famous coloradoans

FAMOUS COLORADOANS

The men and women who helped shape our great state!

Clara Brown Former slave Opened a laundry

service Began the first

Sunday school in Colorado

Believed to be the first African-American woman to make it to the Gold Rush

http://www.blackpast.org/files/blackpast_images/brown_clara.jpg

Chief Ouray Famous Ute leader A friend to the

white man and protector to the Indians alike.

Survived the Meeker Massacre

Scott Carpenter Born in Boulder Studied

aeronautical engineering at the University of Colorado

Chosen for Project Mercury in 1959.

www.air-space.com/scott_carpenter.htm

Jack Dempsey Nicknamed the

“Manassa Mauler”.

Held heavyweight boxing titles from 1919-1926.

Considered one of the best in the sport’s history.

rockycolorado.com/.../jack-dempsey/

Nathan Meeker An Indian agent for

the federal government.

The town of Meeker was named after him.

Was killed by Ute Indians after destroying a racetrack.

www.greeleyhistory.org

William Bent Was a trapper and

a rancher. Friend of the

Cheyenne tribe. Built an elaborate

fort that became known as Bent’s Fort.

coloradoplains.com

Baby Doe Tabor Was a rags to

riches to rags story. Married the famous

Horace Tabor. The miners showed

their appreciation for her by giving the nickname “Baby” Doe – the miner’s sweetheart.

publicroad.wordpress.com

Horace Greeley Founder of the

Liberal Republican Party.

His New York Tribune became the most popular paper in the country.

His name was used for Greeley, Colorado. showcase.netins.net

Kit Carson American

frontiersman. Well-known trapper

and military guide. Was a guide for

John C. Fremont’s expeditions into the West.

Wild Bill Hickok Was a famous

figure of the “Old West”.

Stagecoach driver, lawman, a Civil War scout, and a professional gambler.

Had a reputation as an excellent marksman.

http://www.sdhistory.org

Buffalo Bill Cody Was an American

soldier, bison hunter, and showman.

One of the most colorful figures of the Old West.

Famous for his wild west show.

chronicleoftheoldwest.com

William J. Palmer Expert scout and

military guide in the Civil War.

Was a civil engineer who designed the Denver and Rio Grande railroad.

peakradar.com

Horace Tabor Was a prospector,

businessman, and a politician.

Known as “Silver Dollar Tabor” and “The Bonanza King of Leadville.”

Elected Lieutenant Governor of Colorado.

publicroad.wordpress.com

Jack Swigert Was a NASA

astronaut. One of only 24

people to travel to the moon.

One of the 3 astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 mission.

nmspacemuseum.org

Helen Hunt Jackson Famous American

writer. Supporter of Native

American rights. Wrote many books

to support her cause.

www.nndb.com/people/677/000101374/

Katharine Lee Bates American

songwriter. Most popular song

to her credit was “America the Beautiful.”

Was also a college history teacher.

findagrave.com

Emily Griffith Founded the Emily

Griffith Opportunity School in 1916 (still exists today).

Mysteries still exist about her death.

denvergov.org

Glenn Miller Famous American

jazz musician, composer, and bandleader in the swing era.

While flying to entertain troops during World War II, his plane disappeared and was never found.

cityofdearborn.org

Byron “Whizzer” White

supremecourthistory.org

All-American running back at the University of Colorado.

Played professionally for Pittsburgh and Detroit.

Was elected a Supreme Court Justice by John F. Kennedy and remained until 1993.

William Henry Jackson Painter,

photographer, and explorer of the American Old West.

Was most famous for his photographic images of the west.

yellowstonestereoviews.com/.../jackson.html

Black Kettle Cheyenne leader

who resisted movement onto their lands.

Was part of the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864.

Known as a great peacemaker to all Native Americans.

manataka.org

Molly Brown The “Unsinkable”

Molly Brown became famous after she survived the Titanic.

Became a charter member of the Denver Women’s Club.

findagrave.com

William Byers Founder and editor

of the Rocky Mountain News.

Promoted agriculture in the West.

Brought people to Denver in search of gold.

denvergov.org

William Gilpin First governor of

the Colorado Territory.

Was also an explorer, politician, and writer of the west.

Military officer during the Civil War.

Name was used for Gilpin County.

commons.wikimedia.org

John Gunnison American military

officer and explorer.

Mapped possible routes across the rocky Mountains.

Life was ended in the Gunnison Massacre, which today is part of much controversy. 1857massacre.com

William Larimer Settler and land

developer. Helped form the

Colorado Territory. Helped develop the

city that is now Denver.

denvergov.org

Otto Mears Famous Colorado

railroad builder. Known as the

“Pathfinder of the San Juans”.

He built many highways, including the famous “Million Dollar Highway”.

ourayhistory.wikidot.com

Zebulon Pike American soldier

and explorer. Name was used for

“Pikes Peak”. Helped map the

southern portion of the Louisiana Purchase.

famousnewjerseyans.com

Florence Sabin Medical scientist. Was a pioneer for

all women studying medicine.

Was the first woman to graduate from John Hopkins University.

nlm.nih.gov

Ben Nighthorse Campbell American politician. Only the 3rd Native

American to serve in Congress.

Was only the 2nd native American to serve in the House of Representatives.

www.savannah.chatham.k12.ga.us/Students/Nativ...

Lon Chaney, Sr. Nicknamed “The Man

with a thousand Faces”.

A popular actor during the age of silent films.

Popular role in the original films “Phantom of the Opera” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”.

www.easypedia.gr/el/articles/l/o/n/Εικόν...

Enos Mills Helped begin Rocky

Mountain National Park.

Dedicated his life to conserving nature.

Influenced Americans for all things wild and natural.

http://www.oldestes.com/EnosMills.htm

Josephine Roche Moved to Denver

with her family. Became Denver’s

first female police officer.

Ran for Governor of Colorado in 1934.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Roche

Ruth Handler Helped start the

Mattel toy company.

Began the world craze “Barbie” doll.

Donated money to begin the Mickey Mouse Club.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/handler_hi.html

Mary Elitch Long Began the famous

Elitch Gardens At the time, she was

the only woman in the world running an amusement park

Bought land that included and apple orchard…became Elitch Zoological Gardens