Bios from History of 1880

BOTJLDBE COUNTY BIOGRAPHICAL. REV. ALEXANDER P. ALLEN. 1868 and 1869, he served as surgeon on the Mr. Allen was born in the State of Con Rollins Division of the Union Pacific Railroad, necticut in 1817, and in his youth learned the and has at one time since served as surgeon on tailor's trade, which business, after attaining the Denver & South Park' Railroad. Ln the manhood, he followed about seven years, then fall of 1874, he established himself in the prepared himself for the ministry, and was, drug business in Boulder. He has held the during all his active life afterward, a prominent position of Coroner for a period of six years. and successful minister of the Methodist He is at present a member of the State Medi Church in the States of Illinois and "Wisconsin, cal Society, and also of Boulder Co. Medical having commenced his work there in the early Association. He was married, Aug. 10, 1860, pioneer days of those States. to Miss Mildred M. McNeel, daughter of James G-. McNeel, of Fond du Lac, Wis., and has a HENLY W. ALLEN. family of ten children, eight sons and two This gentleman is one of Boulder's well- daughters. known druggists and physicians. He was born CAPT. IRA AUSTIN. in Cook Co., 111., Dec. 28, 1838, and is de Capt. Ira Austin was born in Bristol, Onta scended from New England ancestry. His rio Co., N. Y., May 30, 1807, and is descended father, Alexander P. Allen, was a promi from Irish and English ancestry. His father, nent Methodist minister during his active life. Levi Austin, was a native of Western New The subject of this sketch was educated at York, a farmer by occupation, and extensively Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis., from engaged in fruit and vegetable culture. The which institution he graduated in 1860. Aft subject of this sketch emigrated to Illinois in erward, from 1801 to 1866, he attended Rush 1838, purchased a farm of 160 acres in Will Medical College, of Chicago, then entered Iowa Co., on which he resided until 1849. Mean University, and graduated from the medical time, in 1846, he took a contract to build a department of that institution in 1867. Pre portion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, com vious to this, however, in 1865, he had made pleting the sarm. in 1847. In March, 1849, he Boulder Co., Colo., his home. His family re left for 'California, traveling overland with a sided at Valmont, same county, until 1868, six-mule team, thirteen wagons and forty-two but a short time before and after his course men. He located at Placerville upon his ar at the medical college last named, he practiced rival, and engaged in mining, from which he his profession in Boulder. During the years realized large returns, until the spring, of 1850, 602 BIOGRAPHICAL. then returned to his home in "Will Co., 111., by attracted by the glowing accounts of the dis way of the isthmus. He then directed his covery of gold at Pike's Peak, and, believing attention to stock-growinfr, principally the that region to be a second California, started sheep business, and purchased additional lands, across the plains for the new El Dorado, arriv having become the owner of 1,100 acres, which ing in Boulder in October of that year. He was he still retains. In the summer of 1860, leav born in Bloomington, 111., Dec. 16,1835. At an ing his family on the farm, he outfitted with early age, he removed with his parents to Ogle eight wagons and milling and mining machin Co., same State, where his early life was spent ery, and started for Colorado. Upon his ar on a farm. In 1856, he went to Atchison Co., rival at Boulder, he visited the mines at Gold Mo., and followed farming two years. In the Hill, but. "concluded to proceed to Gilpin Co. fall of 1858, he came to Colorado, and spent the with his mill, which he set up in Lump Gulch. winter at Boulder and in prospecting in the He remained there until 1870, his family hav mountains. The following March he returned ing joined him there in 1864. Meanwhile, in to Missouri and farmed that season. In the 1866, he discovered the coal banks at Erie, spring of 1860, he again came to Colorado bring Boulder Co., and purchased 1,400 acres of ing with him his family, and located in Boulder land. After opening and mining the same one City. After spending the season in placer-min year, he sold 800 acres, containing the principal ing on Boulder Creek, he took 160 acres of land on mines, to the Boulder Valley Railroad Com that creek, two and a half miles east of Bouldei pany. He held the office of County Commis "City, which he subsequently pre-empted, and sioner in Gilpin Co. one term, and was elected on which he resided, engaged in farming, until twice to the State Legislature, serving one 1865. He then sold his farm and rented a farm term, but, having been elected the second time one mile south of Valmont, which he ran three while absent East, declined to serve, on account years. In 1868, he purchased 160 acres of of business'interests. In 1869, he operated a land on Dry Creek, five miles east of Boulder fifty-stamp mill in Gilpin Co., becoming the own City, on which he has since resided, engaged in er of a ranche, which he still retains. In Novem agricultural pursuits, and in improving it, and ber, 187Ö, he removed to Boulder, purchased his to which he has since added eighty acres of ad present residence and also a planing-mill, and joining land. Mr. Aikins was married in 1856, has since given the greater portion of his time to Miss Mary A. Burns. to fruit and vegetable culture and to operating his mill. During the construction of the Boul SAMUEL ARBUTHNOT. der Valley Railroad, he became interested in This gentleman, a '59-er, who has been iden the\same, and was made President of the road, tified with the mining and agricultural inter and was afterward President of the Boulder ests of Colorado, was born in Pittsburgh, Valley Telegraph and Express Company for Penn., Aug. 17, 1836. He attended school two years. Capt. Austin was married, in Febru until his sixteenth year, then spent seven years ary, 1831, to Miss Harriet Benjamin, daughter of in the pineries in the mountains of Pennsyl Amos Benjamin, of Bristol, N. Y., and has a vania. In the spring of 1859, when the news family of three children, one son and two of the discovery of gold at Pike's Peak was daughters. heralded throughout the East, he came to the SAMUEL J. AIKINS. new El Dorado. After mining a short time at Mr. Aikins is one of the daring spirits who Gold Hill, Boulder Co., he went to Pleasant ßtül reside in Boulder Co., who, in 1858, were Valley, in Russell Gulch, Gilpin Co., where he 6 r- -1 ä> \ BOULDER COUNTY. purchased a claim and engaged in placer-min gaged in mercantile business in Boulder, which ing until the following spring. He then went he continued two years. He has not since been to California Giilch, and followed mining until actively engaged in business, but has been de fall, then returned to Gold Hill, where he con voting his attention chiefly to the improvement tinued mining operations until the 'winter of of his property, being the owner of quite an 1803, He then removed to Left Hand Creek, amount of real estate. Mr. Andrews was mar and rented a farm one year, and subsequently ried, April 13,1857, to Miss Mary A. Ellsworth, pre-empted 160 acres of land in Hay Stack of East Boston, Mass., and has a family of four Valley, on that creek, on which he has since children, one son and three daughters. resided, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He is at present President of the Left Hand Ditch WILLIAM ARBUTHNOT. Company, of which he has been a member This gentleman, one of Colorado's pioneers, since its organization, in 1800. From 1874 to was born in Allegheny Co., Penn., Aug 30, 1879, he was Clerk of the School Board. Mr. 1835. His early life was spent on a farm and Arbutlmot was married, March 29, 1870, to in attending school. In 1855, he removed to Miss Mary II. Johnson, daughter of J. P. John Tama Co., Iowa, where he soon afterward son, of Left Hand. engaged in farming and lumbering. In the spring of 1859, he crossed the plains to Colo GEORGE A. ANDREWS. rado, and went immediately into the mount This gentleman, one of Boulder City's ains. After- remaining a short time at Gold honored and worthy citizens, is of English and Hill, he went to Central City, where he engaged Scotch descent, and was born in Saco, Me., in mining during the remainder of the season. June 6, 1832. During his early life, until he The following fall, he returned to Iowa, and was fourteen years of age, he attended district followed farming until 1863, when he again school, after which he spent one year in the came to Colorado and continued the same voca old academy in his native town, and subse tion on a rented farm, on Left Hand Creek, qucntly clerked in a store one year. In 1848, Boulder Co., one season. In the spring of 1864, he went to Lawrence, Mass., and served an ap he pre-empted 160 acres of land on the same prenticeship at the carpenter's trade.

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