Mardos Collection
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 607
the latter city sailed on the steamer "Bristol" to New York, arriving in this country June 15, 1872. From New York he traveled by rail to Denver, reaching this city June . He had borrowed the money with which to pay his passage to this country, so not only had nothing, but was in debt when he began for himself in Colorado. For six years he worked as a farm hand in Boulder County, being for one year with Nelson Baller, his brother-in-law, and for five years with William Howell. During the time he was with Mr. Howell he saved his earnings, with which he purchased eighty acres four miles south of Longmont, and there, in 1878, he began farming for himself. Soon that place became too small, and in 1881 he bought the land now comprising a part of his large estate. His attention is given closely to the management of his ranch and he has had little time for public affairs. In politics he is liberal, voting for the man whom he deems best qualified to serve the people. Fraternally he is connected with Erie Lodge No. 139, Woodmen of the World.
April 22, 1878, Mr. Mossberg married Miss Katie Baller. Four children were born of their union, namely: Anna Caroline, Emily, Mathilda Christina and Oscar Wilbert, all of whom are at home.
OHAN ERNST MADLUNG, proprietor of of (sic) the O. K. dairy, of Denver, was one of the first settlers of the suburban town of Harman. At the time he settled there the town had but two or three houses. He bought four lots, to which he subsequently added a tract of similar size adjoining, on Third avenue and Columbine street. Here he built a residence and barns; also windmills with a tank eighteen feet above ground, and on this place has about fifty milch cows for his dairy business. He took an active part in the building up of the town, was one of its incorporators, and was chosen to serve on the first board of trustees, subsequently occupying the position three other terms and going out of office the year before Harman was annexed to Denver. He assisted in securing water works and electric lights for the town, was interested in the establishment of the postoffice here, and took an active part in the extension of the street car line to this place.
The parents of Mr. Madlung were Henry and Anna Maria (Kling) Madlung, natives of Saxony and members of the Lutheran Church. His father, who was a farmer, held local offices of trust, among other positions being chosen to serve as trustee and also as schultheis (mayor) of Reischenbach, and there he remained until his death, at nearly eighty years of age. His wife was forty-five at the time of her death. They were the parents of two sons and four daughters, of whom Anna Marie and Mary are in Germany; Mrs. Caroline Hogg and Mrs. Elizabeth Hamberger are residents of Denver; and Frederick Carl a brewer in Sweden and a man of prominence and considerable enterprise; the first telephone in Sweden was built to connect his place with Stockholm.
Mr. Madlung was born in Reischenbach and attended the public schools of Saxony. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to the cabinetmaker's trade and served for four years, after which he was employed as a journeyman in Kur-Hessen, Marburg, Frankfort, Mentz, Heidelberg and other places. After working at Baden-Baden for a time he enlisted in the army and served as a commissioned officer through the Austro-Prussian war of 1866, taking part in the battle of Langensalza, and from there going south on a campaigning tour. On the close of the war he took a course in a school of design and then resumed work at his trade.
As a passenger on a sailing vessel, "Marco Polo," Mr. Madlung left Hamburg in 1869, and after a voyage of seven weeks he landed in New York, proceeding from there to Chicago, where he worked as a carpenter and builder for eighteen months. Coming to Denver in February, 1871, he worked at his trade here; also for six months was employed in locating the Chicago colony at Longmont; then returned to Denver and engaged in contracting and building. His first location for a dairy was on the Platte, between Lupton and Brighton, where he started in with three heifers, and in seven years was the owner of one hundred and sixty cows and four horses. Unfortunately a dry summer, followed by a cold, severe winter, resulted in the loss of considerable stock, and induced him to sell out the remainder of his herd. Returning to Denver, he was for a short time employed in setting shade trees in the Denver Investment Company's addition to the city. In 1883 he bought the O. K. dairy, which
608
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. at that time was located on Bear Creek, and he at once moved it to Harman, his present location, where he has a well-improved and valuable place. In politics he is a Republican. Like his parents he adheres to the Lutheran faith, and fraternally he is a member of the German Krieger Verein. In Denver he married Katie Vallbracht, a native of Germany. They have two children, Irene and Stuart.
RANK PIERCE BERTSCHY, head auditor Pacific jurisdiction of Woodmen of the World and United States internal revenue gauger, whose home is at No. 129 West Third avenue, Denver, was born in Peoria, Ill., June 18, 1853, and is a son of Jacob A. and Julia L. (Pierce) Bertschy. His mother was a grandniece of Franklin Pierce, at one time president of the United States. When he was three years of age his parents went to Milwaukee, where his father engaged in the mercantile business for a few years, being in partnership with Jonathan L. Pierce, an uncle of Mrs. Bertschy. When he was six years of age the family moved to Appleton, Wis., where he attended the public school, graduating therefrom. At fourteen years he entered Bryant & Stratton's Business College in Milwaukee, from which he graduated two years later.
After the Civil war the family went to Iowa and settled at Sioux City, where our subject joined them on completing his business education. For a few months he looked after his father's interests, assisting in locating the lands in which his father was speculating in Cherokee County, Iowa. Next he went to Omaha, where he remained for a few months as assistant bookkeeper for a wholesale firm. In December, 1870, he went to Columbine**, Neb., and acted as private secretary for Maj. Frank North, who was in command of the Pawnee scouts in the Indian fights. For eighteen months he remained with Major North, after which he removed from Columbine to Salt Lake City, making that place his headquarters, while he traveled through northern Colorado, southern Wyoming and eastern Utah on horseback. He was at Ogalala Bluffs the day after the Indians had wrecked the freight train and robbed it of all they could carry off.
From the mountain country Mr. Bertschy returned to Wisconsin, where he remained about seven years, during two years of which he was in the employ of the Green Bay & Winona Railroad. Company, and for one year he was chief clerk of the freight department at Green Bay station, also for one year acted as station agent at New London, Wis. He then returned to Appleton and was deputy register of deeds for Outagamie County for five years. Leaving Wisconsin he returned to Colorado, arriving at Alamosa February 3, 1879, and for a time remaining on his brother-in-law's ranch as a cowboy. In September of the same year he went to Orient, where he engaged in mining in one of the first iron mines opened, a mine that is now owned by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. After having assisted in the development of the mine for some years, it was sold to the company named. In June, 1880, he entered the employ of Gotthelf & Mayer, of Saguache County, with whom he remained for a year as bookkeeper, and also assisted in opening the books of the Saguache County Bank, which has since been in successful operation. He was also employed by Otto Mayer to take charge of the books of his toll-road system. After a year he went to Marshallport, riding in the first stage coach that ever drove over the road.
During the Garfield campaign, in 1880, Mr. Bertschy was the Democratic nominee for county clerk and recorder of Saguache County, and although the county usually gave a Republican majority of two hundred he was defeated by only ninety-three votes. In the following year he was again nominated by the Democrats, and this time was elected by a majority of three hundred. Two years later he was elected by a majority of three hundred and eighty. On the expiration of the second term, January 13, 1886, he entered the mercantile business at Villa Grove, Saguache County, and carried on a profitable trade until May, 1889, when he sold out and came to Denver.
In this city Mr. Bertschy engaged in the real-estate business during the years 1889, 1890 and 1891. He was appointed clerk of a justice court and served in 1891-92. During 1893 he was employed by the board of county commissioners as expert accountant to the finance committee of the board, which office he filled for a year, and at the same time he was secretary of the Democratic county central committee and chairman of the city central committee. In the spring of 1891 he joined Silver State Camp No. 19, Woodmen
------------
**Correct town name is Columbus, Nebraska (Platte County).
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 609
of the World, in which he filled the office of consul commander for a few months. In August, 1892, he was elected a member of the board of head managers, Pacific jurisdiction, Woodmen of the World. June 1, 1894, he received the appointment of United States Internal Revenue Gauger, and in August of the same year he was re-elected head manager, also selected by the board as accountant for the jurisdiction. In August, 1896, he was chosen head auditor for the term ending in August, 1898.
March 5, 1884, Mr. Bertschy married Miss Mary F. Bennett, who was born in Peoria, Ill., a daughter of William and Catherine (Slygh) Bennett. She was educated in her native city and for a time engaged in teaching. It was during a visit she made to her brother in the San Luis Valley that she met the gentleman she afterward married. They have an only child, La Veta, who was born at Villa Grove, Colo. Mr. Bertschy is a member of Harmony Lodge No. 61, A. F. & A. M., Denver Lodge No. 41, K. of P., and Conclave No. 320, Ancient Order of Heptasophs.
ILLIAM L. BRADBURN, a pioneer of '63, who has had varied experiences since he came to Denver, was born in Franklin, Simpson County, Ky., in 1839. He is a member of an old Virginian family. His grandfather, William, was born in Albemarle County, and removed from there to Kentucky, where he was a pioneer wagon-maker, settling eight miles from Franklin. In 1853 he removed to Monroe County, Ky., where he followed his trade and also engaged in farming about fifteen miles from Tompkinsville. From there in 1857 he went to Sullivan County, Mo., there following the same business. In the fall of 1864 he joined our subject in Denver, where he remained two years, and then, in 1866, located on the Maxwell Grant in New Mexico. In 1868 he went to Fort Milan, Tex., where he died at the age of sixty-two years.
The mother of our subject was Sarah Ryan, who was born in Kentucky and died near Franklin, that state, in 1848. Of her seven children five grew to maturity, but only two are now living, William L. being the oldest of these; the other is a sister, Mrs. Davis, of Denver. The father of Mrs. Bradburn was John Ryan, a native of Kentucky and a large farmer near Franklin.
After the death of our subject's mother, his father married again, and by his second marriage had seven children, all but one of whom are still living.
When a boy our subject learned the carriage-maker's trade, beginning in the wood-working department and learning every detail of the business. In 1863 he came, overland, to Denver, coming in company with a mule train. He went from Denver to Golden Gate, where he worked at his trade during part of the summer, but in July returned to Denver, where he worked for others until October. He bought a shop on Fifteenth street, near Wazee, where he continued business until 1868, and then, forming a partnership with a brother-in-law, he moved his shop to Cheyenne, following up the line of the Union Pacific Railroad, while his partner carried on the business in Cheyenne. Finally he came back to Denver, and engaged in business at the old stand until 1873. He then bought out his partner's interest and continued alone until 1876, when a severe attack of rheumatism forced him to discontinue business. He then, with Dr. Case, carried on a Turkish bath business, and by taking the baths himself he was finally entirely cured. After three years he sold out, and went to the mountains, where he engaged in prospecting. With four others he leased the Virginius mine, which he operated, however, without success, though afterward the mine proved very profitable to others. He spent one winter in Garland City and in the spring of the following year went to Alamosa, where he was twice burned out; while there he employed from ten to fifteen hands. After three years he went to Gunnison and ran the Ruby mine there for five years, spending about $7,000 and finally selling out for $1,000. He left there in debt, but has relieved himself of that obligation, paying the last of the debt in 1897. In Granite, Colo., he carried on a blacksmith and carriage shop, but after a year he sold out and removed to Aspen, where he continued for a year, then sold out to his partner. Going to Glenwood Springs, he. engaged in business there. In the fall of the same year he went to the San Luis Valley, where he carried on a ranch for one season, having some cattle on his place. In the spring of 1884 he returned to Denver, where he started a carriage business. After six months he built a shop at Harman, a suburb of
610
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Denver, and two years later sold out. For one year he had a shop on Twenty-first and Blake streets. Later he bought his present shop, which he carried on with Mr. Nitt until the latter died, in September, 1896, since which time he has been alone. His location is No. 2238 Market street, where he has a carriage and wagon repair shop.
Politically Mr. Bradburn is a Democrat. He is a trustee of the Tabernacle Congregational Church, of which the well-known Rev. T. A. Uzzell is pastor. While in Alamosa he served as an alderman. His wife, formerly Miss Fannie B. Dunham, died in Denver in 1887.
EORGE F. WILMORE came to Colorado in the spring of 1873 and settled upon a farm in the Platte Valley, where, upon rented land, he engaged in raising garden stuffs and general farm products. In 1877 he went to the Black Hills and during the summer raised garden products, but in the late fall he returned to his ranch on the Platte. In 1879 he bought fifteen acres on Highland avenue, four blocks west of Manhattan Beach, and built a residence, to which, in 1880, he brought his family. In 1881 he sold five acres to his son, Charles T., who is also a gardener. Three years after settling here he purchased ten acres in addition, making his garden twenty acres in extent.
A native of Birmingham, England, born November 18, 1827, the subject of this sketch is a son of Joseph and Susanna (Hodgetts) Wilmore. He was one of six children, three of whom are now living, namely: Martha, widow of Thomas Poyner, one of the men who helped to make the wires which composed the first ocean cable; George F.; and Thomas H., of Michigan. His father, who was born near Birmingham, learned the trade of a gun-barrel borer, which he followed in Birmingham during his entire active life.
When a boy our subject was apprenticed to the trade of a cabinet-maker, which he followed for several years. Afterward he began grinding bayonets in the gun factory at Birmingham, working in the same factory as his father. In 1850 he came to America, and on his arrival in New York he began to work as a carpenter. After some four years he and his brother, Thomas H., went to Canada, where he was employed in a ship yard in Kingston. Three months later he went to Toronto, where he worked as a carpenter. After eight months he went to Goderich, and for twelve months was engaged in fishing, he and a partner buying a small fishing schooner and taking a load of fish down the Thames River to Chatham, returning with a load of apples. After having disposed of their fish their boat was wrecked in a storm and the profits of the entire season were lost. Selling the wreck for $5, they walked a distance of sixty miles to Goderich.
In the spring of the following year our subject went to Baltimore, Md., where for one year he worked at carpentering, and then for a similar period worked in a mill at Laurel, Md., changing the plant from a cotton into a grist mill. Next he removed to a farm near Laurel, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, remaining for fourteen years. In the spring of 1872, after the Chicago fire, he went to that city, where he secured remunerative employment as a carpenter. In the spring of 1873 he returned to Maryland, sold his farming implements, and with his family came to Colorado, where he has since resided.
In 1848 Mr. Wilmore married Miss Emma Williams in Birmingham, England. In 1850, when he came to America, his wife and their daughter, six months of age, accompanied him. He has had eight children, and of these all but three are living. They are: Fannie E. (deceased); Susan E. (deceased) and Clara A., twins; Joseph H. (deceased); Charles T., who is engaged in gardening on Highland avenue; Fred G., also a gardener on Highland avenue; William W., a gardener and florist on Prospect avenue; and John T., a gardener and proprietor of a cannery. Mr. and Mrs. Wilmore and their daughter, Clara A., are connected with the Episcopal Church.
RI M. NORTON, member of the contracting firm of Norton & Reynolds, at Nos. 1741-43 Curtis street, Denver, was born in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Wallis) Norton, who were born near London and St. Thomas, Canada, respectively. The family is of French lineage. His grandfather, Harvey Francis Norton, was born in Quebec and married a Miss Mudge, who was born in Hartford, Conn., of Holland-Dutch descent. The father and mother live upon a farm near St. Thomas, where their entire married life
 |
 |
 |
 |
