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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 565
is one of the most prominent Swedes in Denver, and is now vice-president of the Swedish Republican Club. In national politics he is a silver Republican. In 1897 he was nominated for city supervisor on the national silver ticket, endorsed by the tax payers and civic federation, and was elected by a majority of eight thousand. He took office April 14, 1898, for a term of two years, and has since been a member of the important committees and chairman of the license, market and market place, and police and fire department committees. He introduced the bill to license and regulate the chattel-mortgage men, which was passed by the board; also the bill compelling street car companies to provide cars with vestibules for motormen, which was carried after a hard and prolonged fight. Other good measures have received his warm sympathy and active support.
Fraternally Mr. Lindquist is past sachem of Red Cloud Tribe No. 14, I. O. R. M.; belongs to Court Wallhalla, Order of Foresters, and Uniform Rank, also Denver Conclave, of which he is the commander; Northern Lodge No. 61, I. O. O. F., and the Silver State Encampment. While living in Chicago he married Miss Charlotte Maline, a native of Sweden. They have four children, Carl Eugene, Hilda Christine, Axel Wilbert and Lillie Evangeline.
ON. HENRY SUESS, who won the title of major in the Civil war, was a member of the Colorado legislature in the session of 1885-86, during which he served as chairman of the committee on roads and bridges and a member of the railroad and other committees. He introduced a bill which was carried, providing for the use of the public improvement fund in the erection of bridges, and under the new law the iron bridge at Grand Junction was the first to be built. During his term occurred the great contest between Hill and Teller for United States senator. At first Mr. Suess supported Hill, but when he saw the impossibility of the latter receiving the election he voted for the opposing candidate. He was not a candidate for re-election to the legislature, but afterward was nominated on the regular Republican ticket for state senate. Unfortunately there was a split in the party and a second nomination, which resulted in a Democratic victory.
Born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, our subject is a son of George Suess, a native of Zierenberg, who located three miles from Hesse-Cassel and engaged in the saddlery and harness business. After his death the business was continued by his youngest son, George, who was a soldier in the Franco-Prussian war. The father also was a soldier, serving for ten years in the Garde du corps, a regiment of cavalry. He died at the age of fifty-seven. In religious belief he was identified with the Reformed Church. The name Suess, translated into the English language, is "sweet."
The mother of our subject was Amelia Pfeiffer, daughter of a city official in Wolfhagen, Kur-Hessen, where she was born. She died young, leaving only one child. The father was married three times and had one son by each marriage. Julius, one of the sons, came to America in 1847 and settled upon a farm in Adams County, Ill. During the war he was employed at Jefferson barracks in St. Louis. While on his way back to Illinois, at the close of the war, he was on a Mississippi River boat and was accidentally killed by stepping through the hatchway. The youngest son is George, now in Germany.
Born in 1837, the subject of this skecth (sic) was educated in the gymnasium in Hesse-Cassel, where he completed the course. At the age of fourteen he began to learn the saddler's trade, serving for three years. In 1854 he left Bremen on the steamer "Herman" and after a voyage of two days landed in Southampton, from which place he sailed to New York. He joined his brother Julius, who then lived near New Baltimore, Mich., but soon went to Romeo, Macomb County, Mich., where he worked at the saddler's trade for two years. There he married Miss Wilhelmina Lange, who was born in Prussia. From Romeo he removed to New Baltimore and started in business for himself, but the panic of 1859 caused his financial ruin. He then went to St. Louis and secured employment at his trade. In 1860 he settled in Concordia, Mo., and started in business for himself.
Immediately after the capture of Camp Jackson, our subject organized a company of home guards and was mustered into service as sergeant at Booneville. He was elected first lieutenant of Company B, of the Lafayette home guard, and
566
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. at once engaged in guerrilla fighting. He was stationed at Waverly, then near Concordia, where he assisted in building the stockade and breastworks, then went to the relief of four companies at Lexington and was captured by General Price, but afterward paroled. Returning home, he soon re-enlisted, becoming a member of Company B, Seventh Missouri Cavalry, in which he was orderly sergeant for five days and then was elected first lieutenant. He continued the guerrilla warfare, taking part in the Shelby raid and the Price raid in Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas, and was promoted to be major December 16, 1863. For three months he commanded a boat on the Missouri River, from Glasgow to Fort Leavenworth, and with the aid of a company of infantry, twenty-five cavalry and two pieces of artillery, succeeded in largely stopping the crossing of the river by guerrillas. He served as inspector of cavalry for the central district of Missouri on the staff of Gen. E. B. Brown, then was transferred to the staff of Gen. Alfred Pleasanton. At the beginning of the Price raid he became identified with that campaign and took part in all its skirmishes. He had charge of the prisoners taken in the battle of the Osage and delivered them to St. Louis. He was mustered out of service December 10, 1865.
The following day he began in business in Sedalia, Mo., opposite the Missouri Pacific, where he remained until 1878. Meantime, for six years, he was a member of the city council, being its president for one term; mayor in 1867-68, during which time the water works were built, the fire department organized and the streets macadamized; president of the board of education for six years; county treasurer for one term; one of the founders of the First National Bank and a director in it. On selling out he took a position with the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association, being manager of their business in Houston, Tex., for two and one-half years, and then, in 1881, was transferred to Denver. His territory extends to the coast and he has opened agencies in Kaslo, B. C., Spokane, Wash., and coast cities. His location is at Tenth and Wazee streets, where he has the oldest plant west of the Missouri.
In 1891 Mrs. Suess died, leaving eight children: Mrs. Flora Mansbach, of Denver; George, a plumber and gas-fitter; Mrs. Mary Horn, of Denver; Henry, who is in business with George; Fred, also a plumber, in this city; Julius, who died in 1896; Bertha and Theresa. The second wife of Major Suess was Mrs. Kate L. (Lemen) Taylor, a sister of Dr. L. E. Lemen. Fraternally Major Suess is connected with the Loyal Legion of Colorado, Lincoln Post, G. A. R., Turn Verein, Elks and Masons. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in Sedalia and took the Scottish Rite degree here, being now a member of El Jebel Temple, N. M. S.
OHN GREGOR, of Denver, was born in Ratibor, Silesia, Prussia, October 16, 1850, the son of Franz and Thekla (Maly) Gregor. His father, who was a soldier in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, has been a lifelong resident of Silesia, where he is still engaged in the manufacture of brick. Notwithstanding his seventy active years, he is still hale and robust. His wife, who was the daughter of John Maly, a carriage manufacturer and a soldier in the Prussian army during the Napoleonic wars, was born in Prussia and there died when advanced in years. Of her three children, two are living, one in Germany and the other in America.
In the common schools and gymnasiums of Silesia our subject received his education. At the age of sixteen he began an apprenticeship to the brickmason's trade, which he followed for three years in the summers, while during the winter months he studied in an architect's office. At the age of eighteen he was made foreman of jobs, and worked in that capacity for a year, when he decided to come to America. In the fall of 1868 he crossed the ocean and spent a time in traveling through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. He then located in Port Washington, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he worked at his trade. In 1879 he came to Colorado and settled in Denver, where he worked at his trade in the employ of others for three years, beginning as a contractor of brickwork in 1882. He has had the contracts for the tramway power house and residence and business property. In the organization of the Master Builders' Association and Brick Contractors' and Manufacturers' Association he was an active factor, and has since been secretary of both organizations.
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Politically Mr. Gregor is a silver Republican.
He was made a Mason in 1888 and is identified with Denver Lodge No. 5, A. F. & A. M., of which, he was worshipful master in 1895-96; he is also connected with Denver Chapter No. 2, R. A. M., of which he is an officer. At No. 1827 Pearl street he built the residence now occupied by himself and wife and their two daughters, Anna K and Helen M. His wife, who was Miss Ola Haskinson, was born in Port Washington, Ohio, where her father, who is of Scotch descent, has long been engaged in farming.
RS. F. C. BRAY, a very successful business woman and the owner of valuable property in Denver, was born in Franklin County, Ind., the daughter of Laborens and Agnes (Shepherd) Brown, natives of Berlin, Germany. In that land the family name was Braum, but the change to the present form was made on coming to America. Her father, who was a contractor and builder by trade, brought his wife and children to Indiana in 1849 and settled in Franklin County, where he followed his chosen occupation.
He soon became known as a man of skill and excellent judgment in his trade, and he was called to almost every part of the state, as a contractor in the erection of buildings. Much of his money he invested in land, and he became the owner of over six hundred acres in Franklin County. His death occurred there when he was fifty-nine years old. His wife also died in Indiana.
Of their children three sons and three daughters are living, Mrs. Bray being next to the youngest. One brother, Christian Brown, enlisted in an Indiana regiment and served through the Civil war, being wounded in the shoulder at the battle of Gettysburg; he is now living at the old homestead in Indiana. Another brother, Jacob, was a member of the Thirty-second Indiana Regiment and served until the close of the Rebellion.
Mrs. Bray was educated in the public schools of Franklin County and Terre Haute, Vigo County. In 1875 she went to St. Louis, where seven years later she became the wife of C. A. Bray, of that city. Prior to that, in 1879, she started a laundry in St. Louis, and in July, 1885, opened the City laundry there, where steam power was used. This laundry had a larger capacity than any similar concern in the city, except the Excelsior, to which she sold out in November, 1889. In March of the following year she came to Denver, and purchased the Elite laundry, that had been established the preceding November. She rebuilt and enlarged the laundry, at Eleventh and California streets, near the West Colfax avenue bridge. The management of this she has since successfully superintended. In July, 1892, she bought the City laundry and combined the two, continuing them in one building. The office of the Elite laundry is at No. 1513 Curtis street, and has been recently enlarged, and its capacity increased. Mrs. Bray is a member of the Laundrymen's Association. She is a capable business woman, thoroughly familiar with every detail in connection with the laundry business and efficient in superintending the work so as to secure satisfactory financial returns. Her residence is at No. 2712 Curtis street.
ROMAN W. BLAKLEY. In the list of enterprising business men of Denver we find the name of Mr. Blakley, proprietor of the United Carriage Company's stable, at Nos. 2012-14 Lawrence street. This business he started in the spring of 1897, when he remodeled a building 50X125 feet in dimensions, and here he has since carried on a general livery and transfer trade. He keeps a line of first-class livery and furnishes carriages for funerals, weddings and operas. By his energy and sagacious judgment he has built up an excellent trade and has become known as one of the judicious business men of the city.
The birth of the subject of this sketch occurred in Oregon, Holt County, Mo., April 22, 1854. He was next to the oldest of eight sons, of whom all but one are living. His father, Charles Blakley, was born in Kentucky, but settled in Missouri in an early day and engaged in farming and the stock business there. Often he bought cattle in Texas, which he shipped to Fort Leavenworth and Atchison and sold them there. In 1870 he came to Colorado, where he engaged in the stock business, shipping draft horses and milch cows into the state, but later became proprietor of the old Santa Fe stables, on Larimer between Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets. His last years were spent in retirement, and he died in Denver at the age of seventy-three. He was water com-
568
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. missioner of this city for one term under Dr. Buckingham, then mayor. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Vilena Lewis, was born in Jackson County, Mo., and died in Denver. Her father, Jesse Lewis, was born in Virginia, of Welsh descent, and engaged in farming in Missouri for sometime, but finally removed to within five miles of Atchison, Kan., where he died at ninety-three years.
When our subject was eight years of age his father moved to Platte City, Mo., and there he attended the public schools. He was the first of the family to come to Denver and some months later he was joined by his father, with whom he engaged in the stock business. July 4, 1876, he started a carriage shop, and continued exclusively in that industry until becoming interested in the livery business. His attention has been given closely to matters relating to his business, but he has kept abreast with the developments of the age and the march of thought. In politics he is a stanch Democrat. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World.
In Platte City, Mo., Mr. Blakley married Miss Ella Moore, who was born in Missouri, and is the adopted daughter of Judge E. H. Norton, a prominent attorney, and for sixteen years judge of the supreme court of that state. They are the parents of two children, Norton and Berta.
AWRENCE H. BALFE, plumbing inspector for the city of Denver and third vice-president of the United Journeymen Plumbers' Association of the United States and Canada, is a native of County Wexford, Ireland, where were also born his parents, Thomas and Eliza (Kinsler) Balfe, and his grandfathers, Miles Balfe, a horse trainer by occupation, and Patrick Kinsler, a large wholesale merchant of Courtown Harbor. Interested in horses from childhood, Thomas Balfe became widely known as a successful jockey, and in that capacity he was called to almost every part of the British Isles. Later he retired from that work and embarked in the wholesale grocery business at Courtown Harbor, where he is still living, hearty and stout, in spite of his eighty-seven years. When he was seventy-six years old he rode his own horse in a race and won it. His wife is now eighty-five years of age. Of their thirteen children that attained maturity, eight are living, all in this country, except two sisters who remain in Ireland. P. H. Balfe, the oldest son, is represented on another page of this volume; Edward is a blacksmith in the Grant Smelter Works of Denver; Thomas is engaged in the plumbing business in Omaha; Mrs. Mary Rose lives in Omaha, and Mrs. Sarah Smith in Chicago.
In the seaport town of Courtown Harbor our subject grew to sturdy youth, attending the national school there for some time. At the age of fourteen and one-half he enlisted in the British navy and was ordered upon a man-of-war training ship which was stationed at Kingstown for eighteen months. He was then given a furlough and went home to visit his parents, but on his return he made a mistake, and instead of boarding Her Majesty's ship he found himself on an American vessel westward bound. He landed in New York City in the fall of 1883, when seventeen years old. Four months he spent in Philadelphia, after which he went to Omaha and served an apprenticeship of two and one-half years at the plumbers' trade. In the spring of 1886 he came to Denver, where he worked for one year with Hohne & White, and then did journeyman work until 1890. The next two years were devoted to the business which he established for himself. In 1892 he was appointed plumbing inspector by Dr. L. E. Lemen, health physician, and the appointment was approved by Mayor Van Horn. After a term of two years and six months he was reappointed by Dr. William P. Munn, health physician, the appointment being concurred in by Mayor McMurray. In 1896 he was again appointed by the same gentleman, and is now serving his third term in the office, which he has filled with such marked capability.
In Denver, in 1888, Mr. Balfe married Miss Annie Cahaney, a native of County Sligo, Ireland, and the daughter of Alexander and Bridget (Irwin) Cahaney. Her father is still a farmer and drover in County Sligo, but her mother died some years ago. There were seven children in the family and five are now living, Mrs. Balfe being next to the oldest. She crossed the ocean and came from her native land to Colorado at the age of seventeen. Of her three children two are living, John and Edward.
A member of the United Journeyman Plumbers' Association of the United States and Canada, Mr.
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