PERKINS, Herbert E., b 1855; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/perkinshe.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 26, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Herbert E. Perkins One of the most progressive and successful stock men and the most extensive sheep breeder in Delta county, Herbert E. Perkins occupies a prominent place in the industrial life of the section in which he lives and aids materially in increasing the wealth and commercial activity of its people. He was born at Mechanic Falls, Maine, on July 17, 1855, his parents, William M. and Ruth (Jordan) Perkins, also being natives of that state. They belonged to old colonial families and their fore-fathers bore conspicuous parts in all the preceding history of New England in peace and war. The parents of Mr. Perkins passed their lives in their native state where they were extensive and prosperous farmers. The father was a prominent man locally and served as one of the commissioners of Androscoggin county for a number of years. They had four daughters and two sons, four of whom are living, Herbert being the last born in the family. He was reared on the farm, attended the public schools, was graduated at the high school and then attended two terms at Hebron Academy. In the spring of 1873 he went to Boston, and after serving three months as conductor on a street car, working in the Faneuil Hall market about nine months, then became collector on the road for a lightning rod company, in which capacity he spent three years, and for a time he was also collector for a bank in Boston. In July, 1878, he came to Colorado and located at Rosita where he prospected and mined more than a year, this being during the boom days of the Bassick mine. Early in 1880 he went to Gunnison county, where he was engaged in mining until the fall of 1883. During this period he discovered and located the Last Ruby mine, adjoining the Ruby Chief. Here the prospect was very promising and Mr. Perkins was offered twelve thousand dollars for his interest. He refused the offer and got nothing. He came to Delta in the fall of 1883, in company with Thomas Moore, and together they engaged in the cattle business. This partnership lasted over a year and since its dissolution Mr. Perkins has been in the business alone and has been very successful. In 1890 he sold off all his cattle and turned his attention exclusively to sheep-raising. In this branch of the stock industry he runs on an average about eight thousand head of the Hampshire strain, being the largest sheep man in the county. He owns ranches in Gunnison county of three hundred and twenty acres, in addition to what he owns in Delta county. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and while not desirous of official station of any kind, the county convention of his party on a recent occasion, in a spirit of jest, nominated him for county assessor and he was forced to accept the office and perform its duties, which he did with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people. On December 25, 1895, he was married to Mrs. Hettie (Geer) Clark, a native of Michigan and a widow with two children by a former marriage, Lucy R. and Don L. Redmond. Mr. Perkins belongs to the order of Odd Fellows, being a charter member of Delta Lodge, No. 116, in the fraternity. =================================================== 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.