Hurst, Wilfred L; 1905 Bio, Pitkin County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/pitkin/bios/hurstwl.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Wilfred L. Hurst Although his boyhood and youth was clouded with the shadow of a domestic sorrow, and he was early thrown on his own resources to make his way in the world, Wilfred L. Hurst, of near Aspen, one of the most successful and prominent ranchmen of Pitkin county, has won his way with steady success and credit, and is now well established in business and in the regard and good will of his fellow men. He was born in Coles county, Illinois, on March 18, 1856, and is the son of Dennis and Sarah A. (Kingrey) Hurst, both natives of Illinois. They had but one child, their son Wilfred, and ceased to live together while he was yet a mere boy. The father moved to Terre Haute, Indiana, where he passed his earlier years in the express business and is passing the later ones in collecting for a large milling company. The mother moved to Kansas, where she remained until her death in September, 1886. Their son Wilfred attended the public schools when he had opportunity, and secured a course of instruction at the Pella, Iowa, high school. At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to a trade and passed three years in learning it, then in 1871, when he was but fifteen, he began herding cattle by contract at a compensation of one hundred dollars a month. The work was arduous and exacting, the herds containing from one thousand one hundred to one thousand five hundred cattle, but he was interested in the work and remained at it six years. In 1874 he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and engaged in freighting between that place and points in Indian Territory. After two years and a half of this work he came to Colorado and settled at Leadville in the spring of 1880, and there turned his attention to mining and prospecting, continuing the work until 1884, when he made a trip to his old home, wintering in Iowa. In the spring of 1885 he returned to Colorado and located at Aspen, and there he devoted three years to mining for wages in the Emma, One Thousand and One and Durant mines. Late in 1887 he occupied himself in selling water at thirty-five cents a barrel, and did well at this until a war of rates cut the price to twenty-five cents. Still, he continued the trade two years and a half, then sold out at a profit and bought a portion of the ranch he now occupies, and which at this time comprises three hundred and sixty acres, three hundred and twenty of it being well adapted to cultivation. His principal crops are hay, grain and vegetables, the hay being particularly good and having the highest rank in the markets. He also raises cattle and horses extensively. In political matters he is independent, and in fraternal life is connected with the Woodmen of the World. On September 15, 1885, he united in marriage with Miss Eleanor Hamblin, a native of Madison county, Iowa, born near Winterset, the county seat, and daughter of Simeon and Eleanor (Thompson) Hamblin, the former born in Vermont and the latter at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. They first located in Ohio, then in Wisconsin, and last in Iowa, and prospered as farmers in each location. Both are now deceased, as are two of their nine children, Christopher C., who died at Galveston, Texas, on his way home from the Civil war, in which he served until taken down with the measles; and Hulda, who died in Iowa. The surviving children are: John, of Roseburg, Oregon; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Wesley Cochran; Josephine, living in Iowa; Martha, now Mrs. James Kirk, of Kasson, Iowa; Seth T., of Lincoln Kansas; Robert F., of Winthrop, Arkansas, and Mrs. Hurst. Mr. and Mrs. Hurst have had five children, there of whom died in infancy, Leon H., Eleanor and Wilfred L. The two living are Raymond O. and Herbert V. Mr. Hurst has been unusually successful in his ranching and cattle industry, but his success is not the result of accident or fortuitous circumstances. He selected his ranch with judgment, and both in location and in quality and variety of soil it proves his wisdom in the choice. And he cultivates it with skill and conducts all its operations with such business capacity and vigor as to command the best results at all times. His standing in the community, too, is due to real merit and intelligent interest in the welfare of the people among whom he lives and practical service in promoting it. =================================================== 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.