BAGLEY, Heaman S., b 1851; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/bagleyhs.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 9, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Heaman S. Bagley Mr. Bagley, who is one of the leading and most enterprising sheep men in Delta county, this state, was born in Jackson county, Iowa, on December 29, 1851. His parents, Jesse and Laura (Evarts) Bagley, were natives, respectively, of Rhode Island and Maine. They moved to Minnesota and settled in Olmstead county, where the father pre-empted the first tract of land ever taken up in this way in that county. Two years later Heaman's grandfather, who was one hundred and twelve years old, came to the same county and pre-empted another claim on which he lived two years, dying there at the age of one hundred and fourteen. The father farmed in the county until 1886, then moved to Pleasant Grove, in the same state, and afterward to Minneapolis, where he lived until 1894. He then migrated to Vancouver, Washington, where he lived until his death in 1895. The mother died in Minnesota in 1884. Their son Heaman remained at home until he reached the age of sixteen and attended the public schools. In 1867 he left home and located on a farm in the vicinity of Winona, remaining there until 1874, at which time he moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and there during the next two years he worked on the river in summer and in the lumber regions in winter. In 1876 he returned to Minnesota and took up his residence at Spring Valley, where he worked in a butcher shop for four years. In 1880, before there was a railroad in this part of Colorado, he came to the state and settled in Gunnison county. Here he put in more than two years mining, and in the spring of 1883 moved to the ranch of one hundred and sixty acres which is now his home, taking up the land as a pre-emption claim. He has improved the place and made it very productive. About four acres are in fruit and the rest in alfalfa and grain. For a time he carried on the cattle business. He later changed to sheep and out of them he made very good profits. In 1902 he raised an average of sixty-six bushels of wheat to the acre, selling his product for two thousand six hundred dollars. On January 19, 1877, he was married to Miss Jane Duncan, who was born at Decorah, Iowa, on November 19, 1856, and is the daughter of Samuel L. and Julia Duncan, the father born in Ohio and the mother in Rhode Island. They were farmers and lived in Minnesota many years. The father was a Union soldier in the Civil war and served to the end of the mighty conflict. Their family comprised four children, three of whom are residents of Colorado. The father also lives in this state, but the mother died on August 17, 1890. Mr. Bagley had three brothers and four sisters. All are living but one and five dwell in this state. In his own household one child has been born, his daughter Mabel M., whose life began in Gunnison county. In political matters Mr. Bagley supports the Republican party with loyalty and zeal. He is an influential and well esteemed citizen, and his life in Delta county has been of great service in the progress and general development of its best interests. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.