Routt County CO Archives Biographies.....Hitchens, James H. 
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net March 25, 2006, 6:17 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     The three Hitchens brothers, James H., William M. and Joseph, who in youth
or early manhood left their native land and became members of the hardy band of
pioneers who were destined to redeem from the wilderness and transform into
productive and smiling settlements a vast area of this great state, are, as they
deserve to be, recognized as among the best citizens of Routt county, and have
given character and force to the spirit of progress in the region which has the
benefit of their residence.  For although they live many miles apart, and in
many of the older communities of our country would scarcely be thought of as
residents of the same vicinity, are in this region of sparse settlement and
magnificent distances near neighbors and impelled by the same aspirations,
connected with the same interests and share a common destiny with widely
scattered families.  Of these worthy men the subject of this review is the
oldest and he was the first to start a career in Colorado.  He was born at Port
Quinn, England, on January 4, 1853, the son of Henry and Harrietta Hitchens, of
whom more extended mention is made in the sketch of William M. Hitchens, to be
found elsewhere in this work.  He received a very limited common-school
education in his native land, where he remained until he reached the age of
twenty, from his boyhood working there in the mines in the interest of his
parents.  In 1873 he emigrated to the United States and at Johnstown,
Pennsylvania, devoted some time to work in the coal and iron mines.  From there
he went to Centralia, in the same state, and passed six months in the same
occupation, then returned to Johnstown, where he continued mining twelve months
longer.  He then came to Colorado in 1875 and for a month followed quartz mining
at Georgetown.  At the end of that period he moved to Central City, and after
eight months of work in the mines there for wages and on leased claims on his
own account, he returned to England on a visit, which he protracted into a stay
of two years.  In 1878 he returned to this country and once more located at
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he remained until the spring of 1879, when he
again came to Colorado and engaged in quartz mining, at which he was employed
until 1883.  During the next four years he was busily occupied in hauling ore
under contract.  In 1887 he sold all his teams and the rest of his outfit except
enough to move him to the ranch on which he now lives in the neighborhood of
Pool, Routt county, and begin the work of clearing and cultivating his land.  He
journeyed to this section by way of Birthned [sic] pass and Middle, overland
with his teams, and took up the land on a homestead claim.  From that time until
the present he has lived on his ranch, steadily improving it, enlarging his
arable acreage and building up his cattle industry.  The land has proven kind
and responsive and now yields him good annual crops of hay, grain and hardy
vegetables, and he has provided it with good buildings ample for his uses.  At
the time of his arrival there were but few settlers in this part of the county
and wild game was so abundant that he could kill almost everything he wanted
with rocks and stones.  Through his efforts and those of others impelled by the
same desires, the conditions have been changed from those of a frontier
wilderness to a state of advanced and advancing civilization and progress.  A
vast extent of productive country and its abundant yield of cereals, hay and
cattle have been added to the available wealth of the country and a new county
has risen to adorn, dignify and enrich the state.  To this transformation Mr.
Hitchens has contributed his full share of the necessary labor and support, and
in the direction of public sentiment and the government of local interests he
has had a potential and wholesome influence.  He is a Republican in political
allegiance, and since 1900 he has rendered his community good service as
postmaster.  On January 20, 1876, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma
Blight, a native of county Cornwall, England, and nine children have blessed
their union.  Of these an infant, James H., Harriet and Annie have died, and
Eliza (Mrs. Church Van Cleve), Henry, Mary E., Chester A. and Albert R. are
living.  

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

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