Copeland, William S; 1905 Bio, Pitkin County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/pitkin/bios/coplndws.txt --------------------------------------- Donated May 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- William Stephen Copeland Prominent and serviceable in the industrial, commercial and educational life of Pitkin county, proprietor of the Glendale Stock Farm of fourteen hundred acres four and one-half miles west of Aspen, and of the extensive stock business conducted thereon, active in social and church circles, and giving intelligent attention and hearty support to every good enterprise for the benefit of the community, William Stephen Copeland, of Aspen, is one of the leading citizens of this portion of the state and an ornament and an inspiration for good to the people among whom he lives and labors. As manager of the large and highly developed sample works of the Taylor & Brunton Sampling Works Company, in which [he] is employed, by common repute the finest and most complete system of sampling ores in the world, he has made an excellent reputation as an expert sampler and become an authority on all subjects connected with the business; as a stock man with interests of magnitude in the business in his charge, he has established himself in public opinion as one of the most progressive and capable men engaged in the industry and as president for a number of years and now secretary of the local school board he has been a potential stimulus to the educational forces of the town and surrounding country, and he has done a vast amount of good for the school interests around him. Mr. Copeland was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, on August 4, 1861, and is the son of George and Sarah (Smith) Copeland, the father of the same nativity as himself and the mother born in New York state. The father was during the years of his early manhood a machinist, and in later life a farmer. He supported the Reform party in politics, and belonged to the United Workmen in fraternal circles. He belonged to the Methodist church, as his widow does now. Since his death, which occurred several years ago, she has been living at Norwich in the province of Ontario. They were the parents of six children. A daughter named Lottie has died; the five who are living are: William, the subject of this review; Lewis A., manager of Taylor & Brunton's interests in Utah; Carrie, the wife of Rev. Joseph Culp, of Toronto, Canada; George E., manager of Taylor & Brunton's interests at Cripple Creek; and Nellie, the wife of Edward Butler, of St. Thomas, Ontario. William was well educated in his native land, attending the primary and high schools, the Teachers' Training School, the Brantford Collegiate Institute at Brantford, and the Toronto Normal and Art Schools, of which he is an honor graduate. He was also thrifty in early life, at the age of ten beginning to earn money and saving it for future use; and the habit thus formed has been his mainstay through his subsequent career. In 1891 he came to Colorado and located at Aspen where he began work as a clerk in the sampling works of the Taylor & Brunton Sampling Works Company. After serving the company six years in that capacity he became manager of its works and is still creditably filling that position. From his advent into this section of the country he has taken an active and useful interest in educational matters. He served several years as president of the local school board and is now its secretary. He has also been for a number of years president of the board of examiners. His enthusiasm in school matters and his influence on others in this behalf secured for the city the donation of its present excellent high school. All interests of the town, county and state have his earnest and effective support. He is treasurer of the Commercial Club and one of its most active members. In fraternal life he is connected with the Odd Fellows, the United Workmen, the Woodmen of the World and the Modern Woodmen of America, and in political allegiance he is a stanch and zealous Republican. On December 21, 1887, he united in marriage with Miss Aggie E. Brunton, a daughter of William and Agnes (Flowie) Brunton, of Scotland, who came to Canada in early life and settled in Ontario, where they were successfully engaged in farming until death ended their labors. Mr. and Mrs. Copeland have four children, Fred Brunton, Charles William, Maud Marie and Norman Reid. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church. While Mr. Copeland's position as manager of the sampling works is his chief business engagement, his stock industry is by no means a small part of his commercial enterprise, and is worthy of special consideration. He owns the Glendale stock farm, near Aspen, which comprises fourteen hundred acres, one thousand acres of which are under cultivation and yield hay, wheat, oats, barley and potatoes in abundance. On this farm he also conducts a large and profitable cattle business and produces a high grade output for an extensive market. He owns the water rights appertaining to the ranch, and these are extensive and well developed. Many thousands of acres of public land surround him and give him a wide range for his cattle, so that he is able to carry on this branch of his business with vigor and expanding profit. He is also interested in mining at Leadville and Aspen. In every line of his extended usefulness he exhibits excellent judgment, great enterprise and admirable breadth of view. In naming over the leading, most representative and most highly esteemed citizens of Pitkin county, his name would be one of the first pronounced. =================================================== 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.