OSTROM, Ralph W., b 1859; 1905 Bio: Mesa County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/mesa/bios/ostromr.txt --------------------------------------- Donated October 12, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Ralph W. Ostrom 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. =================================================== 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.