USA > Colorado > Sketches of Colorado: being an analytical summary and biographical history of the State of Colorado as portrayed in the lives of the pioneers, the founders, the builders, the statesmen, and the prominent and progressive citizens Vol. 1 > Part 27
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During a residence of 52 years in Denver, Mr. Good has been interested in mining, railroads, banking and real estate. He as- sisted in encouraging and promoting many en- terprises that have led to the building up of this city and state, and has lived to see the realization of the hopes and ambitions of the pioneers in the fostering and develop- ing of this commonwealth. He was elected City Treasurer of Denver twice, serving four years, 1875-6-7-8. He was one of the organizers and charter members of the old Lotus club. He has at all times been a po- tent factor in Denver's commercial up- building, and is today one of her most public spirited men.
Mr. Good married in May, 1862, Miss Rosalia M., daughter of J. Christopher and Anna Barbara (Meyer) Wagner, at Misha- waka, Ind. Her uncle, Serephine Meyer, was a Judge of the Supreme Court, and dur- ing the Civil War acted as Colonel of the 107th Ohio Regiment. Two sons, Turine and Tulius Meyer, also fought with the 107th Ohio Regiment, both being killed while in action. A third son, General Edward Meyer, was engaged with the 19th Ohio Volunteers.
Mr. and Mrs. Good had six children: Leonora R. (Mrs. J. Everett Hasler) of New York City; Carrie (Mrs. J. J. Reilly) of Salt Lake City; Louis, Nellie, Louis Wagner, and John Edward, Yale 1895.
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GODFREY SCHIRMER
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GODFREY SCHIRMER.
S CHIRMER, GODFREY, banker and finan- cier, was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Deeember 5, 1863. He attended the publie schools of his native city, until 1876, when he went to Germany, where he became a stu- dent in the high school, thus supplementing his earlier Ameriean education. He then found employment in a bank at Landau, Pfalz. Returning to the United States in 1883, he worked for Oelrichs & Company, gen- eral agents for the North-German Lloyd Steamship Company, continuing with that agency until 1886. Owing to ill health he re- moved to Denver in the latter year, and for a year was in the employ of Albert Abel, the pioneer cigar dealer. In 1887, he established an agency office for the sale of steamship tickets, at the same time being a notary pub- lie. In the latter part of that year, he formed a partnership with O. S. Lehman, under the firm name of Schirmer & Lehman. In 1894, Louis Anfenger & Company, general insur- ance and loans, consolidated with and joined the partnership. Four years later, Mr. Schirmer retired from the firm and founded the Schirmer Insurance and Investment Com- pany in 1898. From this time on, Mr. Sehirmer branched into larger operations as a finaneier, and his company became one of the representative investment concerns of the city. He is a shrewd business man, upright and fair in all his dealings. His business in- creased to such a dimension that, when the German American Trust Company was or- ganized, Mr. Schirmer was able to add $300,- 000 to the capital of that now well known financial institution. He was elected presi- dent of the German American Trust Com- pany, May 1, 1905, and still holds that posi- tion.
This trust company has greatly pros- pered under President Schirmer's adminis-
tration. On September 1, 1909, the firm moved into its own new and beautiful build- ing erected at a cost of $200,000, on the cor- ner of Seventeenth and Lawrence streets. The interior of the structure is considered equal in modernity and attractiveness to any in Denver. The deposits had now reached $1,000,000, and on May 1, 1910, the capital stock was increased to $500,000.
Mr. Schirmer is connected with many business interests and investments, with which he holds the following official posi- tions: president of the German-Ameriean Trust Company ; viee-president of the Impe- rial Fire Insurance Company, and director in the following companies : The Denver United Breweries (Limited), the Great Western Sugar Company, the German American Real Estate Company, the Harkness Heights Land Company, the Lakeside Realty and Amuse- ment Company, the Teutonic Investment Company, and the Welton Street Investment Company.
In his social and commercial life, Mr. Schirmer is a member of prominent soeieties and orders, as follows: East Denver Turn- verein, Bayern Verein, Harugari, Schiller lodge of Odd Fellows, Schiller lodge of Masons, Scottish Rite Masons, and Shriners. He is also a member of the Denver Club, Denver Athletic Club, Denver Traffic Club, Denver Chamber of Commerce, Denver Real Estate Exchange, Civil Service Reform League, and the National Geographical So- ciety. The German Kaiser, a few years ago, conferred upon Mr. Sehirmer the Order of the Crown, Fourth Class, an honor highly prized by German-Americans.
Mr. Schirmer married, in March, 1905, Miss Anna, daughter of H. P. Nagel, and to them have been born the following child- ren :
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SAMUEL DANFORD NICHOLSON
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SAMUEL DANFORD NICHOLSON.
N ICHOLSON, SAMUEL DANFORD, min- ing, born February 22, 1859, in Spring- field, Prince Edward Island, Canada, was the son of Donald M. and Catharine (Mckenzie) Nicholson. The family is of Scotch descent. In 1841, Malcolm Nicholson, his grandfather, came over from Scotland and settled at Springfield, this island, and his son, Donald M., born 1828, died 1901, was a farmer.
Samuel D. Nicholson was educated in the common schools of his native town, on the island, and then started out in the world to make his own fortune. After many and varied vicissitudes that developed in him the self-made man, he went to Leadville, arriv- ing in February, 1881, at the great carbon- ate mining camp, of which he was to become mayor a few years later.
Mr, Nicholson soon became prominently identified with mining interests, and laid the foundation for the wealth that came, through hard work. far-sightedness and business en- terprise. He began as a miner, and was known as a reliable and skilful foreman. He was then advanced to more responsible em- ployment, as mining superintendent and manager. He was connected with the A. Y.
and Minnie mines, and other valuable prop- erties. Familiarizing himself with all the details of this industry and making a close study of the mining situation and conditions in Leadville, he began to make a fortune for himself. Having become one of the lead- ing as well as popular citizens of Leadville, he was elected mayor, and then re-elected to sueceed himself, ably filling that position from 1893 to 1897. He later made Denver his residence.
Mr. Nicholson is president, general man- ager and a large owner of the Western Mining Company, Leadville, and is interested in various mining enterprises. He has also become prominently identified with other lines of business. He is a director in the American National Bank of Leadville, and also in the Capitol Life Insurance Company. The Holly Sugar Company and other enter- prises represent some of his investments.
Mr. Nicholson is a member of the Denver Club and the Denver Country Club.
He married at Leadville, in 1887, Miss Anna Neary, of Clifton Springs, New York. They have two children, Edward and Ruth Helen.
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CHARLES WESLEY FRANKLIN
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CHARLES WESLEY FRANKLIN
FRANKLIN, CHARLES WESLEY, law- so much lawlessness prevailed in the min yer, born Oct. 20, 1858, near Boonville, Missouri, is the son of Henry and Martha (Jeffries) Franklin. His father, born 1825, died April 13, 1902, was a contractor and carpenter. The subject of this sketch was edu- cated in the High School, Sedalia, Missouri; and attended Central College, Fayette, Mis- souri, 1877; University of Missouri, 1878-81; University of Michigan, 1882-83, graduating from the law department of the latter in June, 1883. ing camps. In 1885, Mr. Franklin formed a partnership at Aspen with James M. Down- ing, under the firm name of Downing & Franklin, which for several years represented the principal mining interests of that section. They had among their mining clients, H. B. Cowenhoven, D. R. C. Brown, D. H. Moffat, W. S. Cheesman, J. J. Hagerman, Elmer T. Butler, John C. Eames, the Aspen, Emma, Connemara, Deep Mining & Drainage Com- pany, other large mining corporations, to- gether with the water works and electric light companies. They were attorneys for the sideline elaimants in the big apex cases. At the same time, Mr. Franklin was the local attorney for the D. & R. G. railroad.
About 1872, he began serving his ap- prenticeship as the "devil" on the Sedalia (Mo.) Democrat; was then job printer, and also reporter and traveling correspondent for this same paper for about eight years. A. Y. Hull, father of Congressman Hull of Iowa, was its editor, and later succeeded by Major John N. Edwards, one of the ablest American editorial writers. While thus en- gaged in journalism, Mr. Franklin earned part of the money used in his collegiate edu- cation. He earned some of his expenses at the University of Missouri, printing college papers, with W. S. Cowherd, later congress- man from Missouri, being one of the editors.
Mr. Franklin came to Colorado in 1880, and after remaining in Denver a month, went to Leadville, where he set type on the Herald, later known as the Herald-Democrat. He was foreman of the Leadville Chronicle's job office, at the time that Robert Gauss, now of the Denver Republican, was connected with that paper. While a printer in Lead- ville, he became a member of the typograph -. ical union.
Mr. Franklin was one of the pioneers of Aspen, being a member of the second party that went into that country over the Inde- pendence Trail. Returning to the Uni- versity of Missouri, he studied law, then came back to Colorado, engaging in mining at Ashcroft, also being interested in that town- site. He ran for clerk and recorder of Pitkin county on the democratic ticket, in 1881, and though elected was afterwards admit- tedly counted out. He resumed the practice of the law, and for a time, was in the office of Markham, Patterson & Thomas at Lead- ville, and also in the office of G. G. White, at the same place. He served as assistant district attorney of Lake county, under William Kellogg. He then attended the University of Michigan, and after grad- uating from the legal department, returned to Leadville, where he again became assist- ant to the district attorney, performing a con- siderable share of the business, at a time when
Coming to Denver in 1893, Mr. Franklin formed a partnership with Lafe Pence, which was dissolved when the latter ran for con- gress a second time. His move to Denver was brought about by the necessity for a more central location for interests represented by him in Denver, Cripple Creek, and Colorado Springs, where his clients had extensive properties, especially in the organization and construction of the Midland Terminal Rail- way, for which he was general counsel. He also became interested in railways in Texas and Central America. At the present time he has extensive mining interests in Gilpin, Summit, Clear Creek, Teller, Pitkin, and other counties of the state. In 1893, he es- tablished a branch office at Cripple Creek, with K. R. Babbitt, as a third member of the firm.
Mr. Franklin has continued to practice law in Denver, the firm now being Franklin & Tedrow, making a specialty of mining, corporation, irrigation and railway litigation. He is one of the democratic leaders of the state and been prominently mentioned for governor on that ticket. He is prominent in the counsels of his party, from both a state and national standpoint, taking an active part in its conventions, and was chairman for Denver and Colorado of the Democratic National Convention at Denver in 1908. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Traffic Club and the K. P., and is also a di- rector in the Denver Convention League and the Festival of Mountain and Plain ; the Phi Delta Phi, the legal fraternity, and the Beta Theta Pi of Missouri.
He married at Glenwood Springs, in 1887, Miss Carrie May, daughter of John W. Beman of Cripple Creek, Colorado. They have two children: Charles Beman, and Lucile Martha.
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HUGH JOHN ALEXANDER
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HUGH JOHN ALEXANDER.
A LEXANDER, HUGH JOHN, banker, by him, together with his well known integ- rity and ability, eminently fitted him for a larger and more extensive field of work. He had so long been connected with the Thatcher Brothers with their banks in the San Juan region, in which his efficiency had been shown, that when they became inter- ested in the Trinidad bank, Mr. Alexander was made one of their partners in that insti- tution, a high compliment to his long and faithful service.
born August 20, 1851, was the son of William Knox and Elizabeth Alexander. He spent the first twenty-two years of his life in Iowa, where he received a common school education. He came to Colorado in 1873, and during his first year's residence in this state lived with some friends on a ranch. The fol- lowing year he went to Colorado Springs, where, for a short time, he was connected with the First National Bank of that city, as bookkeeper and teller. In 1876 he became connected with the Thatcher Brothers bank- ing system in Colorado, which, in addition to their large central bank in Pueblo, also included a number of banking institutions in the southern and southwestern part of the state. In the latter year he removed to Lake City, Colorado, where he became assistant and, later, cashier of the Miners and Mer- chants Bank, owned by the Thatcher Bro- thers at that place.
When the Thatcher Brothers organized the First National Bank at Silverton, in 1880, Mr. Alexander was sent to that town as cashier for the new bank, but a year later returned to his former position as cashier of the bank at Lake City. In 1884, Mr. Alex- ander, together with the Thatcher Brothers. purchased a controlling interest in the First National Bank of Trinidad, and he removed to that city. Thus, after several years of employment in banking circles, in which he had shown aptitude and skill as a financier, and through judicious investments of his own, Mr. Alexander was able to start in busi- ness for himself. His several years of expe- rience in the positions that had been held
Mr. Alexander remained in Trinidad until 1902, when he contemplated a larger and still more extensive field of operation. In that year he came to Denver, and operating in connection with the Thatcher Brothers and Delos A. Chappell, the Continental National Bank of this city was organized. Later it became the Capitol National Bank. Mr. Alexander was its cashier for three years, and is now its first vice-president.
During a period of thirty-seven years, Mr. Alexander has been connected with Colorado banking institutions, in which he has made an enviable career for honorable and upright dealing, and has established for himself a record as one of the ablest financiers in the state. His long service with the banks in southern and southwestern Colorado, during which he built up a large personal and busi- ness acquaintance, has added strength to the Denver bank with which he is now asso- ciated, with other and able financiers.
Mr. Alexander married Jennie L. King, daughter of Delos G. King, and to them was born a son, Philip K. Alexander.
Mr. Alexander is a member of the Denver Country Club and the Colorado Traffic Club.
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LEONARD EAGER CURTIS
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LEONARD EAGER CURTIS.
C URTIS, LEONARD EAGER, lawyer, born development in electric light and power. His July 23, 1858, Norwalk, Ohio, is the son of Alfred Smith (lawyer, born December 9, 1816, died 1886) and Elmina (daughter of Caleb and Anna Adams) Curtis. He is de- scended frfom William Curtis of Tenterden, county of Kent, England, who came on the ship Leon to Boston in 1632, and later settled in Roxbury, Mossachusetts, and also from Nehemiah Smith, England, who sailed for Plymouth in 1637. The English branch of the Curtis family settled in Kent and Sus- sex counties at a very early period. There is a record of Stephen Curtis of Appledore, Kent, about 1450, several of whose descen- dants were mayors of Tenterden. The arms borne by this branch of the family are: Ar- gent : a chevron sable between three bulls' heads cabossed gules; Crest : a unicorn pas- sant or between four trees ppr. law firms during most of this time were Duncan, Curtis & Page, and Kerr & Curtis. The litigation terminated in 1896, and his health breaking down, Mr. Curtis came to Colorado, locating at Colorado Springs, which has since been his residence. Having recovered his health, he resumed the general practice of law, and, in 1899, formed a part- nership with his brother-in-law, Mr. Henry Hine, under the firm name of Curtis & Hine, for taking up the construction and operation of electric power plants. They built on the coal fields near Colorado Springs, the plant which is now the principal one of the Colo- rado Springs Light, Heat & Power Company. Soon after, they began operations in Mex- ico, organizing the Guanajuato Power & Electric Company, and afterward the Mich- oacan Power Company, and the Central Mex- ico Light & Power Company, now operating in the state of Guanajuato, Michoacan, San Luis Potosi and Jalisco, comprising the een- tral part of Mexico. Curtis & Hine are the general managers of these extensive corpor- ations ; Mr. Curtis is also the vice-president and treasurer of all the companies.
Alfred Smith Curtis, his father, a law- yer prominent in his profession, married El- mina Wadams of Fleming Hill, Cayuga coun- ty, New York, whose progenitor was John Wadams, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1655. Abigail Smith, mother of Alfred Smith Cur- tis, was a descendant in the seventh genera- tion from Nehemiah Smith of Plymouth, 1621-2, later an early settler of the New Ha- ven Colony, removing thence to the vicinity of Norwich, Connecticut.
Leonard Eager Curtis received his early education in the Oneida high school, Oneida, Illinois, and at Knox college, Galesburg, Illi- nois, and was graduated from Yale (aca- demic) 1872, and the Yale law school, 1874. During the next two years he was in the employ of the legal firm of Stanley, Brown & Clark, New York City. Then, for a short time, he was in partnership with George S. Sedgwick, under the firm name of Sedgwick & Curtis, after which he became the junior partner of Stanley, Brown & Clark, one of the great law firms of New York. Retiring from general practice in 1880, he was ap- pointed secretary and general counsel for the United States Electric Lighting Com- pany, one of the pioneer electric corpora- tions. From that time until 1896, he devoted himself mainly to the great patent litigation which arose between different interests, final- ly centering in the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company and the General Electric Company. Mr. Curtis was execu- tive counsel on the Westinghouse side of this litigation, which was very extensive and complicated, involving all phases of modern
Afterward they organized the Animas Power & Water Company, constructing a large plant on the Animas river between Sil- verton and Durango, but later retired from the company. In 1906, they took a promin- ent part in the organization of the Central Colorado Power Company and in the con- struction of its plants on the Grand river near Glenwood Springs, but retiring about a year ago from the management of that com- pany, they are now devoting themselves to their Mexican enterprises.
Mr. Curtis is a member of the following organizations: El Paso Club, Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, Colorado Springs Golf Club, Colorado Springs Winter Night Club (president), Automobile Club of Colo- rado Springs (president), Denver Club, American Bar Association, New York Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association, El Paso County Bar Association, Lawyer's Club, New York, and American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Mr. Curtis married, in New York City, July 9, 1879, Miss Charlotte Stanley, daugh- ter of Henry M. and Phoebe Hine of Connec- ticut. They have four children: Leonard Eager Jr., Alfred Stanley, Elizabeth Stanley, (married to Erie A. Swenson), and Helen Hope (married to Albin C. Swenson).
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CHARLES MEIGS SCHENCK.
S CHENCK, CHARLES MEIGS, general merchandise, son of Washington Lafaye- ette (1825-1910) and Julia (Bliss) Schenck, was born January 3, 1850, in Franklin, War- ren county, Ohio. The Scheneks are an old Holland family, with a history reaching baek to the Barons von Teutenburg, A. D. 880, from which a branch, known as the Scheneks van Nydeek, was an offshoot in 1225. The immi-
Niddegem; born at Gosh, 1543; Knight, Lord of Teutenburg, free lance and soldier of fortune, whose adventurous life and tragic death at the night attack upon the city of Nymegen, August 10, 1589, are graph- ically described by Motley in his history of the United Netherlands.
Roelof Martense, son of the American progenitor of the family, born at Amers-
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CHARLES MEIGS SCHENCK
grant ancestor of Charles Meigs Schenck was Martin Pieterse Schenck van Nydeck, born at Doesburg, Holland, August 7, 1584, who, with his sons, Roelof Martense and Jan, and his daughter, Anetje, arrived at Nien Am- sterdam, June 28, 1650, on the ship Vale- kener, which sailed from Holland in March of that year. This Martin Pieterse was the nephew of General Sir Martin Schenck of
foort, Holland, 1619, died at Flatlands, Long Island, New York, 1704, was a prominent official on Long Island, where he was a mag- istrate and captain of horse for King's county. He married Neeltje Gerretsen von C'onwenhoven, and their son, Gerrit Roelofse, married Neeltje Coerten von Voorhees. Ger- rit was an officer in the provincial militia, and a member of the general assembly of
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New Jersey, 1721-1726, and died September 5, 1745. His son, Koert Gerretse (1702-1771), a native of New Jersey, married Mary Pe- terse von Conenhoven.
The Reverend William Schenck (1740- 1823), next in line of deseent, was graduated from Nassau Hall, College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, in 1767; was chaplain in the army of the American Revo- lution, and a prominent elergyman in the Presbyterian Church. He married Anna Cumming, grand-daughter of Catherine Van Brugh Noble, who was the grand-daughter of Johannes Pieterse Verbrugge and Catrina Roelofse van Maesterlandt. Catrina's mother was the celebrated Anneke Jans, a name notorions in connection with the Anneke Jans- sometimes called the Bogardus-es- tate, consisting of sixty acres of land, in the present Trinity Church district of New York City, the heirs to which now nuumber hun- dreds of thousands.
Garret Alexander (son of the Reverend William Schenck), born at Pittsgrove, New Jersey, April 20, 1783, died at Franklin, Ohio, January 8, 1836, married Mary Plume. He and his brothers were distinguished in the early history of Ohio. His brothers, William C. and Peter T., were both officers in the war of 1812, the latter losing his life in the service. Another brother, William Rogers Sebenek, was killed on the Santa Fe Trail with the late General Albert Pike, in 1832. Still another brother, James Findlay Schenek, was distinguished in the navy, from which he retired as rear admiral in 1869. Robert Cumming Schenck, another brother, served several terms in eongress; attained the rank of major general in the civil war; was minister to Brazil, 1851-1853, and min- ister to Great Britain, 1871-1876.
Washington Lafayette Schenck (son of Garret), born Franklin, Ohio, February 14, 1825, died Topeka, Kansas, January 4, 1910, married Julia Bliss, daughter of Joshua and Nancy Waldron Bliss of Calais, Vermont, and they were the parents of Charles M. Schenek, the subject of this sketch. Wash- ington Lafayette Schenck was one of the eminent physicians of his day ; was surgeon of the Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; member, American Medical Association, 1852-1908, and its first viee-president in 1888; was president Kansas State Medieal Society in 1877, and was prominent in his profession in both publie and private life. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and a Knight Templar.
Charles Meigs Sehenek attended the pri-
vate schools at Franklin, Ohio, and Antioch College, Ohio, 1868-1871, leaving college at the close of his junior year, going to Bur- lington, Iowa, where he resided until 1881. In 1865, he was clerk in the provost mar- shal's office, at Dayton, Ohio, and clerk in the freight office of the Chicago, Burlington and Quiney Railroad, at Burlington, Iowa, 1871-1872. For several years he was book- keeper, general salesman, cashier and vice- president with different firms in the dry goods and eoal business. From 1884 to 1894, he was president of the Western Supply Company, conducting general supply stores in Illinois and Iowa. In 1884-1885, he was seeretary of the Ottumwa and Kirksville Railway; secretary and general auditor of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, Den- ver, Colorado, 1892-1893; president, the Colorado and Wyoming Railway Company, and vice-president, the Crystal River Rail- road Company, 1902. Since 1893, he has been president and treasurer of the Colorado Supply Company, which operates thirty gen- eral merchandise stores in Colorado and Wyoming.
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