Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-03-14
, PIONEER IS LAID AWAY.
Hundreds Attend Funeral of J.. W.
Beatty on Monday.

One of the most largely attended
funerals that has ever been held in
the Arkansas Valley was that of
lanes w. Beatty, whose demise on
Thursday last was announced in the
Enterprise.
A special train was run from La
Junta and carried close to 100 Knight
Templars with probably twice as
many Master Masons from that city,
Swink and Rocky Ford. Their num-
bers were augmented by representa-
tive Masons from Pueblo and Fowler,
and with the Manzanola lodge they
composed what is said to have been
the largest Masonic body ever as
sembled in the valley to pay tribute
to departed friend and brother.
The funeral was conducted from the
family home in Manzanola, on Mon
day afternoon and interment was in
the Manzanola cemetery with full
Masonic rites.
Following is brief sketch OF this
well known and highly esteemed old
pioneer. who was justly entitled to
the title of "empire builder:
James w. Beatty was born near Car
rolton, Mo-, April 6, IS43, and lived
with his parents at that place until
the spring of 1868. when, on account
of conditions existing there, brought
on by the Civil war. he started across
the plains" in. company with his
brother, Jasper N. Beatty.
For six years they freighted with
OK teams mostly from Omaha to Salt
Lake City along the trail following
the line of What is now the Union Pa
cifc railroad and was then in the
course of construction. They en-
countered all the dangers of pioneer
life at that time, including bands of
hostile Indians.
Realizing that with the completion
of the railroad freight rates would be
reduced and with keen vision of the
great possibilities of stock raising on
the plains of Colorado they sold their
freighting outfit in Utah in the early
part of 1879 and returned to Colora-
do, and for ~ years have been en-
gagged in business near Manzanola.
The deceased located the ranch up
on which he has since lived on first
coming to the country. AT the time
he located there was not another
house on the south side of the Ar
kansas river between Las Animas and
the old Hungerford ranch three miles
west of the Apishapa.
When the possibilities of irrigating
the valley was discussed Mr.. Beatty
was quick to perceive its advantages
and was one Of the principal builders
of the Catlin canal and has been pres
ident of the company for a number
of years. He was also interested in
the building of the Highline canal
and has served as president of that
company.
He was president of the Arkansas
Valley Fair association and his place
in the community will be very hard
to fill.
He served as representative from
this district during the thirteenth gen.
eral assembly.
He had financial interests in the
banks at Manzanola, Swink and SYRIA
cuse, Kan, and owned considerable
business property in Pueblo, besides
about 1000 acres of the finest land i'll
the Arkansas valley.
Besides his wife and four children
he leaves sister, Mrs. Eliza Porter,
of Garden City, Kan. two brothers,
Jasper NJ, who has always been his
partner in business known as Beaty
Brothers, and Alvin. OF Lakin, Kan,
and a step-mother who is now in the
C. F. & /. hospital at Pueblo, with
fractured hip.