HARPIN DAVIS.
Mardos Collection
HARPIN DAVIS.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 849
active in the interests of the party, but not desirous of official positions. Fraternally he is identified with Prosperity Lodge No. 109, I. O. O. F., of Eaton, in which he is past noble grand. He was one of the organizers of school district No. 29 and assisted in building the Big Bend school, of whose board of trustees he was president for a number of years. He is a progressive farmer, and every year sends to different parts of the country for new seed grain. He was the first to introduce fall wheat in this section, and made a success of the undertaking. He gives his attention closely to his chosen occupation, managing personally the ranch and stock, and conducting his affairs in such a way as to gain success.
ARPIN DAVIS is one of the pioneers of Jefferson County, as he settled here about thirty-five years ago. During all these years he has been occupied in agricultural labors and has lived on one farm, the homestead situated about eight miles east of Golden. He is a member of Clear Creek Valley Grange and aims to keep fully posted on modern and improved methods of farming. He stands well with the Odd Fellows' society, baying held every office in the lodge with the exception of grand master. He was the secretary of Morning Star Lodge No. 47, A. F. & A. M., and was tendered the position of master, but declined. On political questions he is independent, preferring to be pledged to no party.
Mr. Davis is a native of New Haven County, Conn., and was born February 24, 1825. His father, Anson Davis, was born in 1784, in Oxford, Conn., and most of his life was spent on a farm. He was a very well-educated man for that early period in this country, and taught school successfully for several years when he was a young man. He filled numerous local positions of honor and trust and possessed the admiration and respect of his associates in a marked degree. He lived to a good old age, his death occurring in 1868. To himself and wife, whose maiden name had been Sally Pruden, there were born ten children. Four of the number survive. Marcus is still carrying on the old homestead; Homer is engaged in running a machine and wagon shop at Winnemucca, Nev.; Martha E. is the wife of Edwin Pruden, of West Haven, Conn.
Up to the time he was fifteen years old Mr. Davis lived under the parental roof. At that period he was very ambitious and desirous of seeing the world and so he bade adieu to the scenes of his youth and set out to make his own livelihood. He started for Philadelphia, but left the boat at Burlington, twenty miles from that city, and secured work on the canal, driving horses. This employment was not to his liking and he hired out to a farmer for a year. At the expiration of that time he shipped aboard a coasting schooner, later becoming one of the crew of a full-rigged vessel which was engaged in trade with the West Indies. When he finally left the sea, he had risen to he mate of the ship and during his service he had made a study of navigation and was in hue for promotion, though but twenty-two years old. He did not wish to make this his main business in life, however, and returning to his old home became a brick and stone work contractor. He also taught a few terms of school, making a success of the undertaking, as his father had before him.
In 1854 Mr. Davis went to California, with the intention of making his permanent home there, but his family disliking to move so far west he returned the same year. Soon afterwards he located in Davenport, Iowa, and found plenty to do in the line of his trade, masonry, and also in the sale of lumber, for he established a lumber yard. In the fall of 1856 he went to Nebraska, and settling in Florence, now a part of Omaha, taught school for one term. Later he embarked in the sawmill and lumber business. In 1863 he came to Colorado, and after passing one year in Central City he came to the vicinity of his present home. This place he purchased about a year subsequently and at once began making substantial improvements, which have materially increased its value and beauty.
March 31, 1850, Mr. Davis married Miss Mary A. Chatfield, daughter of Enos Chatfield, of Oxford, Conn. She is a descendant of one of the colonial families of the Nutmeg state, her ancestor, George Chatfield, of England, having cast in his fortunes with the inhabitants of New England in 1639. He was accompanied by his two brothers, Thomas and Francis, and they were of the little party which was headed by Rev. Henry Whitfield and made a settlement at Guilford, Conn. George Chatfield later lived in
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Killingsworth, Conn., until he was claimed by death. Some of his relatives were soldiers of the Revolution. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Charles H. is managing part of the home farm. Ella M. is the wife of Mason Seavey, a capitalist of Denver. Hattie C. married W. M. Newton. Arthur L. is a graduate of the Gross Medical College, of Denver, and for two and a-half years was head physician in St. Anthony's Hospital. Recently he settled in Central City, succeeding Dr. Moore. He is a very promising young practitioner, having made a splendid record thus far and giving assurance of ultimate prominence in his profession.
A native of Bespingen, Hanover, Germany, Mr. Reuter was born February 8, 1862. His parents, natives of the same province, were Christopher and Mary (Krueger) Reuter. The boyhood days of our subject were spent in a small village, where he attended the government schools until he was fourteen. The next three years he served an apprenticeship to the baker's trade, in the town of Saltan, in the meantime receiving only his board as payment. When he had mastered, the business, he had no difficulty in obtaining positions, and for several years he worked as a journeyman baker in various cities.
In 1882 Mr. Reuter entered the German army, and was stationed at Blenkenhurst for two years, doing garrison duty. He was then mustered out of the service and resumed his former occupation. A year or two later he decided to leave his fatherland and seek his fortunes in the United States, and began to lay his plans accordingly. In 1886 he sailed for New York City, landing at his destination April 4. He came direct to Colorado and began working at his calling. At the end of two years he opened a bakery of his own, but a few months of experience in this direction convinced him that he had best retire from the field, as he was losing money. Not daunted, however, he came to Brighton in 1890, and started in the same line of business here. He was soon prospering and from time to time increased his facilities, that he might keep up the demand upon him. His many friends take great pleasure in his well-earned success, which they always predicted would be his portion, sooner or later.
In July, 1888, Mr. Renter married Miss Henrietta Bock, who has faithfully aided him in all his undertakings and has cheered him in times of trial and discouragement. She is also a native of Germany and some years prior to her marriage, which occurred in Denver, came to this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Reuter a son and daughter have been born, Bertha and Herman; the former claims Denver as her native city, while Herman is a native of Brighton.
Mr. Reuter took the vow of allegiance to the United States and became one of her citizens while he resided in Denver. He is independent in politics, but has acted in the capacity of alderman in this town. Religiously he is a Lutheran, belonging to the church and contributing to its support. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, and has filled most of the offices in the local lodge. He is also identified with the German organization known as the Sons of Herman, and in this order, as well, has occupied many official positions.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 851
given to measures for the benefit of the people. During the first session he was chairman of the printing committee and the committee on state affairs; while during the second session he was a member of the committee on incorporation and others of equal importance.
Mr. Bailey was born near Coldwater, Branch County Mich., September 1, 1858, the younger of two children, his sister being Mrs. Ida Carroll, of Eaton. Weld County, Colo. His father, Gideon Bailey, was born near Lockport, Niagara County, N. Y., the son of Benjamin Bailey, a farmer there. In early life he removed to Michigan and engaged in the mercantile business in Coldwater, but later went to Quincy, the same state, and from there, in 1872, went to Portland, Ore., where he has since been a merchant. His wife was Rachel A., daughter of Daniel Crossman, of English descent and a lifelong resident of York state. She was born in Niagara County, N. Y., and died in Denver in 1893, aged sixty-six years.
At the age of about thirteen our subject began to study telegraphy on the Lake Shore road and afterward was employed as an operator at stations on the road between Toledo and Chicago, being also agent during the latter part of his connection with the company. Afterward he engaged in the cattle business with an uncle at Nevada, Vernon County, Mo. In June, 1279, he came to Colorado, and established a ranch in Elbert County, where he engaged in the cattle business for nine years. In the fall of 1888 he removed to Denver, but still continued the management of the ranch until he sold it some years later. Since 1888 he has been dealing in cattle at the Union stockyards, having handled over ten thousand head per annum. After coming to this state he married Miss Adella Brown, who was born in New York state; they have a son, who is his father's namesake, Dewey Crossman Bailey.
Frequently Mr. Bailey has represented the Republican party as delegate to state conventions. While senator he introduced and was largely instrumental in the passage of the bills establishing Kit Carson, Cheyenne, Lincoln, Prowers and Otero Counties, the names of which were decided upon by a committee of whole in the senate. In 1888 he gave his influence for Hon. Edward O. Wolcott as United States senator and two years later voted for Hon. Henry M. Teller. In 1896 he was again his party's candidate for the state senate, but of course suffered defeat with the rest of the party ticket. Under the administration of President McKinley he received the appointment of United States marshal for the Colorado district. While residing in Elbert County he was secretary of the county central committee and for years he was a member of the state central committee.
UDGE ALBERT P. RITTENHOUSE. The subject & this sketch is a native of eastern Ohio. He was born in Bloomfield, Jefferson County, May 26, 1844, and passed his early years on his father's farm, near Cadiz, Harrison County. He attended the public schools, and for a time the Hopedale Normal School, so that when he was about seventeen years old he applied for and received a certificate as a teacher. After teaching for a short time he entered Franklin-College, at New Athens, Harrison County, Ohio, and was a student there for two years. September 1, 1864, he married Miss Sue J. Baker, the daughter of a neighboring farmer, and a school teacher in the same county. She is since deceased. By this marriage there were three children, two daughters long since dead, and one son now living, Harry S. Rittenhouse, of Montgomery County, Mo.
Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Rittenhouse enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Eightieth Ohio Infantry, and served as a private soldier until after the war ended, He was engaged in a number of skirmishes, and in the battle of Kinston (Wise's Forks), N. C., March 8, 9 and 10, 1865. In July or August of 1865 he was honorably discharged from the army, and came home to his family. He began at once the study of law, and was admitted to the bar at Carroliton, Ohio, in 1869, then commenced to practice in New Philadelphia, Ohio, where he remained two years. He then removed to Vienna, Maries County, Mo., and became associated in partnership with Col. John M. Johnson, otherwise known as "Miscal" Johnson, who had been a raiding Confederate colonel under General Price. There was no trouble between the blue and the gray in this partnership; it flourished and prospered abundantly, until dissolved by the death of Colonel Johnson in 1874. The firm of Johnson & Rittenhouse, besides a somewhat extensive
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. law practice, established and successfully conducted the first newspaper ever published in Maries County; it is still published, though the name of it has since been changed.
In the fall of 1874, after Colonel Johnson's death, Mr. Rittenhouse was elected to the Missouri legislature, and served for two years. In 1876 he was a candidate for congress before the Democratic convention of his district, but was defeated by "Silver Dick" Bland.
Mr. Rittenhonse came to Colorado in January, 1882, and settled in Boulder. He was for a time in partnership with L. W. Dolloff, then of Longmont. Governor Grant appointed him aide-de-camp on his military staff with the rank of colonel. It was a snap-barren of emoluments, but free from danger. In the latter part of 1883 he moved to Greeley, and the next year he was again married, his second wife being Miss Eliza G. Reynolds, of Flint, Mich. There were no children of this marriage. Early in 1887 the eighth judicial district of Colorado was formed of Boulder, Larimer, Wield, Washington and Logan Counties, and Mr. Rittenhouse was appointed judge thereof by Governor Adams.
In 1888 Mr. Rittenhonse moved to Denver, and formed a law partnership with Hon. Ralph Talbot, which continued one year. Though a Democrat, he was, in 1890, elected a representative of Arapahoe County to the eighth general assembly of Colorado, by a vote leading all other successful candidates. In 1891 he entered into a partnership for the practice of law with Hon. M. B. Gerry, of Pueblo, and moved to that city. In 1894 he returned to Denver, where he has since made his home and practiced his profession.
Mr. Rittenhonse has long been a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and has filled all the chairs of the subordinate lodge of that order. He has also for many years been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, has been commander of A. Lincoln Post No. 4, department of Colorado and Wyoming, and judge advocate of the department.
Mr. Rittenhouse is a man of strong and marked individuality of character; somewhat impulsive and abrupt in his manners, original in his ideas and the expression of them. He is considered by his associates at the bar and the judges as a good lawyer and a man of unquestioned integrity. He is active and strong physically, and loves a good horse like an Arab of the desert. He would prefer a tent with his horse, to a palace without it. He comes of a very old and honorable German family. The American branch of it was established in America by two brothers who came from the old fortified city of Arnheim, on the Rhine, prior to 1688. William, one of the brothers, and ancestor of Judge Rittenhonse, settled in Germantown, Pa., in 1688, and there built the first paper mill ever erected in America. One of the family, David Rittenhouse, was a celebrated astronomer and mathematician, and was the first director of the United States mint, appointed to that position by President Washington, upon the recommendation of Thomas Jefferson.
The boyhood years of our subject were spent in the school and on the farm, and he continued to assist his father in the management of the homestead until 1883, when he came to Loveland, Colo. For a few years he was employed in the old Loveland mill. In the spring of 1891 he purchased about eighty acres of the Scott farm near Loveland and began general farming, stockraising and sheep-feeding, in which he has since continued, having on his place about one thousand head of sheep. He is known as a grower of alfalfa, an imported plant used for stock-feeding. In his farm work he is progressive, adapting new plans and methods, when once convinced of their utility, and introducing modern inventions and machinery to aid in his work.
Politically Mr. Steele is active as a Republican and a supporter of the principles for which that party stands. He is interested in temperance
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