Kitchens, Henry; 1905 Bio, Routt County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/routt/bios/kitchnh.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Henry Kitchens To keep a good livery stable, equipped with everything required for its work, and conduct it properly, is to be, not only a valuable servant of the public, but a real public benefactor, so numerous and various functions of utility such an institution can fill, and so necessary to the general business and economy of the community in which it is established. In this role Henry Kitchens, of Hayden, has served the section of country in which he lives during the last ten years, and his service has been especially necessary and valuable there, for it is far from railroads and other means of transportation and in a sparsely settled region where private teams are seldom available for public use. Mr. Kitchens is a native of Clay county, North Carolina, born on December 19, 1861, in the midst of the troublous times of the Civil war. He therefore was obliged to forego the usual advantages of school training common to Southern boys of his condition and prospects, for all the industries of the section were crushed by the iron heel of war, all the available men were in the field where "red battle stamps his foot," the ordinary pursuits of life were largely suspended for want of the necessary force to carry them on, and the energies at hand were taxed to their utmost to feed, clothe and equip the armies and supply the commonest necessaries of life for the women and children left at home. After the war the paralysis continued many years, and every hand was called into service for useful labor, so that during the childhood and youth of Mr. Kitchens the work of the schoolmaster was almost wholly suspended in the region of his nativity. He had, however, closeness of observation and wisdom of application, and was able to secure, in a measure, in the school of experience the mental development denied him in academic shades. Accepting with alacrity the destiny that had befallen him, he went to work on farms for wages at an early age and thereby supplied his own wants and rendered assistance to his parents. In his young manhood, and after the death of his parents left him free to choose a future for himself, the West wore a winning smile to his hopes, and in 1884 he came to Colorado and, in partnership with his brother, Lemuel E. Kitchens, bought land on White river in the neighborhood of Hayden, on which he lived two years and which he helped to improve. There were but few settlers in this section at the time and every man was largely dependent on himself, without the aid of the community of effort possible in thickly populated regions. So the work was arduous and its returns were necessarily small. In 1886 he sold his interest in the ranch and stock to his brother, and during the next seven years was in the employ of William H. Hayden. In 1894 he started the livery business at Hayden which he is now conducting, and which he has steadily enlarged in range and patronage until he has made it one of the leading enterprises of its kind in northern Colorado. He has not, however, abandoned stock industry, but is actively engaged in raising well-bred shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs. Politically Mr. Kitchens is a stanch Republican and fraternally, a Freemason. On May 21, 1893, he was married to Miss Sarah A. Walker, a native of Georgia, the fruit of the union being one child, Peter W. His mother died on December 30, 1897, and on January 31, 1901, the father married a second wife, Miss Amanda M. Tiger, a native of the same county as himself. They also have one child, William G. Mr. Kitchens is the son of John and Elizabeth (Hooper) Kitchens, who passed the whole of their lives in North Carolina. They were prosperous planters there until the war ruined everything, and after that were able to maintain only a moderate prosperity. Their family comprised eleven children and nine of these are living, Mrs. Margaret Sellars, Lemuel E., James D., William P., Mary A., Sarah G., Haseltine, Mrs. Laura Woods and Henry. The two who died are Monroe and Mina J. The parents were devout members of the Baptist church, highly respected citizens of their locality, and attentive to every duty in life. The father died on June 24, 1865, and the mother on July 3, 1874. The business done by Mr. Kitchens with his livery outfit covers a very large extent of territory, and throughout it all he is well known and well thought of. He is also esteemed for his energy and wisdom in local affairs and his earnest efforts to promote the development and progress of his county and all its interests. =================================================== 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.