Mineral County CO Archives Biographies.....Wheeler , Frank Elon February 1, 1862 - ? ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net February 21, 2006, 7:31 pm Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado To write the personal record of men who have raised themselves from humble circumstances to a position of influence and comparative affluence in a community is no ordinary pleasure. Self-made men, men who have achieved success by reason of their personal qualities and left the impress of their individuality upon the business and growth of their place of residence and affect for good such institutions as are embraced within the sphere of their usefulness, unwittingly, perhaps, build monuments more enduring than marble obelisk or granite shaft. Of such we have the unquestioned right to say belongs the gentleman whose name appears above. Frank Elon Wheeler is a native son of Colorado, having been born in Jefferson county on February 1, 1862. He is the son of John S. and Amelia D. Wheeler, the former of whom came to Colorado in 1859 and during the subsequent years occupied a conspicuous and influential place in public affairs. He was a member of the state constitutional convention, and in 1878 was the Democratic candidate for secretary of state, being defeated by N.H. Meldrum. He was the first probate judge of Weld county, having been elected to this office in 1866. He was a farmer by vocation and commanded the respect of all who knew him. The subject is able to trace his ancestral lines back to sturdy “Mayflower” stock and in his own life have been exhibited many of those sterling traits which characterize the men who, for consciences’ sake, left home and native land and sought that liberty which every true man desires. Mr. Wheeler received his elementary education in the common schools of Weld county, this state, being forced by circumstances to cease his school attendance at the age of fifteen years. His education did not stop then, however, as he has through all the subsequent years been a wide and liberal reader and a close and thoughtful observer of men and events, so that today he is considered a well-informed man. In 1879 he engaged in mining, believing that that field of effort offered great opportunities for acquiring wealth. His success was but moderate, however, and in 1885 he accepted the position of assayer at the United States mine in Denver, holding this position until removed by an incoming Republican superintendent. He immediately secured a position as manager of the Idaho Springs Sampling Works, but on March 1, 1892, he resigned this place and went to Creede, where he engaged in mining and assaying with very indifferent success. When Mineral county was organized Governor Waite appointed Mr. Wheeler a commissioner of the county, and he was twice afterwards elected to the position. In 1894 and again in 1904 he was the candidate on the Democratic ticket for auditor of state, but was defeated together with the balance of the ticket. A stanch Democrat in politics, Mr. Wheeler holds decided opinions regarding public policies and economic questions affecting the welfare of the American people. He is a firm believer in the republican form of government and stands stanchly by the national constitution, believing that under it the American people will always be capable of self-government and the military always subservient to the civil authority. He believes that the great wrongs now imposed on the industrial classes can only be righted through the instrumentality of the Democratic party and that the national government should control all trusts, combines and corporations in the interests of the majority of the people. On the 17th of January, 1888, Mr. Wheeler was, by Myron Reed, united in marriage with Miss Wallie Sutter, who was born in Heidelburg, Germany, where the father, a musical instructor, was royal chapel master to the king. Fraternally Mr. Wheeler is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan, the Western Federation of Miners, and other bodies. In the Knights of Pythias he filled every office in the local lodge, was three times elected grand representative, and for three years was a member of the grand tribune, being chairman of the judiciary committee during 1904-5. In 1902 he represented the local lodge of Elks in the grand lodge which met at Baltimore. He is not affiliated with any religious denomination, but governs his actions by that greatest of all commands, the Golden Rule. In every avenue of life’s activities in which he has been placed he has honestly and faithfully performed his part and is today the recipient of the highest meed of respect and confidence, not alone in his own community, but throughout a large portion of the state. Additional Comments: From Progressive Men of Western Colorado. Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/mineral/bios/wheeler164gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cofiles/ File size: 5.4 Kb