Pitkin County CO Archives Biographies.....Dirlan, Robert C.  October 18, 1855 - ?
************************************************

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 December 31, 2005, 2:15 am

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     Robert C. Dirlan, of Aspen, Pitkin county, Colorado, is a native of Saxony,

Germany, where he was born on October 18, 1855, the son of Robert C. and Rosina

(Elsing) Dirlan, also born and reared in the fatherland; and from his native

land, although he came to the United States with his parents when he was less

than a year old, he brought the thrift and enterprise of its people which

conquers all difficulties and make their mark wherever they are put in motion. 

In 1856 the family emigrated to this country and settled in Winona county,

Minnesota, where they remained until 1874, when they moved to Dixon county,

Kansas.  There they were engaged in farming with varying success until 1892,

then they took another flight toward the tropics, removing to Oklahoma

Territory, where they continued their farming industry.  The father was a

furrier until he came to America, and after that he remained continuously

occupied in farming at which his success was only moderate, owing to unfavorable

circumstances and conditions.  He was a Democrat in American politics and both

he and his wife were devoted Lutherans.  They had ten children, eight of whom

have died, three passing away in infancy.  The two living are Elma, now Mrs.

Eliza Hunt, of Aspen, and Robert C., the immediate subject of this writing. The

father died in 1889 and the mother on March 4, 1890.  Robert C. Dirlan, their

only living son, attended the public schools in Minnesota in the winters of his

boyhood, passing the summers in arduous labor on the home farm in the interest

of his parents.  When he reached the age of sixteen he hired on neighboring

farms for wages, passing five years so occupied in the adjoining county of

Fillmore.  He then moved to the vicinity of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and

continued at farm work there two years, at the end of which he passed a short

time in Wyoming, and in 1883 came to Colorado, locating at Littleton near

Denver.  He remained there until December, then wintered at Calumet, this state,

and in the spring of 1884 moved to Crested Butte.  In that neighborhood he was

engaged in mining independently until the spring of 1885.  From there he went to

Cripple Creek, and there was employed in mining until the spring of 1900, when

he moved to Aspen.  He has found the conditions of life very agreeable in

Colorado, and has been successful in his efforts for advancement.  He is deeply

interested in the welfare of the state and its people, taking an active part in

public local affairs as a Democrat, the party of his choice and one of the

objects of his solicitous and serviceable attention.  Wherever he is known he is

highly respected as a wise counselor and an upright man and an excellent citizen.  

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

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/pitkin/bios/dirlan97gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cofiles/

File size: 3.4 Kb