FIFTYNINERS’ DIRECTORY ------------------------------------------------------------------ C O L O R A D O A R G O N A U T S OF 1858----1859 -------------------------- A Directory of their arrivals, removals, deaths, marriages, children, property, mines, and ranches, with names of old towns, mining camps, gulches, mountains, rivers, creeks, and other matters relating to the setting of their lives in the PIKE’S PEAK REGION --------------------------- VOL. 1 ------------------------- Compiled by HENRIETTA E. BROMWELL Denver, Colorado 1926 P R E F A C E ----------------------- The following notes are very much abbreviated, condensed, made to fit into small space, then arranged alphabetically by sirnames. A complete index is to follow, as many other names occur within the text, also names of places in many parts of the world, but this work is reserved for a future volume for which I already have considerable material collected. Old newspaper files, mining records, land and other public records, notes in cases at court, in wills, sometimes in marriage and death records, in cemetery statistics, and often old gravestones have yielded results. All of the prominent Histories of Colorado have been searched, as well as smaller and less well known publications. The largest number of Fiftyniners ever collected together before appeared in Hall’s History. I could not find more than a few hundred names in any of the printed lists. I have increased our knowledge of these heroes by several thousand names, each with a tiny bit of history, often taken from several slips which represent excursions into a number of books or records. For instance, the birth date may be taken from newspaper, his arrival in Colorado from an old file of News or Herald, or some other ancient paper, and possibly the date of his death from a tombstone, and some facts about his children and heirs from his will, or a copy of it. This collection might be called with propriety “The Roll of the Unknown”, for here they are placed with their fellows and voyageurs, among a few more famous ones who are perpetually being repeated in the histories so far published. I hope that this list will be valuable for genealogical research, as so many of our finest old American names are here, as well as many which indicate an origin in the older world. I love these Unknown Heroes, whose names I am giving to you today. Denver, Colorado, December 25, 1926 HENRIETTA ELIZABETH BROMWELL F I F T Y N I N E R S’ D I R E C T O R Y ------------------------ PART 1 ---------- ABBEE, or ABBIE, G. S. (also given as G. H.), was elected Constable, Mar 1859, Arapahoe County, Kansas, at mouth of Cherry Creek. (RMN) ABBEY (also spelled ABBIE), George, held and improved Denver lots on corner of McGaa and D. Streets. These were later, in Jul 1859, to John P. Slough of Leavenworth sold by Martin Field of same place. (Denver and Auraria Land Records, Liber A, old) Donation Lots were also given to George Abbey subject to building. ABBOTT, F., name appears in list of members of McLeod & Company. (Organized for lumbering business at the Forks of Plum Creek, Oct 1859.) His claim was No. 27. (See under name of this Company.) ABLES, Joseph, his signature appears (in Liber A, Golden) as witness in land transaction Jan 7, 1860. Probably belongs to Fiftyniners. ABRIEU (also spelled ALREN, ABRIEN, ALREAN), Jesus, of Denver City, is entitled to eight lots, four select, and four draw lots. The select lots are the two lots where his house stands on McGaa Street, and two on Arapahoe Street adjoining lots of D. Bliss on May 12, 1859. Other land transactions gives name of Jesus G., probably the same, dates Jul 5. Larimer in his Reminiscences says: “Jesus Arrego was a Mexican, and very much a gentleman; had store on McGaa and H. or F. Street.” ACKLEY, Mr., a musician, playing in Golden at the Christmas Ball in Loveland’s new Hall, 1859, mentioned In Western Mountaineer (old files) (possibly I found this name in RMN). Note: There was an L. N. ACKLEY postmaster in 1899 at Red Cliff, said to be a pioneer of May 28, 1859. ADAMS & COMPANY, mining, Russell’s Gulch, spring 1859. (RMN) ADAMS, Daniel, of Auraria, grantor, lot 11, block 31 Auraria, Sep 28, 1859. (Liber D, p. 202, old) ADAMS, J. N., is witness to deed in Auraria Dec 3, 1859, and on same paper is signature of W. A. Adams (see this name.) ADAMS, N.A., arrived at mouth of Cherry Creek with M. W. Scott and 55 others, from New York, by Smoky Hill Route, Jun 4, 1859. (RMN) ADAMS, Samuel, Esq., Attorney at Law, Auraria and Denver, (card in RMN) Jul 1859, also delegate or candidate for delegate to Congress summer of same, and mentioned as late of Des Moines, Iowa, also as the inventor of an amalgamator. Samuel Adams from Leavenworth, a miner, is mentioned as another visiting the diggings and placers. (There may be two of this name.) ADAMS, W. A., witness with J. N. Adams to deed between Auraria Town Company and George W. Hightower, Dec 3. In a Directory of 1859 (Mss. copy of pamphlet, W. A. Adams is listed as a gunsmith with place of business of Cherry Street, Auraria Town. William A. Adams may be same (?) buys four lots of Auraria Town Company, Dec 3. This name is in list of old members of Auraria Lodge of 1859, and he is described as of Lodge No. 1 (Bodley Lodge) of Quincy, Illinois, and is a founding member of Auraria Lodge (Masonic) ADAMS, W. H., arrives with four others from Tipton, Missouri, floating the Stars and Stripes from their wagon. They had a very fine team, and left for the mountains the next day. “Mr. Adams was for a long time one of the most efficient employes of the Pacific Railroad.” (RMN, Apr 29, 1859) Later in the year W. H. Adams’ name appears among the grantees of lots from Auraria Town Company, on Dec 3. (Four lots in blocks 230, 137, 184, 100.) ADKINS (see also ATKINS) Charles B., name in list of arrivals in Denver Nov 15, 1858. ADRIANCE, Rev. Jacob, Methodist Minister, residence Auraria in Jun 1859, mentioned in Directory of that year. In December he performed marriage ceremony for Michael Pott and Mary Jane Tittle in Golden City, and early in 1860 started a church there. He preached there in the Protestant Episcopal Church Feb 6, 1860. The following obituary of him appears in RMN near the time of his decease: “Rev. Jacob Adriance, born Aurelius, New York, arrived Denver June and was one of the earliest ministers. He preached to large crowds under the cottonwoods of Auraria, and through the gold camps of the mountains. He was Chaplain of the first Legislature of Jefferson Territory (in 1859). He died at Fremont, Nebraska, Dec 18, 1923.” A portrait of him is on page 717, Smiley’s History of Denver. AICHELMAN, Frank, arrived with George C. Griffin, Thomas Donaldson, Andrew Hagus, and George W. Hazzard. (RMN in obituary of Mrs. George C. Griffin, during 1924). AIKENS, James, of Boulder County, 1858. One of the discoverers of Gold Hill. James Aikens, may be the same, was member of the Golden City Town Company, 1859. J. B. Aikins was notary public in Denver, Nov 1859. AIKENS. Samuel J., 1858 in October was in Boulder. The History of Boulder County gives record of him: Born Bloomington, Illinois, Dec 16, 1835, moved with parents to Ogle County, Illinois, to Atchison County, Missouri, in 1856, and in autumn of 1858 to the gold regions of Colorado. He was a prospector in the hills. He returned to Missouri and brought out the family, locating at Boulder. He followed placer mining, then located claim of 160 acres on Boulder Creek two and a half miles east of Boulder City. In 1868 bought a ranche of 160 acres on Dry Creek five miles east of Boulder City. Married in 1856 Miss Mary A. Burns. AIKENS, Captain Thomas, arrived Boulder Valley Oct 17, 1858, accompanied by his son and a nephew. Captain Thomas A. Aikens (probably the same) was a pioneer of 1858 in Boulder City. Born Maryland, Aug 8, 1808, died on his farm of Boulder Creek 1878. He was reared on a farm, moved first to Franklin County, Ohio, then Ogle County, Illinois, to Atchison County, Missouri later, then to the gold diggings. He married, 1833, Miss Margaret S. Ross - five children. L. L. Aikens, born Illinois, Feb 18, 1840, Thurston W. Aikens, born Missouri, Feb 18, 1856. The other children are not given in Vickers’ History. AINSLIE & COMPANY, Express to Gregory Diggings. (RMN 1859) AINSLIE, M. O., mentioned in RMN as their agent in Mountain City. He was representative to the Assembly from the Fourth District in this year. AIR, William, member of mining company of Walker & Etc., at Mountain City, Gregory District, whose claim for 500 feet northwest side of the hill above (Gregory) Dry Gulch is recorded on p. 47, Gregory Record. His partners were W. S. Walker, F. R. Ford, J. S. Reams, and Ran. Carroll. (Members of Newport Tunnelling Company, Oct 3, 1859.) AKIN (see also AIKENS) D. and J. Akin, arrived May 22, 1859, in wagon 7 of E. Doty’s Lightning Express Train of 10 wagons, with J. B. Vandyke and others. (RMN) ALBERTSON, Nathaniel, of Kendall Gulch, helped lay out Central City, 1859. ALDEN, J. H., member of Red Wind Lodge No. 8 of Red Wing, Minnesota, was in 1859 a founding member of Auraria Lodge U.