Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 61

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 61

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The wife of Rufus Babbitt was Ellen L. Cady, who was born in Plymouth, Wayne County, Mich., and is now living in Northville, Wayne County, Mich. During the war of the Revolu- tion her paternal ancestors were officers in the American army and aided in defeating the British forces. As far back as the record extends they were residents of New York. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Lorenzo Cady, was born in Ontario County, N. Y., and became a pioneer of Wayne County, Mich., settling near North- ville. He was a man of great integrity and strong and forcible character.

In the family of Rufus and Ellen Babbitt there were three daughters and two sons, all of whom are living except one daughter. One son, L. A., is cashier of the bank at Northville, and the two daughters also reside there. The next to the oldest of the children was the subject of this sketch, who was born in Salem, Mich., June 25, 1864. He attended the public schools until fif-

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teen, when he entered the high school at North- ville, graduating in 1882. He then took the regular course in the Michigan State Normal School at Ypsilanti, graduating in 1884. Under civil service rules he received an appointment to a clerkship in Washington, D. C., and after filling it for a time he was promoted and made assistant chief of the finance division in the office of the third assistant postmaster-general. While in this position he took a law course in the Columbian University Law School, from which he was grad- uated in 1888 as Master of Laws. He took a post-graduate course in 1888-89, and received the degree of LL. B. In 1891 he resigned from his position, and coming to Colorado, opened a law office in Aspen, where he remained until May, 1893. He then removed to Cripple Creek, and engaged in practice as a member of the firm of Pence, Franklin & Babbitt. Subsequently the fırın of Hall, Preston & Babbitt was formed. In November, 1895, he came to Colorado Springs, as a member of that firm, the same having been organized the preceding March. The firm carry on a general practice in the various departments of law, and are general attorneys for the Cripple Creek District Railway Company, of which Mr. Babbitt is a charter member and a director. He is, individually, the general counsel for the Mis- sissippi River, Hamburg & Western Railway Com- pany.

In Houghton, Mich., Mr. Babbitt married Miss Lucie M. Cullyford, of Duluth, Minn. She was born in London, England, and is a graduate of the State Normal School at Ypsilanti. They have two children, Theodore and Eleanor. While in Washington, D. C., Mr. Babbitt was made a Mason, and later became a member of the Chapter. In the El Paso Club he is a member of the board of governors. Politically a Democrat, he takes a deep interest in party matters and is serving efficiently as a member of the state central com- mittee.

C AMES W. MILLER, secretary and a director of the Pharmacist Mining Company, vice- president and a director of the Favorite Mining Company; and a member of the Colorado Springs Mining Stock Association, is among the successful Cripple Creek operators and is a prom- inent citizen of Colorado Springs. He was born in Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, October 5, 1864, and is a son of James D. Miller, and a brother of J. K. Miller, to whose sketch the reader is referred

for the family history. He was the youngest of three children and was reared in his native town, graduating from the high school there. At sixteen years of age he entered the drug store in Eaton, where he studied pharmacy.

In September, 1886, Mr. Miller came to Colo- rado Springs. The following month, with his brother, J. K., he started a drug business in the Oriole block, the old postoffice block, at No. 107 South Tejon street. The firm of Miller Brothers had both a wholesale and retail trade, although their principal trade was in the latter line. In December, 1892, they sold out to Tamm & Ar- cularius and turned their attention to mining.

When the Pharmacist Mining Company was incorporated Mr. Miller was made treasurer, and he continued as such until 1895, when he resigned. In 1896 he was made secretary and a director, which position he has since occupied. The Pharmacist was located by his brother and was the first dividend payer in the camp. It lies in the saddle of Bull, adjoining the postoffice of Altman. He is interested in the Favorite Mining Company, of which he was a charter member and has been a director and vice-president since its incorporation; this mine is located on Bull Hill. In other claims he also owns an interest. He is engaged in the mining brokerage business. Both in this city and Colorado City he is the owner of valuable property.

Politically Mr. Miller is an advocate of Repub- lican principles. He belongs to Pike's Peak Club and is identified with the Knights of Pythi- as. His marriage was solemnized in Denver, October 28, 1889, and united him with Miss Pauline Kuhn, who was born in Chicago and died in Colorado Springs October 8, 1891, leav- ing an only son, Everett P.

ALTER FLOYD CROSBY. Few of the citizens of Colorado Springs are better known, and none more highly respected, than the subject of this sketch, who has resided in this city since 1892. Immediately after his arrival he became interested in mining in the Cripple Creek region, and incorporated the Port- land Gold Mining Company, which proved to be the most important enterprise of its kind in the camp at Cripple Creek. In 1896 he entered into a syndicate arrangement with L. R. Ehrich and · his brother, the same being known as the Crosby- Ehrich syndicate, which has continued in active operation ever since. However, in September,

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1898, F. V. S. Crosby, having been chosen treasurer of the Union Pacific Railroad, withdrew from the syndicate, leaving his brother and Mr. Ehrich as sole partners in the syndicate. Their location is in the Hagerman building. They have a large foreign business, which not only necessitates having correspondents in the principal European cities, but obliges one of the partners to spend considerable time across the ocean, and in 1898 Mr. Crosby spent five months in Europe attending to their business interests.

The Crosby family came from England and is among the oldest in America. Dr. Ebenezer Crosby was a surgeon in the Revolutionary war. His son, William Bedlow Crosby, lived in New York, in a house that stood in the then heart of the city, occupying the block bounded by Cherry, Jefferson, Clinton and Monroe streets. This place he inherited from Colonel Rutgers, his uncle. In religion he was a Presbyterian. He was quite aged when he died. One of his sons, Rev. Howard Crosby, D. D., was chancellor of the University of New York. Another son, Edward N. Crosby, our subject's father, was born in New York City, and was a man of 'was one of the early members of the Colorado

leisure, spending most of his time at his country home near Poughkeepsie. He died in April, 1865. His wife, who is living in New York City, was Elizabeth, daughter of J. L. Van Schoonhoven, a descendant of a Holland family that settled on the Hudson at Lansing- burg, N. Y. He was a private banker in Troy and was highly respected as a progressive citizen and public-spirited man. Of the eight children of Edward N. Crosby four daughters and two sons are living, namely: Mrs. William H. Doughty, of Troy; Mrs. S. Beach Jones, of New York City; Mrs. John Lindley and Miss Mary R. Crosby, also of that city; Walter Floyd; and Frederic V. S., who was formerly second secre- tary of the American Legation in Berlin, and is now treasurer of the Union Pacific Railroad Com- pany, with headquarters in New York City.

Born in Troy, N. Y., March 2, 1857, the sub- ject of this article was educated in private schools, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy and the Columbia School of Mines in New York City, being a member of the class of '77. After the death of his father the family removed perma- nently to New York City. From an early age he was interested in organ-building, as a member of the Roosevelt Organ Works, with which he con- tinued for about fourteen years. From New

York he came to Colorado in 1892 and has since given his attention to mining and the brokerage business. For a time he was interested in mining in Arizona, but for some years he has been inter- ested almost wholly in Cripple Creek. He laid out the W. F. Crosby subdivision in Colorado Springs, and opened West View Place, which is now being built up. Music and photography are the occupations of his leisure hours. He is ex- ceedingly fond of both and has been successful in them. At this writing he is a member of the vested choir of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.

In 1880 Mr. Crosby married Miss Louise G. Sutton, of New York City, who was one of four sisters of social prominence in the metropolis where they resided. Her father, Cornelius K. Sutton, was a member of an old Quaker family and engaged in the commission business. Mr. and Mrs. Crosby have two daughters, Nina Floyd and Gwladys Sutton. Socially he is a popular inember of the El Paso Club and Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, also the Denver Club. While in New York he was for many years a member of the Union and other clubs. He Springs Mining Stock Association, of which he is now one of the governing committee.

M ORTON JONES, clerk of the district court of Lincoln County and a prominent citizen of Hugo, was born at Nevadaville, Gilpin County, Colo., in 1865, being a son of Aaron and Lucy Helen (Moore) Jones. His paternal ancestors were among the early settlers of Vir- ginia, with the development of which later gen- erations were identified. His father, who was born near Richmond, Va., came to Colorado in 1860 and settled in Central City, where he was the first man to experiment in deep mining. From that time until his death he was interested in mining, in which he met with more than ordi- nary success. He held a prominent position among the citizens of Central City, who elected him their mayor, and also as a member of the city council. Fraternally he was active among the Masons. His death occurred in 1890. He and his wife, who is now living in Denver, be- came the parents of four sons and one daughter. One son, Ralph, was killed in the battle of San- tiago, Cuba, during the Spanish war, he being a member of Company B, Seventh Regiment United States Infantry.

Until twelve years of age our subject attended

Inom Growers

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the public schools of Gilpin County, after which he studied in the Denver schools. At the age of twenty-two he was appointed deputy county clerk of Elbert County, and spent one year in Kiowa. Later he- was for two years deputy county clerk of Kit Carson County. During 1895 and 1896 he served as assistant chief clerk of the state legislature. After coming to Hugo he was for four years editor and proprietor of the Lincoln County Ledger at Hugo, a Republican sheet, and the only paper published in the coun- ty. While at the head of this weekly he was appointed clerk of the district court, which posi- tion he has since efficiently filled. For some time lie served as deputy county clerk of Lincoln County under Mr. LaDue. In 1897 he was the Republican candidate for sheriff of Lincoln County, but was defeated by a few votes. Fra- ternally he is connected with the blue lodge of Masons in Denver.

The marriage of Mr. Jones took place in 1896, and united him with Mrs. Alice B. Criswell, of New York.

OHN WESLEY PROWERS. A record of any one of the pioneers of Colorado, to whom we of the present generation are so greatly indebted, cannot fail to furnish material for thought and reflection. We are not only the heirs, but also the debtors, of the past, and would show ingratitude did we fail to remember our obli- gation to the hardy men who, years ago, left the homes of their youth and traversed the plains to the frontier of the west, where, by brave hearts, strong bodies and frugal habits, they assisted in the development of a great state. Such was the work of John Wesley Prowers, whose name is perpetuated in one of the counties in southeast- ern Colorado, and who, for some years prior to his death, was engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at Las Animas, the county-seat of Bent County.

Near Westport, Jackson County, Mo., Mr. Prowers was born January 29, 1839. At eighteen years of age, in 1857, he crossed the plains with Colonel Bent and drove a team of bulls, with freight, to Fort Lyon and Bent in Bent County. For a time he clerked in a sutler's store. He made several trips across the plains, and continued in the employ of Colonel Bent until 1862. Mean- time he brought into this section in 1861 a herd of six hundred head of cattle, the first herd ever brought from the east. From that time on he

engaged in the cattle business, and also con- tracted to furnish the government posts with hay in large quantities. In 1861 he married Amache, an Indian maiden, daughter of One Eye, chief of the southern Cheyennes, who was killed by Colo- nel Chivington in the massacre at Sand Creek.

Eight children were born of this marriage. Mary is the wife of A. D. Hudnall, and the mother of three children, Prowers, Inez and Leonard. Katharine, wife of W. A. Haws, has two children: Amy, Mrs. Arthur Hamilton; and A. W. Haws, a lad of thirteen. Inez, who mar- ried Glen O. Comstock, has two children, Leona and Willard; they reside in Denver. John Wes- ley, Jr., is the only surviving son. George F. died at eleven years of age. Leona became the wife of T. H. Marshall and died at the age of twenty. Ida married Lonis F. Horton and lives at Prowers Station. Amy is unmarried and makes her home at Las Animas. The children were given good advantages, and attended school at Lexington and Independence, Mo.

For some years Mr. Prowers engaged in the mercantile business at Boggsville, Bent County, and also had large stock interests there. In 1874 he moved to Las Animas and continued in busi- ness there until his death in 1884. He was seri- ously ill and went to Kansas City, Mo., where he was placed under the care of skilled physicians, but medical assistance proved of no avail, and he died in that city. Politically he was a Democrat and served for one term in the state legislature. At_one time he was nominated for lieutenant- governor on the ticket witlı Hon. J. B. Grant, but was defeated.

John Wesley Prowers, Jr., was born in Boggs- ville, Bent County, Colo., January 6, 1870, his parents having settled in that village in 1863. At the age of thirteen he was sent to Lexington, Mo., where he entered the Wentworth Military Academy and remained until his graduation in 1888. Afterward he became a clerk in the United States land office at Lamar, Prowers County, where he remained for eighteen montlis, then went to Pueblo and became chief clerk in the of- fice of the Security Abstract Company. In June, 1890, he went to Darlington, I. T., where he superintended the interests of himself and sisters, each of whom was entitled to one hundred and sixty acres of land, under the treaty for the allot- ment of lands in the Cheyenne and Arapahoe reservations. On his return in February, 1891, he settled at Prowers Station and assumed con-

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trol of his father's estate, which consisted of $22,- 000 in cash and seventeen thousand acres of land. He continued manager of the estate until June, 1897. One year later he bought out J. L. May- field and embarked in merchandising at Caddoa, Bent County, where he is both merchant and postmaster. Politically he is a Democrat. In 1897 he was a candidate before the county con- vention for treasurer of the county, but lost the nomination by one vote. August 17, 1898, he married Miss Alpha Retta Baldwin, daughter of C. B. and Mary (Greene) Baldwin, of Caddoa.

LBERT GUILINGER, postmaster at Flor- ence, Fremont County, is a member of a family that has resided in Pennsylvania for - generations, the first of the name in this country" having settled there in a very early day. His pa- ternal grandfather devoted most of his active life to the management of a hotel at Kilgore. Seth, father of Albert, was one of four children and was educated in public schools. Starting out for himself when young, he engaged extensively in agricultural pursuits, and became a successful and influential farmer, one who was esteemed by his neighbors and consulted in all matters of local importance. In politics a Democrat, he did not, however, give much time to public or official matters, preferring to devote himself to his busi- ness affairs. In the Cumberland Presbyterian Church he officiated as a deacon. By his mar- riage to Susan Cooper eight children were born: Martin, who resides on the old homestead; Charles, also a farmer; James, John; Elizabeth, who married John Ritchie and resides near the old home; Maria, deceased; Albert and Anianda.

At Kilgore, where he was born May 6, 1849, our subject spent the years of youth, and mainly through his own efforts and observation acquired an education. His first work of any importance was that of drilling for oil in the Pennsylvania oil fields. He continued in that occupation in his state until 1883, when he came to the west, settling first in Denver. At the time considera- ble attention was being given to drilling for arte- sian wells, and his thorough knowledge gave him an understanding of the work that thor- oughly qualified him for it. The object of the wells was to secure a water supply for the city.

There having been some discovery of oil in Florence, Mr. Guilinger came here in 1885 and drilled the first large well here. One of the wells that he drilled has been in operation ten years, and

has produced over six hundred thousand barrels of oil. He continued with the United Oil Company from 1885 to 1894, when he embarked in the liv- ery business. He is interested in Cripple Creek property and, as a member of a company, is working a promising mine there. Politically he has always affiliated with the Democratic party. Since coming to Florence he has been intimately connected with the leaders of the party, and has given much of his time and attention to the ad- vancement of his party's interests. At county and state conventions he is an active worker. In January, 1895, his service to the party was rec- ognized by his appointment as postmaster, and as such he has given entire satisfaction to all. Through personal oversight he has expedited, as far as possible, the work of the office. Since he became postmaster the business has more than doubled, but it has been attended to so systemat- ically that no patron has been discommoded. During two years of the time he has been post- master, he has also served as field superintendent of the United Oil Company.

Fraternally Mr. Guilinger is a member of Pe- troleum Lodge No. 95, A. F. & A. M. He at- tends the Baptist Church, and has aided finan- cially in the building up and maintenance of this church, as well as churches of other denomina- tions. August 10, 1886, he married Nancy Pat- terson, a native of Ontario, Canada, but at the time of her marriage a resident of Denver, Colo. He is regarded as a man of public spirit, who maintains an interest in local prosperity. Through his service on the town board and in other capacities besides that of postmaster, he has been instrumental in promoting plans for the wel- fare of the people and the prosperity of the town.

HARLES FOX GARDINER, M. D., presi- dent of the El Paso County Medical Society, president of the board of medical examiners, surgeon for the Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railroad, and medical examiner for the Mutual Life, Equitable Life and Security Trust Insur- ance Companies, has been engaged in professional practice in Colorado Springs since 1883. He is a member of one of the old and influential fami- lies of the United States. The first of the name in this country was Lyon Gardiner, who came from England as a lieutenant in Her Majesty's service and was stationed at a fort in Connecti- cut. While there he bought the Isle of Wight, which has for generations been known as Gardi-

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ner's Island and is still in the possession of the connection with Mr. McClurg, in 1898, he pub- family. He was called lord of the manor. The island is now owned by a representative of the ninth generation in descent from him. His sons and grandsons were educated at Oxford, England.

The grandfather of Dr. Gardiner, Charles Fox Gardiner, was born on Gardiner's Island, and became a banker, also the owner of vessels trading in the West Indies, and besides these interests engaged in whaling. His death occurred when he was thirty-nine years of age. James Madison Gardiner, the doctor's father, was born at Sag Harbor; and in early life settled in New York City, where at first he was a commission mer- chant and later engaged in marine insurance, in which he built up a large business. He has traveled extensively in Europe, and is a gentle- man of wealth and culture. His home is near Morristown, N. J. He married Mary Louise Sprague, who was born in New York City and died there, being a descendant of an English family that settled in Nova Scotia. A sister of the doctor's father, Carrie, is the wife of Rear- Admiral Stanton.

At his father's home, on Thirty-second street, New York City, the subject of this article was born October 12, 1857. He was educated in the schools of this country and Europe. During the three years he spent abroad lie studied in Berlin, Vienna and London. On his return to the United States he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1882, with the degree of M. D. Afterward he spent one year in the Charity Hospital as assistant, and then was placed in charge of the outdoor surgical department of the New York Hospital. In 1884 he came west and located at Crested Butte, Gunnison County, Colo., soon after which he received appointment as surgeon to the Colo- rado Coal and Iron Company. After two years he removed to Meeker, Rio Blanco County, where he remained for three years, and then came to Colorado Springs. Since his removal to this state he has twice returned east, in order to take post-graduate courses in the College of Physicians and Surgeons. During his residence ou the frontier he often rode more than one hun- dred miles (once riding one hundred and thirty- five miles) at one time, though making several changes of horses, and very frequently lie rode . seventy-five miles a day. With two physicians of Philadelphia he edited the Climatologist. In

lished the paper Colorado Springs Region as a Health Resort, for the American Medical Asso- ciation, of which he is a member. He is also identified with the State Medical and the Cli- matological Associations. In 1897 he was a dele- gate to the national convention of the American Medical Association in Philadelphia. At the congress of American physicians and surgeons, held in Washington, in May, 1897, he read a paper upon "The Dangers of Tubercular Infection and their Partial Arrest by Climatic Influences." He has contributed to various medical journals articles bearing upon the professional questions of the day. Politically he is a Republican. He lias been twice elected president of the El Paso County Medical Society, is now vice-president of the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club and a trustee of the El Paso Club.

Dr. Gardiner has been twice married, his first wife being Daisy Emma Monteith, daughter of the celebrated geographer. They had two chil- dren, Raynor and Dorothy. In April, 1897, he was married to Miss Frances Stickney Anderson, of Colorado Springs.

OHN WILSON. It may with justice be said of Mr. Wilson that Fremont County has never had a more faithful and efficient of- ficial than he. With the exception of only four months he has served as clerk of either county or district court for the long period of thirty-two years. This fact, of itself, speaks volumes con- cerning the esteem in which he is held by the people of his locality.

A resident of Canon City since 1864, Mr. Wil- son was born in Kentucky February 1, 1829. His father, William, and grandfather, James, were natives of Virginia. The former, who was the second son in the family, was reared in the Old Dominion and rendered good service during the war of 1812. Afterward he carried on a mercantile business in Kentucky until 1830, when he removed to Indiana. By his marriage to Pauline Letcher, he had three sons and three daughters.

Educated in private schools in Kentucky, our subject was afterward employed in a county clerk's office there for seven years. In 1849 he was one of the number who crossed the plains to California and engaged in mining, but, his eye- sight having been injured, he returned to the east. Until 1864 he engaged in mining in Mis-

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souri, after which he crossed the plains to Colo- tled at DuQuoin, where he bought and published rado. Though not intending to remain in the state, he found Canon City a locality that he be- lieved might afford him a good opportunity for farming, so he settled here. In 1867 he was elected county clerk and continued in the office until January, 1886. In May of the same year he was appointed clerk of the district court and has held that position ever since. For many years he was an adherent of the Democratic party, but the most of the time he has been elected on an independent ticket. He is inter- ested in the progress of the town, and especially along educational lines, as a member of the school board, he has rendered helpful service to his com- munity. March 18, 1875, he was united in mar- riage with Josephine A. Parks, of Clinton, Mich. They have one son, Fred P. Wilson, who grad- uated from the high school in 1895 and has since assisted his father in the clerk's office.

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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 61

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