The Greeley tribune., 1909-12-16
PIONEER SOCIETY WITH
REFERENCE TO COUNTY
RI MRS, s, N. THOMAS

In the fall of 1870, some months
after the members of the Union Col
ony had established themselves In
the valley of the Cache la Poudre
river, Horace Greeley ".sited the col
ony In his address which he gave
in Greeley he made it impressive
that success lay, not in improvements
made in the town, but rather in the
placing of the money of the colonists
in the development OF the land. Sue
cess in the matter Of agriculture
gave an impetus to the growth OF
| the town.
After thirty-ninc years most of the
| colonists have their homes in Gree
| lev. Afew of the families are still
on the farms they improved in the
early day-only few-the La
Grange, the Carpenter and the
Brownell families.
Should history of Weld county
be written there are many achieve
ments of prominence accomplished
by members of Union Colony pio-
neers.
The greatest enterprise in the
county and the greatest Development
of its resources occurred when over
$4,000 acres of land north of the
Union Colony possessions were pro-
vided with water for irrigation.
Ben. Eaton
This grand system of irrigation,
known as Larimer and Weld canal,
! was built by Benjamin II. Eaton
: The first year that water ran in this
large canal was an unusually dry
year in Colorado GSS0), and there
were predictions of failure,
Almost alone Governor Eaton
nd
sisted in his huge undertaking. He
acquired several thousand acres or
Hand and spent many years devotins
himself to the working out of his
ditch and reservoir system, and the
cultivation of his lands.
Successfully and most satisfactor-
ily he completed the largest !rriga-
tion system in northern Colorado.
A monument most enduring, the use
fulness of which can only be esti-
mated by those subtle forces unseen
, vet powerful and lasting to the in
terests of Weld county.
Farther north, near the Wyoming
= line, on the upper Lone Tree creek
:. near the town of Carr another en-
terprise for the reclamation or a
large body of land was undertaken
by Alfred Baxter. At his own ex-
I.
ditch which brought many thousand
acres of land under water. Lone
Tree creek has its source in Wyom-
ing and residents of Wyoming appro-
priated this water supply which was
destructive to this enterprise neai
Carr.
LaGrange Enterprise
After some years he disposed o.
these acres and returned to colony
land northwest OF Greeley, where ne
had assisted in bringing many farms
under cultivation. Among the first
TO improve their colony lands was
the family of B. l.. LAGRANGE. 10
Gated northwest of Greeley. Mr.. La
Oranges life and interests were
part OF the colony and its success.
He was one of the builders or NO
canal and its first superintendent
also first river commissioner afte1
the river laws were passed concern
ing priority rights OF ditch wate'
taken from the river,
Very far reaching is the result o
his efforts in passing the first irri
CATION laws, working with judge
Donnell of Denver in the interest o
pioneer ditch companies. HIS energy
and progression added much to th'
80 success OF the colony's growth.
William McCIelland
One of the most interesting o
Irnion Colony pioneers who figured II
fine county was William McClelland
sr. II was he who brought the mrs
biooded stock into the colony ana 10
years devoted himself to agrieultur'
and ck-raisinE cattle, horses f''
sheep on colony lands bordering o,
No. > ditch in Lone Tree creek VI VI
cinity. And later he lncreasou II,
land interest by taking up land
north of this ditch which was ia.e
brought under water by Larimer an'
Weld ditch.
Ills industrious and tenaciou
spirit made his life and many inter
ests a success. Had It not been 10
his faithful and hopeful exampl
many Young colonists would nav
given up.
Robert Boyd
Another pioneer, nobert Boyd INK
| Governor Eaton. was already locate'
on the banks of the Cache la Poudr
river when the colony came into tn
valley. and he, too, seeing possipii
tiles in the undertakings of the col
ony, joined interests. And TO-DAY on
can see in the aspect OF ms sur
roundinEs something OF the tlrst das
of the Colony-tne sou houses ""'
| borns Pleasant SURROUNDINGS nov
mark his achievements ana ms Nar'
is filed with modern agricultural
tools in place OF numerous ireis'
wagons.
This is a mention of a.few of tn
Union Colony pioneers who helpe'
To make the history of Weld county
but we were all necessary part,
Ages hence some iuquirtng citi
zcns as they stand by the growin
city of Greeley will ponder ON on
achievements. May they be faithfu
TO our virtues and pay due tribut