Pueblo County, Colorado
Thomas R. Lancaster

Contributed by Maggie Stuart Zimmerman.

Thomas R. Lancaster, state inspector of highways, maintaining his office and residence in Pueblo, was born in Letts, Louisa county, Iowa on the 4th of December, 1868, a son of William and Margaret (Armstrong) Lancaster. The family comes of English and Scotch ancestry. The father is deceased but the mother is still living.

Thomas R. Lancaster was educated in the common schools and in young manhood was identified with coal interests at Centerville Iowa, for two years. In 1887 he made his way westward and located for a time in Wyoming and afterward became a resident of Colorado. He took up his abode in Pueblo in 1888 and was employed in various ways. He was also a member of the police force of Cripple Creek during the boom days there and for nine years was a member of the police force of Pueblo. He afterward entered into business relations with Thomas J. Tynon, as superintendent of the road camp, building roads in northern Colorado. He occupied that position for eight years, when his health demanded a change and he received the appointment to the position of bailiff of the district court. He acted in that capacity until the 15th of May, 1918, when he resigned to accept the position of state inspector of highways, in which position he is now serving.

Mr. Lancaster is a democrat in his political views and has long been an active worker in the ranks of his party. He has frequently served as a delegate to the county and state conventions of the party and his opinions have long carried weight in its councils. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and he is widely known by reason of his activities along various lines and his residence in different parts of the state. He has ever been greatly interested in the state and its development, and has been particularly active in support of the good roads movement. It was this which led to his appointment to his present position as state inspector of highways and already he has marked out his work along progressive lines productive of excellent results. He looks ever beyond the exigencies of the moment to the opportunities, the needs and the possibilities of the future, and is working to give Colorado a system of highways of which she will have every reason to be proud. Extracted from History of Colorado Illustrated Volume II 1918



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