Clark, Robert Ellis; 1905 Bio, Routt County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/routt/bios/clarkre.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Robert Ellis Clark Coming to Colorado for the benefit of his health when he was but nineteen, and being doubly orphaned by the death of both parents, and having already for six years been making his own living, Robert Ellis Clark, of Steamboat Springs, has by indomitable energy and perseverance, and through natural ability which made him capable and a cheerful and courageous disposition that made him willing for any sort of work, won his way to consequence and a substantial estate and a high place in the regard and good will of his fellow men. He is a native of Clinton county, Missouri, born near Lathrop on June 23, 1859, and the son of Robert P. and Delilah (Long) Clark, the former born in Kentucky and the latter in Ohio. Soon after their marriage they settled in Missouri, and here they passed the remainder of their lives, the mother dying in June, 1863, and the father in August, 1872. They were industrious and comfortable farmers and of their nine children seven grew to maturity and are living, John L., Peter H., David M., Elizabeth, James M., Robert E. and George J. After the death of his father Robert E., then but thirteen years old, began to make his own living by working on farms for very small wages. After six years of this exacting and poorly paid toil, his health began to fail, and he sought the benefits of a more salubrious climate in this state, coming hither in 1878 and locating at Georgetown. He remained there a year, then set out on foot for Leadville. However, he was obliged to return to Georgetown, where he remained until July 5, 1879, when he started with three of his brothers for Steamboat Springs. They journeyed with teams by way of Middle and at Rand saw the last house until they reached the Springs. The hardships and privations along the route were many, and young men less determined might have been forced to abandon their purpose and return to a region nearer the centers of civilization in the state. But they persevered, and found they were wise in doing so, as the region to which they came was full of promise and furnished them with good opportunities for advancement. After their arrival at Steamboat Springs Mr. Clark carried the mails between that point and Hayden and Rock Creek, continuing until September 29, 1879, when he was forced to stop because of the Indian outbreak of that period. Then for a time he served as a herder of horses, and during the winters of 1879 and 1880 the people of the section received no mail except when he was able to travel on snow shoes to and from Hahn's Peak, there being but three deliveries between September 3, 1880, and the summer of 1881. In the summer last named he began raising cattle, which he continued until 1896, when the panic caused him to quit the business. After this disaster, with characteristic energy, instead of bewailing his losses, he opened a general blacksmithing business at Steamboat Springs, of which the special feature has been and is horseshoeing. He is well skilled in this branch of his craft and has been very successful in winning and holding a large trade. While sparsity of population in the region made his progress in this enterprise somewhat slow for awhile, it was steady and kept laying an ever increasing scope of country under tribute to his forage, as he applied both brain and brawn to his labor and soon demonstrated that he was intelligent in it as well as industrious. His shop is now one of the valued institutions in the industrial life of the town and enjoys a wide and a high reputation. Game was abundant when he settled here and the wild country, undeveloped as it was, furnished freely and abundantly many of the necessities of life and some of its luxuries, so that while work was hard and its returns were slow, a comfortable living was not difficult to get. Fraternally Mr. Clark belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World. Politically he has always supported the Democratic party with ardor. He was married on December 18, 1886, to Miss Nellie Fisk, a native of Wisconsin, and the daughter of A. Fisk, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. They have five children, DeEtte, Delilah, Terrelia, Trevinia and Leneve. =================================================== 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.