Chaffee County CO Archives Biographies.....Tomkins, Henry S March 24, 1841 - ? ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net February 28, 2006, 3:01 pm Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado After a long and successful mercantile career in various parts of the two great Anglo-Saxon countries, England and the United States, in which he had charge of extensive and important interests and met his responsibilities in a manly and masterful way, Henry S. Tomkins, of Chaffee county, Colorado, turned to the vocation of the old patriarchs and has found in it congenial and profitable employment. He is a native of Liverpool, England, born on March 24, 1841, and was educated in the public schools of his native city. After leaving school he was apprenticed to the tea and coffee trade, having, however, first secured a collegiate education. Intending to devote his life to mercantile pursuits, he remained in the department of trade in which he started seven years, then became a commercial traveler for one of the largest wholesale houses in London. After being on the road in the interests of that house for a period of twelve years, he engaged in a commission business on his own account which he continued three years. In 1876 he visited the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, and while on this side of the water made a tour of this country and Canada, visiting all the principal cities from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Being greatly impressed by this country and its opportunities for business, especially abundant and prolific in the West, he determined to erect his domestic altar here and cast his lot with the people of the United States. Accordingly, after remaining a year in England after his return to settle up his affairs there, he brought his family, consisting of his wife and five children, to Chicago, and during the next seven years he was employed in that great hive of industrial and commercial activity as store manager of the branch establishment of R. Hoe & Company, the most extensive manufacturers of printing presses in the United States. In 1885 he moved to Denver, this state, and engaged in the metalliferous milling business. Later he conducted a similar enterprise at Decatur, Summit county, and afterward moved to Winfield in Chaffee county, where he took charge of a large mill. Owing to failing health and the necessity for an outdoor life, he abandoned milling and turned his attention to farming and raising stock in 1887, and since then he has been extensively engaged in these pursuits. Taking up a homestead five miles from Buena Vista, he began his enterprise in ranching and stock raising in a small way, and he has since enlarged it to considerable proportions, adding to his domain by purchase until he owns several hundred acres of land and expanding his operations until he is now one of the leading farmers and stock men in his part of the state. Since coming to this country he has always taken an active and serviceable part in its politics, espousing the cause of the Democratic party after due deliberation and firmly adhering to his faith through all conditions, except for several years, espousing the cause of the Populist party with such success he was made national committeeman for Colorado, for four years. In the tenth general assembly in this state he was chosen a representative of Chaffee and Fremont counties on the ticket of the Populists. He was afterward chief enrolling clerk of the state senate in the eleventh assembly. As the candidate of the Democrats he was elected to the fourteenth assembly in the fall of 1902, as a representative of Fremont and Chaffee counties and carried the district by a large majority. His work in the house of representatives has been generally commended by the members of all parties, his unquailing courage in standing for what he believed to be right winning the admiration of opponents as well as friends. In the industry to which he has latterly given his whole attention he is prominent and influential, being an active member of the Colorado Horse and Cattle Growers Association, and at one time on its executive committee. He organized the Chaffee County Association and has unvaryingly been its delegate to the state association. His ranch is a fine one, well developed, highly improved and skillfully cultivated. Four of his grown sons are now at home and assist him in its management. In the social life of the state he has ever been prominent and influential. He is a cordial friend of United States Senator Thomas M. Patterson, who was, like himself, raised in Liverpool, England. On July 12, 1864, Mr. Tomkins was married to Miss Fannie Tuson, of Liverpool, where the marriage was celebrated. They had five children, Harold, Charlotte E. (deceased), Albert, Fannie and Caroline. Their mother died on November 2, 1872, and her remains were buried in Liverpool. In July, 1877, Mr. Tomkins married a second wife, Miss Ellen Acton, a native of England, this marriage also occurring in his native city. They have four children, George H., Ernest, Myron J. and Charles L. Throughout his residence in Chaffee county Mr. Tomkins has served on the district school board, and has given a decided stimulus to the cause of education there. He is a strong woman’s suffrage man and his opinion upon that subject has been sought by several prominent writers in this country and Holland. Additional Comments: From Progressive Men of Western Colorado. Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/chaffee/bios/tomkins208gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cofiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb