The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-26
w. II. H LARDlER DEAD.
Crossed the Plains in 1853 and Helped
Plat Denver

Kansas City. Mo. May 2e--William
H H Larimer. the last of the officers
of the Denver Townsite company. In
dian fighter. miner, banker and q cit1-
zen and business man Of Kansas City
since 1887. died at his home. 1871
Wednesday morning. following an i'll
ness OF more than a year. He was
attended in his last illness by DR. C. J.
MORROW
Mr. Larimer was a son of the ia
nous Indian fighter and Civil war vet
eran. General William Larimer, who
died at Leavenworth, Kan in 1875 He
was born in 1910 IN Pfttsburg. Pa.
where he spent his early boyhood and
attended the common schools until IL
years of age In 1855 he went with his
father to the then territory Of Ne
braska, and early in 1855 they moved
to Leavenworth, Kan When the Pixies
peak gold excitement broke out in the
fail of the same year, he and his father
crossed the plains. but instead Of 60
ing into the mountains. they laid out
the city of Denver, and built its first
what is now known as Fifteenth and
Larimer streets They were also mem
bers of the original town company. his
fathers share being No 1. and his
own No 2
IN the spring of 1855 when the
OVERLAND SId2G lLH6 was eSLdDtASuC4
he was appointed mail clerk for the
company, but after few months re-
signed and returned to his home in
Leavenworth- The next spring he en-
gagged in frefghting across the plains,
which he successfully followed for sew
eraI years. and in 1857 he went to
Montana and ranched for one season,
but not liking it. returned TO Leaven-
worth the following year In 1870 he
went to Abilene. Kan, and entered the
lumber business. but soon became dis
satisfied and went into the Texas cat
tie business
Disp0sing OF his business at a large
profit, he moved to independence,
Kan. in 1871. and bought a hotel
which he operated for five years At
the same time he was raising cattle on
a large scale. having for q partner H
H Crane In 1887 he came to Kan
sas City and soon afterwards became
firm of Larimer, Smith & Bridgeford,
Of which he is still a mem Der
Mr.. Larfmer is survived by a widow
and two children, Harry Larimer, who
is connected with his fathers live
stock commission business and one
city
Mr. Larimer and his father were
warm friends of Horace Greeley and
the general was the first 20 propose TO
MI Greeley that he run for the preSi-
dency of the United States. General
Larimer was in Denver at the time and
wrote to Mr. Greeley, who was in the
east, that he thought him the best can
didate for the nomination Mr. Gree
ley answered the generals letter,
thanking him and saying that he was
the first person TO propose the matter
to him Mr. Larimer had in his pos
session the pen with which Greeley
wrote the letter and valued it very
highly
When Mr. Larimer and his father
stopped off in Denver IN 1888 the
country was a wilderness and inhab-
tied by Indians There was not
house of any description within hun
dreds Of miles and Mr.. Iarimer. who
then was boy of only II, feIIed every
foot of timber and built the first log
cabin in the town The erection of the
cabin displeased the Indians and Mr.
Larimer had to watch them very close
~ TO keep from getting killed while
working.