Rio Blanco County CO Archives Biographies.....Tomlinson, Hiram W. December 8, 1850 - ? ************************************************ 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 March 14, 2006, 10:30 am Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Hiram W. Tomlinson, of Rio Blanco county, now one of the enterprising and prosperous ranchmen of the Western slope in this state, came into the world under auspices that were by no means favorable, and has since had adversities numerous and weighty to contend with and difficulties of magnitude to overcome. Yet he has met his responsibilities faithfully and, with steady industry and worthy frugality, has triumphed over every obstacle and won a substantial estate for himself and by his own efforts. He was born in Washington county, Virginia, on December 8, 1850. At that time and during his boyhood the section of the country in which he had his home was disturbed by the conditions preceding and overshadowed by the gathering clouds of the Civil war and the opportunities for business and education alike retreated before the coming storm. In addition he lost his mother by death when he was but three years old and his father's household was broken up. He found a new home with his grandparents, and with them he lived until he reached the age of fourteen. His parents were Jabez and Eliza (Robinson) Tomlinson, also natives of the Old Dominion, where the father was a shoemaker and where the mother died in 1853. The father became a soldier on the Confederate side in the Civil war and served with fidelity as color bearer in the Great Spring Company. He died in 1876, a faithful Democrat in political faith and devoted to the welfare of the section in which his life was passed. There were six children in the family, three of whom are living, Alexander, James and Hiram. The last named, at the age of fourteen, entered the employ of Claibourn Kelley, who taught him to work and allowed him to attend the common school near his home. When he was nearly nineteen he left Mr. Kelley and moved to Illinois, locating in Stark county. There he farmed for wages three years, then rented a farm for himself which he managed one year. In 1873 he came to Colorado and took up his residence at Monument, on the divide between Colorado Springs and Denver. He passed a year raising hay and grain on a rented ranch, then, trading a horse for a yoke of oxen, he turned his attention to baling hay. In 1875 and 1876 he worked as a ranch hand, then, in partnership with a Mr. Augustine, he furnished ties for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad under contract. In 1879 he quit this work and went to Leadville, where he engaged in mining until 1882, when he moved to the vicinity of Meeker and located the ranch now owned by Adam Smith. In partnership with Al. E. Lloyd and Harry Rock, he floated two thousand one hundred logs down the White river, his share being three hundred of the logs, which he received as compensation for his labor and out of which he made one thousand feet of lumber for sale and enough for the construction of the home he now occupies. His ranch comprises one hundred and eighty-six acres of land, one hundred and twenty-six acres of which can be cultivated, the water supply being sufficient for this purpose. He is interested in the Highland ditch, one that he aided in building. He also helped to construct the Mitchell ditch, but as the enterprise was not a success financially he lost all the time and labor he devoted to it. His ranch is eight miles east of Meeker and on it he raises numbers of good cattle and horses in connection with his general ranching business. Mr. Tomlinson has always been earnestly interested in the local affairs of his community. He carried the ballot box from Glenwood Springs to Meeker for the first election held in Garfield county, and in many other ways has been serviceable to the section. In 1895, 1896 and 1897 he acted as a tourists' guide under Solon Patterson and the Wells Brothers at the Marvin Club House, and found the work both pleasing and profitable. He is an unyielding Republican in politics and is always active in the service of his party. On March 1, 1899, he was married to Miss Jennie Phalen, a native of Kansas, reared near Kewanee, Illinois, the daughter of James and Ruth (Clement) Phalen, well-to-do farmers. The father was a Democrat in politics. He died in 1867 and the mother passed away a short time afterward. Five of their eight children are living, Robert, Susan, Mary, Mrs. Tomlinson and Mattie. Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson have one daughter, Helen E. When the war against the hostile Utes was waged Mr. Tomlinson served in the conflict nine days, during which time the rations consisted chiefly of buckskin and salt. He then returned home and took care of the crops on the T.T. ranch. He was soon called into the service again, and moved with the troops under General Reardon to Rangely. He is very popular in his county and well worthy of the high and general esteem in which he is generally held. Additional Comments: From Progressive Men of Western Colorado. Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/rioblanco/bios/tomlinso280gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cofiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb