Gunnison news-champion., 1920-02-13
OLDEST man IN
COLORADO DIES


hale and hearty, even with death at
ones elbow, ticking Of the remain
ing moments Of life, il given to but
few, and in the death n Cant. Theo-
polls Head, ocurring last Wednesday,
probably the oldest man in the state,
and one Of the Oldest In the United
States has passed on.
Captain Head died at the home Of
his daughter, Mrs. John Reed, in the
Crawford section, near Montrose. He
had been i'll but two weeks, and death
was expected at any moment, owing
to his advanced age, for, had he lived
until September, he would have been
102 years old.
Capt. Theopolis Head was born in
Cass County, Virginia. on September
ith, 1918, as records in possession Of
the family, prove. He left Virginia
when eleven years Of age. With his
parents he moved to Kentucky, and
It WAS while a resident of that state
that he met and married Miss Sarah
Gibson in 1850, they living together 52
years. Mrs. Head died in 1902, at
Delta, soon after the family remov-
ed from Gunnison. This union was
blessed with thirteen children, of whom
five are dead. Shortly after the mar
riage the family moved to Missouri.
He served in the Civil War for over
three years, being a captain in the
Union Army, and has since drawn a
pension from the government. After
the war, he moved to the Indian Ter
ritory and from there to Texas, later
to Colorado, settling for q time at
Trinidad. From that place he came
to Salida and in 1886 came to Gunni-
son, remaining here until 1902. Capt.
Head was town marshal here in
190l-02, and incidentally, he was then
30 years of age, nevertheless, those Of
us who recall that date, remember
that he served the town with as much
vigor and efficiency as did any young
er man holding the same position. Woe
to an offender when Captain Head
made up his mind to .git arter 'um.'
After he left Gunnison, he went u
Crawford, Colo.
Captain Head crossed the plains
twice in the early days, undergoing
the hardships Of these days. He, like
most pioneers Of this section Of the
country, had many Q run-in with the
Red Man, and in later years, when in
icAhnlbCe0J mOOOp nc IOveQ 70 Tell
of the happenings Of those stirring
times. He had many dealings, both
Of a friendly nature and Otherwise,
with the Indians who roamed this Sec
tion of the country.
Capt. Head was of . sturdy build.
hale and hearty, even up to the last,
and frequently took long walks and
horseback rides. Only last fall, when
then over 101 years old, he went hunt
ing with his sons, Ben and Joe and
they killed bear near Black Mesa,
Capt. Head, however, did not get of
his horse during the bear fight.
OF his surviving children, five were
with him when he died. They were:
Mrs. ]. w. Campbell, Of Placerville,
Colo; Mrs. John Reed, Crawford; Mrs.
c. ]. Miller, Gunnison, and his two
sons, Ben and Joe, who reside at
Crawford. Three other daughters,
who We're unable to be present, are:
Mrs Elmer Deering Oak Greek, Colo;
Mrs- Bessie Mcmillan, Portland, Ore. ;
Mrs. E. X. Berry, Colona, Colo
Funeral services were held in Delta
last Friday, interpent being made by
the side Of his wife
The old gentleman had many warm
friends in our section and was well
thought Of by all who knew him.