Willis Chronister, half-brother of Ira Wolfe
1860 Joseph and Ann Chronister lived in Reading Twp, Adams County, Pennsylvania with children Ira (age 6), Laura (age 3), and Willis (age 9/12). [1] [2]
1870 Joseph and Anna Chronister lived in Reading, Adams County, Pennsylvania with children Laura (age 12), Willis (age 10), Clara (age 6), Lafayette (age 4), and Austin (age 1). [3] [4]
1880 Joseph and Annie Chronister lived in Cheever Twp, Dickinson County, Kansas with children Laura V. Luke (daughter, age 21), Willis (age 19, Carpenter), Clara (age 16), Austin (age 12), John (age 9), Newton (age 7), and Ira Wolfe (StepSon, age 27, Laborer, father and mother born in PA). [5] [6]
Letters of Willis W. Chronister, 1859 - 1925 Adams County, Pennsylvania - Leadville, Colorado.
Art & Kay Harple Staub, © 1999 all rights reserved. Attempts to contact authors have failed. The letters are reproduced here for the purposes of preservation and will be removed if the authors or copyright owners so wish.
Introduction:
Willis W. Chronister was born in 1859 in the Gooseville area north and west of Hampton. John Luther Geigh (Johnny) was several years his junior, born March 18, 1862. Their homes were a short distance apart on the Gooseville Road. They were boyhood friends and both enjoyed hunting, fishing and a love of guns. John Geigh, our "Johnnys" father, was Uncle John and his wife, Margaret Staub Geigh was Aunt Peggy to Willis. John Luther Geigh was, in later life and among other things, a fine gunsmith. He never married and lived pretty much as a recluse in his final years and Willis' obituary stated he was generally regarded as a recluse by acquaintanances in Leadville.
There are many names mentioned in Willis' letters which indicate Johney [sic] knows them. Apparently a number of people from the New Chester - Hampton area left for Kansas, possibly as a result of the Financial Panic of 1873. One we have some information about is Milton Howard. He was a photographer in the Hanover area. He is mentioned in the June 1, 1879 letter. He is a relative of noted Adams County historian and genealogist Arthur Weaner. The "look" that Willis makes repeated reference to is Wellington O. Luke who married Willis' sister Laura. He gave his "britch loding" rifle to Willis upon his arrival in Abilene. He apparently went to Leadville in advance of Willis. In his January 19, 1879 letter Willis states that ira (Willis' brother?) is going to colorado with Look The December 13, 1882 letter, written on letterhead stationery, has an ad for Luke & Wheeler, Artists. It is probable that the tintype of Willis was taken by Luke. Their location is in the same building, Union Block, in which Willis has his room. It is possible that Luke learned his trade from Milton Howard, who was a photographer in Abilene. He later worked as a photographer in Leadville. The pictures of Howard were generously provided by Arthur Weaner.
Abilene Kansas
August 6.
Mr. J.L.G. and WWC
kind friends i must tell you that i got heere. On thursday evening at 8 0.clock and am well satis fied of what i have seen of the west i saw ducks by the duzon. chickens and rabbits of al kinds and look tells me that there ar eny amount of game here. elk and dear. and i may have his britch1 loading rifle for he dos not youse it well John i am going to the country this morning on one of looks poneys. he has two bay poneys. the next i must tell yo there ar more hills here than in the east Shure enough there ar no tres here more than along the strums the ground is more onlevel here than in the east. Well John i must tell you about my trip. i changed cars at hanover Junction next at harisburg next at pitsburg next at shecago next at gailsburg. quincy and arived safe at abilene. i must close my letter for this time excuse the scribling for i rote on the poarch floore. my love to al inquiring friends if there ar eny left. direct your letter to Abilene, dickinson co. kansas
Kansas
Sept 15 1878
Old friend of the east
well john i must tell yo i have to work harder here as ever. but a day fore yesterday i was hunting. I plood for Jury brenizer until dinner time. I shot 7 chickens in the afternoon - shot 14 chickens and 2 jackrabbits 1 prarie squirrel 4 small rabbits and lett drive on a wolf but the rong end was tordes me. you no ware i shot him. I had alva pickings duble barled gun and a gud one. I am out on the prarie with ira and Jury and old John we do oure one cuking we have al the game we want. i have dug a seler on our farm we ar going to build this fal. oho John if onley you were here to help me to hunt and ete melons and John the felles dont no me yet. i have got 5 houses to plaster betwene this and next march. if you were only here to help me for i want to get them dun for I am going to colorado before 5 weaks. I am offered 4$ a day for mining or plastering and if all gose right i will get to see you next fal 1 year if you dont come out before that time. now uncle john and ant pegy take a friends advice and come to kansas if you want to get rich in 5 years at the longest. If you come out here and by 80 acres of land and rais hogs and shep you can get rich in a short time. i no a fellor out here that bot 300 shep for 9$ a piece and in one year he made 1000$ 500$ that wasnt so dam snoty was it. and old bair the other day drove 100 hogs to market and got 10$ a piece. that was 1000$ was it not. this is a hel of a cuntry for game. i saw about 500 chickens in 1 drove. and in the winter ira ses that the hens al gose to the bottom down at the creak. theare you can shute them by the 100. well John I would like this cuntry beter if i had some of my friends her and if there was more woods here. now i am going to tel you sompthing it is the truth this is a rite nice place but it is not very plesent to me for i have to work to hard and do not get eny thing. tell Jacobs boys that i rote them 4 letters and got no ancer yet. tell them that i gess have for goten me. i recibbed 2 letters from you and was glad to hiere from you now tell me how old Jonas is getting along. and tell me if Jacobs boys ar talking a bout coming out god by friend
High Winds, Kansas
October 28, 1878
From your friend. Willis W. Chronister
well John i hope you ar still at the old place yet. Well you wanted to no how the boys and Cal liked the cuntry. i must tell you that they all like the prarie very well. the little boys ar al going to school and cal is in town with laura on til we get the new house up. we ar building a new house 16 buy 24 fett. we have not got it up yet. we ar putting one up for Mr. Robinson on the same farm that old Joseph put one up 4 years ago for Mr. Hizelton i have been plastering a grait deal i dobbed Al picking house and 1 for fisle and we are going to build a new house for Mr. Colman this winter yet and i am going to plaster it for him i have got it by the gob. i get 48.50 for plastering it and i have made $26 at plastering. besides that job $16 at the carpenter traid. that is more than i cod a made in one year in the east. if you come out here i will give you 15$ a month i wod have work for 5 hands for my work has beet al that is don in kansas. the people ar pleased with my work. well John i have a setter dog that come from your one state and was taken to colorado and was brot back to this state and he give out for he was young yet and they give him to me and sed i was to kep him as long as he lived. he is a good one. i have kild 96 hens 14 since i have him i shot 14 hens today it was sunday it snode here yesterday about 4 inches deep but it is al gone. well ira come home yesterday from brenizer he has served his time he is going along with me and the old man to work tomorrow, we get $1.50 per day and the old man gets $2.00 a day. if you want to get rich leav adams county. god by to you write soon and tell me about business tell weaver (or weber) that i am glad he has got along so well with that note(?).
Abilene, Kansas
Jan 19th 1879
Old friend.
I take my pen in hand to convarse with you for a little while threw its medium. well John we have got our house up. now we have got the Largest and one of the nisest house in the county we have got a well bord with a 6 inch hole and have got plenty of water and we ar putting up a nice larg house for the man that bord the well for us. I have got one Job of plastering to do yett and then i am going to quit the buisness for i cant stand the smell of this magnesia lime. hier i can get $1.50 per day at the carpenter trade. 2.50$ in town. that is prety god. i am going to work with the old man next sumer and ira is going to colorado with Look. well John i have shot 128 small rabbits 14 Jacks and a number of skunks and some prarie hens. the little boys have traped 100 rabbits when i left home i came to town 9 days ago and i am going home tomorow. i ges they have traped a grate meny since and they sed when I write i shode tell you that if you want to make money yo Shod come out and barney sed he wod go along with you hunting. barney was in town yesterday with a two horse load of corn for Charley brenizer. they had 2 teams. barney drove 2 rones in his wagon. he is groing like a horse. i my self way 169 lbs. i am getting some stouter. write soone and tell me al about grandady and weaver. yours truley. Willis W Chronister Abilene, dickonson co kansas
Abilene, Dickinson Co. Kansas
June 1, 1879
My friend John
i have reciebed your kind and welcom letter yesterday. i had beene a god pese from home and did not get home to get my male and was so far from town that i could not write to you. igot home last evening. Old Jo had taken a job of carpenter work and has so much work at home and nere home that he cod not go and he sent me and a young cofman to do the job and i did git home till the job was done i was glad here from you. we have al the work that we can do. Joseph has gon after more hands today. we have got 4 barns to put up and 2 new houses and 1 grane house. i hav a god horse now he is four years old he is a helion. i rode him 63 miles yesterday. he gose like your bet yousta go but five times as fast. he is a black and ways ten hundred and 80 pounds. i was glad to hiere that your horse is doing so well. i new that he was a god horse. ira and milton howard and Samiel lenise(?) has gone artist and fotograpping. they have a nice team. i dont know where they ar now. Well John barney sed that i should tell you if you were out hiere and go with him fishing you could see big cat fish. him and Charlie brenizer was down at the lake sout of hier about 23 miles they were gon 3 days and came home as meny fish as th could hall. they catche what the felows cal gars. doc tor milhorn has the skin of one in his ofice in pinetown. i ges you have sene it. they had 2 cat fish that was 5 feet Long. and fish we caled fall fish and perch and bullalo fish and samon and bass. they had 400 out lines sat. barni is as big as a horse. 5 years old. you would not know him if you see him. well John we ar getting along very well and i hope you ar getting along the same. Oho John i would like to talk to you. i could tell you things that would make the hair stand up on your head. i saw indians and wolvs but they did not hourt eny budy. they have gone to the rocky mountains. again god by John. write soone. good by
December 9, 1879
dear friend
i take my pen in hand to con veerse with you for a little while threw its medium to let you know that we ar all well at present and hopeing these few lines will find you in Joying the same helth. i reciebed your letter last weak and was glad to hear from you. well John you wanted to know about my guns. i have old klick yet and a duble barrel and 2 navy revolvers and a gray hound. Iras dog dide yesterday. he got some poysen that had bene sat for wolves. wolves ar plenty and skunks make an ofel stink prarie chickens and rabbits ar plenty. we have lots of work now. we had snow last weak butt it is al gon now. it is cold as the devel now. we ar working for John Chronister. O, John i wish you wre out hiere. i was out at chapmans creak last weak one after noone and shott 26 ducks and 2 geas- ducks ar plenty i gess milt brenizer has told you al about kansas. i heard that dean(?) millers barn was burnt. tell me how it cau ght fire if you have heard yett. tell me all the news tell your mother that i was glad to hiear from her and inns(?) sed she wod rite to her soone tell uncle John i wod like to hear from him to ses he is a friend i know how is will getting along. and old squire levi getting along and weaber(?) and grand dady and ed zim(?) whare is he and tell him that i wrote to him 5 times and never got a letter from him yett i wod like to hiere from him soone as i am going to leadville in the spring. i hope to see you all next fall. write often for i must go to the rocky mountains in the spring. luke has got me a mining clame and i am ofered 8 $ a day. out thiere people think i am a boss carpenter out hiere i have put up 2 houses and large ones to. no more for this time excuse these scribles write soone god by to you yours truly Willis W Chronister
Mar 19, 1880
Dear sir
I will drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present hopeing these few lines to find you in joying the same helth. well, John I recieved your kind and welcom letter last night and was glad to hear from you. you wanted to know about the game we have lots of game and lots of work. Daniel Chronister and dad have lots of work. they have 10 hands but John I must tell you I am going to ledvile next monday i am starting I have 1 repeating rifle 2 revolvers my rifle shoots 26 times. it is a good one but that is what you must have out in the mountains. oho John i wish you were here to go along with me. there is a risk to run i suppose you have herd what Leedvile is. well, John i was up in newbraska 4 weaks ago. i went threw oto indian hunting ground. i saw 400 and 50 of the damd indians they look as red as horse piss and as sasey as they can bee. i did not like newbraska very well. next fall i am going to pay you a visit if i can. nomore for this time. write soone direct your letter to abilene and if i get to ledville al right they will send my male to me. dont forget me. i remain your friend you bet Willis W Chronister
Leadville, Colorado
Nov 7, 1880
Dear friend,
I take pleasure to drop you a fue lines to lett you kno that I am well at present. hopeing you the same. I am in Leadvill. I am working at carpenter work. I have made more money than I ever saw afore. I get $5.50 every day Sunday and every day I work 8 owers a day. I wish you were hear and see the gold and silver mines. millions of dollars ar made of these mines. i have 4 claims that i was ofered $19000 for. but next summer I can gett more for them. the snow is 4 feet deep and very cold. well i will tell you how this country is. it is all mountains. the mountains west is 22000 965 feet hy and all free land. a man can take all the ground that he can work and all he finds is his one . if you mind i usto say i wod like to go ware the indians ar and the bear and lions and deer and elk was but now i have got thier. but it is not so dam plesant as i thot it was. the indians ar bad. I have a wind Chester rifle that shoots 18 times. it takes a prety tuff indian that i cant kill one mile. i will call and see you next fall. the other chronisters cant laf at me for being poor for i have as much money as any of them. and how is grand pa getting along. I want you not for get for i am still the good old felow i always was. i did not write to you for solong. i had now time. but i have not forgot the god old times that we had. i dont want you to tell eny body that i have them minds and rite to me right away and tell me al the news. i must close for this time hopeing tohear from you soon. i send you some of the rock that i dug out of one of my claims. rite soon. yours truly WW Chronister. Leadville, Colo. box 41 direct your letter so
Leadville, Colo
July 26, 1881
Dear friend,
I will drop you a fue lines to let you know that i am well-hope you are the same. Well john im still in the wonder full city of leadville the greatest mining camp in the world gold an silver by the Cart load. I now have been in this place for too years. I have charge of the largest Carpenter and building firm in the city. I get $4.50 per day. old Joseph came up from the prarie too leadville a fue weaks ago and is dooing well. but no more of that well John how is things in the east. I want you to tell how hunting is and fishing. Oho John if you were out here you Cold hunt right. I will tell you the game we have heere is bear, lyon, hyena, wild cat, wolvs, buffalo, wild hors,and scunks. I will tell you of a little trip I had a fue weaks ago. I was out on the elk mountains working some clames. my pardner went too see after the pack poneys and I went too start a fire too make some cofy. I sat fire too a log and while so dooing I hurd a yell which made the ground shake. I looked up the hill. thiere was a lion bounding for me. I steped back about ten ft and picked up my winchester repeating rifle an stoud like a man until the lyon came within 30 yds of me. then i drew a beed on him and brot him to the ground and then my pardner came running and ses did you kill the dam critter. I ses you bet. by this time a ute indian steped out and shot the hat of of my pardners head. he raised his gun and shot the indian too the ground and then sed what is next on the program. I tell you when you get among the black and red indians you can bet on a little fight. Well John i will tell you more at an other time. well John I hurd that dave staub and his father was dead. i cod not believe it is it so or not. rite soon and tell me al the news as you ar the onley friend i have in the east. rite soon and heven bless you yours truely W W Chronister room 41 union block leadville, colo
August 20th 1882(?)
from W W Chronister
too J L Geigh
Dear friend
as i have not hurd from you for so long i will convarse with you threw the medium of pen. well Johney i am still in lead ville colo. i have not been home for three years lok was up heere for some time but went home about 2 months ago. well Johney i am working at carpenter business still i am forman for the new york building co. i gett 4.50 per day sunday an all work or not. Come to leadville and see the mountains and the mines nothing but rocks gro heere. I was on Mt. Maribl(?) this morning which is 13000 feet above the sea. it was snowing up thier an when i came down in the canion the sun was shinging. the boys that wer along with me proposed too hunt a will before we went too town and as we were riding down half moon canion we shoot a lion as big as an african lion and a grisley bear and a silver fox. but if you want too hunt come up heere well Johney i must close looking too hear from you soon i will send you a photograph of me and rifle. the rifle shots 19 cartridges. rite soon and tell old uncle John that i wod like too hear from him. this leaves me well hopeing you al the same as ever your friend Willis Direct W W Chronister room 41 union block Leadville, Colo
Leadville, Colorado
December, 13, 1882
Dear friend,
i recieved your letter the other day and was glad to hear from you once more well Johney we have lots of snow here now hunting is good. i bought another rifle. Sold the marland rifle it will shute acurett for 1800 yds i was out in the elk mountains about 2 mo ago. i shot one elk that weighed 17 teen hundred lbs and a deer 4 lion 7 wolves, 2 silver fox and my pardners did not hunt eny thing but bear and kiled 11 bairs and one of the boys left his horse down the side of the mountains and he thot that it was an Elk and shot and kiled his one horse he ses that hee will use his globe site here after. thats the way sity fokes get thier lerning. but nomore of that well Johney i supose you hurd of the acident that hapened. Austain i got a letter from mother about too weaks ago stateing that austain was setting in the wagon looking for chickens an the gun went off and shot threw his hand and went into his breast. but not fatal. they think hee will recuver again but will lose his hand. i am looking for a letter every day i hope he will recuver soon. well Johney i wish you wold come out heere and see leadville she is a bad city. too men shot in the red light dance hall last night. i was in the hall at the time and i laid down on the flore and the shots went over and i got out alright. well Johney your last letter was dated Dec 4 1882 rite soon and tell me all the particulars as ever your friend. W W Chronister No 41 union block leadville, Colo
Leadville, Colo
May 7, 1884
Kind friend tis with pleasure I take the opertundty too drop you a fue lines too lett you kno that I am still in the land of the liveing on the frunt tear.
well Johney i suppose you ar still at old hampton. i wish you were here. Leadville is a grate place and is the richest city i ever saw. the mines ar very rich and lots of ground to prospect yet. I have been in this place for 4 years and have made lots of money and have been mining all the time. i have 3 good claims. one that is rich in gold but no more of that. the snow is very deep and is snowing every day. well Johney i have hurd that John Baker is dead. rite and tell me all the poticulars. how is old grandmother getting along i have not hurd from them for several years and tell me what trade you ar learning. i have charge of the shop for the Chicago building Co and i gett 4.75 per day and pay 1.50 per day board and 20.00 per month for room rent. everything is very hy. thier is nothing raised her but gold and silver. all the vegetables and all other goods ar shipped in. tobacco is 1.25 too 4.25 per pound. cigars from 8.00 too 27.00 per hundred so you no about how everything costs. well i want you too rite and tell old Johney that i wold like too here from him and give William Chronister my adress. tell him i did not no his address or i wod have rote too him long ago. and rite soon as ever your friend W W Chronister No 41 union block Leadville, Colo
Leadville, Colo
Sept 9, 1887
Mr J L Geigh an dear friend
as i recieved your Ever kind and welcomb letter some time a go and was glad to here from you once again well Johney I am well and trust that you ar all the Same. I am still in Leadville i still work at Carpentering I have a shop an machinery and we ar doing quite a business I was in denver that is all i have out of this City for 8 years I have not been home for nearly nine years but i think i will go this winter the little boys ar all big men Barney is a 6 footer brother Johney rote too me and sed that he hurd from you and Johney i want you too rite me often and i will answer you and how is grandma an aunt Sarah flanigon(?) he never rote me a darn scratch yet i wish to ask whair is Charley Jacobs give me his adress if you can an tell old Johney I wold be pleased too here from him once more I will tell you of the Cuntry we have summer but it snowed the 3rd we have snow Every month in the year the hy mountains ar always Cuvered with ice an snow lots of elk an deer an Sheap an Bicen i wis you was here too hunt I have 2 rifles one shot gun an 2 revolvers that have not been of my person for 8 years this is a hard place. a man is no body if he has no revolver in his pocket some body shot every weak but no more of that we have 3 railroads in leadville now this City is 10,000,25 ft hy the air is very light some people cannot live here at tol but i have stud it for a long time but Johney rite soon and give me all the news i will close for this time i still remain as Ever your friend W W Chronister PO Box 47 Leadville, Colo
Excuse these fue scribles good by too all write soon
A note without envelope to identify the date, possibly included with a letter from another family member, survives. It is on a strip of paper an inch or so wide and six inches long, with the note written vertically on one side:
Write soone and tell me al about the felows and how old Jonas is getting along no more for this time write soone yours truely Willis W Chronister Abilene Kansas
The reverse side of the note is written horizontally:
i still remain your friend i am as good a fellow as ever i think of you evry day
dont for get your old friend good by good by . John
The unique bit of history presented in Willis' letters was apparently ended in a fitting manner. An article in a Hanover, Pennsylvania newspaper stated that Willis was killed by Indians shortly after the photograph (tintype) was taken. On a trip through the west in 1991, we went to Leadville to follow up on the story.
A young man at the Leadville Library was great in helping us in our quest. There was nothing in the newspaper records about Willis' demise as a result of Indian action. Our great wild west story came crashing down when we located his obituary on microfilm. He had died in a less glamorous way, of heart failure, alone in his cabin, on May 22, 1925. We found no reference to Willis' from his September 1887 letter to Johnny until his obituary in 1925.
The records indicate Willis was buried at Leadville in Evergreen Cemetery, Block 14, Lot 19, Section A and the grave is listed as marked. We visited the cemetery in 1991 and could not find the grave. When time is not pressing, we hope to return to Leadville and conduct a more thorough search, locate the grave and put flowers on his final resting place. Then his story will be closed. He deserves that.
Herald Democrat
Leadville, Colorado
May 23, 1925
Deaths and Funerals
Willis W. Chronister
Willis W. Chronister, a pioneer resident here who conducted a little cabinet-making shop here for about 40 years, was found dead at 12:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon in his cabin at 220 West Second Street by Alderman J.J. Kelley.
Chronister was found lying on the floor of the bedroom of his two room cabin by Alderman Kelley, who stated to Coroner Walsh that Chronister was lying on the floor fully dressed, evidently for the street, and his clothes were not disarranged, only his hat being tilted slightly back on his head. His appearance indicated, Mr. Kelley said, that Chronister had quietly laid down on the floor and succumbed to what Coroner Walsh believes to be heart failure.
Chronister was last seen alive Saturday night, and the rigid limbs of the body bear out the theory that he succumbed then. Between the feet of the dead man was found a burned out candle which had charred a large circle on the floor before dying out. Nothing in the cabin gave evidence of disarrangement.
Chronister was removed to Moynahan-O'Malia funeral parlors. Letters found in the dead man's rooms disclosed that he has a niece living in California. She has been wired of the death of "Old Man Chronister" by the funeral directors, and funeral arrangements are pending word received from her.
Chronister occupied his carpenter shop at 110 Harrison Avenue for the past twelve years, and before that he had several other cabinet making shops in Leadville.
No one seems to know just how long Chronister lived here. J.J. Corbett, of Moynahan-O'Malia said "He's been here much longer than I have."
Alderman Kelley stated "I've lived here for over thirty-five years, and he was an old resident when I came."
Chronister, as far as could be determined, had no intimate friends, and details of his early history and family are very meager. He lived alone at 220 West Second Street and is thought he has always has been a batchelor. Several acquaintenances of the dead man says that he was a German immigrant. He is not known to belong to any lodges, has never been active in political or civic affairs, was universally regarded as a recluse.
He leaves no estate, only $6.50 being in his possession at the time of his death. Coroner Walsh states that an inquest will be unnecessary.
Willis Chronister, half-brother of Ira Wolfe
1882 Willis W. Chronister, carpenter, was listed at 425 Harrison, Leadville. [7]
1889 W. W. Chronister, carpenter, was listed at 114 E. 5th in Leadville. [8]
1892 Joseph Chronister, Austin L Chronister, and Willis W. Chronister, carpenters, lived at 23 Union blk., Leadville. [9]
1892 W. W. Chronister witnessed his father's Civil War pension application in Leadville.
1895 W. W. Chronister, carpenter, was listed at 115 W. 3d in Leadville. [10]
1897 W. W. Chronister & Bro. (Austin) was listed at 137 Plum Leadville. [11]
1908 W. W. Chronister, carpenter, was listed at 221 W. 2d in Leadville. [12]
1911 Willis W. Chronister, carpenter, was listed at 236 W. 2d in Leadville. [13]
Research Notes:
These letters of Willis Chronister were available at a rootsweb website, which is no longer available: (rootsweb.com/~paadams/wcintro.htm). The website is available on the Wayback Machine. [https://web.archive.org/web/20050122215038/rootsweb.com/~paadams/wcintro.htm]
[1] United States Federal Census, 1860, [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord].
[2] United States Federal Census, 1860, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[3] United States Federal Census, 1870, [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord].
[4] United States Federal Census, 1870, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[5] United States Federal Census, 1880, [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord].
[6] United States Federal Census, 1880, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[7] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1882), 97, There are many listings 1882-1911, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[8] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1889), 90, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[9] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1892), 90, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[10] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1895), 282, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[11] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1897), 95, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[12] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1908), 302, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[13] Ballenger & Richards Leadville City Directory (Leadville, Colorado: 1911), 92, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].