Rio Blanco County CO Archives Biographies.....Smith, Charles March 2, 1851 - ?
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net March 14, 2006, 10:19 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     So long as the West or any other portion of the yet unsettled country in

our domain remains bountifully supplied with game and the latter has its

fastnesses for shelter so long will hunters seek it and guides be necessary and

esteemed for their services, especially by those who have the benefit of them. 

Among the men of this class who are now living in this portion of the country

none is entitled to a higher esteem for skill and daring, for a knowledge of

game and its haunts, for readiness in emergencies and acquaintance with the

means to meet them, and for a geniality of disposition in conducting parties

than Charles Smith, of Buford, this state.  His reputation is well established

as a successful hunter and his knowledge of the country is so extensive as to

make him unusually well qualified as a guide.  His place of nativity was Norway

and he was born there on March 2, 1851.  At the age of fourteen he emigrated to

the United States.  He soon afterward became a sailor and made two voyages from

New York around Cape Horn, sailing also across the Atlantic and through the

Mediterranean, devoting ten years of his young life to the sea with his

established place of departure at New York, and rising from the post of cabin

boy to that of steward.  In 1872 he came west and, settling in Wyoming, was

engaged in getting out ties for the railroads during the next six years, part of

the time working for others for wages and part under contract for himself,

supplying the Union Pacific until 1878.  Then, after spending a short time

prospecting and mining in North Park with moderately good results, he came to

the White river valley and located on the ranch now owned by J.H. Frahm,

pre-empting it for himself and devoting himself to its improvement with

well-applied industry.  Later he sold this ranch of one hundred and sixty acres

at a good profit and turned his attention to hunting and trapping.  In this

hazardous but exhilarating occupation he has since been almost continuously

engaged and in connection with it has been a well-known and much-sought guide

for tourists and hunting parties.  He has the reputation of having killed more

bear than any other man in Colorado and is widely esteemed as a successful

hunter of all kinds of game.  He is also credited with being the first guide of

prominence in the White river country.  At present he is living on a leased

ranch owned by Dr. Carver of Denver, which is used as a grazing ground, although

much of it is under cultivation and produces plentiful supplies of hay and

grain, the water being sufficient for tilling seventy-five acres.  In his

adventurous career he has had many thrilling experiences and narrow escapes, but

has enjoyed his life of hazard with the instinct of a true sportsman.  He is

earnestly interested in the welfare of his section of the country and takes an

active part in local affairs as a Republican.  In the community at large he

enjoys the regard and good will of his fellow men. 

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

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/rioblanco/bios/smith285gbs.txt

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