Mesa County CO Archives Biographies.....Ostrom, Ralph W.  1859 - ?
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net January 9, 2006, 6:22 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     Ralph W. Ostrom, a respected citizen of Debeque, who has been active in the

industrial and commercial life of the community, was born on shipboard in the

waters of China in 1859.  He is the son of Alvin and Susan (Boylan) Ostrom,

natives of New York.  The mother died in 1865 and was buried in her native

state.  The father was a missionary in China during the greater part of his

life, and later was occupied similarly in the Hawaiian islands, where he died

and was buried in 1895 at the age of seventy-two.  Ralph was the youngest of

their three children.  He was reared to the age of eighteen in California, and

there received his education in the public schools.  At the age mentioned he

started out in life for himself, going to Arizona on a prospecting tour and

remaining about one year.  In 1879 he came to Colorado, and locating at Pueblo,

was employed in painting houses and other buildings for two years.  He then

spent short periods at Gunnison and Grand Junction, after which he took up his

residence in the vicinity of Debeque on Roan creek.  A short time afterward he

returned to Grand Junction where he remained and followed house painting until

1887.  At that time he returned to Debeque, and selling his ranch devoted

himself to mercantile business for eight years, at the end of which he sold his

store to H.A. Stroud, and then lived a retired life in the village which he

helped to build and which bears the marks of his enterprise and progressiveness.

 In the fall of 1904 he opened a meat market and grocery in the post office

building and here commands a large and increasing patronage.  In 1888 he was

married to Miss Pearl Neel, a native of Kansas.  They have two children, their

daughters Helen and Hazel.  In all the relations of life Mr. Ostrom has been

acceptable to the people of this community, having been enterprising in business

and in public affairs, upright and genial in his private life, with breadth of

view, an enlightened public spirit in considering and promoting the best

interests of his section, and a lofty and inspiring patriotism in his devotion

to the welfare of the whole country.  No man in the community is more widely

esteemed.   

Additional Comments:
From Progressive Men of Western Colorado.  Chicago:  A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/mesa/bios/ostrom113gbs.txt

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