Leighton, Charles H; 1905 Bio, Routt County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/routt/bios/leighnch.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Charles H. Leighton Inheriting from his parents a spirit of adventure and conquest, Charles H. Leighton, now peacefully settled in Routt county on a good ranch three miles southwest of Yampa, passed the years of his early manhood farming in Minnesota, Iowa, Tennessee and Wisconsin, unsatisfied until the wild frontier of this state furnished food for his appetite for danger and the more strenuous life of the border, where with the wild before and around him, and the world at his back, he has been able to confront and subdue the untamed forces of nature and build himself a home of comfort and value out of the surrenders they have made. Mr. Leighton was born on March 12, 1852, in Cowass county, New Hampshire, and moved soon afterward with his parents to Minnesota. He is the son of Robert and Margaret (Gibson) Leighton, natives of Glasgow, Scotland, who came to the United States in early life and took up their abode in New Hampshire. After a residence of some little time there, desiring to farm on a larger scale, they moved to Minnesota, and in that prolific region, where bounteous harvests of cereals usually reward the faith of the husbandman, they passed the remainder of their lives. The father was a blacksmith and wrought at his trade in connection with his farming operations. His wife died in Minnesota in 1862 and he in South Dakota in 1903. Four of their children survive them, Charles H., Arthur, Alexander and Jane, wife of James Warington. Charles passed the first fifteen years of his life with his parents, and since then he has shifted for himself and made his own way in the world. What scholastic training he had was obtained in the common schools. In 1867, when he was but fifteen years old, he leased a farm in Minnesota, where he remained until 1870, then moved to the vicinity of Spencer, Clay county, Iowa, where he spent two years in farm work. In 1872 he changed his residence to Wisconsin, but still engaged in the same pursuit, and afterwards followed it in Tennessee. He retained his Iowa farm until 1893, but in 1889 he came to Colorado and took up by pre-emption a portion of his present ranch in Yampa valley. This now comprises three hundred and fifty-six acres, three hundred of which are tillable and in a state of advanced cultivation. Here his main resource has been hay-growing and the cattle and horse industry, but he also raises some grain and the vegetables suited to the region. What the ranch is at this time it has been made by his own industry and skill, for it was all in wild sage when he located on it and without improvements of any kind. It is favorably located and well supplied with water, and under his vigorous management is steadily increasing in fruitfulness and value. In politics Mr. Leighton is a Democrat, but while loyal to his party and always eager for its success, he is not himself an active party worker. Fraternally he is connected with the order of Odd Fellows. On October 12, 1875, he was married to Miss Ellen J. Gould, a native of Edwards county, Illinois. They have had four children, three of whom are living, Mrs. Walter Laughlin, Ellen Jane and Charles Robert. =================================================== 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.