The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1914-02-25
ALL COLORADO MOURNs
Henry NJ. Teller, Most PROMINENT
Citizen Of the State Is Dead

mourns the death of the leading
statesman and most prominent
citizen of the state. Henry Nj.
Teller who died at his home in
Denver on Monday morning after a
long illness.
Henry Moore Teller, recognized as
one of the leading statesmen of the
country, was born in Granger. AL
leghany county. New York. May
20, 1880. He was the son of John
and Charlotte (Moore) Teller The
family was of Dutch origin. the
seventh in descent from William
Teller, the first of the name to
come to this country. William Tel.
Ter in 1889 settled in Fort Orange
and was appointed trustee to
tract of land.
Henry Teller worked on the farm
in Allegheny county. attending the
common schools. BY teaching, lat
er. he earned the money to at
tend Alfred university and Rush.
ford academy. Then he taught
study of his profession in the law
school again and entered upon the
office of Judge Martin Grover. An
geiica. N. Y. January 8. 1858. he
was admitted to the bar in Bins.
hampton. that state.
He began practice in Morrison.
remaining there from 1858 to 1861
when he creased the plains to Col
orado. In 1861 he crossed the
plains with an OK team and located
at Central City, Colo. at that
time the first city OF the terri
tory. In the rough mining camp
Teller had four companions. such
men as George N. Pullman. Henry
M. Stanley. the explorer. william A.
Clark. who subsequently became =
United States senator from Mon
tana.
Teller opened q law office and
at once became referee In disputes
over mining claims. The rough
rules and customs of lode mining
as amplified by Teller were recog-
nized as furnishing title to mining
claims and became the basis of fed
eral legislation In 1866 governing
mining,
During the Indian troubles of
4s63, he was appointed by Governor
John Evans major general of the
Colorado militia. After two years
OF service Mr.. Teller resigned.
He was one of the projectors OF
the Colorado Central railroad.
drafted its charter in 1865, and
with w. A. Loveland. presented it
too tn legislature. 1t was success:
fuI and for five years he was pres
ident of the road. About this time
he became interested in mining and
other enterprises in addition to his
legal practice.
Originally Mr.. Teller was dem
ocrat. He became, however. one of
the adherents of the republican
party when it was organized.
After the admittance of Colo
RADIO to the Union-1876-he ane
Jerome Chaffee were elected Unit
ed states senators, Teller being
elected for the short term-three
months, ending March, 1877. Hel
was then elected senator for thel
full term of six years. 1877 to 1888
Although a new member. he was
placed in active work by being put
on many of the important commit
tees. One of the appointments was
on the committee sent to Florida
to investigate the frauds of 1876.
In 1873 he was made chairman
of the special committee to investi-
gate the charges of election frauds
in the southern states, concerning
which he made a careful and elab-
crate report. He served as chair
man of the committee on civil ser
vice and retrenchment.
In April, 1882. he was appointed
secretary of the interior by Presi-