Routt County CO Archives Biographies.....Franz, Charles J. February 14, 1859 - ?
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net February 19, 2006, 11:40 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     While the men of capital and industrial enterprise who take the products of

a country and transform them into marketable commodities, or who develop its raw

material on a large scale and prepare it for manufacturing purposes and put it

into the channels of trade, are entitled to great credit of the benefits they

confer on their fellow  men and their country, the other class of men, those who

go boldly into the unexplored wilds of new sections and there plant the seeds of

the civilization which follows, preparing the way for the efforts of the greater

developers, are worthy of all praise also, and are often entitled to even

greater credit than the former class, especially when it is remembered what

difficulties they have to contend with, what trials and hardships they have to

undergo, and the sacrifice of most that men enjoy they are required to make in

connection with the meager rewards they are frequently obliged to accept for

their daring and efforts.  To the class of adventurous pioneers rather than to

that of great developers belongs Charles J. Franz, of Routt county, the first

settler on Elk creek and one of its progressive and broad-minded ranch and

cattle men, although he is not to be deprived of the tribute to merit due him

for the work of developing the county his opportunities and circumstances have

afforded him; for these he has used to the best advantage and greatly to the

benefit of his section.  Mr. Franz is the scion of old German families, although

he was himself born at Iowa City, Iowa, his life beginning there on February 14,

1859.  Receiving only a limited common-school education, and providing for his

own advancement in the world from the age of fifteen, he has yet made

substantial and steady progress, and that by his own individual efforts without

the aid of adventitious circumstances or any mentionable favors of fortune

beyond the maintenance of his health and self-reliant disposition.  After

leaving school he learned the trade of a painter and followed it for three years

in various Iowa towns and cities.  In 1879 he came to Colorado and located at

Leadville.  There he worked at his trade six months, then moved to Breckenridge,

giving attention there also to his craft and at odd times prospecting and

mining.  His search for mineral wealth has been rewarded with good results, as

he owns a group of eighteen claims, containing combination ores of copper, lead,

gold and silver, which are located three miles from his ranch.  This he located

in 1880, securing the land, which amounts to seven hundred and twenty acres,

through pre-emption, homestead, desert and timber culture claims.  Five hundred

acres of the land is easy of cultivation and the most of it is yielding well in

hay, and grain although it was all wild sage ground when he settled on it.  The

tract is well supplied with water from independent ditches belonging to it, and

it responds to his persuasion in cultivation with bountiful generosity.  In

connection with his ranching industry he raises cattle and horse of high grades

extensively, producing principally Percherons in the latter line.  Since 1892 he

has maintained a private elk park also, which is stocked with many noble animals

both old and young.  The ranch is fifteen miles north of Steamboat Springs, and

the improvements he has made on it are of such a character and the state of its

fertility is of an order so high, that it is justly looked upon as one of the

most valuable and desirable in this part of the county. Mr. Franz also conducts

and operates a threshing outfit, for his own benefit and that of the country for

many miles around him, and in that enterprise is equipped to meet all the

requirements of its work under almost any circumstances.  He has not met with

much difficulty in his residence here, but has not been free from the menace and

actual experience of Indian hostility, for when the outbreak in Middle Park

occurred he was present and took part in quelling it.  Politically he is a

Democrat, and fraternally is connected with the order of Odd Fellows.  His

parents, Charles F. and Mary (Rickert) Franz, were natives of Germany who

emigrated to the United States early in their married life and settled in Iowa,

where they remained until the end of their lives, which came some years ago. 

The father was a meat merchant and followed this business all his life from his

youth.  He also was a Democrat in political affiliation and belonged to the

order of Odd Fellows.  Both parents were members of the Lutheran church.  Five

of their children survive them, Caroline, John, Charles J., George and William.  

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

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/routt/bios/franz150gbs.txt

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