Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 72

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

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1898. She was the mother of four children, of cern, but after a short time in that city he left. whom two sons died at the ages of fourteen and twenty-one respectively. Mrs. Eldredge, who was the eldest of the family, was reared in Brid- port, and graduated from Glenwood Seminary at Brattleboro, Vt., in 1865. Two years later she became the wife of our subject. They had an only son, John Hammond, but he died in infancy. In 1878 they made a tour of the British Isles and continent, and on their return to America, in 1879, settled in Colorado Springs, Mr. Eldredge coming here in June and his wife joining him in Septem- ber. In religion they are members of the Con- gregational Church, in which he has served as a trustee and deacon. He is a Republican, and Mrs. Eldredge has been a member of the Repub- lican State Central Committee since suffrage was given to women in Colorado. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Colonial Dames.

LEXANDER H. LACY, editor of the Wet Mountain Tribune, at Westcliffe, Custer

L - County, was born in Hannibal, Mo., Aug- ust 8, 1839. He is a son of John L. Lacy, whose father, Stephen Lacy, came to this country and settled in Virginia, but later went to Kentucky and from there moved to St. Louis, Mo. Of his childen, seven in number, all were born in Albe- marle County, Va. John L. was born in 1808, and accompanied the family to Kentucky and Missouri. Mainly through his own efferts he acquired a good education. For a time he en- gaged in business for himself as a beef packer, then became a member of the firm of Samuels, Moss & Co., who in the '50s were heavy shippers of pork to New Orleans from Hannibal. An old- line Whig, he was active in politics and was a strong Union man during war times. He was familiarly known as Squire Lacy. His marriage united him with Elmira Church, of Ohio, whose grandfather, Timothy Church, took a prominent part in the Revolutionary war. Eight children were born of their union, viz .: Robert, deceased; Benjamin, deceased; Mary, wife of Leonard Mef- ford; Alexander H .; Frank, deceased; Eleanor, who is married and lives in Chicago; Lewis, a boiler-maker at Hannibal, Mo .; and Elijah, de- ceased.

When less than thirteen years of age our sub- ject entered a printing office in Hannibal, where he learned the trade. From there he was sent to Cincinnati, to work for the Methodist Book Con-

For a few years he worked at his trade in various places, as employment was offered. Returning to Hannibal he ran an office there. In 1858 he removed his plant to Macon City, Mo., and started the first paper there, but the venture not proving profitable he discontinued the paper. The war coming on his surroundings grew very unpleasant, so he went to Kansas, where he edited a paper on the border when the militia were there. However, trouble arose and he re- turned to Hannibal, where he started the Hanni- bal News, a daily, and a Douglas Democratic, or Union, organ. Early in 1861 the flag that he raised was torn down. However, he continued as firm as ever in his opposition to slavery. When the Sixteenth Illinois Infantry arrived he had the only Union flag that floated in the town1. In October, 1861, he enlisted at Quincy, Mo., as a private in Company E (but was later transferred to Company I), of the Third Cavalry, which he recruited. At Palmyra, Mo., he was elected second lieutenant and afterward appointed ad- jutant of the regiment, and in 1862 was placed . on scouting duty at Rolla, Mo .· Returning to Hannibal in 1863, he was married October 20 to Sarah P. Lewis, of that city. Accompanied by her he returned to his station. On military ex- amination at Rolla he was appointed first lieu- tenant. He resigned his commission March 12, 1864, and returned to Hannibal.

While working as mail agent on the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, between Quincy and St. Joe, in October, 1864, the train on which Mr. Lacy was at the time was captured by guerillas. Short- ly afterward he resigned and secured employ- ment on the Quincy Herald, of which three weeks later he was made city editor. In 1867 he re- turned to Hannibal, becoming city editor of a paper there. Afterward, while publishing the West and South, the publishers of the Quincy Herald sent for him to manage their paper during Singleton's campaign; at the close of that cam- paign he went on the Quincy Whig, and in 1869 became connected with the Evening Journal. Going to Pittsfield in 1871, he conducted the mechanical and local department of the Pike County Democrat. In 1872 he was offered and accepted the city editorship of the Kansas City Journal of Commerce, which position he held un- til the summer of 1877. Later he spent three months with the Kansas City Times as night ed- itor. When an independent paper, the Evening

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Mail, was started, he conducted its city depart- ment during the campaign of 1878.

Coming to Colorado in March, 1879, Mr. Lacy conducted the Miner at Silver Cliff for a short time, then, with a man who had some type, he started the Silver Cliff Prospector. After five issues as a weekly he moved to better quarters and turned his paper into a daily. Seven months later, owing to legal complications, he sold out. After a visit home, in 1880, he returned and started the Republican, which was owned by a stock company. Two years later, owing to a disagreement among the stockholders, he was cheated out of his stock and then started the Evening Call. However, this was not a financial success. His next position was as foreman in the mechanical department of the Democrat, which had recently started. Soon he bought the paper and changed its name to that of Wet Mountain Tribune, taking it with an indebtedness of $1,500. Within six months the debt was paid and the pa- per was removed to Westcliffe in 1885, since which time it has been conducted prosperously.

In addition to his duties as newspaper editor, Mr. Lacy has been heavily interested in mining propositions and now holds some very promising properties. He is also interested in a marble quarry. Since coming to Westcliffe he has served as mayor for two terms. He assisted in organ- izing the E. V. Sumner Post No. 24, G. A. R., and Silver Cliff Lodge No. 6, A. O. U. W., of both of which he is now a member. Of three children born of his marriage, two are living: James W., an engineer on the Burlington route; and John B., superintendent of the Elgin & Smith mill, at Idaho Springs.

LARENCE EDSALL, who is engaged in the mining brokerage business in Colorado Springs, is the senior member of the firm of Edsall, Key & Co., which he started, individu- ally, in April, 1891. One of the first to enter the Cripple Creek region, he has since been active in the development of its mining interests and is connected with many companies as a director. He assisted in the organization of the companies operating the Isabella, Fannie Rawlings, Speci- men (of which he is secretary and treasurer ) and Oriole (of which he has been president). He was one of the organizers of the Colorado Springs Mining Stock Association and served as its first vice-president. As a broker his transactions have aggregated millions of dollars and have

been uniformly successful, which fact is due to his conservative disposition and good judgment.

Thomas Edsall, our subject's grandfather, was born near Goshen, Orange County, N. Y., and in 1849 went to California, returning and removing to Saginaw, Mich., where he was a pioneer lumberman and was also interested in railroads. Through a forest fire he lost over $500,000 and his death followed soon afterward. Thomas Henry Edsall, our subject's father, was born in New York City, a descendant of English and Dutch pioneers of America. He graduated from Brown University, with the degree of A. B. in 1861, and was commissioned adjutant of the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth New York Volun- teers, assigned to the department of the Gulf, he being on detached service at headquarters until mustered out in the latter part of 1863. He then resumed his law studies in the law school of Columbia College and in the office of O'Connor & Dunning. In 1865 he was admitted to the bar and the next year formed a law partnership with Theodore M. Davis, under the name of Davis & Edsall, which continued until 1871. After Mr. O'Connor retired from his partnership with Benjamin F. Dunning, the firm of Dunning, Edsall & Fowler was formed, which connection continued until ill health forced Mr. Edsall to come to Colorado in 1886. He had been deeply interested in the early history of New York and New Jersey, and had written for numerous pub- lications articles bearing upon this subject. Among these papers were some prepared for the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, of which he was a member. He was one of the founders and vice-president of the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, also assisted in organizing the University Club.

Settling in Glenwood Springs, then one hun- dred miles from any railroad, Mr. Edsall spent several years as attorney for the mining com- panies and organizations formed to develop that part of the state. His health having been re- stored, in 1890 he came to Colorado Springs and formed a partnership with Judge Pattison, Henry M. Hobson being afterward admitted, thus con- stituting the firm of Pattison, Edsall & Hobson, of Denver and Colorado Springs, which had a large practice. In 1896 the firm dissolved part- nership. Afterward Mr. Edsall was counsel for a number of railway, mining and irrigation cor- porations, operating in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico and Texas. He was a

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member of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Holland Society of New York, and president of the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club. He was also a member of the Denver, El Paso and University Clubs, the state chapter Sons of the Revolution, Society of Colonial Wars and Theta Delta Chi, of his alma mater. During the war he and his father assisted in raising the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth New York Infantry, in which, as before stated, he served for two years as first lieutenant. He died October 25, 1897. His wife, who was Marie L. Burroughs, was born in New York City and is still living. Her father, William Burroughs, was born in Newburyport, Mass., and moved to New York City, where he engaged in the newspaper busi- ness. Later he went to San Francisco, where he founded one of the leading dailies, and continued in that city until he died. His father, William, who was of English descent, was born in New- buryport and was a seafaring man and owner of a vessel that sailed from that port.

In New York City, where he was born January 20, 1868, the subject of this sketch received his early education in private schools. He was graduated from Amherst College in 1889, with the degree of A. B. Afterward he studied law in Colorado Springs for a year, but gave it up in order that he might enter upon a business career. He is a member of the El Paso and Denver Clubs and treasurer and a director of the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, which he assisted in organizing. He is also identified with the Sons of the Revolution and the Holland Society. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce he has taken an active part in the business history of the city. Politically he favors Republican prin- ciples and always supports the candidates of the party.

D APT. DANIEL E. COOPER, who is en- gaged in the real-estate business at Lamar and is also the postmaster at this place, holds rank among the first settlers here. It was in 1886 that he came to Bent (now Prowers) County and May of that year found him filing a claim to a homestead adjoining the present site of Lamar on the southeast. During the same year the town was started, and from that time to this he has been intimately identified with every enter- prise for forwarding local interests and promoting the growth of the place. When Prowers was cut off from Bent County in 1889, Lamar was made

the county-seat of the new organization, and this proved of material benefit to local development, bringing to this point the county officers and all of the county business. Other influences have assisted in securing the growth of Lamar to its present population of fifteen hundred.

The son of J. W. and Rachel (Graves) Cooper, our subject was born in Putnam County, Ind., August 11, 1838. At seventeen years of age he accompanied his parents from his native county to Madison County, Iowa. His education was obtained in public schools and an academy. At nineteen years of age he began to teach in Iowa, and that occupation he followed for a few years. In July, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Com- pany F, Fourth Iowa Infantry, and served for three years and three months. After one year in the ranks (during which time he took part in the battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., and other engage- ments), he was promoted to be second lieutenant, and served as such for one year, meantime par- ticipating in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou and the siege of Vicksburg. While in front of Vicks- burg he was commissioned first lieutenant, and in February, 1864, was made captain of his com- pany. At the close of the Atlanta campaign, in October, 1864, he was honorably discharged from the service. While he had his clothing shot through, he was never wounded in an engage- ment, nor was he ever captured by the enemy.

For more than a year after leaving the army, Captain Cooper was employed as a clerk in the treasury department at Washington, D. C. From there he returned to Madison County, Iowa, and in 1869 was elected clerk of the courts, in which capacity he served for four years. After- ward he was cashier of the Citizens' National Bank at Winterset, Madison County, for two years, and postmaster at the same place from 1878 to 1886, the time of his removal to Colorado. Politically he has always adhered to the Repub- lican party, and he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Four years prior to that, he had taken an active part in Fremont's campaign for president. In 1896 he was the Republican nominee for state senator and the preceding year had been nominated for county treasurer, but the minority of his party prevented his election in both instances.

In August, 1863, Captain Cooper married Miss Carrie Yates, who was born in Putnam County, Ind., and resided there until her marriage. Five children were born of their union, but the

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two daughters are deceased. The oldest son, William W., who married Sarah E. Goodale, is assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Lamar; Ora is deputy postmaster, and Fred is a student in the local schools.

HOMAS H. CRAVEN, M. D., is, in point of years of professional activity, the oldest physician in Fremont County. In 1869, before any railroad had been built to Canon City, he came here via wagon from Gilpin County, and with his wife settled upon a small ranch ten miles north of the town. His liking for the life of a ranchman was quite pronounced, but as it was neither pleasant nor agreeable to his wife, he removed to the city in February, 1872, in order that she might have the advantages of town life. He at once engaged in practice and established a reputation as a skillful, reliable physician. For more than twenty years he has acted as local surgeon for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. While his practice has been general, he has a special fondness for surgery and has devoted con- siderable time to its study. Both from a pro- fessional and financial point of view he has been successful, and the brick residence just east of the main part of the town, erected by him in 1897, is one of the finest in the county.

Dr. Craven was born at Crab Orchard, Ray County, Mo., May 26, 1837. His grandfather, Richard Craven, was born in Randolph County, April 14, 1869, Dr. Craven married Millie McMinn, who was of Scotch descent. She died January 28, 1891, leaving two sons, Ned C., cashier of the First National Bank of Canon City; and Percy H., agent of the Wells-Fargo Express Company here. The doctor's second marriage took place December 12, 1894, and united him with Mrs. Kate W. Richardson, of St. Joseph, Mo. N. C., January 19, 1776, and was a son of one of the original settlers of Craven colony (now Craven County), N. C. There he engaged in farming until 1806, when he removed to East Tennessee. From that state in 1831 he went to Missouri and entered a tract of wild land which he improved and placed under cultivation. While in North Carolina he married Elizabeth Raines, who was born in Randolph County, May 22, 1775. Of their eleven children the oldest, Joseph, was born November 23, 1797, and was nine years of age when he accompanied his parents to East Ten- nessee. Early in life he took up the work incident to farming. In 1818, having attained his majority, he left home and became a pioneer of Missouri. He continued to reside in Cole County until 1822, when he returned to Tennessee, but ten years later again removed to Missouri, bring- ing with him his father; eventually the entire family settled in Ray County. He followed general farming and improved considerable land there. In the Democratic party he was an active tions and the National Association of Railway

worker. For sixteen years he served as constable and justice of the peace. In religion he was a member of the Christian Church. May 6, 1824, he married Prudence Grimes, of Tennessee, and ten children were born of their union. The four now living are: George W., who occupies the old homestead in Ray County; Thomas H .; Howard, who is on the old home farm; and Therza C., widow of S. S. Drake, and a resident of Vallejo, Cal

After attending public schools for some years our subject entered the college at Richmond, where he studied for one year. Later he was with his brother in the mercantile business at Camden, Mo., after which he began the study of medicine. In the early part of the Civil war he entered the army as captain of a company, and did considerable duty in scouting, but, owing to ill health, he was obliged to resign his commission in 1863. He then again took up the study of medicine at Jefferson College, Philadelphia. In the spring of 1864 he opened an office at Centre- ville (now Kearney), Mo. By reason of the different troops that passed back and forth the surroundings became unpleasant, and Dr. Craven decided to come to Colorado, thinking opportuni- ties would be good here. In September, 1864, he settled in Gilpin County, and there engaged in practice for five years, coming to Canon City in April, 1869.

In 1879 Dr. Craven spent ten months in Cali- fornia, hoping that the change would benefit his wife's health. While there lie became impressed with the idea that as fine fruit could be raised in Colorado as on the Pacific coast, and, largely as an experiment, he bought his present property and started an orchard. In the raising of fruit he has met with considerable success, and in this way others have been encouraged to plant orchards. He is a director in the First National Bank and is connected with other enterprises of an important and beneficial character. He is a member of the state and county medical organiza-

ALBERT G. BOONE.

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Surgeons. Fraternally he is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 15, A. F. & A. M .; Canon City Chapter No. 14, R. A. M .; and Canon City Com- mandery No. 9, K. T. Politically he has been a life-long Democrat. From 1873 to 1877 he served as county treasurer, for four years was a member of the town council and for two terms served as mayor. He is a progressive citizen, who gives his support to all enterprises for the good of the community, and his life has been such as to war- rant the high regard in which he is held.

LBERT G. BOONE, a direct descendant of the famous frontiersman, Daniel Boone, came to Archuleta County in 1886 and homesteaded a quarter-section of land sixteen miles south of Pagosa Springs, where he has since made many valuable improvements and en- gaged in raising stock. . At times he winters as many as two hundred head of cattle, which he feeds hay and grain raised on his ranch. On the Democratic ticket he was elected county commis- sioner in 1893 and at the expiration of his term in 1896 was re-elected for three years. He is chair- man of the board at the present time.

Near Kansas City, Mo., in 1845, our subject was born to Van D. and Mary A. Boone, natives of Kentucky. His father, who was one of the leading stockmen in western Missouri, came to Colorado in 1860 and settled in Pueblo County, taking up government land eighteen miles east of Pueblo. There he devoted the remainder of his life to farming and stock-raising, dying on his ranch when eighty-seven years of age. He was a man of integrity and actively identified with public affairs. His wife was a sister of William Randall, of London, Ky., who was a member of congress for several years and a distinguished citizen of Kentucky. She is now living and re- sides in Pueblo, well preserved and active not- withstanding her seventy-six busy years. In her family there are seven children, namely: Al- bert G .; Emma H., Mrs. Lewis Barnham, whose son, Lewis Barnham, Jr., is the present adjutant- general of Colorado; Charles R., of Archuleta County; Zurelda E., of Pueblo; Harriet B., wife of T. R. Jones, of Pueblo County; Benjamin F. and Jesse M., of Pueblo County.

When the family came to Colorado, the subject of this sketch was fifteen years of age, and after- ward, he being. the eldest child, had charge of the farm and business affairs. In 1883 he went to New Mexico, where for three years he engaged

in raising stock, which he ranged on the plains of that territory. From New Mexico he came to Archuleta County, his present home. A progres- sive man, he has been a leader in the building up and development of this county, and has done much to promote its progress. Realizing the great value of an education, he has helpfully as- sisted in the schools of Pueblo and Archuleta Counties, where he has acted as school director since attaining his majority. He organized school district No. 6, in this county. While he has had many reverses, they have not discouraged him, but in spite of them he has worked his way for- ward to a position of independence and influence among the substantial men of the county. Among the people here he has many friends, as is evidenced by the fact that, in the various offices he has filled, he received the support of all par- ties. Fraternally he is connected with Pagosa Camp No. 412, Woodmen of the World.

I11 1876 Mr. Boone married Miss Susie H. Fosdick, daughter of Henry M. Fosdick, a pio- neer of Pueblo County and a civil engineer who laid out the town site of Pueblo. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Boone are: Van D., Henry A., Elsie B., Jesse, Elliott and Esther.

LLEN D. JONES, president of the Phar- macist Mining Company and the Bodie

- Mining Company and one of the successful operators in Cripple Creek, came to this state in 1890 and has since made his. home in Colorado Springs. When Cripple Creek became famous through the discovery of gold there, he was one of the first to locate claims there. Abandoning the drug business in 1892, he assisted in organizing the Pharmacist Mining Company, with a capital of $1,200,000. For the first few months he held the office of secretary, but was then made the president and has since served in this position. The Pharmacist is not only a successful, but an old company as well, and has the distinction of having made the second shipment from Cripple Creek district, also shipping the first carload lot from the divide on the Midland. Besides the Pharmacist, he is interested in the Bodie Mining Company on Squaw Mountain and in other patented claims. .

The Jones family removed in an early day from Virginia to Kentucky, and some of its members bore a part in the Revolutionary and Indian wars. From Kentucky our subject's grandfather removed to Missouri and engaged in

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medical practice there. Dr. Harmon Jones, father of our subject, was born in Kentucky, graduated from the Starling Medical College in St. Louis, and practiced in Paris, later in Wil- liamsburg, Callaway County, and finally removed to Fulton, Mo. During the Civil war he served as a surgeon. He was a prominent man among the early settlers and was accustomed to ride, on horseback, with his saddlebags, for long distances in order to visit his patients. He continued in active practice until four years before his death, which occurred at the age of eighty-three. Fraternally he was connected with the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows.

The mother of our subject was Elizabeth Carnes, whose father located a farm on the present site of the St. Louis courthouse. She died when seventy-six years of age. Of her six children four are living, two of whom, Homer (in Cripple Creek) and our subject, are in Colorado. The last-named was the youngest of the family. He was born in Williamsburg, Mo., December 21, 1864, and spent the most of his time, until twelve, in Fulton. For three years he was a student in Westminster College in that village. Later he went to Kansas City, Mo., where he studied pharmacy with H. C. Arnold, and graduated from the Kansas City College of Phar- macy with the degree of Ph. G. He then went to Fort Scott, Kan., and bought a store, where he carried on a drug business. On selling out, he went back to Kansas City and for one year carried on a drug business on Seventeenth and Grand avenue. In 1890 he came to Colorado Springs and for one year was employed by Miller Brothers, since which time he has given his attention to mining. In 1893 he assisted in the organization of the First National Bank of Cripple Creek, of which he was the first vice-president, and served as a director for two years, but then resigned and sold his interest.

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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 72

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