Weld County, History of Colorado, BIOS: WINBOURN, THOMAS C. (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. 465-466


THOMAS C. WINBOURN.

Thomas C. Winbourn is one of the substantial citizens of 
Colorado. He laid out the east side of the town of Fort Lupton and is 
today its largest taxpayer. For many years he was extensively engaged 
in farming and in dealing in horses and his business affairs have been 
always been wisely, carefully and successfully conducted. He is 
numbered among Colorado's pioneer settlers, having arrived in this 
state in 1862, when a lad of but ten and a half years, in company with 
his parents, W. G. and Mary (Wisdom) Winbourn, who were natives of 
North Carolina. The father was a farmer, which occupation he followed 
in Alabama, while for a time he also engaged in merchandising in 
Tennessee. He came to Colorado in 1862, arriving in Denver on the 6th 
of June of that year, and soon afterward he secured a homestead claim 
two miles south of Fort Lupton. He also purchased land and continued 
the improvement and development of his farm property to the time of his 
demise, which occurred in October, 1900. He had for five years survived 
his wife, who died about 1895.

Thomas C. Winbourn, who was born at Gurleyville, Madison county, 
Alabama, September 13, 1851, was reared and educated in Denver, having 
been only in his eleventh year when brought by his parents to Colorado. 
He also attended Jarvis Hall at Golden, this state, for a time, and he 
continued under the parental roof until he attained his majority. He 
then took up a homestead south of Greeley and engaged in punching 
cattle on shares with his father, keeping three hundred head. In 1876 
he removed to Peckham, four miles south of La Salle, and here he 
preempted eighty acres. He also bought land, which he further developed 
and improved and continued its cultivation until 1884, in which year he 
removed to Fort Lupton. He owned part of the town site and eighty acres 
adjoining. His father laid out the west side of the town, which was 
originally Port Lupton, and Thomas C. Winbourn laid out the east side 
of the town and is today its largest taxpayer. He still owns a large 
amount of the town site and from his property interests derives a 
gratifying annual Income. He also is the owner of excellent store 
buildings, residences and town lots and has been very successful in all 
of his undertakings. For fifteen years he engaged extensively in 
dealing in horses and sold the last of his horses-four hundred head-in 
1891. His property interests still include two farms, of two hundred 
and forty acres, from which he derives a substantial annual rental. He 
is perhaps the oldest living resident of Weld county in years of 
continuous connection with this section of the state and also of Fort 
Lupton. In fact, he is the father of the town of Fort Lupton and no 
project or plan for its upbuilding and development has been carried 
forward without his aid and cooperation. He was appointed postmaster of 
the town under President Cleveland in 1885 and served in that position 
for about five years. His public service has also included the 
presidency of the penitentiary board.

In October, 1874, Mr. Winbourn was united in marriage to Miss 
Emma Jackson, of Petersburg, Virginia, and to them were born four 
children: W. J., who follows farming in Weld county; T. Hugh, who is 
agent for N. C. Keeney & Company, wholesale seed merchants of New York, 
his territory covering Colorado; Hon. R. E., who is an attorney of 
Greeley and is serving as state senator; and Mary, the wife of H. R. 
McDonald, residing with her father. Mrs. Winbourn passed away March 15, 
1916, after an illness of ten years.

Mr. Winbourn belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent 
Protective Order of Elks. His religious faith is that of the Christian 
church and his daughter is a member of the Episcopal church. In 
politics he is a democrat and he had the honor of being the first mayor 
of Fort Lupton, and in fact it was through his efforts during his 
second term's administration as mayor that the city was Incorporated. 
He continued to act as its chief executive for three terms, giving to 
the city a businesslike and progressive administration, which wrought 
largely for its upbuilding and progress. His memory goes back to a most 
interesting period in Colorado's history when as a cowboy he rode the 
range and his activities have compassed the period of later development 
and progress which have made this one of the most progressive and 
prosperous states of the Union.