Bio: Childs, James H and Isabella B (Speirs), Prowers County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/prowers/bios/childs-jhibs.txt Donated by: Joanne Bledsoe September 20, 2004 ================================================================= JAMES HAMILTON CHILDS 1854-1922 James Hamilton Childs was born in July 15, 1854, in Erie County Buffalo New York. His mother was Letitia Connor Childs Cunningham. His father George Childs deserted the family shortly after James was born. Letitia remarried and the family moved to Chicago. Letitia had four more children with her second husband. They were William Alexander, Archibald, Charles and Letitia Jane Cunningham. James met and married Isabella Bookless Speirs in Chicago. They had 9 children. James worked for the railroad as a clerk. In 1898, he moved his family to Colorado. The family was one of the first pioneers of the Salvation Army Colony in Amity. Each family was given 10 acres of land by the Army. James sold his land allotment soon after he arrived and used the money to open a general store. He soon was involved in several more enterprises including a cotton glove factory and a broom manufacturing business. The book "The Poor and the Land" by H. Rider Haggard, published in 1905 quotes James, "I was one of the first pioneers, having come from Chicago. Before leaving, I worked as a check clerk for the C and A Railway. I am married and have 9 children, all things considered, I think I have done well. Two of my daughters have got married to good husbands, and my family and myself are all in good health. As to how I have come out financially, I don’t think I have any reason to complain. I came to years of maturity in the city and found myself never able to earn more than just sufficient to keep my family, with the exception of a house worth $1,000. Now, in addition to being my own boss, and living under healthy conditions, I consider I am worth $6,525. This of course includes what I have in my grocery store. After having lived on the Colony from the start, and being thoroughly acquainted with the Army’s plan of colonizing city people, I think it is fine from every standpoint. In fact, given good land, it simply cannot fail, because I know from experience the cities are full of people who are just longing for such a chance to acquire a home, but cannot get one because they have not money to buy and nobody but the Army is willing to trust them." Unfortunately, the colony did fail. James was one of the last to leave the area. He moved his glove factory to Pueblo Colorado after 1910. His wife Isabella died in 1908. In 1915, he married Jennie Cook. He sold his factory and he and Jennie moved back to Chicago. James died June 18, 1922 and is buried in Chicago at Forest Home Cemetery. ================================================================= ISABELLA BOOKLESS SPEIRS CHILDS 1858-1908 Isabella Bookless Speirs was born in Greenock, Renfrew Scotland November 12, 1858. She was the daughter of Mary Armour and James Speirs. She immigrated to the USA at an early age. In America, she met and married James Hamilton Childs. They had nine children, Mayme, Isabella (Bell), Letitia (Lettie), Anne (Annie), Elizabeth (Beth), James JR, Archibald, William (Bill), and Charles (Charley). The family moved to Amity Colorado in 1898. Both Isabella and James had been active in the Salvation Army in Chicago. Isabella was quiet in nature but she had many friends. According to her obituary, she was beloved by all who knew her. She died of heart disease, August 21, 1908 and is buried in Amity Cemetery in Colorado. ================================================================= All files are contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archives Project (http://www.usgwarchives.net/). USGenWeb Archives Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as the source and contributor name remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual without the express written permission from the author.