Barth Peter; 1905 Bio, Eagle County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/eagle/bios/barthp.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Peter Barth Coming into the world on the banks of the historic Rhine, in a region so beautiful that in its midst one can almost feel the celestial soul that lights the smile on nature's lips, Peter Barth was yet born to a destiny of toil and poverty in his early life, and obliged to take upon himself at the early age of fifteen the task of making his own way in the world. This he has done so successfully that he is now one of the most prosperous and respected citizens of Eagle county, with a comfortable estate in worldly wealth and an influential voice in all the affairs of the section in which he lives. He was born on March 14, 1847, and after a short and irregular attendance at the common schools, was apprenticed to a blacksmith and learned his trade with such care and attention to its every detail that he is now considered by many persons the best blacksmith in Colorado. He is the son of Peter and Katharine (Barth) Barth, natives and life-long residents of Germany, where the mother died in 1888 and the father in 1897. They were farmers and members of the Evangelical church, lived useful and upright lives and at their close were laid to rest with every demonstration of public esteem. The son worked at his trade in his native land until 1871, then hearing responsively the call from this country for volunteers in her great army of industrial progress which was clearing her unoccupied lands, draining her marshes, developing her farms and building her marts of business and highways of travel, he emigrated to the United States and after a residence of five months in New York, found a more congenial field for his enterprise in Colorado, locating at the corner of Larimer and Thirty-fourth streets in Denver in 1872, and there doing railroad blacksmithing five months and after that general blacksmithing until 1874. In that year he moved to Hall's Gulch, and for a short time smithed for the smelter, then moved on to Middle Boulder, where he worked as a journeyman in a shop of his craft until the spring of 1875. At that time he took up his residence at Montezuma and opened a general blacksmith shop of his own, also building the second hotel in the town. He remained there until April 1, 1880, succeeding well, then moved to Breckenridge, at that time a new and busy camp so overcrowded with seekers for wealth that he was obliged to sleep on the floor in a shoemaker's shop owing to the scarcity of beds. Here he made some money speculating and working at his trade and remained until 1886, when he came to his present location, being the third settler in the Gypsum valley and purchasing a tract of land rocky and covered with wild sage. This he has improved and cultivated until it is one of the most fruitful and attractive ranches in the valley. It comprises one hundred and fifty-seven acres and yields good crops. In politics he is a Republican and in fraternal life a member of the order of Red Men. He was married in October, 1884, to Miss Katharine Straundt, a native of Hanover, Germany. They have had four children, of whom three are living, Charles, Willie and Mrs. George Mullen. A son named Peter was removed by death some years ago. =================================================== 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.