Saguache County CO Archives Biographies.....Davidson, William Daniel October 25, 1859 - ?
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net December 23, 2005, 3:42 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     Taking upon his shoulders the burden of life for himself at the age of

seventeen, William Daniel Davidson, one of the progressive, successful and

extensive ranch and cattle men of Saguache county, has for nearly two thirds of

his active and useful existence since then made his own way in the world, with

steady progress in spite of many reverses and a serious accident in the mines

which disqualified him for work in them.  He was born at the village of Glasgow,

Barren county, Kentucky, on October 25, 1859, the second of six children, four

of whom are living, himself, Jefferson D., Annie W. and John A. Davidson,

offspring of Alexander and Anna E. (Durham) Davidson, members of old families

long resident in Kentucky, where they were born and reared and where they passed

the whole of their lives.  The parents were well-to-do farmers, living in peace

and plenty, although during the Civil war the times were full of trouble around

them.  The father died on Christmas day, 1865, and the mother in August, 1870. 

Their son William attended the common schools in the neighborhood of his home

and worked on the parental homestead until he reached the age of seventeen.  He

then started out in life for himself, moving to St. Clair county, Missouri, and

remaining there three years occupied in a number of different employments.  In

1879 he came to Colorado and located in Saguache county.  Thereafter for a

number of years he did ranch and railroad work, during a portion of the time in

New Mexico.  In the spring of 1881 he returned to Saguache county and for ninety

days was employed as a ranch hand.  At the end of that period he secured

employment in the Orient mines, iron and silver, as a driller, being soon

afterward made powder foreman, a position he held three years, until a premature

explosion disqualified him from mine work and he abandoned it.  From 1885 to

1890 he was employed on the ranches of A. Shellabarger, D.C. Travis and Stephen

Kinney.  In 1890 he became foreman of the Baca-Grant ranch, owned by George

Adams, and served in that capacity, having charge of the extensive cattle

industry carried on there, until 1895.  In that year he acquired by deeds his

present ranch of eight hundred acres, and since then has been ranching and

raising cattle extensively on his own account, having in addition to his own

land four thousand acres leased.  He raises cattle and horses in large numbers

and first-rate crops of hay and grain.  All his land can be cultivated, being

well supplied with water for irrigation, and it is managed with the most

systematic and skillful husbandry.   The place has a commodious and comfortable

dwelling for the family, excellent barns, corrals, fences and other needed

improvements, all made by the present owner, the buildings being among the best

in the county.  Mr. Davidson is a progressive and public-spirited man, and is

everywhere highly respected as an excellent citizen.  Politically he is a

Democrat and fraternally a Modern Woodman of America.  In the public life of the

county he takes a part of continual and productive interest, giving his help in

counsel and material aid to every commendable undertaking for the benefit of the

section and its people and waiting for no man to lead in a worthy enterprise. 

His own property, in its advanced state of development and improvement, stands

forth in proof of his private enterprise, and his reputation for breadth of

view, progressiveness and unwavering loyalty to the region in which he lives,

shows the value of his influence and example in the county and the appreciation

which attends his service to the general weal and substantial good of the whole

region.  On May 29, 1895, he was joined in wedlock with Mrs. Lena Warrant, a

native of Smithland, Woodbury county, Iowa, a widow with five children, Mrs.

Charles Fullenwider, Mrs. A.V. Brown, and Samuel, Charles and L.J. Warrant.  Of

his marriage with her one child has been born, William A.  The life of this

prominent citizen, Mr. Davidson, is full of pertinent suggestiveness.  He has

not waited to perform such actions as have long had the praise of men, but has

realized at all times that anything a man can do may be well done and is worthy

of his efforts, and with this faith he has found his fit place and congenial

duties.  He placed himself in the middle of the stream of power and wisdom

around him, and by simply yielding to its influence has been impelled to right

conduct, fruitful labor and service to his kind.  He has cheerfully and with

vigor obeyed the clarion call to duty, and has found reward in the performance,

and increased compensation for the sacrifices it required in the spirit and

energy the obstructions in his path have awakened.  It is the lesson of the best

American citizenship, told over many times with differing shades and features,

but always based upon fidelity to the claim of the hour and the conditions of

the place.  

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



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