Bills Brothers - Charles W & Albert, 1905 Bio, Rio Blanco County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/rioblanco/bios/billsbro.txt --------------------------------------- Donated March 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Bills Brothers--Charles W. Bills and Albert Bills The ranching and stock-growing firm known as the Bills Brothers, doing business on a good ranch of two hundred and twenty-two acres eight miles southeast of Meeker, is composed of two brothers who are natives of Lincoln county, Nevada, where Charles W. was born on October 21, 1865, and Albert on April 19, 1876. They are the sons of David and Sarah Bills, the father a native of Iowa and the mother of Utah. The father, who is now prosperously engaged in blacksmithing, ranching and raising stock, did good service for his country in a time of need, being a soldier for the Union in the Civil war in a Wisconsin regiment, in which he enlisted as a private and was mustered out as sergeant, his term extending from early in 1862 to the end of the strife. Seven children were born in the family, six of whom are living, Albert, Charles W., George, Lewis, Elizabeth and Iva. A daughter named Ava is deceased. The brothers who compose the firm were educated in the public schools and remained at home assisting their parents until they neared the age of manhood. In 1894 they came to Colorado and during the next six years were variously employed in different localities. In 1900 they bought the ranch they now own and occupy and which they are vigorously cultivating. They have sufficient water to provide for the cultivation of the entire ranch of over two hundred acres, and on this they get good harvests of hay, grain, vegetables and small fruit, and also run a number of cattle suited to the size and yield of the place. They are successful in their business and are well thought of in the community. Both are active Republicans, earnestly interested in the success of their party, and are wide-awake and progressive men. Albert was married in August, 1898, to Miss Princetta Collett, a native of Vernal, Uinta county, Utah, and they have had three children. Elden and Lloyd are living, and Bliss has died. The marriage of Charles occurred on August 30, 1900, and was with Miss Nellie Richardson, who was born in Peru, Indiana, and reared in Kingman county, Kansas. Their household has been brightened by two children, one of whom died in infancy, and the other, a son named Herbert, is living. The father belongs to the Woodmen of the World and takes an active interest in the work of his camp. Conducting their business with enterprise and progressiveness, discharging the duties of citizenship with uprightness and earnestness, living among their neighbors with credit and esteem, these factors of the ranch and cattle industry, one of the great sources of wealth and power in Colorado, are well worthy of the standing they have in business and civic circles and the substantial success they have won. =================================================== 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.