Pueblo County, Colorado
Albert B. Chase

Contributed by Jean Griesan.

Albert B. Chase, who has been engaged in the livery and express business at Pueblo, was born in Nashua, N. H., April 4, 1837. When five years of age he was taken by his uncle to Canton, Mass., and there his boyhood years were spent. Soon after the discovery of gold in Colorado he came west, going by rail to St. Joseph, Mo. While in that city he assisted in placing the first locomotive engine on the track of the new railroad then being constructed, this engine having, with considerable difficulty, been ferried across the river.

In April, 1860, with a party of twenty, Mr. Chase traveled via ox-team and wagons across the plains to Central City, Colo. He began to mine at Blackhawk, but not meeting with success, in the spring of 1861 he went to the head of the Blue, where he prospected. In September of that year he enlisted in Company E, First Colorado Cavalry, at Buckskin Joe mining camp, joining his regiment in Denver in September, 1861, and leaving that city February 22, 1862, traveling night and day to head off Sibley at Fort Union, and two engagements were fought, Sibley being defeated, although Sibley's force numbered three thousand and their own regiment only one thousand. The regiment then went to Val Verde and camped near Fort Craig during part of the summer, when food was so scarce that the soldiers were put on half rations. Next the company was ordered to Fort Lyon, and from there to Colorado Springs, where horses were provided and the soldiers scattered to different parts of the state. Enlisting in the ranks, Mr. Chase was soon promoted to be second sergeant, later was made first sergeant, and in that capacity served the greater part of the time until the close of the war. He was sent from Colorado Springs to Fort Larned, thence to Winnicoop, and later to Fort Lyon, where he spent the winter, and then went to Boone, where many emigrants had been killed by the Indians. His next assignment was to Fort Garland, to subdue the savage tribes there, and later he was sent to Conejos, where the Espanosa outlaws were killing large numbers of emigrants, and he made out a detail that killed one of the Espanosa brothers. He had a personal acquaintance with Kit Carson and other pioneers of the period.

Upon being discharged from the army Mr. Chase settled in the St. Louis Valley, pre-empting a water claim six miles from Garland, Colo., and remaining there until he came to Pueblo County in the spring of 1866. Here he pre-empted a claim on the St. Charles River, five miles from Pueblo. In 1893 he embarked in the livery business in Pueblo, in which he has since engaged, being now the owner of a good business here and about seventy-five head of horses running on the range. His marriage, which took place at Fort Garland January 28, 1864, united him with Miss Lucy S. Anderson, who was born in Missouri and came to Colorado in 1859, settling with her parents in Arapahoe County, afterwards removing to Costilla County. They became the parents of eleven children, all of whom are living, namely: Otis W., who assists his father in business; Mary E., wife of James Kerr, of Delta, Colo.; Hattie, who married Minor Freeland, of Delta; Alice, who married Thomas Walden; Frederick A., a resident of Delta; Clara E.; Ralph, who is a member of Company C, First Colorado Regiment, now in Manila; Eugenie, Arthur, Frances and Grant.

The parents of Mrs. Chase were Joseph and Elizabeth (Winfrey) Anderson, the former a native of Jefferson County, Mo., and the latter born near Columbus, Ky. The maternal grandmother, Lucy Jones, was a native of Virginia, and after her marriage to Thomas Winfrey, removed from that state to Kentucky. Joseph Anderson was born in Missouri in 1823 and was educated in the public schools there, and assisted his father on the farm until reaching man's estate. He fought in the Mexican war under Colonel Donovan until the close of the conflict, when he was honorably discharged. On his return home to Missouri he married, in 1848, Elizabeth Winfrey and settled down to farm life. They were the parents of eight children, three of whom attained maturity, viz.: Lucy S.; Nancy A., wife of Abe Aberson, who is the owner of a fruit farm and orange grove in Florida; and Cordelia, who died at the age of sixteen. Joseph Anderson died in Colorado August 3, 1869; his wife survived him many years, dying at her home in Pueblo, October 3, 1897.

The Missouri ranch was sold in 1859, in which year Mr. Anderson brought his family to Colorado via ox- team, following the course of the Arkansas River on the north side. At that time Indians and buffaloes were plentiful upon the plains. The Indians were peaceable and the party, which was a large one, suffered no annoyance from them, but a few years later, when the Civil war was contending, they were more or less disturbed by the redmen. After reaching Colorado Mr. Anderson turned his attention to mining, and on the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Company E, First Colorado Cavalry, and took part in two engagements with Sibley's troops, first at Apache Canon and then at Pigeon's ranch. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war. After his demise his widow applied for a pension, which she continued to draw until her death. Cordelia, the sister of Mrs. Chase, was the first white infant seen in the city of Denver, she being about two months old at the time the family came to Colorado, while Mrs. Chase was ten years of age.

A stanch Republican and active participant in public affairs, Mr. Chase served as justice of the peace for six years, was school director for eighteen years, and served as United States census enumerator of Pueblo County in 1890. At one time he was a candidate for county commissioner, at the request of members of the Republican party, but was defeated by ten votes. Fraternally he is a member of Upton Post, G. A. R., at Pueblo. With his wife, he is a believer in the doctrines of the Unitarian Church.

Since the above facts were given to the reporter, Mr. Chase has been appointed, by the Pueblo city council, custodian of the (Bessemer) city building for two years, and he now resides there. After being appointed custodian he turned his livery and stock interests over to his sons, Otis and Arthur, giving them control of, and a large interest in, the business.

Extracted from "Portrait and Biographical Record of the State of Colorado," published by Chapman Publishing Company in Chicago in 1899.

Contributed by Jean Griesan.

Chase, Albert B. (arrived in Colorado in 1860)

Albert B. Chase was born on April 4, 1837, in Nashua, New Hampshire. When 5 years of age he was taken by his uncle to Carlton [Charlton?], Massachusetts, and there spent his boyhood years.

Soon after the discovery of gold in Colorado, he came West, going by rail to St. Joseph, Missouri. While in that city he assisted in placing the first locomotive engine on the track of the new railroad then being constructed. This engine, having been ferried, with considerable difficulty, across the river.

In April 1860, with a party of 20, Mr. Chase traveled with ox team and wagons across the plains to Central City, Colorado. He began to mine at Black Hawk but, not meeting with success, in the spring of 1861 he went to the head of the Blue mine he prospected.

In September 1861 he enlisted in Co. E, 1st Colorado Cavalry, at Buckskin Joe mining camp [Park County]. He joined his regiment in Denver, leaving that city February 22, 1862, and traveled day and night to head off [possibly, Brigadier General Henry Hopkins] Sibley at Fort Union. Two engagements were fought and Sibley was defeated, although Sibley's force numbered 3000 and their own regiment only 1000. The regiment then went to Valverde and camped near Fort Craig during part of the summer, when food was so scarce that the soldiers were put on half rations.

Next, the company was ordered to Fort Lyon [Bent County] and from there to Colorado Springs where horses were provided and the soldiers scattered to different parts of the State. Enlisting in the ranks, Mr. Chase was soon promoted to sergeant and in that capacity served the greater part of the time until the close of the Civil War.

He was sent from Colorado Springs to Fort Larned [Kansas]; thence to Winnecoop [sic], and later to Fort Lyon, where he spent the winter and then went to Boone [Pueblo County] where many emigrants had been killed by the Indians.

His next assignment was to Fort Garland [Costilla County] and later was sent to Conejos [Conejos County] where the Espinosa outlaws were killing large numbers of emigrants, and he made out a detail that killed one of the Espinosa brothers. He had a personal acquaintance with Kit Carson and other pioneers of the period.

Upon being discharge from the army, Mr. Chase settled in the St. Louis Valley [probably, San Luis Valley] and preempted a water claim 6 miles from Garland City, Costilla County. He remained there until he went to Pueblo County in 1866. Here he preempted a claim on the St. Charles River, 5 miles from Pueblo. In 1893 he embarked in the livery business in Pueblo where he was successful.

His marriage united him with Miss Lucy S. Anderson at Fort Garland, January 28, 1864. She was a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Winfrey) Anderson, pioneers of 1859. They became the parents of 11 children: Otis W; Mary E., wife of James Kerr of Delta, Colorado; Hattie, who married Minor Freeland of Delta; Alice married Thomas Walden; Frederick A., a resident of Delta; Clara E.; Ralph, who served in Co. C, 1st Colorado Regiment in Manilla [Manila, The Philippine Islands]; Eugenie; Arthur; Frances; and Grant.

Mr. Chase's sister, Cordelia, was the first white infant seen in Denver. She was about 2 months old when the family came to Colorado in 1859, while Mrs. Chase [Lucy S. Anderson?] was 10 years of age. She applied for a pension after the death of Mr. Chase, which she continued to draw until her death in Pueblo May 4, 1910.

Extracted from "The Real Pioneers of Colorado," by Maria Davies McGrath, published in 1934 by The Denver Museum, retyped with added notes by Jane P. Ohl, in October 2001.



to the Pueblo County Index Page.


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