Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 173

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 173

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and twenty acres at Holly, Colo., of which tract eighty-five acres are in fruit trees. He is also secretary and manager of the Melon Growers' Association of that place. Before leaving Otero County he had charge of the state experimental station for about a year. The other children are: Belle, Estella, Amanda and John H., Jr., the last-named a boy of eight years.

Formerly a Democrat, since 1893 Mr. Crowley has been a member of the People's party and a stanch silver man. In 1893 and 1894, again in 1897 and 1898, he represented his district in the legislature. As a rule, however, he has refused to accept nomination for office, preferring to de- vote himself to his fruit industry, which requires his constant supervision. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

HOMAS F. STOKES, station agent of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad at Akron, came to Colorado in 1890 on busi- ness for this railway company. In May of that year he opened the first office at the Denver stockyards, and in August he was sent to Akron on local business. While here he asked to be stationed at this point and his request was grant- ed. During the intervening years he has held the position and has become known, both to the trainmen and the general public, as one of the most genial and accommodating agents on the road.

Mr. Stokes was born in Fayette County, Ill., September 17, 1849, a son of Bird and Margaret (Casey) Stokes. He was one of eleven children, of whom seven are living, viz .: Thomas F .; J. Wade, who is train dispatcher of the Texas Mid- land Railroad, stationed at Terrell, Tex .; Sarah E., wife of H. S. Short, M. D., of Fillmore, Ill .; Mary, who married James Wilson, a farmer liv- ing near Nokomis, Ill .; Campbell A., a physi- cian and surgeon, practicing in Edinburg, Ill .; Homer, who is engaged in the insurance busi- ness at Ramsey, Ill .; and Walter, who is con- nected with the Burlington & Missouri River Railway Company at McCook, Neb.

A native of Tennessee, our subject's father served in the Mexican war, after which he re- moved to Illinois and settled in Fayette County. There he married and engaged in farming. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood on the home farm. When seventeen years of age he became a clerk in a general store at Ramsey, Ill., where he spent three years in learning the

rudiments of a business education. At the ex- piration of that period he entered the office of the Illinois Central Railroad at Ramsey, and there studied telegraphy. In 1872 he was given an office ou the Illinois Central road at Oconee, Ill., where he remained until 1885. He then went to Nebraska and for eighteeen months was cashier of the office of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad at Holdrege, after which he was extra agent for three and one-half years, and until coming to Colorado.

In fraternal relations Mr. Stokes is connected with Star of Jupiter Lodge No. 31, at Akron; the blue lodge of Masonry at Ramsey, Ill .; and the Knights of Pythias at Holdrege, Neb. In his political belief he is allied with the Republicans and always supports the men and measures for which that party stands; however, his interest has been that of a private citizen only, he never having cared for official positions or honors. His marriage, May 28, 1876, united him with Miss Emma L. Jamison, who was born in New York City. Her father, Alfred Jamison, was at one time proprietor of a slaughter house in New York. During the excitement of 1849 he joined the emigrants to the El Dorado of the west. With a party he chartered a vessel and sailed around the Horn. He spent several years in the Cali- fornia gold fields and met with reasonable success, after which he returned to New York. Later he removed to Illinois, where he engaged in farming and spent the remaining years of his life.

ENRY W. WITMER, who owns and occu- pies a ranch one mile northeast of Atwood in Logan County, is a native of York County, Pa., and was born March 10, 1862. He was one of five children, all but one of whom are living. They are: Kate, who is the wife of J. Baldwin, of Abilene, Kan .; Florence, wife of David Snghart, who travels for the Babcock Boiler Company, of Denver; Mrs. Sadie Heiges, of Pennsylvania; Henry W., and Jacob, of Pueblo. The father, John Witmer, was born in York County, Pa., about 1818, and there married Rebecca Kesler, after which he engaged in farming. Some years after his marriage he removed to Adams County, Pa., where he engaged in fruit culture. About 1880 lie settled in Abilene, Kan., where he en- gaged in gardening until his death, some four years later. His father, Jacob Witmer, was a native of Germany and emigrated to America in an early day with his parents, his father becoming

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owner of one of the largest farms in York County, which property passed to the son after the fath- er's death. In religion they were of the Quaker faith.

In the spring of 1879 our subject left home and began for himself in the world. Going to Kansas, he spent six months engaged in farm work near Abilene, after which he joined a wagon train and drove a team of horses across the plains to Denver. His first work in Colorado was for a placer mining company on the south fork of Clear Creek, but after a few days the work was aban- doned. His next employment was on a steanı drill in the construction of the South Park Rail- road. Following this he spent some weeks in the mountains. For three months he worked for Rufus ("Potato") Clark. In the spring of 1880 he returned to Abilene, where he worked for two years as a farm hand and afterward operated rented land. In the spring of 1887 he came to Colorado and after one year farming leased land near Atwood he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres where he now resides. He has en- gaged successfully in the stock business and is now one of the prosperous ranchmen of the county.

The marriage of Mr. Witmer occurred October 12, 1890, and united him with Miss Minnie Whelden, a native of New York, and the daugh- ter of Charles Whelden, now a ranchman of At- wood, Colo. Three children, Annie May, Rob- ert T. and Maude E., have been born of this marriage. In political belief our subject is a Populist. Since 1894 he has filled the office of constable. For three years he was superintend- ent of the Springdale ditch, and is now superin- tendent of the Pawnee ditch. In religion they are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church.

OSEPH H. SINGLETON, owner of the Alma and Fairplay banks, and one of the representative business men of Alma, settled in this place upon coming west in the spring of 1880. From that time to the present he has borne a prominent part in all enterprises for the upbuild- ing of the town and the development of local re- sources. The position that he occupies has been gained entirely through his own exertions. He began for himself without capital or influence, and, unaided, has worked his way to success. This fact alone proves that he possesses abilities of no common order.

A son of George and Catherine (Sparrow) Singleton, the subject of this sketch was born in

Ontario, Canada, January 22, 1853. He was one of seven children, five of whom are still living, viz .: William B., who is engaged in the com- mission business at Lockport, N. Y .; John A., of Toronto, Canada; George F., of Minneapolis, Minn .; Joseph H., of this sketch; Walter, who is manager of the Delta County Mercantile Com- pany, at Delta, Colo .; and Mary, who died at Lock- port, N. Y., March 28, 1899. The father of this family was born in Brighton, Ontario, in 1815, and there grew to manhood, married and en- gaged in the lumber business, also for some time gave considerable attention to farm pursuits. There, at an advanced age, his death occurred May 12, 1892.

When a boy our subject was an invalid and unable to attend school, but, being a natural student and lover of good reading, he obtained a good education by self-culture. In 1871 he be- came a clerk in a mercantile house at Sarnia and in that position laid the foundation for a success- ful business career. There he remained for ten years, with the exception of a summer spent in. Lockport, N. Y. In 1880. he came to Colorado and located in Alma, Park County. For some three months he had charge of the freighting business of Senator Moynahan, at Red Hill sta- tion. After the destruction of this station through an explosion, for several months he worked at various occupations. In October, 1881, he as- sumed charge of a branch store in Fairplay for Senator Moynahan, and there he continued until December of the following year. In January, 1883, he became a member of the firm of Single- ton Brothers, general merchants of Alma, which partnership continued until May, 1887. At that time Senator Moynahan, who had been a silent partner, became the sole proprietor of the busi- uess. In the fall of that year our subject be- came manager for the senator of a branch house in Leadville.

In March, 1888, Mr. Singleton was made cashier of the Bank of Alma. In December, 1897, he purchased the business, and became sole proprietor of the bank. The Fairplay Bank was established by him in May of 1898, and is con- tinued in conjunction with the Alma banking business. As a financier he is keen, discriminat- ing and capable, displaying sound judgment in all of his transactions and winning the confidence of business men by his sagacity and conservative spirit.

The marriage of Mr. Singleton took place in

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September, 1877, and united him with Miss Car- rie F. Clark, of Sarnia, Ontario. To this union have been born three children, namely: John C., who was born October 14, 1878, and is a grad- uate of the Boulder preparatory school, class of 1899; Norma, born March 15, 1883; and Fred, January 27, 1887, both pupils in the Alma public school.

ONRAD DESCH, who has for some years been engaged in stock-raising in Logan County and occupies a ranch three miles southeast of Merino, is a native of Germany and was born near Frankfort-on-the-Main, September 5, 1861, being a son of Frank and Barbara (Schumm) Desch. He was the eldest of seven children, of whom all but one are living, those besides himself being: Christian, a farmer and stockman at Fairdale, Ill .; Anna B., who mar- ried Charles Lundin and lives at Fairdale; Frank J., who continues to make his home in Germany; John, who acts as overseer of a forest belonging to a duke's estate in Germany; and Benedict, who resides with his mother on the old home place in Germany. The father was born Feb- ruary 9, 1829; the mother May 18, 1830. The former made agriculture liis life occupation, con- tinuing in it until his death, August 8, 1893.

In youth our subject was apprenticed to the shoemaker's trade. Upon the completion of his time he opened a shop in the town of Wirtheim, (Kreis Gelnhausen), where he built up a pros- perous business, but, anxious to find a larger field for his labors, he decided to emigrate to America. September 20, 1881, he landed in Baltimore, Md. From that city he went to Chi- cago, where he secured work in a furniture factory on the west side. After thirty days he left Chicago and went to Lee, Ill., where he fol- lowed his trade four months, and afterwards en- gaged in farm work for three years. His next location was at Granville, Putnam County, the same state, where he was employed at farm work for eighteen months. Returning to Lee, he opened a meat market and built up a good trade, but in a year he disposed of the business and re- sumed farming. He became interested in stock- dealing and bought and shipped cattle, also en- gaged in other business ventures that promised satisfactory returns.

February 20, 1889, found Mr. Desch in Akron, Colo., where he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres with a view to establishing a home.

He also entered the employ of H. L. Buck, a prominent dairyman, for whom he worked one year. He then spent six months on his pre-emp- tion, after which he began to work for cattlemen of the county, and for six months rode among the cattle. In 1891 he came to Logan County and for seven months rode on round-ups for T. K. Propst, after which he worked for Lutin Broth- ers. For seventeen months he was employed at sheep herding and among the cattle. April 3, 1893, he again entered the employ of T. K. Propst, with whom he remained until his removal, in 1896, to his present ranch. Here he has en- gaged in raising cattle and hogs and has pros- pered.

The marriage of Mr. Desch, April 27, 1896, united him with Miss Ada A. Logan, a native of Missouri, and daughter of James R. Logan, who came to Merino, Colo., in 1893, from Nodaway County, Mo. The marriage was blessed by two children, of whom one is living, a daughter, Audrye, born October 8, 1898. In politics Mr. Desch is a Democrat. Fraternally he is con- nected with Lodge No. 498, Modern Woodmen of America, at Lee, Il1.

A DOLPH WĘDLICH owns a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres five miles east of Fort Morgan, in addition to which he leases a section of school land adjoining, and this place he has stocked with cattle and sheep. A native of Germany, he was born in Waldeck, January 26, 1868, to William and Minnie (Vesper) Wedlich. He was one of five children, the others being William, Minnie, Frederick, and Henry (deceased). His father was born in Waldeck in the year 1813 and there grew to manhood, mar- ried, and engaged in contracting and farming. He continued to reside in his native town until his death, in 1893.

At fourteen years of age our subject left home and from that time to this he has been self- supporting. He landed in New York City in June, 1882, and from there went to Nebraska City, Neb., where he secured employment on a farm. He continued there until the fall of 1886, when he went to Dundee County, the same state. In the fall of 1887 he came to Colorado, settling at Byers, where he engaged in the sheep busi- ness for himself. Coming to Fort Morgan a year later, he leased a ranch below town, and con- tinned in the sheep business. When the tariff was taken off wool, the sheep industry suffered

JOHN W. LOVE.

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and he was one of the many injured by the dis- continuance of protection. Unable to continue in the face of this reverse, in 1893 he disposed of his flock. Afterward he worked with J. P. Curry until 1896, when he again embarked in business for himself, leasing the John T. Ross ranch one mile east of Fort Morgan, and there beginning the business of sheep feeding. He remained there until the spring of 1898, when he purchased the ranch he is now improving and occupying.

The political affiliations of Mr. Wedlich are with the Republican party, whose tickets he al- ways votes. He is a member of Fort Morgan Lodge No. 72, I. O. O. F., in the work of which he takes an interest. A genial, companionable gen- tleman, he has won a host of friends in the county where he resides. His marriage took place April 7, 1897, and united him with Miss Libbie Young, who was born in Schoharie County, N. Y. She is a daughter of Josephus Young, formerly a farmer of Schoharie County, but later a resident of Nebraska.

OHN W. LOVE, commissioner of Eagle County and the owner of a valuable ranch four miles from the village of Eagle, was born in Canton, Fulton County, Il1., April 3, 1837, a son of Samuel and Hannah (Collins) Love, natives of Ohio. He had two uncles, John Collins and William Love, who served in the war of 1812, the latter being a captain in Hull's com- mand. During his entire active life, Samuel Love followed farming, but for some years before his death, which occurred at eighty-six years, the infirmities of age prevented him from engag- ing in manual work. He was a sincere member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The family of which our subject is a member was a large one. Of the children, Robert W. owns a ranch near the home of our subject; Jesse is engaged in mining at Rico; Edwin is a carpenter in Colorado City and a veteran of the Civil war; Mrs. Sarah Hames lives in Webster County, Mo .; Polly is the wife of J. M. Bunker, of Monmouth, Ill .; Esther is a widow and lives in Rock Island, Ill .; Elizabeth L. died when

Upon farms in Illinois and Iowa our subject passed the days of boyhood. At twenty three he began to farm for himself, cultivating property in Illinois, where he remained until 1859. Dur- ing the height of the gold excitement in Colo-

rado, in 1860, he came to this territory and set- tled at Colorado City, but soon went to Brecken- ridge, Summit County, and began mining. In 1882 he settled in Eagle County, where he has since been interested in mining and stock-raising. He located a ranch four miles from Eagle, and this property, which has an abundance of moun- tain water for irrigation, is improved with a neat residence, good barns, etc. It is situated in a valley that is seven miles long and one mile wide and is one of the most fertile and beautiful in the state. When he came here the land was raw, but under his supervision it has been brought under excellent cultivation, and is now very valuable. In addition to this ranch of six hun- dred and forty acres and a hay ranch of one hun- dred and twenty acres near the camp of Fulford he owns several other farms in this locality.

In 1864 Mr. Love married Mrs. Ellen (Frost) Eaton, and for thirty-four years he had the com- panionship of this devoted, helpful and capable wife. She was born in Massachusetts, but her girlhood years were passed in Illinois, where her parents settled in an early day. By her first mar- riage she had a daughter, Lizzie May, Mrs. John C. Metcalf, who makes her home with her step- father. No children were born to her second marriage. The death of Mrs. Love, in 1898, was the heaviest sorrow of her husband's life.

During earlier days Mr. Love was a Democrat, but of late years he has become identified with the People's party. In the fall of 1897 he was elected county commissioner, which position he still holds. As a member of the school board he has done much to advance the schools of this district. Since 1867 he has been identified with the Red Cliff Lodge of Masons. He is a man highly respected in his community, and has many friends among the people of the county.

OHN W. SMITH, M. D., PH. G. The people of Colorado may with justice claim the palm over many of the other states of a similar population in the number of first-class physicians that form part of the citizenship of the seventeen years of age; Henrietta is also deceased; . state. Among those who came to Colorado with Margaret married, but is now deceased.

little means and few acquaintances, mention be- longs to the subject of this article, who is one of the well-known physicians and druggists of Crip- ple Creek. In January, 1896, he came to this camp and opened up a small drug store in the old . town, but a year later came to his present loca-

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tion in the central part of the city, where his es- tablishment, the Mining Exchange Pharmacy, is one of the leading and best-equipped stores.

When a boy Dr. Smith had no special advan- tages, for he was an orphan and poor. He was born in Wheeling, W. Va., June 5, 1857, and was a small child when his father lost his prop- erty during the war. His mother died leaving thirteen children, of whom he, the youngest son and next to the youngest child, was a lad of nine years. With his younger sister he was sent to St. Louis, Mo., where he made his home with relatives, as the old home had been broken up. He worked for fifty cents a day and used the money to buy books for his sister and himself. His only op- portunity to study was in the night school. While still a mere lad he came to Colorado and worked in H. M. Orahood's drug store in Black Hawk. On his return to St. Louis he worked in a drug store. In 1877 he graduated from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, after which he took charge of a drug store in that city. With money that he had saved while in the drug store he be- gan to study medicine, having as his preceptor W. B. Outten, M. D., who was then a prominent St. Louis physician. Soon afterward he entered the St. Louis Medical College, where he took a course of lectures.

In 1878 Dr. Smith came to Colorado for the second time. His coming, however, was different from the previous time. Then he was young, friendless, a runaway from his adopted home; now he was a young man of education, with fair prospects for the future, and seeking a suitable place for a location. He again went to Central City, where his father was interested in mining. The latter afterward made his home with his son and there died in January, 1898, when eighty-four years of age.

During the excitement at Leadville, Dr. Smith went there in January, 1879, but after a time he removed to Gunnison County, where a similar boom existed. In the fall of 1880 he was elected coroner of Gunnison County, and was the first regularly appointed county physician. While carrying on his practice he engaged in mining at Pitkin, Tincup and Gunnison, and was successful until 1886, when he lost all of his money through an unfortunate investment. Removing to Aspen, in 1888, he began to clerk in a drug store. The following year, with $200 he had saved, he went to Denver and opened up a small drug store. From that meager start he built up a good busi-

ness. In a short time he bought another store and continued to conduct both until 1893, when he sold out. The previous year he had visited in the east and while there married a former school- mate, Miss Ollie J. Moore, of St. Louis, daugh- ter of W. R. Moore, of Oswego, N. Y. In 1894 he devoted his time to study in hospitals and col- leges, and the next year graduated from the med- ical department of the University of Denver. Afterward he practiced in Creede for a short time, but since January, 1896, he has carried on prac- tice and engaged in the drug business at Cripple Creek, where he is a leading professional and business man. He and his wife have two chil- dren, Harold and Gladys.

FRANK WINN. Though a resident of Morgan County for a comparatively brief . period only, Mr. Winn has already gained recognition among the representative ranchmen of this part of Colorado. In the fall of 1895 he purchased a ranch lying six and one-half miles east of Fort Morgan, and the spring of the next year found him settled at his new home. Here he has since engaged in general farming and the stock business, and is placing his property under first-class improvements.

A son of Munroe and Phoebe (Cox) Winn, the subject of this sketch was born in Adair County, Iowa, March 15, 1859. The family of which he is a member is composed of the following chil- dren: William Lorenzo, Evaline, J. Frank, Alice, Charles, Edward, Harvey (deceased), Theodore and Montie (deceased). The father, who was a native of Indiana, born about 1830, engaged in farming from his youth. Two years after his marriage he settled in Iowa and bought land in Adair County, where he is now living, practically retired, though still superintending his landed interests. He is a supporter of the Democratic party.

At nineteen years of age our subject rented land and began life for himself. He continued to operate rented land until 1892, when he pur- chased a place with the savings of former years. He continued to reside in Iowa until his removal to Colorado and his settlement in Morgan Coun- ty. Since attaining his majority he has always voted the Democratic ticket, but has not cared to hold office nor to identify himself with public af- fairs. September 28, 1880, he married Miss Cora Kepner, a native of Fountain County, Ind., and the daughter of Gideon Kepner, who was a

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successful farmer in that county. To this mar- riage seven children were born, viz .: Jessie, Blanche W., Emil W., Kent L., Clark R., Ethel J. and Maysil R.

C AMES F. SMITH, a representative mining and civil engineer of Cripple Creek, and one of the stockholders in the Hull City placer mine, was born in Memphis, Tenn., January 16, 1860. He is a direct descendant of James Smith, who emigrated from Ireland to America during the early half of the eighteenth century, and afterward became one of the prominent men of Pennsylvania, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Although too old to enlist in the Revolutionary service, he helped the colonial cause in many ways. James F. Smith, Sr., our subject's father, was born in Louisville, Ky., and there grew to manhood. For a number of years he engaged in the steamboat business. From Louisville he removed to Memphis and later to New Orleans, while during the war he resided in Montgomery, Ala. During the greater part of his life he was engaged in steamboating, and at the time of his death (the result of yellow fever), October 4, 1867, at forty-four years of age, he was acting as chief clerk of the "Robert E. Lee."

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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 173

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