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Charles Otto UNFUG Contributed by: Karen Mitchell
Charles Otto UNFUG, born 3 July 1846, Bielefeld, Westphalia, Germany. Arrived Huerfano county, Colorado 1869. Married 11 Dec 1873 Kate Jeanette
WITHINGTON. Died 27 June 1907 at Walsenburg. Buried in Masonic Cemetery,
Walsenburg Colorado. Charles was the first of the UNFUG family to leave Germany, and was largely
responible for the migration of the family to Walsenburg. He arrived in St.
Louis, Missouri on 22 Sep 1862 at age sixteen. It was here he first met
Fred WALSEN. The two had served in the home Guard, known at the West End
Rangers. In 1865 Charles became employed by F.W. POSTHOFF and Co., a firm
supplying Ft. Garland and other trading posts in Colorado owned by the
company. He left Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on 3 July 1865, working as a driver with an
oxen caravan loaded with supplies for Ft. Garland, arriving Sep. 28, 1865. He served various trading posts operated by the company and in 1869 was
commissioned to open a post at Badito, then the county seat of Huerfano
county. While at Badito he became county clerk and recorder and thus began a
political career that lasted many years. In 1872, he and Fred WALSEN, in an
"over-night maneuvar", moved the county seat to Walsenburg, much to the
surprise of the residents of both places. Here he became an employee of
Mr. WALSEN, but continued to serve as county clerk and recorder as well as
clerk of the District Court. Charles was a candidate for the office of
Secretary of State in the elections of 1880 and 1884 but was unsuccessful. The following year he joined his brothers, Fred and Adolph in the operation
of Unfug Bros. In 1899 he moved to Pueblo where he engaged in the insurance
and mining business til his death. His Masonic actitivies were state wide. He was largely responsible for
starting the Blue Lodge Chapter in Walsenburg. He served in many state
offices in various councils. In 1904 he became Grand High Priest of the
Royal Arch Chapter of Colorado. Charles died on one of his frequent trips to Walsenburg at the home of his
brother, Fred UNFUG.
Charles Otto UNFUG
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