DENNISON, L.G.: 1905 Bio, San Miguel County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/sanmiguel/bios/dennison.txt --------------------------------------- Donated June 2004 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- L.G. Dennison Well known throughout San Miguel county and the surrounding country for his beautiful home and his generous and considerate hospitality, prominent in the cattle industry and well established in the best social circles, L.G. Dennison, living about twenty miles south of Norwood, has won his way in the world over adverse circumstances and his present estate is wholly the product of his own efforts and capacity. He was born at Chicago, Illinois, on March 11, 1856, and is the son of William and Ruth (Thomas) Dennison, and the last born of their five children. His father died in Chicago in 1859, and the mother soon afterward moved her family to Michigan, where she died in 1860. Thus orphaned at the age of four, their son grew to manhood under the care of strangers, and although his father left a large amount of property in Chicago, he found himself on the threshold of life's duties with nothing but his natural abilities, his courage and his determined industry as the capital for his coming struggle, for the estate had been practically expended by the guardians. His boyhood and youth were passed at Niles, Michigan, where he received a good common-school education and attended Avalon College. In 1870, at the age of fourteen, he came west for his health, located at Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he remained until 1878. He then settled at Denver, Colorado, and secured a position in the offices of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company, which he held until 1880. In that year he moved to Telluride, making the trip with teams in company with Oris Thomas and two other persons. The country was wholly unsettled then, or almost so, and full of Indians. Provisions were very high, flour being forty dollars a hundred weight, and other things in proportion. In 1882 he and Mr. Thomas engaged together in merchandise at Telluride, and continued their operations until 1886. He then sold his interest in the establishment and settled on the ranch which he now occupies and which has ever since been his home. It comprises six hundred and forty-eight acres, is beautifully located, highly fertile and well improved, making it one of the most attractive homes in the county, renowned alike for its natural and artistic beauties and its wealth of hospitality, as unostentatious as it is unstinted, and as genuine as it is generous. The cattle bred and handled here are thoroughbreds of high grade and every care is taken to keep them up to a high standard of excellence and in first-class condition. Mr. Dennison is a prominent member of the Masonic order, belonging to lodge, chapter and commandery, and taking an active interest in the welfare of all. He also belongs to the Woodmen of the World, and is influential in the proceedings of his lodge in this order. On August 30, 1882, at Denver, he was marred to Miss Nellie Thomas, a native of Flint, Michigan, who became a resident of Denver not long before her marriage. She is the daughter of Charles A. and Amoretta (Knapp) Thomas, natives of Albion, New York, but now residents of Telluride. Mrs. Dennison is a highly cultivated lady, with musical talent of an elevated order which has been carefully cultivated, and she and her husband are among the leading people in this portion of the state. =================================================== 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.