JHl GILPIN COUNTY. BIOGRAPHICAL. HON. JAMES BURRELL. County, and was elected its first President, and The subject of this sketch was one of the at the same time Judgejof the Miners' Court, to early pioneers of the country, coming to Colo- fill vacancy. The erection of the first quartz rado in 1860. He was born in Bucksport, mill there, "builtin Lower Georgetown, when the State of Maine, March 29, 1815, and lived at his boys had to sit up nights to keep the beaver father's homestead on a farm there until four- from undermining the dam,'' was superintended teen years of age, when, upon the death of his by him. In May, 1862, he was appointed First mother, he was apprenticed to a house and Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster of ship joiner" in Bangor, in the same State. His the Second Colorado Volunteer Infantry, then education was only such as good common being raised for the war, in which he honorably schools of his time afforded, but he so improved and faithfully participated, filling also by ap- the privileges of those schools that he became pointment important positions in other de- a teacher (herein himself during two winters partments of the service in addition to the after his term of apprenticeship had expired. duties of his own until its close. He returned, He was actively connected with, and principal in 1865, to Colorado with the Government ex- manager of, a commercial and building associa- pedition under charge of Lieut. Fitch, U. S. A., tion, doing business between Bangor and Ap- with a corps of engineers, that laid out the palachicola, Florida, from 1837 to 1841, when stage road from Fort Riley, Kan., to Denver, Florida was a Territory, and the Seminoles known as the Butterfield route, via Smoky Hill. were being driven from its everglades. After- Since his return from the war, he has been hon- ward he settled in Boston, Mass., doing busi- ored with various civil positions in Gilpin and ness in Boston until the year 1858, when, with Clear Creek Counties, and is, at the present his family, he removed to Grinnell, Iowa, time, a United States Commissioner of the Cir- and from there to Colorado in 1860. He as- cuit Court for the District of Colorado in the sisted in putting up and operating for Messrs. First Judicial District, residing and doing busi- Hawk & Nuckols in 1860. the quartz mill in ness in Central City, though making his home Chase's Gulch, Gilpin County, afterward known with his daughter, on a farm in Jefferson as the Casey mill. During the winter of 1860 County. When in 1877. a re-union of the sol- and 1861, he assisted the Griffith brothers, diers of his old regiment was held in Denver, George F. and David T., in completing the or- he was chosen and is still acting as historian ganization of the Griffith Mining District, com- for the'Second Colorado Volunteer Infantry up menced but a few months before, in Clear Creek to the time of its consolidation with the Third <3 v . 436 BIOGRAPHICAL. his Infantry, and their formation into the Second the best mines in Gilpin County. He and Colorado Cavalry. In regard to his parentage, brothers, although comparatively young men, his father participated in the war of 1S12, and can justly be called pioneers of Black Hawk. his grandfathers, both on his father's and The Briggs has been recently sold to Walcott, mother's side, in the war of the Revolution, Field & Co., of Denver, for a large sum of money. and he has in his possession some of the old J. SMITH BRIGGS. Continental money, with which they were paid off for their services. J. S. Briggs was born in the State of New York April 4. 1830. his father, Eliakim Briggs, E. K. BAXTER. being one of the old settlers of that State. He The above-named gentleman is one of Colo- removed with his parents from New York to rado's pioneer miners and worthy citizens. He Dayton, Ohio, where he lived a few years. was born in Francestown, N. H, April 20, From Dayton he came to La Fayette, Ind., 1S05, and, at the age of manhood, began bus- stopping but a short time, and going from there in to South wr here he lived until he iness the cit^" of Boston, Mass., continuing Bend, Ind., the same until 1840, then emigrated overland was nineteen years old. In 1849, during the to California, where he devoted his attention to gold excitement in California, he started for mining until 1852. He was among the first that place, going through overland, experienc- who successfully operated gold mining in Cali- ing the same rough life that most men did who fornia, but, after a few years' experience in the went through to the gold fields of California in mines of California, he returned to New Hamp- that way. While there, he engaged in mining shire and remained until the gold excitement with satisfactory results, and returned home in of 1SG0 in Colorado, whither he emigrated, and 1S53. After remaining at home three years, he in has since resided at Central City, engaged in again returned to California, engaging the mining. same business, and remaining there three years. CHARLES H. BRIGGS. Returning home in the winter of 1859, he but started C. H. Briggs was born in Dayton, Ohio, May stopped but a short time, again this time for the new dis- 24, 1837. where he passed his younger days. West in April, 1860, He removed with his parents from Dayton to coveries of Colorado. He came through by or Richmond, Ind., and after residing there but a stages, and settled in Black Hawk, where at Black short time, moved with his parents to La Fay- Black Hawk is to-day. After arriving he in with his ette, and again making but a short stay in La Hawk, purchased, company Fayette, came with his father's family to Smith brother Charles and others, from Gregory and the Lode, and from Bend, [ml., where he remained until 1860, re- Reese, 250 feet on Gregory ceiving his education in the public schools of that time until the present they have been en- in under the firm name that city. He left South Bend. March 28, 1860, gaged mining operations during the exciting days of Colorado's new dis- of J. S. & C. H. Briggs, working the property coveries, and came direct to Black Hawk, ar- generally known as the Briggs mine, which has transferred to Field riving there .May 9, 18G0. He drove a team been recently Walcott, & across the plains, making the journey without Co., of Denver. any accidents or unusual incidents to mar its GEORGE W. BRIGGS. pleasure. lie has since been engaged in min- ing operations in connection with his brothers, G. W. Briggs, the youngest of the three working the Briggs mine, well known as one of brothers who compose the mining firm of Briggs nv ^J_ _ GILPIN COUNTY. 437 of Bros., was born in South Bend, Ind., Sept. 3, mining. In 1806, he was elected Justice continued 18-13, and passed his boyhood days in his na- the Peace, which office he has since two from tive city, receiving his education in the public to hold, with the exception of years, schools of South Bend. On the 25th day of 1S77 to 1870, and, during the time, has filled two May, 1SG3, not being at that time quite twenty the office of Police Justice of Black Hawk that of years of age, he left South Bend, and started years, of City Clerk two years, and two for Colorado to try his fortune with his elder Judge of the Probate Court of Gilpin Co. brothers. He came direct to Black Hawk, terms, from 1867 to 1869, and from 1871 to he has where he has resided ever since, and engaged in 1873. Since his residence in Gilpin Co., with its legitimate mining in connection with his been more or less identified mining in brothers, working one of the most profitable interests, and is at present engaged develop- mines in Colorado. Although the youngest of ing the Kansas and Bedford County Lodes, in the three brothers, he is the resident partner, Enterprise District. and has full charge of their extensive works. SAMUfiL. R. BROWN. On Sept. 1, the Briggs mine was purchased by Walcott, Field & Co., and is now being worked This gentleman, better known as one of the successfully by that company. genial proprietors of the Teller House from born in January, 1879, to July 1, 1S80, was JUDGE S. H. BRADLEY. Lowell, Mass., Nov. 27, 1843. His early life Judge Bradley, a native of Pennsylvania, was spent on a farm and in attending school. and one of the early pioneers of Colorado, who In the spring of 1861. on the breaking-out of has resided west of the Mississippi Biver the the rebellion, he enlisted in Co. F, 1st N. H. V. to Iowa in re- past thirty-six years, having emigrated I., for three months' service, and, 1862, in 1844, and who has endured the hardships enlisted in Co. D. 12th Vt. V. I., for nine and deprivations of frontier life, witnessing the months' service, and was with his regiment and of a wonderful change development barren through all of its engagements until honorably waste into rich and prosperous States, was mustered out of the service. He then returned 14. His life until born June 1816. early his home and engaged in agricultural pursuits.