William H. Hyde
Contributed by Karen Mitchell and Jean Griesan. Photo by Floyd Kelling.
William H. Hyde
William H. Hyde, a native of Illinois and a blacksmith, went to California in 1857 where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War. He served with the First California Volunteer Infantry in New Mexico and Arizona for two years. Hyde lived for several years in Denver and Golden before coming to Pueblo in 1870. He opened a blacksmith and wagon building business at Third and Main streets. In 1880 he built six new-style half-spring buckboards for use by Barlow and Sanderson on its Gunnison stage line. He was elected Mayor of Pueblo in 1879 and served for two terms. A major concern, at that time, was to rid the town of filth and garbage and to keep it clean. Hyde was an organizer of Pueblo Building and Improvement Company, and Union Gas Company, both in 1880. Hyde overextended credit to his customers and as a result lost his business in March 1892. He then became an agent for farm machinery firms. He died in Pueblo on February 17, 1918.
WILLIAM H. HYDE
Mr. Hyde is well known in Southern Colorado as a manufacturer of wagons and dealer in agricultural implements. He was born in Joliet, Ill., in 1839, where he was raised and early learned the trade of blacksmith and wagon-maker. In 1857, he went to California and worked at his trade, until the breaking-out of the war in 1861, when he enlisted in the First California Volunteer Infantry afterward serving through Arizona and New Mexico, until December, 1863. He then quit the army, having served his time, and located at Denver, Colo., resuming his trade. In 1866, he went to Golden, Colo., and remained there until 1868, when he again returned to Denver. He located at Pueblo in November, 1870, and opened a blacksmith and wagon shop. Since then he has erected large and capacious buildings which he now occupies. He was elected Mayor of Pueblo in April, 1879, and was reelected in 1880, his second term of office expiring April, 1881. He was married, in Pueblo, December 1, 1871, to Miss Laura S. Loy. Mr. Hyde has succeeded well in the West, and is now doing an extensive business, dealing in farming implements of all kinds, and manufacturing wagons for a large custom throughout Southern Colorado. His business is constantly increasing, and has become an important factor in the growing interests of Pueblo. History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado O L Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1881
to the Pueblo County Index Page.
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