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John Wauler Mahan,
secretary-treasurer of the Mahan Jewelry Company of Colorado
Springs, was born in Paoli, Indiana, in 1867 and comes of
Scotch-Irish ancestry. His father. Samuel Mahan, was also a
native of Paoli, Indiana, born in the year 1826, and in the
place of his nativity he was married to Miss Sarah Dougherty, a
native of that place. She died in the year 1901 and is still
survived by her husband, who yet resides near his native town.
John Wauler Mahan was reared in the vicinity of Paoli, Indiana,
upon the old home farm, and attended the country schools.
Between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one years, he took up the
profession of teaching, which he followed in the rural schools,
but on attaining his majority he turned his attention to
commercial pursuits by learning the watchmaker's trade in Paoli
and since 1889 he has been continuously engaged in the jewelry
business. He arrived in Colorado in 1895, at which time he took
up his abode in Boulder, and a year later he removed to
Leadville, where he opened a store, continuing there until 1902.
In the latter year he became a resident of Pueblo, where he
worked at his trade for two years, and in 1904 he removed to
Albuquerque. New Mexico, where he was employed at the jewelry
trade for one year. On the expiration of that period he became a
resident of Ouray, Colorado, where he lived for a year, and in
1906 he made his way to Colorado Springs, where he worked for the
Johnson Jewelry Company until 1914. He then bought an equity in
the business and the firm name was changed to the Mahan Jewelry
Company, with Mr. Mahan as secretary, treasurer and manager. He
is now active in control of the house and the business is one of
gratifying and extensive proportions. He is thoroughly familiar
with every phase of the business and of the work connected therewith and is well
qualified to assume executive control over the undertaking. He
is likewise secretary and treasurer of the Elliott-Johnson
Investment Company of Colorado.
On the 25th of February, 1889, at Paoli, Indiana, Mr. Mahan was
united in marriage to Miss Ella Hollingsworth and to them have
been born four children. Dwight Hollings-worth was born in 1891
and was an instructor in military service at Austin, Texas; he
was commissioned second lieutenant, having in eleven months
risen from the rank of private and is in the aviation branch of
the service. The others are: Judith, born in Brandenberg,
Kentucky, in 1893; Frank W., who was born in Leadville,
Colorado, in 1901; and James Samuel, born in Pueblo, Colorado in
1904.
Mr. Mahan's military service covers connection with the Reserve
Watch of Colorado. He affiliates with' the Presbyterian church
and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party.
He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and is interested in all
of its projects for the general good. His has been an active and
useful life marked by steady progress, bringing him to a
prominent position in commercial circles of Colorado Springs.
by Stone, Wilbur Fiske, History of Colorado,
Volume III. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing
Company, 1918. |
