Weir, Andrew; 1905 Bio, Eagle County, Colordo http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/eagle/bios/weira.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Andrew Weir This progressive and enterprising business man, successful rancher and public-spirited citizen, who has been very prosperous in his ranch industry and has greatly surpassed his achievements in that line of his operations in real estate, has had a varied career, pursuing many lines of business and occupation and winning almost unbroken success in all. He first saw the light of this world in Minnesota on January 4, 1856, but was reared near Kansas City, Missouri, where his parents settled not long after his birth. His father, William Weir, was born in New York and his mother in Ohio. The father moved to Ohio as a young man, and after his marriage dwelt a short time in Minnesota, then took up his residence at Kansas City, Missouri, where he became prosperous as a cabinetmaker and lumber merchant. Later in life he turned his attention to farming. He supported the Republican party in politics, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist church. Their family comprised nine children, of whom a daughter named Rebecca died in 1874. The parents are both dead. The eight children living are: Elizabeth, now Mrs. John Bradley, of Oklahoma; Sarah, now Mrs. William Henry Tawney, of DeLeon, Florida; Andrew, the subject of this sketch; Margaret, now Mrs. Los Brown, of Yates Center, Kansas; Mary, now Mrs. James Rogers, of Pawnee, Oklahoma; Cora, now Mrs. William Reed, of Amoret, Missouri; Henry, of Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Fred, of Louisburg, Kansas. Andrew attended the public schools during the winter months of a few years, and assisted his parents until he reached his twenty-third year. In the meantime he started to learn the blacksmith trade, but after working eighteen months at it gave it up because he did not like the work. He then went to work on a farm at seventeen dollars a month and his board, and continued at this until he determined to come west in company with his brother-in-law, William H. Tawney. They bought some mules in Missouri and started for Denver, where they arrived in due time and without incident worthy of note. They then took a load of flour overland to Gunnison, where they sold the flour and all the mules but one team which they reserved to haul supplies. Their first purchase was a ranch of two hundred and forty acres, which adjoined the town limits and which Mr. Weir sold at a satisfactory profit, then they prospected for three years but without success. At the end of this experience they returned east to Louisburg, Kansas, and there until 1888 conducted a livery business and stock shipping on an extensive scale. In this venture the success was pronounced and the profits were large. Mr. Weir sold out in the livery business at a good advance on his investment, but retained the stock interest. In 1889 he purchased land at Nelson, Nebraska, in partnership with I.C. Rogers, which he held until 1893, then sold it and moved to Cameron, Missouri, and engaged in the real-estate business from 1894 to 1896. In the year last named he returned to Nelson and began feeding six hundred head of cattle and cribbing thirty thousand bushels of corn. He continued in this line until 1899, when he came to Colorado a second time and bought the Chatfield ranch near Emma. Here he followed ranching until 1892, then sold the ranch to its present owners, N.G. Coall and W.D. Phillips. He has recently purchased land near Louisburg, Kansas, and intends to make that his future home and farming his future occupation. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the United Workmen, and in political action ardently supports the Democratic party. On June 16, 1889, he married Miss Lou M. Athey, a native of Farmer City, De Witt county, Illinois, the daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Athey, who were born and reared in Virginia and moved to Illinois in early life, remaining there until death, prosperously engaged in farming. The mother died in October, 1889, and the father in May, 1893. They were members of the Methodist church and the parents of ten children, nine of whom are living, one having died in infancy. The living are William, Henry B., Jacob, George, Alice, Fannie, Annie, Sallie and Mrs. Weir. Mr. and Mrs. Weir have one child, Clyde William, who was born on February 4, 1890. Mr. Weir is well pleased with Colorado and sees for the state a great future. His change of residence is due to no dissatisfaction with it. =================================================== 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.