Weld County, History of Colorado, BIOS: COMER, Robert William (published 1918)
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"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. 
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918)  Vol. II

p. 131-132


ROBERT WILLIAM COMER.

	Robert William Comer is a valued and representative resident of 
Weld county, where for many years he has devoted his energies to 
general agricultural pursuits. It was reading American history that 
awakened in him the desire to become a resident of the United States. 
He was born in Gloucester. England, July 9, 1857. and is a son of 
William and Sarah Comer, who were likewise natives of Gloucestershire. 
The father was a prominent farmer who had five hundred acres of land. 
He engaged extensively in the dairy business and in the handling of 
shorthorn cattle and won many prizes with his herds. He specialized in 
the training of young men in progressive and scientific farming and 
many came to him for instruction in that work. He died when in the 
prime of life, leaving a large family of twelve children. His wife was 
also deeply interested in progressive farming and was of much 
assistance to her husband. She attained a very advanced age. passing 
away in her eighty-sixth year, her remains being interred in 
Gloucestershire. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. William Comer were six 
sons and six daughters: Benjamin, Robert W., Frederick, George, Edward, 
Ernest, Mary. Fanny, Kate. Elizabeth, Annie and Agnes. Of these Edward 
died in 1908 while Fanny passed away in 1906.

	Robert William Comer of this review was a pupil in public and 
boarding schools of his native country and after his textbooks were put 
aside he turned his attention to the bakery business, which he followed 
for a few years. But the desire to come to the United States was 
aroused in him by his reading of American history and he made 
arrangements to leave his native land. After severing home ties he 
sailed for New York city, where he remained for a year and then went to 
Detroit. Michigan, where he occupied the responsible position of 
yardmaster with the Wagner Sleeping Car Company for six years. On the 
expiration of that period he came to Colorado, arriving in Greeley in 
April, 1886. Here he turned his attention to farming, at first owning a 
tract of sixty-five acres on what is now Ninth street in Greeley, being 
in the very heart of the city. In the intervening years he has carried 
on general farming and has prospered as time has passed by. He is today 
the owner of eighty acres of valuable land which he has rented and he 
also owns land in Canada.

	Before leaving England, Mr. Comer was married in the Episcopal 
church in Gloucester, England, on the 9th of November. 1880, to Miss 
Hannah Stevens, a daughter of William Stevens, who was a shoe 
manufacturer of Gloucester. Mr. and Mrs. Comer have become the parents 
of six children, but their son, Charles Gillette, was killed in a 
snowslide when twenty years of age. He had been married only six weeks 
at that time. He was an electrician and was regarded as exceptionally 
brilliant in his profession, displaying expert knowledge and skill 
along that line of business. His professional ability and his personal 
worth made his death the occasion of deep and widespread regret. Edith 
Mary, the eldest of the family, thirty-three years of age, became the 
wife of Ervin Funk, a farmer of Greeley, who died in Burlington in 
1914, and in April, 1917, she became the wife of J. W. Burrows, who for 
many years was in the employ of the Burlington Railroad Company, but is 
now farming in Canada. Robert, thirty-two years of age, married Bertha 
Hanson. He is engaged in farming in Canada, having extensive wheat 
fields and shipping his crop to Europe. He also raises cattle and 
horses. Torris, the third of the family, is twenty-nine years of age 
and wedded Miss Mary Gifford, her father being engaged in the hardware 
business at Fort Colllns, and they have one son, Herbert Gifford, three 
years of age. Myra, the next of the family, is a graduate of the 
Birmingham. Infirmary of Alabama and is an active member of the Red 
Cross. Gladys is engaged in the millinery business in Greeley. Of the 
family Robert and Charles and Edith were born in Detroit, while Torris, 
Myra and Gladys were born in Greeley. There are several grandchildren 
besides the one already mentioned. Annabel J. Funk is a daughter of 
Edith Mary and is now nine years of age, attending the South Ward 
school. Charles Irving, aged fourteen, is in the eighth grade in school 
in Canada. Robert has two children, Marshall Hanson and Elizabeth 
Hannah, aged respectively four and two years.

	Mr. Comer has mostly concentrated his efforts and attention upon 
farming and has thus provided liberally tor his family. He has upon his 
farm something not usually found in connection with agriculture, for he 
raised two black bears of two hundred pounds each, which he caught on 
the Buckhorn in the year 1898. He is a member of the Episcopal church, 
having been confirmed in the Gloucester cathedral in England. His 
fraternal relations are with the Woodmen of the World and his political 
allegiance is given to the republican party, of which he has been a 
stanch advocate since becoming a naturalized American citizen. He has 
never been an office seeker, and his attention has always been given to 
his business affairs, his close application and energy constituting 
strong features in his growing success. The only division in Mr. 
Comer's business interests was when for a period of twelve years he 
devoted his time equally between farming and the bakery and butchering 
business in the town. Whatever he has undertaken he has carried forward 
to successful completion and his persistency of purpose is one of the 
strong elements in his career.