Portrait and biographical record of the state of Colorado, containing portraits and biographies of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 77

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 77

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Miss Allen was born and reared in DeKalb, Ill., and received her education in the high school there and the State Normal School near Bloom- ington, graduating from the latter in 1883. Afterward she engaged in teaching, principally in DeKalb, until 1889, when she came to Colo- rado Springs. For three years she taught in the Garfield School and for a similar period in the Liller School, after which she was placed in charge of books in the office of Colburn & Dud- ley. In 1897 she was elected to her present office, which she is filling with the greatest efficiency. Politically she favors the platform of the Demo- cratic party, and takes an intelligent interest in public affairs. In religion she is identified with the Baptist Church.

AMES H. PRIEST, county clerk of Kit Car- son County, and the owner of a ranch situa- ted near Seibert, in the west-central part of this county, was born in Nehama County, Kan., in 1860. Heis a son of Thomas C. Priest, a na- tive of Kentucky and by occupation a farmer and ranchman. The latter, during the free state agi- tation in Kansas, removed there in 1858, and spent his remaining years in Nehama County,

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dying there in 1863. He was a man of sincere Christian character and a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary J. Browning, was the daughter of a planter in Kentucky, where she was born. Her death occurred in 1867, when her son, James, was seven years of age. Besides him, she left two sons, one of whom, D. Burgess, is engaged in farming at the old home place in Kan- sas; the other, Chester F., is a blacksmith in For- ney, Tex.

The death of his parents when he was a small child threw our subject upon his own responsi- bility when quite young. At the age of thirteen he became self-supporting. First as a farm hand, and later as a farmer and stock-raiser, he contin- ued to reside in Kansas for a number of years, and met with fair success. In 1887 he came from there to Colorado and settled on a tract of land near Seibert, where he has since engaged in raising cattle and horses. He owns four hundred aud eighty acres of fine land two and one-half miles northwest of Seibert. The property he has accumulated represents much toil and sacri- fice on his part; he has labored, early and late, in order to secure a competency, and in this am- bition he has been successful.

In 1891 Mr. Priest married Miss Edna B., daughter of George Rose, a stockman of this county, and niece of Judge Rose. Mr. and Mrs. Priest are the parents of two daughters: Zella Mae and Olive Evelyn. In his political opinions Mr. Priest is a Republican, and upon this ticket, in November, 1897, he was elected to the office of county clerk, which he has since filled effi- ciently.

HEOPHILUS HARRISON, who was for- merly a successful manufacturer in Belle- ville, Ill., and is now living retired from business, makes his home in Colorado Springs. After his first visit here in 1876, he showed his enjoyment of the climate by returning west at frequent intervals, and when, in 1888, his health became affected by the strain of business cares; he determined to remove to the Springs and there pass the remainder of his life, free from the anxi- eties that harass an active man of business. He improved the property on the corner of Weber and Platte, and here has since made his home.

The father of our subject, James H., was a son of Rev. Thomas Harrison, a native of Virginia, and a pioneer farmer near Belleville, Il1., having

removed there on account of his dislike of slavery institutions. For a time he had a cotton gin and later operated a flour mill at Belleville. His prin- cipal life work, however, was farming. He was a local preacher. Much of his time was devoted to missionary work and he traveled on horse- back from one frontier settlement to another, ministering to the spiritual needs of the people and establishing a Methodist Church wherever it was possible to do so.

Born in Virginia about 1805, James H. Harri- son grew no manhood near Belleville. After his marriage to Lucinda Gooding, he settled in Belle- ville, where he had the first steam mill in the county, and later he managed several mills. His death occurred while he was still compara- tively young. His wife, who was born in Ken- tucky and died in Illinois, was a daughter of Abra- ham Gooding, who removed from Kentucky to Illinois in an early day and engaged in farming. Our subject was born in Belleville, as were all of the ten children comprising the parental family. Eight of these attained mature years and five are living. He was a student in the subscription schools of Belleville and McKendree College at Lebanon, Ill., but ill health obliged him to dis- continue his studies before the completion of his college course.

When twenty years of age, Mr. Harrison started in business for himself, and for some time carried on a sawmill. In 1856 he bought the Belleville threshing machine factory, which had been started in 1848. This he afterward had incorporated as the Harrison machine works, with himself as president and general manager. Under his su- pervision constant improvements were made in the plant and product, and threshers, steam en- gines and stackers of the finest grade were manu- factured. While he retired as president in 1888, he is still interested in the business, which is con- tinued on a large scale. Politically a Republi- can, he has been interested in public affairs, but never desired to identify himself actively with politics or accept office. He is a man of stanch temperance principles and is connected with the Good Templars. He is a member of the First Congregational Church.

The marriage of Mr. Harrison, iu Illinois, uni- ted him with Miss K. E. Thompson, who was born in St. Clair County, that state, being a daughter of Amos and Eleanor Thompson, na- tives of Maine and South Carolina respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have two daughters: Jose-

CARL WULSTEN.

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phine H., who was educated in Cincinnati, and is now married and lives in Colorado Springs, and Mrs. A. M. Johnson, of Minneapolis.

ARL WULSTEN, assayist, miner and surveyor, at Rosita, Custer County, and the originator of the colony that located in the Wet Mountain Valley in 1870, was born in the ancient city of Colberg, in the province of Pomerania, Prussia, July 8, 1833. His father, Herman Wulsten, a man of influence, served as mayor of the only city that was able to resist the onslaughts of Napoleon's victorious army; he also held the office of counselor and justice of the judicial district of Stargardt and at Frank- fort-on-Oder served as government counsel. At one time Bismarck was his auscultator. The family originated in England and was founded in Germany by Sir Reginald Woollaston, who was obliged, for political reasons, to flee from England in the days of Charles I.

In the schools of Frankfort-on-Oder, the sub- ject of this article received his education. When thirteen years of age he went to sea on board a whaler and the next season was on a ship that went to the East Indies, after which he made a trip to Brazil. In a subsequent trip to Scotland his ship was wrecked and he was one of two that survived. At Dundee he took ship aronnd the Horn to San Francisco, where he arrived March 21, 1849. For a time he engaged in wheeling coal for the steamboats; then going to the mines, he worked until he had saved a little money and afterward proceeded to French Gulch (now called Morrowville), where he mined with unnsnal success. It was not long until he had accumulated $180,000, but this, unfortunately, he lost in a bank failure. At the failure of the Adams Express Company he also lost a large amount. He then entrusted eighteen hundred ounces of gold to the captain of a vessel bonnd for home, but the ship was lost. The next stake he made was entrusted to the agent of the bank of England and that reached home safely.

Leaving California, Mr. Wnlsten took passage on a ship before the mast and made a trip to Cal- cutta, where the crew were mixed up in a fight and all were put in the black hole of Calcutta. An English officer called on them and to get them out enlisted them in the Queen's service. He enlisted in a company to go into the interior and in a fight with the sepoys was wounded, shortly after which he was discharged, owing to

disability. Returning to his seafaring life, after varied experiences and many hardships he reached Ireland, but the boat had been prac- tically wrecked, and in manning the pumps the crew were more or less frozen, and, as soon as possible, were sent to the hospital, where they re- mained for some time. Only Mr. Wulsten and one other man came out of the hospital without having their feet amputated. Next he passed the examination and entered military service in his na- tive land. After one year he was promoted to a lieutenancy, and was then given work in the hy- drographic office in Berlin, for the duties of which his long experience on the ocean admirably quali- fied him. Through influence, he received per- mission to attend lectures in the University of Berlin, where he gained a thorough education in geology, mineralogy, engineering, etc., gradn- ating in 1859.

Shortly after this we find Mr. Wnlsten en route to Santiago and Havana as first mate of a ship. For throwing a Spaniard overboard whom he caught stealing on the ship he was cast into Morro Castle and spent one night in an under- ground dungeon there, but through the influence of the Prussian representative he was released the following morning, and eventually he se- cured damages amounting to $4,000. After his return to Germany he married and then went to New York City, where he taught school for a time. Later he was in Indiana and then in Chicago, where he worked on the Evening Journal and the Staats Zeitung. In 1869 he made a trip to Colorado. He returned to Chicago, formed a colony for emigration, and in March, 1870, settled in the Wet Mountain Valley, with one hundred families. He surveyed the valley and each family entered one hundred and sixty acres. Since then his attention has been mainly devoted to mining and he has made some remarkably good finds. The most of his time is given to prospecting, assaying and making a chemical analysis of the different propositions here, and no one is better posted than he regarding the minerals of the county.

The first wife of Mr. Wulsten died in Denver. Of their children three are living, namely: Mary, Mrs. William J. Conner, of Baker City, Ore .; William, who is in California; and Caroline, wife of Walter Scott, of Aspen, Colo. Once, when going from Colorado to Chicago, Mr. Wulsten was taken seriously ill, and it was thought there was no hope of his recovery. He was taken off

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the cars at West Liberty, Iowa, where he was nursed back to health. He afterward married the lady who was his nurse there, and who was the widow of Vincent Keith, of West Liberty.

M E. MULLOY, who is a well-known archi- tect, contractor and builder, has engaged in business in Manitou since 1887, and has built up an enviable reputation for skill, reliability and efficiency. Among his contracts were those for the Bank block, Wheeler's greenhouse and bowling alley, the Winegar block, the addition to the Barker house, in Manitou; the pavilion and dancing hall at the iron springs, the Catho- lic Church in Colorado City, the Wheeler resi- dence on North Cascade avenue, Colorado Springs; the residences of W. L. Cook, E. R. Clark, W. S. Boynton and Frank Heron, all in Colorado Springs; Montcalme Sanitarium and many resi- dences in Manitou. Since 1887 he has had the contracts for all of Mr. Wheeler's work, which has amounted to almost $100,000. He built for him- self a residence in Colorado Springs, but later sold it. He also built in Manitou the Portland hotel, which he still owns; six residences on Ruxton avenue, five of which he still owns; the Shannon Place, near the iron springs; and other buildings in different locations. For his con- venience in filling contracts, he carries a small stock of lumber and builders' supplies.

Born in Fort Fairfield, Aroostook County, Me., October 14, 1856, the subject of this sketch is a son of Thomas and Hannah (O'Donald ) Mulloy, natives respectively of Counties Wexford and Mayo, Ireland. His father, who was an agri- culturist and one of the selectmen of his town, died at Fort Fairfield in 1895, when seventy years of age. His widow and her younger son, John, still remain at the old homestead. The only other survivor of the eight children origi- nally comprising the family is the subject of this article. He graduated from the high school at Fort Fairfield, after which he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade. At the age of twenty-one he became interested in drafting and general architect's work. He continued steadily at his chosen occupation until failing health obliged hini to make a change of location. In November of 1883 he came to Colorado and settled in Maniton, where, in the spring of the following year, he be- gan to work at his trade. In 1887 he com- menced contracting for himself, and since then he has established a reputation in his vocation.

When not filling contracts for others, he engaged in building houses for himself and these he placed on sale. In this way he became the owner of valuable interests here.

In September, 1886, in Manitou, Mr. Mulloy married Miss Annie Hussung, who was born in Germany and removed to Dayton, Ohio, at eighteen years of age, later coming to Manitou. She has a brother, J. M. Hussung, who is en- gaged in the real-estate, building and lumber business in Colorado Springs. The children born of her marriage are named respectively: Mary, Rose, Edward and Hilda. The family hold membership in the Roman Catholic Church.

In politics Mr. Mulloy is a silver Republican. For one term he served as a member of the city council, but at the expiration of his term refused renomination. During the existence of the board of trade here he was one of its members, prior to which he held membership in the Colorado Springs board of trade. At one time he was active in the lodge of Odd Fellows. He assisted in the organization of the J. B. Wheeler Hose Company, of which he is an active member.

EORGE L. CORNWELL, of the firm of Cornwell & Brown, is a well-known busi- ness man of Flagler, a railroad town of Kit Carson County, situated fifty-five miles west of the Kansas state line. His property interests in- clude his partnership in the hardware business and his ueat residence (the finest in the village), also his ranch, upon which he has hundreds of heads of cattle.

The birth of Mr. Cornwell occurred in 1843 in Charlestown, Sullivan County, N. H. He was one of a family of four, of whom Richard is engaged in the boot and shoe business in Massachusetts; Julius makes his home in Concord, N. H .; and Addie died at seventeen years of age. His father, Dennis Cornwell, was born in New Hampshire and engaged in farming there until his death, which occurred in 1855, when he was forty-three years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lucetta Bainey, was born in Connecti- cut, and was a daughter of Col. Richard Bainey, colonel of militia in the war of 1812.

Iu district schools and in a high school in Con- necticut, our subject obtained a fair education. His father dying when he was a boy of twelve, he early began to support himself, and followed va- rious occupations, working at any honest employ- ment he could secure. For three years he en-

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gaged in the mercantile business in Detroit, Colorado, settling in Denver, and securing em- Mich. In 1865 he came to Colorado, and after- ployment in that city. After eleven years in Denver he came to Cheyenne County, and settled on the ranch where he has since engaged in stock-raising and general agricultural pursuits. Politically he is a Republican, and at elections he has often been called upon to serve as judge of elections and in other local positions. He is a widower, having lost his wife by death some years ago. She bore the maiden name of Sarah Peterson and became his wife in 1872. ward traveled through all the mountain region, prospecting for gold. He spent considerable time at Blackhawk as a prospector. Afterward he carried on a mercantile store at Georgetown, Leadville and Boulder successively. For two years he engaged in the lumber business in Hugo, Lincoln County. From there he came to Flag- ler, Kit Carson (then Elbert) County, in 1889, and has since engaged in the stock business and in conducting a hardware store.

In common with other intelligent citizens, Mr. Cornwell maintains a warm interest in public affairs, keeping posted concerning national issues, as well as local politics. He gives his vote to candidates of the Republican party. Educational matters have always been given his support, for he is a firm believer in the value of the public schools. In religion he is connected with the Congregational Church. His marriage took place in 1895 and united him with Emma Bur- guist, an estimable lady, and a native of Penn- sylvania.

RIC PETERSON. Few men have lived more quietly than Mr. Peterson, yet few have exerted a greater influence than Mr. Peterson among those with whom he has been associated. He came to Kit Carson in 1883 and opened a general store, etc. A man whose deal- ings may be relied upon in every respect, he be- came known as an honorable, trustworthy mer- chant and a reliable business man. At this writ- ing he is making his home at Mr. Hinkley's.

In the northern part of Sweden Mr. Peterson was born in 1847. His father, Peter, who was a farmer in the same place, was a man who had many friends in his community, and especially in the Lutheran Church, to which he belonged. He was born in 1810 and died in 1890, while his wife, who was a native of the same locality, died there in 1883. They were the parents of four sons and one daughter, the latter of whom re- mains at the old home place. Peter is a farmer and owner of a flour mill in Sweden; Ole is en- gaged in the furniture business in Illinois; and John, also a resident of Illinois, is engaged in farming.

Until sixteen years of age our subject attended the local schools. When he was twenty-one he crossed the ocean to America and settled in Illi- nois, but three years later, in 1872, he came to

OHN H. FOX, treasurer of Las Animas County, and a resident of Trinidad since boy- hood, was born in Paris, Ky., October 31, 1862. He was a boy of twelve years when his parents came to Colorado, settling near Walsen- burg, but three years later coming to Trinidad then a small village. His education was such as the common schools afforded, but he added to it by habits of close observation and careful study, and is now a well-informed man, not only regard- ing local matters or state history, but in all mat- ters pertaining to our national welfare and prog- ress as a people.

From youth Mr. Fox displayed a taste for busi- ness. For several years he was employed in the office of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Com- pany at El Moro. With that exception he has continued to make Trinidad his home since he was fifteen years of age, much of the time serv- ing in clerical positions in this city. He can scarcely recall the time when his interest in poli- tics began, for it seems a part of his nature. By birth, descent and education, he possesses Democratic views, and the close study he has made of politics since reaching manhood confirms him in the opinions he formed in childhood. The party, to whose interests he has ever shown true devotion, has recognized his fitness for official trusts and honors. In 1887, during the Cleveland administration, he received the appointment of postmaster, and continued to hold the office until 1892, when his term expired.

For his present office of county treasurer, former experience in handling large sums of money and keeping careful accounts has fitted Mr. Fox. After having served as city treasurer for one term, he was re-elected and continued in the office during 1893 and 1894; aud at the same time he was employed as teller of the Trinidad National Bank. In the fall of 1895 he was the Democratic candidate for county treasurer, but

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was defeated by twenty-four votes. Two years later he was more successful in his candidacy and was elected by a plurality of eleven hundred and twenty-five. In state, as well as local, politics he has taken active part and wielded an influence. He attends all of the state conventions of his party, and in 1892 was made the Democratic can- didate for state anditor. At the beginning of his term of office in 1899 Gov. Charles S. Thomas appointed Mr. Fox to the position of aide-de- camp on his staff, with the rank of colonel.

In his fraternal connections, Mr. Fox is a mem- ber of Apache tribe, No. 28, I. O. R. M .; and is also identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

M RS. LOIS JONES SHEPHERD. One of the most noticeable features of Colorado life is the prominence given to women in public positions, especially in offices connected, directly or indirectly, with the education of the young. Among those who have been honored by election as county superintendent of schools is Mrs. Shepherd, who in the fall of 1897 was chosen to serve at the head of the schools of Pu- eblo Connty. For this work she is fitted by study, knowledge and experience, and since she assumed official duties, Jannary 11, 1898, she has established a reputation for fidelity to her trust. The county has fifty-six schools, in addi- tion to the Pueblo city schools, and over these she exercises a general supervision, forwarding their interests and promoting the welfare of the pupils.

Mrs. Shepherd was born in the little village of Milton, five miles from Frankfort, Ky., and is a daughter of R. H. and Mary J. (Wardlaw) Jones. Her father, who was a native of Ken- tucky and a member of an old southern family, was a son of Mary Holmes Morrison, whose an- cestors came to this country in the "Mayflower." For some years he was a merchant in Kentucky, but afterward engaged in the grain and pro- duce business in St. Louis, Mo., where he was a prominent man and for over thirty years a member of the Merchants' Exchange. Mrs. Shepherd was a child of ten years when the family removed to St. Louis. She was educated in public schools and a normal school under Will- iam T. Harris, who is now United States com- missioner of education. Graduating at nineteen years of age, she afterward taught for six years

in the Stoddard public school, of St. Louis, the superintendent of schools at that time being Mr. Harris, who has continued to be a warm friend of Mrs. Shepherd.

After teaching for six years Miss Jones became the wife of William Shepherd, a native of Ohio and a member of the firm of Shepherd & Ginoc- chio, wholesale produce, fruit and commission merchants of St. Louis. In May, 1881, Mr. Shepherd sold out his interest in St. Louis and, hoping the change might benefit his health, came to Colorado. He opened a wholesale fruit store in Pueblo, and made a specialty of furnishing fruits to the forts in the west. Here, as in St. Louis, he was a prominent business man. He took an active part in the Christian Church and was a deacon and treasurer for seven years. His death, which occurred April 14, 1888, was a loss to his family, his church and the entire com- munity. He left three children: Ernest T., Robert Gladstone and Queen Lois, all of whom are students in the Pueblo schools.

After teaching for one year, Mrs. Shepherd was engaged as principal of the Irving school, in Pneblo, and continued there for eight years. While still employed in that capacity, she was nominated for county superintendent of schools on the Republican ticket. She made no effort to secure the office, but continued her school work as usual. However, she won the victory, by over a thousand majority, and early in 1898 en- tered upon her official duties. She is recognized as one of the leading educators of the state and is thoroughly devoted to her chosen work. A year after she assumed the duties of her office, she was highly complimented, by leading opposition papers, on her success as an official. Much of her success is due to her private study under William T. Harris, when he was superintendent of the St. Louis schools, and to his assistance and interest she feels that she is immeasurably in- debted. She is a lady of sincere Christian char- acter and has many friends, in educational, re- ligious and social circles in this city.

AMES R. KILLIAN, attorney-at-law, of Walsenburg, is a member of an old southern family that has long resided in the United C States. His paternal grandfather, Losson A. Killian, was born in Georgia and for years oper- ated extensively in the gold mines near Dahl- onega, that state, but in 1883 removed to Colo- rado and is now living, retired, at Monrovia,

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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 77

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