Yuma County, Colorado Photographs

Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

Clark H. Gruber, Wray

Clark's father was so colorful that some of his history is included.

"Ohio-born brothers Milton E. Clark and Austin M. Clark, and Emanuel H. Gruber founded their first bank at Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, in 1859. In January 1860, they purchased land in Denver City, and on July 10 the Clark, Gruber & Company Bank and Mint opened for business."



"The citizens of Colorado Territory, nearly 30,000 in number, desired to have an official United States branch mint to provide a greater quantity of coins for circulation and to act as a depository for bullion. On December 19, 1861, a bill to this effect was introduced in Congress by Hiram P. Bennett. The legislation passed the House and Senate and became effective on April 21, 1862. By this time the owners of Clark, Gruber & Co., having minted gold coins in the total amount of $594,305, desired to sell the building and related facilities. A description of the firm's assets was provided: A private mint in Denver owned by Clark, Gruber & Co. is a two-story brick building 25 feet front by 40 feet deep with a basement opening out on level ground at the back end of the building. Walls of basement story 2 feet thick; 2 floor 16 inches [referring to the thickness of the walls]; 3 floor 12 inches; upper story 4 rooms plastered 11 feet high. 2 story level with the street in front 13 feet high plastered and painted open front. Glass 30x40 in transepts lights above doors. 4 double doors in front, side doors and stairs back leading up to 3 story. Partition 10 feet from back wall. A well furnished circular oak counter and 4 desks of like quality; door and stairs leading down to basement. Basement room contains the machinery and apparatus for coining. Basement 9 feet high with large double doors in rear end and 4 windows plastered. Engine house 16x20 feet, brick. 3 doors and windows. Acid room adjoining 8x20, with 1 door and window. 7 acid furnaces built in the outer wall; flues of same 25 feet high, flues and furnaces 12 to 14 inches square. Melting furnaces are 3x4 feet outside, 16 inches square inside, 18 inches deep, iron bars for grates. All the rooms and apartments fitted up with the necessary furniture ... The rolling, milling, punching, and coining machinery may all be run at the same time. All is in perfect working order and good machinery made by the best workmen in Philadelphia and New York ready for working United States coin by substituting United States dies. Lot on which building stands is 15x125 feet enclosed by board fence 8 feet high. Good well supplying ample water for all purposes."

On March 10, 1864, Emanuel Henry Gruber withdrew from Clark, Gruber & Co. The Clark brothers continued under the name of Clark & Co. until May 9, 1865, when the business was transferred to the First National Bank in Denver, an organization of which the Clarks were founders and stockholders. The Central City branch was sold to George T. Clark, who was first cashier of the First National Bank in Denver, and Evan Smith. The business, which later included a branch at Georgetown, was continued under the name of George T. Clark & Co. Through out the 1860s the main office of Clark, Gruber & Co. remained in Leavenworth, Kansas. Accounting and financial reports were prepared in the Kansas facility.

Gruber, following his March 10, 1864 resignation, returned to Leavenworth, where he continued in the banking business until 1866. He had business interests in New York and Louisiana as well. In July 1878 he went to Leadville, Colorado, then experiencing a silver boom, and became an owner of the Pendery Mine. A three-story building, the Gruber Block, was erected in Leadville in the summer of 1880 at Harrison Avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets. By August 15th of that year every square foot of space in the facility, then considered to be the best business location in Leadville, was rented.
1874

By the end of 1882 Gruber had suffered some financial reverses in his mining investments. He left Leadville and moved to Gunnison. In July 1883 he relocated to Denver, where he engaged in the selling of mining claims, real estate, and insurance until 1892, when he moved to Cripple Creek. Located on the western side of Pikes Peak, Cripple Creek was a boom town. Gold had been discovered there, and miners, including many from the Central City and Georgetown areas (which were then experiencing a depression, for mining had turned from emphasis on gold to silver, and silver prices were low), came to seek new fortunes. Overnight many people became wealthy, and within a few years the Cripple Creek area had grown to include 60,000 people, including over 30 millionaires. Gruber stayed in the area during its most prosperous times. He left in 1904 because the altitude, about 9,500 above sea level, was unfavorable for his wife's health."

In 1880 Leadville, Colorado, Emanuel H. Gruber is 47, a mine broker, born in Maryland, Emma 38 in Ohio, Cora B. 19, Clark 17, Sallie M. 14, and Maud 12, all born in Kansas. They have a cook, so they must be doing well.

Cora Bell Gruber married Meredith H. Camplin in Lake County, Colorado in 1880.

May 1880 Leadville "Among the many extensive improvements being made in the city, none is greater than the large Union block now being built by E. H. Gruber. This is located on the west side of Harrison avenue, opposite the new Quincy block. The building is to be three stories in height, and built with all the latest conveniences. On the first floor will be found stores, while the second and third stories will be divided into elegant office rooms. Gas and water will be introduced to all parts of the building, as well as a special system of ventilation. The foundation to the building is of brick, and is already completed, and the frame raised for the first story. The work is being done by Sheppard & Co., the well known contractors, who also have an interest in the building, and will construct it in the most substantial and finished manner. It is proposed to have the building completed by the middle of July. This will be a great addition, not only as an ornament, but as a benefit to the city."

April 1881 Leadville "The Eudora, belonging to E. H. Gruber and others, located just south from the Big Pittsburg, is an especially promising property, and the shaft has already cut a good body of iron and reached fair mineral. The mine has been closed down for a few weeks, owing to a quantity of water and the lack of proper machinery. Yesterday, however, it was again started up. During the interim of remaining idle, there has been put up a fine new twenty-horse power Ensminger & Davis hoisting engine. Work of sinking and drifting will now be prosecuted."

April 1882 Leadville "Mrs. E. H. Gruber and daughters leave this week for the Gunnison."

October 1882 "Mrs. E. H. Gruber and family have returned from the Gunnison."

August 2, 1883 "Miss Maud Gruber, the fourteen-year-old daughter of E. H. Gruber, a well known Leadville mining speculator, shot herself dangerously in the breast while toying with a pistol , at Boulder , on Tuesday."

August 4, 1883 "Miss Maude Gruber, a dauqhter of E. H. Gruber, of Glass Pendry fame, accidentally shot herself, in Boulder, on Tuesday afternoon. Slight hopes are entertained of her recovery."
Maude Emma Gruber is buried in Boulder # 4999163.

Pueblo, Colorado September 1890 mining news. "Mr. E. H. Gruber, an old mining man, originally from Leadville, has been engaged by the Mineral Palace company to assist in arranging and classifying the specimens as they come in."

1892 Hagerstown Maryland "Jacob Gruber, deceased, which heirs are Martin M. Gruber and Ann, his wife, John George Gruber and Lenoru, his wife, N a n n i e Pauldlng and--Panl, , dln«, her husband, Mary Ann Itohmson, Margaret Ann Howers and Martin 11. liowers, husband; Jacob J. Gruber
"Edward Dorsey, Jonu George Gruber and Lenora his wife, Emanuel H. Gruber and Emma, his wife, and Nannie Paulding and -- Pauldiug are non-residents. "

In 1900 Cripple Creek, Colorado, Emanuel Gruber is a banker, born March 1836 in Maryland, married 40 years to Emma August 1841, Ohio. She's had five children, two living.
Emanuel 77 and Emma W. 60 are in Sheridan, Wyoming in 1910.
Emma died in 1910, buried in Sheridan # 38777707.

Emanuel H. Gruber, dying May 19, 1913, is buried in the Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C., # 122200256.

"Meridith Camplin & Cora Gruber had a son Harry Gruber Camplin. Meridith is in the 1910 census residing in Sheridan, Sheridan County, WY where he is listed as a Lawyer. Others in the family are listed as Cora, wife age 47 yrs; Hugo son 25 yrs; Warren W. son 21 yrs; Colin B. son 16 yrs; Rolle R 11 yrs; and Ella Murry 23 yrs listed as a servant in the household. "
Cora Belle (Gruber) Camplin # 43421530 is buried in Sheridan.
"Mrs. M. B. Camplin, who lived in Douglas from 1886 to 1890, died last week at Sheridan, where she had lived many years. She was the widow of the late M. B. Camplin, who came to Douglas in 1886, the year the town was founded, and practiced law here. He was mayor of Douglas for one term and later was mayor of Newcastle and of Sheridan. Mrs. Camplin was 68 years of age. She is survived by five sons. "

CLARK

In 1882, Both Emanuel H. Gruber, mining, and Clark Gruber are living at 126 E 4th in Leadville.

Clark cash-claimed 160 acres in 31, 2N 43W in 1891.

In 1892 Denver, Clark is living at 6 King Blk, - and so is E. H. Gruber.

Clark and Ella D. Walters married in Denver on September 7, 1893.
Possibly she was Ella Waters....

POSSIBLY Fort Morgan Colorado 1890 "Miss Ella Walters, of Ohio, a sister of Mrs. E. D. Farley, formerly of this place, spent a day or two in town and vicinity since our last issue. She owns a tree claim near A. Beidler's, and her business here was to look after her improvements."

In 1894 Denver, Clark is working at 1655 Lawrence, living at 2758 Champa.

In 1896 Denver, Clark is a mining broker, living at 2758 Champa.

In 1898 Mrs. Ella D. Gruber is a dressmaker, living at 921 23rd in Denver.

In 1900 she's a dressmaker at room 22, 2330 Washington Avenue, Denver.
In the 1900 census, she said she was born May 1866 in Illinois, married seven years but no spouse, no children. Her father was born in Illinois, mother in Ohio.

Ella D. Gruber 1866-1901 is buried in Denver # 13465670.
The Denver death records show that she was born in Illinois.

Clark Harry Gruber, born October 23, 1863 in Kansas to E. Henry Gruber and Emma Whittridge, widowed, died in Salt Lake City June 16, 1909.
He's buried in Salt Lake City # 168561.
The informant was Emma Gruber of the same address, 403 S. 6th in Salt Lake City.

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