GALE, William R., b 1858; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/galewr.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 21, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- William R. Gale William R. Gale, a prominent lumber merchant and builder of Delta, and president of the Grand Mesa Lumber Company, which he organized in 1903, is a native of Montreal, Canada, born on June 26, 1858, and reared and educated in that country. His parents were William and Jane C. (Perdeaux) Gale, the former a native of Ireland of Scotch ancestry, and the latter born in the same country of French and Irish parentage. They grew to maturity and were married in Ireland, and soon afterward came to the United States. Following a short residence in this country they moved to Canada, where the father has carried on his business as a jeweler and watchmaker for many years, principally at the town of Ormstown, in the province of Quebec, where he is now living, and where his wife died in 1901. A brother of Mrs. Gale came to this country when a young man and accumulated a large fortune as a farmer. At his death, having never married, he left his estate to endow Perdue College, which was named in his honor. Nine of the children in the Gale household grew to maturity, and of these six are now living. William was the fifth born of the family, and was reared and educated in Canada, chiefly at Ormstown. He was thrown on his own resources at the age of twelve, and from that time on for several years he worked in summer and attended school in winter. In 1875 he was apprenticed to a carpenter with whom he spent three years and a half, learning his trade and receiving one hundred and twenty-five dollars and his board for his work. For the last six months he got no pay as he was during that time occupied as a draughtsman. On passing his examination for a diploma, as required in that country, he refused to accept the sheepskin, as he had propounded problems that his instructor was unable to solve. He then passed a year and a half in the larger towns of Canada collecting ideas in different features of his work and in 1879 crossed the line into the United States, locating at Manchester, New Hampshire, where he worked for a contractor named Ireland. He quit his service eight times during the first year, and each time he was invited to return at increased wages. In 1881 he became foreman for this man and remained in his employ until 1885. In 1880 he spent a short time in Colorado and acquired a liking for the state. From 1885 to 1887 he was in Canada, and in March of the year last named he again came to this state, locating at Delta, where he has since resided. In partnership with his younger brother John C., he at once, on his arrival here, engaged in contracting and building, and in the ensuing fall established a lumber yard in the town. The next year they added furniture and undertaking to their business, and carried on the several lines together until 1898, when John bought the furniture and undertaking departments and William sold the lumber yard to another party. He then made a trip covering a year and a half through Colorado, Wyoming and Utah looking up a better location, with the result that he returned to Delta and again went into the lumber business there. In 1902 A.E. Penley bought a one-half interest in the business, and the next year they organized the Grand Mesa Lumber Company, with a paid-up capital stock of twelve thousand dollars, and W.R. Gale as president, I.C. Hall as vice-president and A.E. Penley as secretary and treasurer. Under this arrangement they have greatly expanded the business, built a large planing-mill, acquired an immense stock of material and built up an extensive industry in contracting and building. They have erected several of the largest and best buildings at Delta, among them a thirteen thousand-dollar school house, which was completed in 1903. On November 5, 1891, Mr. Gale was married to Miss Nettie Cowell, who was born at Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have one son, Charles E., now ten years old. In political allegiance Mr. Gale is an independent Republican. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias. =================================================== 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.