. Settling in Sterling he opened an office and con- tinued in practice at that place until September, 1892. He then came to Rico, where he has since engaged in professional work, and has also be- come interested in mining to some extent. Since 1893 he has held the office of county and city attorney, and he is also attorney for the Rio Grande Southern Railroad. The most of his time is given to his practice, but he does not neg- lect the duty of a law-abiding citizen; he studies public affairs and aims to promote public-spirited projects. In politics he usually votes the fusion ticket. He is the only attorney in Dolores Coun- ty, and to him, therefore, has come the principal share of the legal work in this locality.

Mr. Pulliam is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In the year 1890 he was united in marriage with Florence E. Lewis, of Clark Coun- ty, Mo. They have two children, Eulalie I. and James A., Jr.

ILLIAM H. RADER, M. D. The family represented by this well-known physician of Silverton has long been identified with the history of America. His maternal ancestors were of French Huguenot stock, and were forced to flee from France during the religious perse- cutions of Protestants, seeking a refuge in this country and first settling in New Orleans, but afterward coming up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to the Old Dominion. His paternal grand- father, John Rader, who was a native of Pennsyl- vania and a soldier in the war 1812, married Magdeline Hildebrand, of Pennsylvania, and among their children was John, Jr., the doctor's father. The latter was born in Virginia, became a farmer, and in 1855 removed to Menard County, Ill., where he died in 1888. His wife was Sarah Towberman, also of Virginian birth.

During the residence of his parents in Augusta . County, Va., Dr. Rader was born July 6, 1846.

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He accompanied his father to Illinois, but in 1857 returned to Virginia, where he made his home with relatives. In 1870 he entered the Uni- versity of Virginia, from which he graduated in 1871, having, by previous study, gained such a proficiency in the theory of medicine that he was able to graduate after one session of college study. After graduation he spent six months in the Bay View Asylum, Baltimore, Md., where he was resident physician. He began to practice at Her- mitage, Augusta County, Va., where he remained for one year, after which he was at Timberville, Va., for three years. For six years he practiced in Piedmont, W. Va., and for two years in Cum- berland, Md. In 1884 the failing health of his wife induced him to come to Colorado. He first located in Durango, where he engaged in practice for twelve years. In 1896 he removed to Silver- ton, where he afterward formed a partnership with Dr. Prewitt in the establishment of the Silverton Hospital. This institution, which has accommo- dations for fifteen patients, was established for emergency cases, and in this respect has been found to be most helpful.

For seven years Dr. Rader was retained as physician and surgeon to the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, for some years was physician and surgeon to the Omaha-Grant Smelter Com- pany, and also held the office of county physician of La Plata County. He has been employed as physician for a number of life insurance com- panies, which, combined with his private practice, has made his life a very busy one indeed.

The success which Dr. Rader has attained is especially noteworthy when it is considered that he was left fatherless at an early age, and from youth was forced to make his way in the world. When he was fifteen the Civil war began, and, fired with a zeal in behalf of the Confederate cause, he enlisted in J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry, where he continued for two years, but a wound re- ceived in June, 1863, incapacitated him for fur- ther service. He was honorably discharged and soon went to Texas, but after a year returned to Virginia, where he took up the study of medi- cine. Since then his life has been devoted to professional labors. Through his membership in the American Medical Association, and his study of the best medical literature, he keeps abreast with every advancement made in this constantly developing science. He is a member of the Ma- sonic order. In religion he believes in Presby- terian doctrines and affiliates with that denomina-

tion; while residing in West Virginia he officiated as a deacon in the church.

April 15, 1875, Dr. Rader married Jeannette B. Thrustou, a granddaughter of Judge Buckner Thruston, who was elected senator from Keu- tucky in 1805 and afterward, under President Monroe, became chief justice of the District of Columbia. Mrs. Rader was orphaned at an early age and was reared in the home of her uncle, Rear-Admiral L. M. Powell. The family of Dr. and Mrs. Rader comprises three children: Will- iam H., Jeannette T. and A. Thruston.

M ILTON T. MORRIS came to Colorado in 1880 and settled in the Mancos Valley, where he secured, by pre-emption, a quar- ter-section of land. At that time the valley was in the early stages of its development. Only about three hundred acres were under cultivation, while at the present time there are about twelve thousand acres improved and cultivated. He himself has been an important factor in the de- velopment of the agricultural resources of this locality, and by the success he has had in his pri- vate pursuits has stimulated others to undertake ranching here. He has made farming and stock- raising his occupations throughout the later years of his life, and in these has met with gratifying success.

In Pickaway County, Ohio, Mr. Morris was born in 1836. His father, Thomas W. Morris, was a native of Ohio and a leading farmer of Pickaway County, where be was an active worker in the Democratic party, and for two terms was county auditor. While he was still in office, and less than forty years of age, he attended a state convention of his party at Columbus, Ohio, and there caught a cold which terminated in a fatal illness. He was a son of John Morris, who was born in Pennsylvania, and became a prosperous farmer of Pickaway County, where he held many positions of trust. Our subject's cousin, Samuel Morris, is now cashier of the First National Bank at Circleville, Ohio, and his brother, Milton T., is a prominent attorney of that place. The fam- ily still maintain the high reputation for integrity and ability which their ancestors established years ago in Pickaway County.

The marriage of Thomas W. Morris united him with Matilda Penninger, a native of Virginia and a descendant of one of Virginia's old colonial families. She died in 1865, aged fifty-seven years of age. Of her five children, Sarah is the

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wife of John McGregor, of Springfield, Mo .; John H. lives in Missouri; and Elizabeth W. and Martha J. are deceased. Our subject, who was fifth in order of birthi, accompanied his mother to Jackson County, Iowa, when he was fourteen years of age, and there he grew to manhood, meantime attending district schools. At the age of twenty he entered Lawrence University at Ap- pleton, Wis., where he remained for a time, and afterward completed his studies in the State Uni- versity. Upon leaving school he began the study of law under Jerry W. Jenkins and C. M. Dun- bar, at Maquoketa, Iowa. In 1861 he went to the Pacific coast and roamed through California, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Nevada, engag- ing in prospecting and mining a various camps. Returning to Iowa in 1867, he there married Miss Samantha Monroe, daughter of Alonzo Monroe, who at one time was a leading attorney of Ohio. After his marriage he settled in Marionville, Mo., where he built a flour and saw mill and engaged in the milling business, while at the same time he practiced law. From there, in 1874, he went to Texas, and engaged in farming and stock-raising until 1880, when he removed to the Mancos Val- ley in Colorado.

Until 1891 Mr. Morris was a Democrat, but since that time he has voted with the Populists. In 1889 he was elected judge of Montezuma County, which position he filled efficiently for three years. When Montezuma County was about to be separated from La Plata, in 1887, he went to Denver, in accordance with the request of his fellow-citizens, in order to forward the division of the counties. He was one of the organizers of the blue lodge of Masonry at Marionville, Mo., and was its first master. He and his wife have three children: Lina, who is married and resides in Silverton; Clara, wife of W. C. Ormiston; and May, who graduated from the Normal school in Chillicothe, Mo., and is now a teacher in the pub- lic schools of this county. The family are highly esteemed by their circle of acquaintances.

F EORGE ROBERTSON, an early settler of Colorado, and for years a prominent miller near Saguache, was born at Medina, N. Y., June 12, 1826, a son of John and Frances (West- erdale) Robertson. His father came to America from England in company with a brother Robert, settled in Hamilton, Canada, and was there en- gaged in the butchering business. Later he was similarly occupied at Medina, N. Y. In politics

he was active, affiliating with the Whig party. His death occurred when he had attained eighty- two years of age. Of his six children, George, the youngest, is the sole survivor.

When a boy our subject was apprenticed to a miller at Lockport, N. Y., a town that then had no railroads, but was reached by steam packets running on the canal. After three years he went to Buffalo and secured employment with John T. Noye, in whose machine factory he remained for two years. Afterward, going to Cleveland, Ohio, he engaged in milling there for five years. His next location was in Canada, where he milled in various places, principally Chatham and London. Later he went to Detroit and remained there until the "boom" started in Chicago, when he went to that place, securing work at $7 a day.

When the first reports came of the discovery of gold in the mountains of Colorado, Mr. Robert- son determined to seek his fortune in the west. He left St. Joseph with an ox-team and arrived in Denver June 13, 1859. That now great city was then a mere mining camp, destitute of houses or improvements of any kind. In the fall of the same year he went to Gregory Gulch, and in the spring of 1860 proceeded to Russell Gulch, but soon sold his claims and returned to Denver. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in Company A, First Colorado Cavalry, which saw considerable service on the borders of Old Mexico. At Pig- eon's ranch he assisted in rescuing the train from Colonel Sibley, who was in command of the Tex- ans. He also participated in other small en- gagements and did considerable escort duty. One week before Christmas in 1864 he was honorably discharged.

Going to Pueblo Mr. Robertson embarked in the cattle business, but gave it up to enter the milling business. He started milling for Baxter Thatcher in 1866, and for twenty-one years was interested in the same mill, which was the first built there. In 1865 he had come through this valley on a hunting tour, and assisted in putting up the first log building erected on Kirber Creek. When he left the old Pueblo mill in 1887 he came to Saguache County and bought the mill west of town which he has since operated. In 1898 he remodeled it thoroughly and put in the roller process, increasing the capacity to thirty- five barrels. His long and thorough experience in milling enables him to turn out the very best products. Now, however, the management of the mill is mainly in the hands of his son, while

JOHN ROSS.

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he is living to some extent retired, without any business cares, except such as are connected with the oversight of his property in Pueblo and Saguache County.

Besides his other interests, Mr. Robertson has done much toward developing the mining re- sources of Saguache County, and has a very promising proposition on what is known as the Klondike here. Politically he is a Republican, but has never been active in public affairs. In 1868 he married Sarah Humble, a native of Iowa, but who, at the time of her marriage, resided in Pueblo. Three children were born of their union, viz .: Minnie, wife of T. J. Dofflemeyer, of San Bernardino, Cal .; George H., who is engaged in the milling business as manager of his father's mill; and Anne May, who married Charles W. McDonald, and resides in Victor, this state.

OHN ROSS, one of the leading stock-raisers and farmers of Pueblo County, eminently de- serves classification among those purely self- made men who have distinguished themselves for their ability to master the opposing forces of life and to wrest from fate a large measure of suc- cess and an honorable name. He had his na- tivity encompassed by those environments which have ever fostered the spirit of personal independ- ence and self-reliance, which have furnished the bulwarks of our national prosperity and wonder- ful development.

Mr. Ross was born in Jackson County, Ohio, in 1838, and is a son of John Ross, who was born in Wales, of Scotch parentage, and on coming to this country settled in Ohio at an early day. By occupation he was a farmer. He married Miss Mary Evans, a native of Wales, and to them were born six children, two sons and four daughters, all residents of Ohio with the exception of our subject. The other son, Thomas, is also an agri- culturist.

Mr. Ross, of this review, was reared in his na- tive state and educated in its district schools. At the age of twenty he started out to make his own way in the world, first going to Leavenworth, Kan., where he spent one year. In 1860 he came to Colorado, and after spending a year in traveling over the state he located in Pueblo County, when it contained no towns or railroads. Upon his present place he has made his home since 1863, and now has one of the finest ranches along the Arkansas River, it being improved with a fine res- idence, good barns and outbuildings and watered

by his own private ditch. He also has a fine or- chard and apiary, and is engaged in both farming and stock-raising. He has been remarkably suc- cessful in his undertakings and to-day is one of the most prosperous and substantial citizens of his community.

In 1872 Mr. Ross was united in marriage with Miss Lavada E. Wiggins, a native of North Caro- lina, anda daughter of W. A. Wiggins, who makes his home with our subject. He was a Confederate soldier of the Civil war, and participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam and Gettys- burg. Mr. and Mrs. Ross have a family of four children, two sons and two daughters, namely: Mary, wife of W. L. Russell, who lives near Boone, Pueblo County; William Buford, Maud and Walter, all at home.

Mr. Ross gives his political support to the men and measures of the Republican party, but has never desired public office. He has ever taken a great interest in educational affairs, and has helped to build many school houses. His sup- port is never withheld from any enterprise which he believes will prove of public benefit or will in any way advance the interests of his county or state.

OSEPH C. PURSLEY, who is engaged in stock-raising and general ranching near La Jara, Conejos County, was born in Pickens County, S. C., May 7, 1850, but when a child ac- companied his parents to Tennessee, and there his early life was spent. At an early age he became familiar with farming, for he assisted his father in the cultivation of the Tennessee homestead and also took part in the caring for the stock raised on the place. In 1885 he came to Colorado and settled near La Jara, where he farmed for a year, but in 1886 purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, where he now resides. At once he began to improve the property, and in the years that have since intervened he has made a num- ber of valuable improvements. Stock-raising has been his specialty, and he keeps on his place be- tween forty and fifty head of Holsteins and Short- horn cattle. He also has about thirty head of horses.

By the purchase of an additional quarter-sec- tion of land, Mr. Pursley is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres. Upon this land he engages in agricultural pursuits, raising about five thousand bushels of grain per annum, and also a fine grade of stock. The farm is watered

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by the Miller and Sherman ditch, which he as- sisted in building and in which he is a stock- holder. He also owns stock in the Magota ditch, the water for which is taken from the Conejos River; and the Nate Garrett ditch, from the La Jara River. In 1891 he erected a neat residence, which has the modern improvements.

Politically Mr. Pursley is a pronounced Demo- crat and has been active in county and local af- fairs. By appointment from Governor Waite, he held the office of water commissioner of district No. 21 for two years. For eight years he served as a member of the school board of district No. I. Realizing the advantages of a good education, he is giving his children all the opportunities possible. His success is praiseworthy and has been gained within a comparatively few years, for he came to Colorado a poor man in 1885, and is now the owner of one of the best ranches in Conejos Coun- ty. In 1872 he married Sarah B. Carter, a na- tive of Jackson County, Tenn., and by her he has seven children, namely: Frank, who is employed on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad; Henry, deceased; Anthony W., in Arizona; Charles, Erastus, James and Ellen.

URTIS L. GREENWOOD, who is a suc- cessful civil engineer and also holds the office of deputy United States mineral sur- veyor, was born in Scranton, Pa., in 1859, a son of Isaac B. and Fannie (Thatcher) Greenwood. His father, a mechanic by trade, died in Scranton at forty-seven years of age, and his mother passed away when forty years old. After the death of his parents, our subject went to Rochester, Minn., and when nineteen years of age he entered the Minnesota State University at Minneapolis, where he took a course in engineering. After graduat- ing in 1885 he settled in Minneapolis, and in that city and St. Paul engaged in railroad engineer- ing for three years. He then spent a year sur- veying in Nebraska.

Coming to Colorado in 1889, Mr. Greenwood spent a year in Denver, and in 1890 became resi- dent engineer on the Rio Grande Southern Rail- road, holding the position for two years, during which time he had charge of the construction of the famous Ophir loop. In 1892 he was stationed at Rico, where he had charge of a branch line built to the Enterprise mine. From there he came to Telluride in the spring of 1893, and here engaged in general surveying and engineering,

being employed by many of the leading mining companies of this section. Since 1893 he has held the position of deputy mineral surveyor. For four years he served as city engineer of Telluride and for a similar period acted as county surveyor of San Miguel County. Besides his other inter- ests he owns a fruit ranch on the North Fork of the Gunnison River and is successfully carrying on the raising of fruits. He is a member of Bridal Vail Lodge No. 80, K. P. By his mar- riage, in 1887, to Miss Mary Irving, of Minne- sota, he has four children, Arthur, Harold, Ruth and Mary.

OHN W. ROGERS, whose ranch is situated eight miles southwest of Fairplay, Park County, was born in Platte County, Mo., October 8, 1858, a son of William S. and Emily (Miller) Rogers. He was one of eleven children, seven of whom survive: Barton W .; Robert W .; Alice J., wife of J. B. Fisher; John W .; James E., Ida M. and Wallace B. The father, who was born in Calloway County, Mo., in 1826, removed in boy- hood to Platte County, where he grew to manhood and married Miss Miller, a native of Franklin County, Mo., born in 1832.

In 1868 William S. Rogers removed to Wyan- dotte County, Kan., but three years later returned to Missouri and settled in Jackson County, twelve miles east of Independence. There he still makes his home. He is a veteran of two wars, having served in the Mexican war and in the Civil war, in which latter he was captain of Company C, in Colonel Winston's regiment. His father, William Rogers, was in many respects a remarkable man. Born in Charlotte County, Va., February 16, 1792, he was a son of Ezekiel Rogers, an officer under Gen. George Washing- ton. When a child of three years he was taken by his parents to Clark County, Ky., and in 1801 accompanied them to Upper Louisiana, or New Spain, now Missouri, where each settler received a gift of six hundred and forty acres of land, the territory being then under the Spanish govern- ment. Ezekiel Rogers settled twenty miles west of St. Louis, then called Pantcout. There, in spite of constant harassing by Indians, he con- tinned to make his home until his death ten years later. Afterward the mother returned to Ken- tucky with her eight children.

When the war of 1812 began, William Rogers, then a young man, was among the first to volun-

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teer in the service, and he continued throughout the war as orderly sergeant. Upon returning home he was commissioned captain of a company of militia. In 1832, at the opening of the Black Hawk war, he volunteered in the service, was ac- cepted, and continued until the close of the war. From major he was promoted to be colonel and was finally commissioned brigadier-general. Dur- ing the Florida war he raised troops for that struggle. In 1840 he removed to Platte County and settled three miles northwest of Barry, Mo. He was the first man to organize and drill a com- pany of militia in Platte County and shortly after this he was appointed brigadier inspector by B. M. Hughes. He took a deep interest in mili- tary tactics and was said to be the most efficient militia officer of his day. In 1843 his name was presented for the legislature, but the great amount of rascality and trickery he encountered in the canvass caused his upright nature to rebel and he withdrew from the race, saying that if he could not go into the office honorably, he would not serve at all. When the Mexican war broke out he was too old to enter the service, but sent his eldest son, then a youth of nineteen, who es- poused the cause joyfully. Four months after- ward, when a second call was made for troops, he sent his second and only remaining son, then six- teen years of age. At the outbreak of the Civil war he assisted in raising troops, which he drilled for the Confederate cause, he being a Jeffersonian southern Democrat. After the conclusion of the war, he said that his rights had been taken from him, and he never voted again. He lived to be ninety-four years of age, and died September 9, 1886.

The subject of this sketch acquired a common- school education in boyhood. He was ambitious to be self-supporting, and at fifteen years began to work for neighboring farmers. In 1878 he started for the west and on the last day of July arrived in South Park, where he engaged at ranch work the next day, and for eleven months continned with the same employer. In company with three of his brothers and another man, in July, 1879, he went to Leadville, thence to New Mexico, and there changed their intended desti- nation from Arizona to Texas. After a short time they drifted into Kansas, where they spent the winter. In March they returned to Colorado. At Leadville our subject was ill for two months. Upon his recovery he hired as a ranch hand, and or three years worked for wages. In 1883 he

purchased his present ranch, which he has since successfully managed, carrying on a cattle business.

In Jackson County, Mo., Rev. James M. Cha- ney, of Independence, performed the ceremony which united in marriage, December 1, 1897, John W. Rogers and Sophia M. Sanders, a native of Kentucky, and a daughter of Samuel and Martha E. (Bright) Sanders. The maternal grandmother of Mrs. Rogers was in maidenhood Sophia Rochester, and was a granddaughter of Nicholas Rochester, who was born in Kent County, England, about 1640, and settled in Westmoreland County, Va., about 1686. His grandson, Nathaniel Rochester, was the founder of Rochester, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have one child, Mary Alice, born September 4, 1898. In fraternal relations our subject is connected with the Patriotic Order Sons of America.

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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 123

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