Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 40

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 40

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When eighteen years of age our subject came to America, arriving in New York City in the spring of 1872 and from there proceeding to Nebraska, where he secured employment as a farm hand. In 1876 he returned to his native land, where he remained during the winter and until the fall of 1877. In the meantime, June 10, 1877, he married Miss Maria Lill, with whom, in September, he came to the United States. He settled at Grand Island, Neb., where he embarked in the grocery business, and for a time was pros- pered, but through the endorsement of notes for friends he incurred heavy losses, which caused tle failure of his business. Afterward he was employed in farming and general work, in which way he secured another start in the world. In the spring of 1884 he removed to a farm near Grand Island and there he remained, engaged in agricultural pursuits, until he came to Colorado. Here he has retrieved his losses in Nebraska and +

is counted as one of the successful and enterpris- ing German ranchmen of Logan County. He and his wife are comfortably situated, occupying

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a residence that is one of the most commodious . To this marriage have been born two children, ranch houses in the entire county. They have an only child, Henry L., who was born in 1878, and is a graduate of the Grand Island Business College. Politically Mr. Greve is an active worker in the Republican party.

A LBERT J. MOSIER, superintendent of the Reser ranch, and the owner of important cattle interests in Logan County, was born in Montgomery County, Iowa, on the day before Christmas, 1859. He was one of eleven children, all but two of whom are living, namely: John A., of Crook, Colo .; Charles W., a liveryman at North Bend, Neb .; Albert J .; Anna Belle, wife of W. F. Townsend, of Casbeer, Ill .; Emma C., Mrs. Edward Kelley, of Madison, S. Dak .; Louisa and Luella (twins), both school teachers, the former in Iliff, Colo., the latter in Madison, S. Dak .; Frank, who is engaged in railroading at Iliff; and Walter F., who lives at Madison, S. Dak.

The father of our subject, John W. Mosier, was born in Alabama in 1826. When a young man he went to Fort Madison, Iowa, and there en- gaged in farming. While in that place he mar- ried Catherine Stewart. Later he removed to Council Bluffs and engaged in teaming for a short time. His next location was in Milford, Iowa, where our subject was born, and where he engaged in farming for twenty years. Thence he went to North Bend, Neb., bought land and be- gan to till the soil. He is still living there and is one of the well-known men of his locality.

At twenty-three years of age our subject started out for himself. For two years he was brake- man on the railroad between Crescent and Coun- cil Bluffs. Following this, he spent eight years at farm work and also operated a threshing ma- chine and corn sheller. In 1892 and 1893 he was in the employ of Paxton & Herschey, cattle- men. In 1894 he was employed by the National Life Insurance Company of New York to come to Colorado and superintend the Reser ranch, consist- ing of three thousand acres near Iliff. In the in - tervening years he has continued in this posi- tion. In 1897 he bought his present ranch of one hundred and twenty acres at Iliff, which he also superintends and upon which he has a bunch of cattle.

The marriage of Mr. Mosier to Mrs. Edith I .. (McMurray) Rogers occurred October 12, 1896.

Hazel A. and Garnet E., while Mrs. Mosier also has one child by her first marriage, Erwin O. Rogers. While Mr. Mosier has never identified himself with public affairs nor cared to mingle in politics, he has decided opinions upon the cur- rent topics of the times and is well versed in the issues before our country to-day. In politics he is a Republican.

AMES R. GILMORE, formerly a well-known business man of Lake City, but now a resi- dent of Canon City, was born in Warren County, Il1., November 28, 1845, a son of W. W. and Mary R. (Taliafero) Gilmore, na- tives respectively of Kentucky and Richmond, Va. His paternal grandfather, Dr. James Gil- more, was an intimate associate and companion of Daniel Boone, and participated in many of the perilous adventures incident to the early settle- ment of Kentucky. Afterward he became a pioneer physician of Warren County, Ill., where he engaged in practice until his death.

At nineteen years of age our subject secured employment as brakeman on the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad, his run being in Illi- nois. In 1865 he entered a paint shop at Kirk- wood, Ill., and there continued until 1871, mean- time gaining a thorough knowledge of the trade. He then went to Ottawa County, Kan., and homesteaded a tract of land, where he remained until he had proved up on the claim. Afterward he resided in Minneapolis, Kan., which contin- ued to be his home until 1896. During the period of his residence there he followed his trade, bought property and built a home.

Coming to Lake City in 1896, Mr. Gilmore opened a paint shop, carrying in stock, not only a full line of paints, oil, glass, paper, etc., but bicycles as well. He has also become interested in mining enterprises. He did much toward the improvement of Lake City and built four houses, all of which are modern and substantial. At elec- tions he votes for the best man rather than for any particular party. While living in Kansas he married Flora M., daughter of Frank Best, of Ot- tawa County, that state, but a native of Pennsyl- vania. They have three daughters: Musetta M .; Edna, wife. of B. N. Ramsey, who is connected with his father-in-law in the bicycle business; and Pauline,

Very truly Alva Adams

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ON. ALVA ADAMS. The opportunities which Colorado offers to young men of res- olute purpose nowhere find a more illustri- ous exemplification than in the life of ex-Gov- ernor Adams, a man honored alike in the counsels of the commonwealth and in the circle of his personal acquaintances and friends. It was not due to mere luck that, seventeen years from the time when he hauled ties for the railroad, he was the incumbent of the office of chief executive, the highest position within the gift of the state. It was the direct result of his determination of character, his purpose of will.

. While the most of his life has been spent in Colorado, Mr. Adams grew to manhood in Iowa County, Wis., where he was born May 14, 1850. His father had come from Kentucky and his mother from New York, the former being a country merchant and farmer. The boy, though never in college, had the opportunity to secure an education usual to country boys in Wisconsin. The illness of a brother caused the family to seek a change of climate, and, hoping his health might be benefited by the dry, pure air of Colorado, they decided to come to this state. Accordingly, in the then well-known "prairie schooner," they made the long trip from Wisconsin westward, landing in Greeley, Colo., where they stopped for a time. At once the son, who was a young man of twenty-one, looked about him for employ- ment. The only work he could secure was that of hauling ties from the mountains south of Den- ver for the building of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, then in process of construction. He spent a few weeks in that way, after which, in July, 1871, he went to Colorado Springs as an employe of C. W. Sanborn, dealer in lumber and hardware.

While working for Mr. Sanborn, Mr. Adams set about building a structure that would answer for a lumber office, hardware store and dwelling place. By August he had completed a small building on South Cascade avenue, which was the first building on the present site of Colorado Springs, and there the business was carried on. In October he bought the stock of goods from his employer, paying $4, 100 therefor, and, as he did not have the cash in hand, he paid in notes bear- ing two per cent interest a month. Since then he has constantly, and with success, engaged in the hardware business. In 1872 he took J. C.

Wilson into partnership, and while the latter re- mained at Colorado Springs, he went to Pueblo, establishing a branch store at that place. Later the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Wilson retain- ing the store at Colorado Springs, and Mr. Adams that at Pueblo, to which he afterwards added branch stores in the San Juan district.

The first position held by Mr. Adams was in 1873, when he was chosen a trustee of South Pu- eblo. Three years later he was elected from Rio Grande County to the state legislature, where he became noted for his strict watch of expenses and his opposition to bills requiring special appropria- tions. In 1884 he was nominated for governor, but was defeated. However, in the election two years later he was successful, receiving a major- ity of twenty-four hundred, and entering on the duties of his office in January, 1887. As in the legislature, so in the chief executive's chair he was distinguished for the economical spirit that governed his administration. Every bill demand- ing an appropriation was scrutinized closely and unless he was thoroughly convinced of its benefits it was promptly vetoed.

From the close of his first administration Gov- ernor Adams carried on business in Pueblo until 1896, when he was again the successful candi- date for governor, being one of the very few men (in fact, none beside himself and F. W. Pitkin) who have been twice chosen to serve as chief executive. It may be said of him that he is a safe man. As a leader he has none of that reck- lessness sometimes found in men in public places. While governor he was as careful of the state's finances as of his own. In that respect he re- sembled Governor Pitkin, who as a financier has never been surpassed by any governor.

Himself a wealthy man, Governor Adams has often assisted others who have been less fortunate in fighting the battle of life than he. By travel, both on this continent and abroad, he has gained a cosmopolitan knowledge that has atoned largely for his lack of early education. In summing up his character, Fitz-Mac describes him in these words: "The keynote of Alva Adams' character throughout has been-purpose. He is not a great man, but he is a good man, a clever man, an ambitious and a cultivated man. He has made the most of the excellent talents with which nature endowed him and that is why he seems to me the most admirable man in the state. What

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he is he has made himself, and my heart goes out in unreserved sympathy toward the high and honorable and forcible character he has estab- lished."

KNOX BURTON, chief of the fire depart- ment of Cripple Creek, was born in New York City, November 15, 1859. His edu- cation, which was unusually thorough, was ob- tained in public schools primarily, and afterward in the College of the City of New York and the law department of Columbia College, from which he graduated. After completing his law course he engaged in practice in his home city for two years. In 1884 he came west to the San Luis Valley of Colorado, settling in what is now Monte Vista, and for two months acting as attorney for T. C. Henry, a prominent resident of the valley. He then bought the San Luis Valley Gazette, which he published at Monte Vista for three months and at La Veta for six months. At the same time he taught school for a few months. Going from La Veta to Pueblo, he accepted em- ployment as instructor in bookkeeping, penman- ship and law in the Pueblo Institute.

Upon the failure of the school in the spring of 1885, Mr. Burton turned his attention to the real- estate business, remaining with C. H. Small & Co., until the fall of 1885, when he took a posi- tion with the Pueblo Chieftain. In 1886 he was made city editor of the paper, which position he retained for almost six years. His object in coming to Cripple Creek in February, 1892, was to write up the then new mining camp for the Chieftain. At the same time he carried on a cigar store. April 17, 1892, he organized the first volunteer fire department of the camp and was made its chief. During the same year he was elected a member of the board of aldermen of the place. As an alderman he took part in the consolidation of the towns of Fremont and Cripple Creek. In the fall of 1893 he was chosen justice of the peace. Two years later he was the Democratic candidate for county judge, but was defeated. In February, 1896, he was the prime mover in the organization of West Cripple Creek, of which he was elected the first city attorney. April 28, 1897, he was chosen assistant chief of the fire department of the consolidated city, and

on the 8th of December of the same year he was elected chief, which position he has since filled.

By his marriage to Miss Lenna L. Cummins, of Pueblo, in March, 1888, Mr. Burton has two children, Dorothy and J. Knox, Jr. Soon after he became twenty-one years of age he was made a Mason in Tabernacle Lodge No. 598, A. F. & A. M., of New York City. He was a charter member of Mount Pisgah Lodge No. 96, of Crip- ple Creek, and is now worshipful master of the lodge. He assisted in the organization of the Masonic Club of Cripple Creek. Pueblo Lodge No. 90, B. P. O. E., of Pueblo, and Cripple Creek Lodge No. 316, B. P. O. E., number him among their charter members. Of the latter lodge he served as the first exalted ruler. He represented it in the grand lodge in 1896 and 1897, and is now secretary of its board of trustees,

OHN L. DAILEY, a pioneer of '59 and an enterprising business man of Denver, was born in Tiffin, Ohio, November 9, 1833. When about fifteen years of age he accompanied his parents from Ohio to Indiana. Two years later he became an apprentice to the printer's trade in Fort Wayne, where afterward he was made foreman of the composing room, remaining in the same office until he was twenty-one. In 1854 he started west, but spent the winter in Des Moines, then in the spring went on to Omaha, where he worked on Chapman's Chanticleer. In the spring of 1857 he went to Dakota City, Neb., where he published the Dakota Herald. In the spring of 1858, while in Sioux City, Iowa, at work at his trade, he received a request from William N. Byers to join him at Omaha in order to establish a paper in Denver, which he did as soon as he could arrange his affairs. He was made foreman of the Rocky Mountain News, the first four additions of which he assisted in printing. However, soon concluding that other interests might prove more profitable, he terminated his en- gagement with the paper, and in May, 1859, began prospecting in Gilpin County. He was among the first to arrive at Gregory's Gulch, and helped to cut a road from there to Central City. On the Ist of August he returned to Denver, where he became a member of the firm of Byers & Dailey. Later this firm was consolidated with the firm

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of Rounds & Bliss, under the name of the News Printing Company, which founded the Daily News in July, 1860. The firm name was again changed in 1863, Byers & Dailey having purchased the interest of the other gen- tlemen. The great flood of 1864 washed out the press and carried away the entire supply of type and printing material. A few days afterward the firm bought out the opposition paper, known as the Denver Commonwealth, but continued to publish only the Rocky Mountain News, not a sin- gle issue of which was missed on account of the flood.

Afterward the paper changed from a six-day evening paper to a seven-day morning issue. Mr. Dailey continued as the general manager until November, 1870, when he sold his interest. The next year he engaged in the job printing and bookbinding business under the firm title of Dailey, Baker & Smart, this concern having the first steam printing plant in the city and printing two papers on contract, in addition to their other work. The location of the plant was on Market street, near the United States mint. His interest in this enterprise Mr. Dailey finally sold to F. J. Stanton. He is now engaged in the real-estate business, with office at No. 1725 Arapahoe street.

At the solicitation of friends, in 1873 Mr. Dailey consented to run for county treasurer, but was defeated by the then incumbent. For a few years afterward he was secretary of the Rocky Mountain Insurance and Savings Institution, but resigned this position in 1877 to take the office of county treasurer, having been elected on the Re- publican ticket in the fall of 1877, after a spirited campaign with his predecessor, James M. Strick- ler, as opponent. He served for two years and was then re-elected, without opposition, being the nominee of both tickets. In 1881 he was again elected, this time with but slight opposition. On the expiration of his term, in January, 1884, he turned his attention to the real-estate business. In 1887 he was chief deputy county clerk, and in 1893 was induced to run for county clerk on an independent ticket, but was defeated. Under Mayor Van Horn he was appointed a member of the board of park commissioners, of which he was the first president under the present charter. Dur- ing his term he laid out two small new parks, Chaffee and James H. Platt parks, and greatly improved City Park.

In Chicago, in 1866, Mr. Dailey married Miss Melissa B. Rounds, who was born in Wisconsin and died in Denver in November, 1866. In the same city, in 1868, he married Mrs. Helen M. Woodbury, who was born in York state, the daughter of Rev. W. E. Manley, a minister in the Universalist Church, but now deceased. They are the parents of four children: Lissie W., Mrs. W. P. Peabody, a graduate of Wolfe Hall, and a resident of Denver; Annie E., also a graduate of Wolfe Hall, and now a student in the Art Insti- tute in Chicago; Grace, a graduate of the Denver high school and now teaching in Larimer County, Colo., and John L., Jr., a student in the high school. The family occupy the beautiful home- stead on Broadway and Fourth avenue, immedi- ately south of Cherry Creek, a place that forms a part of the original large tract purchased by Mr. Dailey, and that has been improved by the pres- ent owner with a substantial brick residence, neatly kept lawns, driveways lined with trees, and a beautiful terrace on the north of the house.

When the Indians were troublesome during the Civil war, Mr. Dailey enlisted, in July, 1864, in Company A, Third Colorado Cavalry, of which he was first a sergeant and later second lieuten- ant. He took part in the battle of Sand Creek, November 19, and was mustered out with the company in December, 1864. He is a member of Lincoln Post, G. A. R. Since the organiza- tion of Unity Church he has been a member of the board of trustees. Politically he favors protec- tion and is a strong silver supporter. For many years he was treasurer of the Association of Colo- rado Pioneers and a part of the time was direc- tor and secretary ; from January, 1897, to January, 1898, he served as president of the organization. Fraternally he is connected with Denver Lodge No. 5, A. F. & A. M., Denver Chapter No. 2, R. A. M., and Colorado Commandery No. I,K. T.

ILLIAM HARMON BUCHTEL, M. D., LL. D., of Denver, was born in Akron, Ohio, August 15, 1845, and is of German descent. His father, Jonathan B. Buchtel, was born in Stuttgart, Wurtemberg, and was one of a family of twelve sons and one daughter, of whom eight sons became Protestant ministers. When about fourteen he came to America, locat- ing in Catawissa, Pa., but five years later re-

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moving to Akron, Ohio, where he studied medi- cine with Dr. John Weimer. Later he entered Cleveland Medical College, from which he grad- uated with the degree of M. D. After having practiced for a few years in Akron, he removed to Elkhart, Ind., in 1849, and four years later settled in South Bend, the same state, where he practiced until his son returned from the war. His last home was in Des Moines, Iowa, where he died in 1869.

The opening of the Civil war found our subject young, ardent, enthusiastic, determined to enter the service. Three times he ran away from home to enlist in the army, but every time he was taken out by his father and his patriotic impulses were temporarily checked. In the spring of 1861, through the influence of his father, he was persuaded to begin the study of medicine in what is now the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. In June of the same year he entered Mercy Hospital as an assistant, and later was made the resident physician, which position he held for over two years, being the senior phy- sician of the three there. By the time he was eighteen and one-half years of age he had at- tended over six hundred women in confinement. He passed his final examination in the spring of 1864, and received certificates from the presi- dent, but could not take his degree until he was of age.

As soon as he completed his course he went to Columbus, Ohio, and was, in April, 1864, exam- ined by the United States examining board, and commissioned acting assistant surgeon of the United States Volunteers, with the rank of sec- ond lieutenant. Ordered to Louisville, he organ- ized the Totten general hospital, and after three months was sent to Chattanooga, where he spent sixteen weeks in the Bragg general hospital. In August, 1864, he was promoted to be surgeon of a division, with the rank of major in the Depart- ment of Military Railroads, and was ordered to join Sherman's army, then at Resaca, near Kene- saw Mountain. He was with General Sherman's ariny at the taking of Atlanta. On the evacua- tion of the city he left on the last train out and returned to Dalton, thence to Nashville, from there to Baltimore, and to Savannah, Ga. At Newbern, N. C., he was appointed chief surgeon of military railroads of the Department of North Carolina, with the brevet rank of lieutenant-

colonel. This position he held at the time of his resignation from the army in September, 1865.

Returning to Chicago he took another course in medicine, and graduated in March, 1866, with the degree of M. D. He then went to South Bend and practiced with his father for a time, re- maining in that place until ill health obliged him to seek a change of climate. Coming west to Denver he engaged in active practice here until the fall of 1875. He found, however, that his health was better in a higher altitude, and he therefore purchased a ranch of twenty-one hun- dred acres on the divide in Douglas County, where he spent his summers, remaining in Den- ver during the winter. In this way he com- pletely regained his health, and was enabled to return permanently to Denver. He made a tour of Europe in 1888, visiting medical schools in all prominent cities, and also journeying to points of historic interest on the British Isles and on the continent.

Dr. Buchtel is professor of obstetrics in the Gross Medical College, which is the medical de- partment of the Rocky Mountain University, and he is a member of the board of trustees of the uni- versity. Formerly he held the positions of physi- cian to St. Joseph's and St. Luke's hospitals. He is identified with the State Medical, Denver and Arapahoe County and American Medical Asso- ciations, and is a charter member of the Western Association of Obstetrics. He organized the Gross midwifery dispensary, where the senior students are given the practical knowledge that makes their college course a success. Since the organization of the Imperial Legion, a fraternal life insurance company, he has been its supreme medical exam- iner.

The degree of LL. D. was given Dr. Buchtel by Mckenzie University of Tennessee. Like all veterans, he is interested in Grand Army affairs, and he has his membership in Lincoln Post. Po- litically he is a Democrat. March 22, 1871, at South Bend, Ind., he married Miss Helen M. Barnum, who was born in New York City, re- ceived every educational advantage, and is a woman of unusual executive ability and force of character. She has been president of the Charity Association, and has held other positions of re- sponsibility and honor. She has one daughter living, Lelia, who is a graduate of Miss Brown's school on Fifty-fifth street, New York City. The

alston dellis.

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other daughter, Pauline, died at the age of two years and seven months.

In addition to his other interests, Dr. Buchtel is connected with a number of mining corpora- tions. He has also been a factor in the develop- ment of Denver real estate. In 1882 he platted seven hundred and sixty-five acres, upon which he laid out the town of Barnum, named in honor of his father-in-law, the famous P. T. Barnum, now deceased. He built a residence in this suburb and was made its mayor, holding the office for three years, when he moved back to the city. The place is still being developed, and the street railway has been extended to that point. A few years ago Barnum was made a part of the city, and is now included in the fifteenth ward of Denver.

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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 40

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