Pueblo County, Colorado
James Hedley Harold

Contributed by Jean Griesen



James Hedley Harold was born on August 27, 1886, the son of Donald and Margaret Harold. He was the second oldest son of this couple, having had an older brother, Stanley, and younger siblings, Donald and Helen. “Hedley” was likely born in Colorado. His father was a native of Scotland; his mother was from Canada.

Hedley began to get very sick when he was four. As the days of the boy's illness passed, Hedley made a special request to his mother that his cap, shirt, pants, and shoes be placed on a small chair near his bed because one day soon he would be well, and he wanted them to be ready when he arose. His recovery was not to be. Hedley Harold died on March 14, 1891 of pneumonia at the age of 4 ½ years old. He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Pueblo. This was his brief obituary:

“James Heddle Harold, the little son of Donald Harold, died last night about 10:30 o’clock, after a short illness with pneumonia. The funeral will be held at 2:30 o’clock Monday afternoon, from the family residence, 822 Fountain street, East Pueblo. Friends are invited to attend without further notice.”
Pueblo Daily Chieftain, March 15, 1891

The family was very affected by Hedley’s death. Donald, Hedley’s father, worked at the marble works, and so began work on carving a statue showing the little chair with Hedley’s clothes, cap, and shoes waiting for him. In later years, Hedley’s brothers both worked as stone cutters at the marble company. Hedley’s little statue was completed in 1901. The family moved Hedley’s grave to Roselawn Cemetery on April 8, 1901. Other family members, including his father and brother, Stanley, are buried nearby in the Harold family lot. The monument to little Hedley Harold may be the most beloved monument in all of Roselawn Cemetery.

SOURCES:
1. Federal census records from 1900, 1910, and 1920 from Pueblo County, Colorado.
2. Obituary for James Heddle Harold, Pueblo Daily Chieftain, Pueblo County, Colorado, March 15, 1891.
3. Obituary for Donald Harold, Pueblo Chieftain, Pueblo County, Colorado, May 1, 1916.
4. “Stanley Harold Dies,” Pueblo Chieftain, Pueblo County, Colorado, May 26, 1916.
5. Funeral notice for Stanley Harold, Pueblo Chieftain, Pueblo County, Colorado, May 29, 1916.
6. Burial records from Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado, provided online at www.roselawnpueblo.com/genealogy/.
7. Hedley Harold’s burial information provided from Melissa Dall, Roselawn Cemetery’s Office Coordinator, provided in September 2006.
8. Roselawn Information from Roselawn Cemetery (Pueblo, Colorado) Historical Walking Tour Guide, written by JoAnne West Dodds, provided online at http://www.roselawnpueblo.com/resources/History_Guide.pdf.



to the Pueblo County Index Page.


Please e-mail comments and suggestions toKaren Mitchell.
© Karen Mitchell