Description
“Died.” - - In Central City, Colorado, Saturday morning, January 9, 1904, Jeremiah Lee aged 74 years, 3 months (born 1829). Deceased leaves a sorrowing widow, three daughters and a son to mourn the loss of a kind, loving and indulgent father and husband. The funeral services occurred at his late residence Monday afternoon, and on Tuesday the remains were taken to Denver, where they were placed in the vault at Riverside, and latter will be interred at Fairmount. Mr. Lee was among the first to prospect Leavenworth Mountain, and was the discoverer of such well known lodes as the O. K., Argentine, Jenny Lind. George Law and others, several of which have produced fortunes upon fortunes after they passed from his possession. All these discoveries were made in 1865. “Prof.” Bowman was his companion prospector. and the two built what was known as the Red, White and Blue smelter in Leavenworth gulch. Bowman was called “Professor” for the reason that he was the only person here who knew anything about smelting ores, having been employed in the lead smelters of Missouri. Mr. Lee and Mr. Bowman built the first road over Burrell Hill a road that was in use for many years and over which millions of dollars worth of ore was hauled. Mr. Lee was not only one of the first prospectors of this district, but was among the first to come to Colorado, and was among those who rushed to California in its early history. He is a native of old West Virginia, born in Berkley County in October, 1829. At the age of 12 his parents moved to Illinois and then to Missouri. When 17 years of age he became imbued with the spirit of war on the occasion of our little difficulty with Mexico, and not being old enough to enlist as a soldier he became an attaché of Lieutenant, afterward Adjutant Dacaso, of Co. G, in Col. Doniphan's regiment, and participated in all the ups and downs and terrible marches of that famous organization. He took part in the battle of what is now El Paso, and the battle of Sacramento in Chihuahua. The former battle, he says, was in an open field with no sort of protection, with 900 Americans against 5000 Mexicans. Yet with all the odds, the Americans routed them handsomely, and sent them flying in all directions. It was during this battle that Mr. Lee became deaf from the roar of cannon. Although on necessary occasions doing equal service with other soldiers, and fighting alongside them in their battles, the government never recognized his service because he was not regularly enlisted. Without doubt he was the youngest soldier in the American army. After marching from New Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico, the regiment embarked for New Orleans and from thence returned home, covered with glory, in which the boy of 17 shared with the other soldiers. In 1850 he crossed the plains and Rocky Mountains to California to mine for gold, and was there 4 years, returning to New York by water. Again in 1859 he caught the gold fever and came to Colorado, making his headquarters at Central City, and spent the first 3 years prospecting in every direction, before, he says, he became satisfied it was a country fit, even for a wolf to live in. He prospected up Fall River, and around Empire and Georgetown in 1860, returning to Georgetown a few years later, after a town had been established. He crossed the plains 9 times before a railroad was built, and in 1863, brought his family out from Missouri. He has acquired considerable mining property in Gilpin County, and is the possessor of a comfortable home in Central City, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, one of whom, a granddaughter, recently graduated from the high school of that place. Mr. Lee joined the Pioneer Society of Gilpin County when there were about 3090 members. Today there are only 50.Date(s) of Creation
1/14/1904
