AMOS J. EMMONS.
Mardos Collection
AMOS J. EMMONS.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 813
where he remained for two years, and then, coming to Clear Creek Valley, settled on forty acres which he had bought one year previous. Later he acquired the ownership of forty-six acres in addition to his original tract, but since then he has sold at different times, until now he owns only a small portion of his original tract, but gardens on leased land.
May 24, 1893, Mr. Johnson married Miss Emma Hawkinson, a native of Sweden. They are the parents of three children: John Oscar, Esther Elizabeth and Ellen Ruth. Politically Mr. Johnson is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, but has never taken an active part in party matters nor sought official honors. He is a member of Pacific Lodge No. 18, A. O. U. W., and in religious connections is identified with the Methodist Church. His business address is No. 2900 Forest street, Denver.
MOS J. EMMONS, one of the early settlers of Colorado, now owns a comfortable home in Longmont, where he spends a portion of each year, the remainder of his time being passed at his old ranch-house, near Rinn, Weld County, just across the Boulder County border. Coming here a poor man, with his life all before him and his fortune still to make, he industriously set to work and by earnest and honest toil wrought out a goodly competence.
The Emmons family of which our subject is a representative, is of English origin. His paternal great-grandfather was a hero of the war of the Revolution. His father, John Emmons, was a native of Morris County, N. J., as was grandfather Amos Emmons, and both were farmers. The father died in 1840, leaving his widow, formerly Betsey Leek, and their four children. One son, George, went to Denver in the fall of 1864, and was never heard from after his arrival. The mother had died the previous spring.
Amos J. Emmons, born in Chester, N. J., in 1838, was quite young at the time of his father's death. He remained on the old farm with his mother until he was a youth of sixteen years or more, his education being acquired in the local schools. Later he engaged in farming on his own account, his mother living with him. When the Civil war came on he was very desirous of enlisting, but yielded to the earnest entreaties of his mother, who was in poor health. He did not long delay, however, after she had been laid to rest, but in May, 1864, joined Company K, Twenty-seventh New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, and being mustered into the service at Newark, was sent to the front. There he participated in the siege of Petersburg and the following arduous campaign which led up to Lee's surrender. At the end of eleven months of hard fighting he was mustered out at Camp Frelinghuysen, Newark, though prior to that event he took part in the grand review at Washington. Governor Parker welcomed the home-coming troops at Trenton, in a speech which the boys in blue never forgot.
The next fall Mr. Emmons set out for the west, hoping to find his brother George, but, though he was persistent and untiring in his search, and had the matter deeply at heart for years, he never found him nor learned his fate. He went by way of Chicago and St. Joseph, thence to Omaha, and there he decided to go on to Denver. Making the acquaintance of four or five young men they bought a team and camp outfit for $350. Some dissatisfaction having risen among then,, Mr. Emmons luckily fell in with Captain Tyler, then of Blackhawk, who arranged matters by buying the outfit and agreeing to transport the men for $50 apiece, then hiring them, should they so desire. The journey was made quickly for those times (about twenty days). Mr. Emmons finally gave up the fruitless search for his missing brother in Denver, and went to Blackhawk, where Captain Tyler paid him $52 for the first month's work. Later he went with the captain to the mouth of Boulder Creek, and, after being in his employ for seven months, received $ a month, his board for the time he had been in Blackhawk, and was not charged the $50 agreed upon for his trip across the plains.
Thus encouraged by the generous captain, Mr. Emmons had a prosperous beginning in the new country. The next winter he baled hay, and in the spring of 1867 he rented a ranch of a quarter-section of land, on the lower Boulder. This property he tilled and improved for nine years, and in the meantime bought an adjoining tract of eighty acres of school land and built upon it. Now he is the owner of about one thousand acres of valuable land, fenced, ditched and variously improved. Two farms are located on the Highland ditch, and though some of his property is in
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Boulder County, most of it lies in Weld County. Beginning in a limited way he raised cattle, and improved the grade. He was quite extensively engaged in the business at one time and has also dealt to a large extent in high-grade horses, feeding and shipping both cattle and horses to Denver.
In 1894 Mr. Emmons took up his abode in Longmont, in order to give his children better school facilities. They are six in number, namely: Nettie, Elizabeth, Carrie, Emma, Jessie and Harry. The eldest daughter, now Mrs. Plumb, of Longmont, graduated from the high school here, in the class of '93, then attended the normal for a year, and successfully taught for several terms. The next daughter, Miss Elizabeth, graduated in the class of '95 from the high school of Longmont. Mr. Emmons served as a school director in early days and was actively concerned in the building of many of the first schools of his district. He has found a true helpmate in his devoted wife, whose girlhood name was Lovina Robinson. She was born in Belvidere, Boone County, Ill., and is a daughter of Elijah Robinson, who was a native of Maine and died in Missouri. While in Weld County, Mr. Emmons often served as a delegate to county and state conventions of the Democratic party, and always supports the platform of that party.
ILLIAM W. WHITE, vice-president of the McClure-White Merchandising Company of Boulder, is one of the leading business men of this place, and possesses the confidence and esteem of all who have been associated with him in any manner. Over twenty-two years have rolled away since he cast in his fortunes with those of the inhabitants of this town, and thus he has been a witness of remarkable changes that have transformed the small hamlet of the Centennial year into the large and progressive place of to-day.
The White family to which our subject belongs was connected with the Society of Friends for generations. W. W. White, fattier of our subject, was a native of Indiana, of which state his father, John, was a pioneer. W. W. White died when just entering upon a successful career, at the age of about twenty-six years. His wife was Miss Amy Wheeler in her girlhood. She was born in Steubenville, Ohio, in July, 1818, and is still living, her home being in Seneca, Kan., where she has resided for forty-one years. Her father, Nelson Wheeler, came from an old eastern family, and his death took place in Ohio. Subsequent to her first husband's death, Mrs. White married James LaRue. She went to Mercer County, Ill., in 1854 and three years later became a permanent resident of Seneca, Kan. By her first marriage she had three children, two of whom grew to maturity. John, one of the sons, who served in the Civil war in the Seventh Kansas Cavalry, is now engaged in farming near Republic City, Kan. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. LaRue is James W., of Seneca. Mrs. Amy LaRue is a devoted member of the Congregational Church, and is loved by all who know her.
W. W. White was born in Brownsville, Ind., March 19, 1850, and was bereaved of his father before he was old enough to remember him. In 1857, with his mother and step-father, the child came as far west as Seneca, Kan., the town then consisting of but three houses. The journey across the intervening states was made in wagons. The family settled upon a farm adjoining the village and there the subject of this sketch received his early educational training, such as it was. In 1862 he went with his step-father up the Platte River, and thence by the usual route to Denver, ox-teams conveying them and their supplies. They remained here only a few months, returning then to Kansas. In the following year, however, W. W. White came as far west as Julesburg, and was employed by the government in supplying hay on contract to the old Ben Holliday line. Again, in 1865, he hauled corn and freighted for the government, making his trips in company with large trains, for protection against the Indians. In 1870 he took a position as clerk in a dry-goods store in Seneca, and served in this capacity for two years.
In 1872 Mr. White became a resident of Golden, and was in the employ of A. M. DeFrance for a period of two and a-half years. Later he was sent to Georgetown to establish a branch store for Mr. DeFrance, and carried on this enterprise successfully for fifteen months. After his marriage Mr. White settled permanently in Boulder, and was a clerk for Mr. Cornwall for a few months, later working for Bradley & McClure. In 1888 he became a member of the firm of
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 815
Bradley-Wise Merchandising Company, and some years afterwards the present firm of the McClure-White Merchandising Company was organized, with himself as vice-president. Fraternally Mr. White belongs to Columbia Lodge No. 14, A. F. & A. M.; Boulder Chapter No. 7, R. A. M.; Mount Sinai Commandery No. 7, K. T., and to the Boulder Club. In his political belief he is a Republican.
December 1, 1875, Mr. White married Miss S. C.. Hammond, of Georgetown, Colo. A daughter of Elias and Permelia (Simmons) Hammond, she was born in Iowa, and with her family removed to Golden, Colo., in 1863. Her father has been engaged in building and contracting, but is now retired from arduous labor. Mrs. White is the third in a family of nine children, one of whom is deceased. For some years she was a member of the Fortnightly Club of Boulder. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. White are: Fred L., a member of the class of 1901, of the University of Colorado, and Eugene P., now in the preparatory department of the same institution, and a member of the class of 1902.
HOMAS SISK, for many years a prominent railroad contractor, and now a leading farmer and stock-raiser of Evans, Colo., is a native of the far-off state of Massachusetts, his birth occurring at Townsend Harbor in 1848. His father, Morris Sisk, was born in Ireland, and on crossing the Atlantic at the age of eighteen years located in Massachusetts. For a quarter of a century he followed the trade of a stone mason, and later as a railroad contractor he constructed several roads in that and adjoining states. In 1852 he removed to Lewis County, N. Y., and opened up a new farm, which he operated for four years. The year 1861 witnessed his arrival in Illinois, where he continued to engage in agricultural pursuits until some time during the '70s, when he went to Nebraska and resumed contracting on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad from Ottumwa, Iowa, to Lincoln, Neb., before the latter city was laid out. He erected a home there and engaged in contracting and building, doing the stone work On the state penitentiary there. He took a contract to build a part of the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, which was completed in 1881, and the following year he died at Hannibal, Mo., at the age of seventy-four. In early life he was a Democrat, but during his last years he supported the men and measures of the Republican party, and always took quite an active interest in public affairs, serving as road commissioner in New York. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Lynch, died in 1893, aged seventy-six years. To them were born twelve children, of whom ten are still living, and our subject is the third son.
The early life of Thomas Sisk was principally passed in Illinois, and in the public schools he acquired his education. He engaged in railroad contracting with his father until the latter's death, and later took the contract for building the extension of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad from Denver to Pawnee City, Neb., which was completed in 1885. He constructed five hundred miles of the Oregon short line in Idaho, and the road from Granger to Boise City, Idaho, through Bellaire, which was completed in 1888. Returning to Nebraska he took a contract with the old company to build one hundred and eighty miles of road from Holdrege to Newcastle, Wyo., in the Black Hills district, which he completed in 1893. The same year he came to Weld County, Colo., and engaged in constructing a reservoir and ditches on Crow Creek, at Campfield's Parish, which he completed in 1895. He then located at Evans and bought a farm of thirty-five acres and embarked in stock-raising, keeping a good grade of cattle and horses, including Hereford and Galloway cattle.
In 1872 Mr. Sisk married Miss Mary Flynn, of Illinois, who died in 1880, leaving three sons: Thomas, who is in the United States navy and is now stationed at Manila; Willie, a railroad foreman in Wyoming; and Paul, a photographer of Denver. He was again married in 1884, his second union being with Miss Alice Doyle, of Beatrice, Neb., by whom he has three children: Charles, Marion and Frank.
Politically Mr. Sisk is a stalwart Republican, and in 1897 he was appointed city marshal of Evans by the board of trustees for one year. He is an honored member of W. T. Sherman Post No. 94, G. A. R., having been one of the boys in blue during the dark days of the Rebellion. He had two brothers in the service: Edward, who was captain of Company A, Seventh Maine In-
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. fantry; and job, who was orderly sergeant in the Fifth New York Heavy Artillery. All escaped uninjured. Our subject enlisted in 1863 in Company K, Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry, and during the twenty-one months he was in the service he participated in the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1862, was with Sherman on the celebrated March to the Sea, and from the time the regiment left Atlanta until they reached Raleigh, N. C., were under fire for fifty-four days. They then marched to Washington, D. C,, where they took part in the grand review, were mustered out at Louisville, Ky., and discharged at Chicago, Ill., July 27, 1865.
Born in Iowa County, Iowa, December 14, 1861, our subject is a son of W. C. and Eliza (Michels) Brown. His father, who was a native of Ohio and a carpenter by trade, served in the Mexican war and at the opening of the Rebellion he enlisted in the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, serving until the close of the conflict. Among the most important engagements in which he participated were those of Shiloh and Vicksburg. When the war closed he returned to Iowa, where he had settled about 1852. There he improved a tract of raw prairie land, and, in connection with farming, engaged in carpentering. In 1896 he came to Eaton, where he now makes his home. Politically a Republican, during his younger years he was active in the party. In his family there are six sons and two daughters, namely: John who is a farmer and stockraiser in Kansas; George S., now treasurer of Graham County, Kan., where he is a well-known agriculturist; Marion L., who is engaged in farming in Weld County; Sarah, who married Francis Smith and lives in Missouri; William W.; Sherman, who is foreman on the Wyatt ranch near Eaton; Clinton D., who is employed as foreman for Asa Sterling, on a Platte River farm; and Jennie, who is the wife of Alonzo Hand, of Moscow, Idaho.
In his boyhood our subject became familiar with farm work, through assisting in the cultivation of the homestead. Going to Kansas in 1878, the next year he secured employment in Kansas City, but after two years there he settled in Colorado. The village of Eaton was in its infancy when, in 1882, he established his home here, securing work with Governor Eaton as the driver of a six mule team that broke prairie land for cultivation. After the first year he was made foreman and remained in the same position for four years, when he engaged with Brown & Reeman, with whom he worked for two years. Afterward he resumed work as foreman with Governor Eaton. When four years had passed, he invested his savings in the purchase of his present property, on township 7, range 65, where he has since resided. He has been quite successful, though suffering his share of reverses, notably in 1898 when the severe hail storm ruined his crops. He is interested in the Larimer and Weld Irrigation Company and the Windsor Storage Company.
Interested in public affairs, Mr. Brown is a supporter of the silver wing of the Republican party. He is identified with the Congregational Church of Eaton and aided materially in the building of the house of worship. January 2, 1888, he was united in marriage with Charlotte, daughter of Jacob Byerly, of Iowa. Three children bless their union, namely: Nellie, Nina and Geneva.
OHN R. SAMUELS, of Loveland, is a pioneer of Larimer County, where he made settlement in 1863. Born in Illinois in 1842, he is a son of Harvey H. Samuels, a native of Indiana and for some years a resident of Illinois, but from 1845 to 1863 a farmer of Iowa, and after the latter year a resident of Colorado, where he settled on the Big Thompson River and carried on a large stock ranch. He was a very successful man and was one of the largest stock-dealers
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